Eli's File

So, most of you are probably not interested in this post, but I figured the grandparents and aunts (and maybe Uncle Z too...do you still read?) would enjoy seeing all of the "projects" Eli has done lately at school.  I certainly treasure all of these sweet creations.

My mom always kept "files" on my brother, sister, and I.  It was an expandable/accordion type of file folder.  We each have a different color-I'm green...but that's beside the point.

Anyway, Mom saved all kinds of stuff in the files:  report cards, awards, pictures, art, letters we wrote.  Some of the things go back as far as preschool.  She continued to add things all the way through our college graduations.  Every once in awhile we pull the things out and usually get a good laugh at the things we wrote, or how we looked!  : )

I've started my "file" for Eli.  I've also seen on Pinterest (how could I be a good, creative Mommy without that site???) where people take pictures of their kids art work and then turn them into a coffee table book-like this one.  I plan to do that too, but I probably won't get rid of all of the originals.

So, here's a few of the things that have kept little man busy...

18 Months Old

Eli, the amount of things you are learning each week is incredible.  You're such a smart boy and, if possible, we love you more with each passing day.  You brighten my day and your laugh can turn around even the gloomiest of days!

I wanted to make the surveys last through age two, but some of the categories are getting difficult to fill out.  So, I'm altering some of them to make them more appropriate for us.  : )

News headlines:  Gosh, I don't even know.  I'm not very good at keeping up with the outside world these days.  Being a wife to a coach, mommy, and teacher keeps me pretty occupied these days!

Milestones:  You are a champion climber.  You can pull yourself up/over pretty much anything.  I have also started letting you walk to the car some when I pick you up from daycare.  Of course we have to hold hands in the parking lot, it's a rule!

Measurements:  Size 4 diapers, size 18 mths clothes, size 5 shoes, 30" tall

Like Mommy:  shy, a love for books, you also love to have something to drink.  You and mommy both drink a ton of water/juice (Diet Coke or sweet tea for Mommy) during the day

Like Daddy:  You loooove to be outside and love music

Favorite toys/games:  You love to sing, especially Itsy, Bitsy Spider, Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes, and the Baby Bumble Bee son

Words:  The most popular one lately has been, "no, no!" with that sweet little finger just a wavin'!  But also - mama, dada/daddy, bye bye, nana, keys, doh (door), done, up, noh noh (knock knock), bop (stop), one, geen (green), Buzz, zoos (shoes), hot....and several others!

Challenges:  You love to flush the toilet!  You have even managed to overflow our downstairs bathroom.  You are also becoming increasingly opinionated.

Our Days:  You sleep until about 7 and we get you up.  Daddy usually gets you dressed while Mommy finishes getting ready.  Mommy takes you to school and then picks you up in the afternoons.  We play and unwind from our day, and if Daddy has a home soccer game, then we head to that.  Bedtime is about 8:30.  You get a bath about every other day, unless you're just too dirty from the day.

Funny/Favorite Moments

Mommy's Favorite:  I cherish our time when you want to be rocked at night, and when you are worn out from the day your crawl into my lap and still snuggle with me.  You'll never get too big for my lap, Squirmy Bug!

Daddy's Favorite:  Daddy loves to hear you say, "no, no!" and watch that finger get to waggin!

Upcoming Events:  SPRING BREAK!!!

13 on Thursday

1.  Eli is at such a fun age right now.  I think I say this nearly every time I blog, but we really are loving this!  : )  He's learning new words nearly everyday.  I'll save those updates for his 18 month post-Saturday!

2.  I don't know if I blogged about this or not, but someone at work gave me an Amish bread starter.  I was pleased with my first homemade bread making experience.  It was very easy!

3.  I am so obsessed with the Hunger Games.  I'm friends with them on Facebook-haha!  The books were really good, but I was a little disappointed with the ending to Mockingjay.  Not so much what happened to the characters, but how it was told.  I wanted more details.  I told Wesley he better take me to see that movie.  I read the books in no time, and while I'm sure the movies won't be nearly as good (they never are), I am still really excited about it!

4.  We had a post-Valentine's date last weekend in Dothan and went to see The Vow.  Loved it!  Definitely a chick flick.  Incredible that it was based on a true story.

5.  I'm in the process of making curtains for the living room.  Hopefully I can get those finished and hung this weekend.  I've just got to line them and finish the tabs at the top.  Here's my inspiration.  (What would I do without Pinterest?)

6.  Biggest Loser is my show.  I watch it every Tuesday.  This week was sooo dramatic, it had me feeling all stressed!  I think the right choice was made as to who got sent home.

7.  I really should go clean my house.  How does it get so messy every day?  It's not like we stay home...we all go to work/school each day, I don't understand!  : )

8.  I love a good chevron pattern.  I want something chevron in my house, but I have no idea what or where I would put it!  Ideas?

9.  I have so many preggo friends right now....some that's common knowledge, others that are still keeping it hush-hush for now!  I'm so excited for all of them!  : )

10.  The high today is 77 or 78---that's my kind of weather!

11.  After tomorrow, there's only four weeks until Spring Break.  I can't wait!

12.  Eli has his first 'date' this weekend.  Too bad he's taking HIS mommy and daddy along with HER mommy and daddy.  Good thing they're 2 and under.  Otherwise that could be awkward!  Pictures to come.

13.  I must get video of Eli saying "No, No!" and waving his little finger.  It will probably come back to bite me, but I encourage it right now.  Say what you may, but it's so stinking cute!  : )

Soccer

Soccer, or as I like to say, "futbol!" has started.  Which means Coach has been very busy!

