What's new with Eli?

It's been awhile since I've posted about what's new with Eli, and I thought it would be fun to tell what he's been up to so far this summer. He's been a busy little man...

1. He's decided he likes coffee, calamari, and black olives.

2. He begs for blueberries. The child cannot get enough of this fabulous "super food."

3. He thinks parmesan cheese is the best food ever and gets mad if restaurants don't have it in a shaker for him. He even begged me to put it on leftover Mexican food the other day--once I gave in (and dry heaved), he ate with gusto.

4. Eli learned how to "corn hole." I did not even know this game existed until we moved to Kentucky...I just thought it was a beanbag toss.
5. Eli's been learning to share--which is a really hard lesson. If he's feeling it, he's really good at it. If he's not, well...

6. He's learning to be gentle--with friends, pets, grown-ups, pretty much everybody and everything.

7. Eli's developing a friendship with Reagan. Watching them play together is so cute! I can't believe I don't have a better picture of them together.

8. Eli's still a part of the moving crew--though now he's helping unpack. He's unpacked boxes and boxes of clothes (as shown here) and some dishes (with only two being completely shattered). He really is a good helper and is learning to follow directions with more than one step.
9. The little man has endured many trips to the farmer's market--we bribe him through it with blueberries. :) But really, there's so much to see that he does really well.

10. When we get home from the farmer's market he helps me freeze the berries and make smoothies.

11. Eli has devoured many smoothies as of late. We have learned this goes best if he drinks them from a "big boy cup" while wearing a diaper. We tried smoothies fully clothed, but it didn't work very well... 12. The Eli man has a swimming pool on the back porch that he loves to "swim" in...every time the back door opens. He makes his escape and jumps in fully clothed with whatever he may be holding when this golden opportunity comes his way.

13. Eli likes to go to the mall and play in the play area. It is great fun on week days. However, on weekends it gets a little wild and woolly. By wild, I mean there are approximately 3 million kids in this enclosed space. By woolly, I mean there are big kids in there with full beards and pit hair. SO, we've learned that weekdays are best.

14. Little man has been playing Wii with his dad. It's way cute.

15. Really, he just likes to spend any time he can with his daddy--who he calls "Scott," "Dad-Scott," or more recently "Daddy." We've been working very hard on that. We practice all day while Daddy's at work.

16. Believe it or not, we did not pose him for this picture. May it also be noted that it should be considered a minor miracle that I caught it. The child moves very, very quickly. His daddy was actually trying to teach him how to play the drums with chop sticks.

17. Eli LOVES to make monkey noises.

18. Eli also likes to quack when he sees a duck, "nee" when he sees a horse, and moo when he sees a cow. There are other noises he makes, but those are the leading favorites right now.

19. Eli loves to throw balls. He's got a cannon of an arm on him too. He's also got good aim--think tennis ball in a citronella candle from a decent distance...

20. When he tries to catch, he squats like Yadi...after going to a Cards game. He loves to watch "ball" or play ball.

21. Eli's really big into home renovation right now. He likes to paint--or at least play in it.

22. He also likes to fling (or completely remove, if possible) these little doo-hickies that stop the door from mangling the wall.

23. If you're thinking these pictures are getting older as we progress, you'd be right.

24. Little man likes to help in whatever we're doing: pulling up a chair to help mom with the dishes, dry mopping the floor, pushing the shopping cart, whatever needs done really, he's quick to offer his assistance.

25. Eli has a few favorite things for bedtime: his blankie, paci (only at bedtime), and My Pal Scout. If any of these things are missing, things get a little tricky. However, I'm glad that he's formed these attachments (save the paci). He also likes goldfish or any other variety of crackers--he'll ask for either by name. Don't his feet look HUGE here?
26. Eli's in hog heaven here...

27. Eli's been working on learning his letters. His favorites are (in this order): I, E, R.

28. If he wants to avoid saying please or thank you, he'll give his mega-watt grin to try to butter us up.

29. The little man makes me laugh constantly. He is so stinking funny!

30. Any time he's in trouble, he tries to change the subject to distract us. "See da ball?"

31. The worst disciplinary action, in Eli's mind, is for us to make him look at us. I know I'm not super-model gorgeous, but I didn't know we were that bad...

32. Eli is BUSY! He loves to explore his world, ask questions, and try new things. The child loves life, and I love that!

So far this summer's been fabulous. We've had so much fun already! My buddy's getting so big so fast. I'm sure there are about a million and one things I've forgotten to include here, but now I'll be able to focus on them a little at a time. Eli is such a blessing!

Lingering thought of the day: I'm so excited for the fam to get here for the weekend!