This year he's the Varsity Girl's head coach, and he dresses up for every game.  The tie must be working, because so far his team is 2-0.  The best start they've ever had!

Last weekend they played my alma mater in Dothan, and since it was race weekend, Eli and I headed south after school.

Jordan, #4 for the other team, is a dear family friend.

She was not too happy with Wesley after the game!  But, the thing about soccer is you play everybody more than once, so there's always another chance during the rematch.

Coach has been gone a lot with practices, meetings, and games, but it's paying off.  Keep up the good work!


Completely unrelated to soccer.....isn't my niece the cutest thing!?!

I miss her!

Half Marathon

Yesterday was the day we've been waiting for for months, the day Wesley and my mom have been training so hard for.  They ran a half-marathon...that's 13.1 MILES!!!!

Eli and I made a sign to cheer on our favorite runners!

During the race, Puddin, Eli, and I traveled around to a couple of different spots to get some photo ops.

This was probably about mile 2 or 3.

Eli enjoyed watching all of the runners pass by.  I like this picture.  He looks like he's pointing which way they should go, haha!

Mile 9-ish

Eli enjoyed running around too.  The last part of the race was at one of our town's local parks, so there was a lot of space for Eli to play while we waited.

Eli was so happy when Nana ran up,

but he did not understand why she couldn't stop and play!

Wesley's goal was under 2 hours!

And my mom's goal was under 3!

They did so fantastic and we are so proud of them!  Wesley had such a great time, I think he's on the look-out for more half-marathons.

Eli Lately

I've been meaning to do this post for awhile. Eli is doing so many cute and fun things. In some ways he's still my baby boy, but in so many other ways he's becoming my big boy! I can't believe how fast he's growing and learning. I want to freeze time, or at least engrave these days into my memory.

*Eli loves to read! One of his favorites is the Auburn counting book. He opens it to the page with Aubie and starts shaking his fist (insert shaker) and waits for one of us to sing War Eagle or Glory.

*Eli also loves music. He has recently learned Itsy Bitsy Spider and does the spider, rain, and sun motions. He still loves baby bumble bee. He shakes his head no at every verse until you get to the "wiping off the baby bumble bee". That's his favorite. He smiles so big as he "wipes the bee" off of his shirt!  He also likes when I switch it up and sing about bringing home a baby dinosaur.

*Wesley has taught Eli to hold his arms up and show his muscles on command.  It's cute.

*Eli has learned to say "no, no" and shakes his finger as he says it. I guess he's picked this up at daycare because we don't say "no , no" or shake our finger at him, ha!  We try to redirect instead of always telling him no.

*Eli has now learned to flush the toilet.  He loves to watch the water go down and then waves and says, "bye, bye!" to it.  He did this so many times as I was getting ready one morning the toilet nearly overflowed.  Thankfully, he hasn't tried to flush anything down.

*We gave Eli an "ELI" puzzle for Christmas.  He loves to play with it, but frequently gets frustrated because he struggles to get the E in.

*Eli says HOT if we have a fire going and when we put in/take out anything from the oven or microwave.  He usually asks if something is hot before he eats, too.

*If the sun is in his eyes or if all the lights are on in the living room (we usually just do the lamps) he says "BITE! BITE!" (bright!)

*Eli is still very shy.  He goes into his classroom each day just fine, and his smiling and playing when I pick him up each afternoon.  However, he gets very quiet and clingy around new people, unfamiliar situations.  He cries A LOT when he goes to the nursery at church.  I guess because he doesn't go daily, and isn't really in there long enough to establish a routine.  He's calmed down when we pick him up, but is still breathing/hiccuping like he's been crying hard.

*Eli has gotten to be a pro at unzipping and taking his jacket off.  He does this by himself when we get home, or get to his classroom, and gives it to me to hang up.  When they go to the playground, his daycare teachers have had to start putting his jacket on him backwards - hood in the front, zipper in the back - because he constantly takes it off.  He apparently has made some good friends though, because now the other kids come by and unzip it from the back for him!  : )

*Eli doesn't have a favored blanket, stuffed animal, lovie, or anything like that.  However, here lately, he's become very attached to his sippy cups.  Not any particular one, but when he has one, he keeps a death grip on it and looks it to stay in the crook of his arm.  He pitches a big fit if you try to take it away, or put it on the counter.  We've even had to start taking a cup with us to daycare every morning, and then I switch it with his daycare cup once we get there.

These days are so much fun.  Eli is learning new things each day and his personality is really becoming very developed!

We're Still Here

So I've been taking a bit of a blogging break.  Here's what the past few weeks have looked like in our house:

*Wesley gets pink eye.

*Rebecca gets pink eye.

*Rebecca gets pink eye again.

*Eli gets bronchitis.

*Rebecca gets TERRIBLE cough that Eli had.  It lasted a good 10 days.

*Wesley gets pink eye again.

My SIL tweeted to me to get out the Lysol.  Trust me, we have...well, not with Lysol, but you know...

Wesley has also had soccer practice.  He's varsity head coach this year, which has meant added responsibilities, which translates to getting home some nights as late as 7 p.m.  Their first game is on Tuesday (so my Valentine's date will be with my little man), and then the REAL late nights will begin.  This is a busy time of the year for the Taffs!

So, between everyone being sick, working, and taking care of things around the house by myself, blogging has been moved to the bottom of the list of things to do!

Next weekend is a long weekend and we're really looking forward to it.  Hopefully I'll be catching up on some blogging soon.  Have a great week!