Conversations with Eli

To cool oatmeal

After putting a bowl of hot oatmeal in front of Eli, Eli asks Mama to help him blow on it to cool it off.

Eli: "Blow on the oatmeal as hard as water flows from the Columbia River to the ocean."

Jokes

Eli is just beginning to learn about jokes. He knows they are supposed to be funny. He knows people are supposed to laugh at jokes. He gets some jokes in movies (his favorite joke is from a Stuart Little movie: a skunk says, "Talk to the butt!" before spraying another animal). But that's about the extent of his joke abilities. Listen in:

Eli, during a car ride home from Portland: "Let's tell jokes! I'll go first."

Eli: "How does a cow dig a hole?"

Daddy: "How?"

Eli: "With his teeth!"

We all laugh. (And no, we don't get that joke!)

Daddy: "OK, my turn. An elephant and a rhinoceros have a baby. Guess what the baby is called."

Eli: "That's pretty funny, Daddy. OK, my turn."

Daddy: "But wait. What is the baby called?"

Eli: "It's my turn Daddy. You can tell a joke when I am done!"

Eli: "What happens with 7 rhinoceros' with horns?

Mama and Daddy: "What?"

Eli, laughing wildly: "6 grunts!"

Daddy: "OK, my turn. Why did the chicken cross the road?"

Pause.

Eli: "Daddy, jokes are supposed to be funny. That's not funny. It's just irritating."

Ewan is 18-months old

Ewan has learned a host of new words in the last month. He says, "I want that," "cheese" (as in, 'say cheese for the camera!'), juice, nigh-nigh (night-night) and he's expanded his use of "bye" by waving to people when they leave.

In lots of ways, Ewan acts much older than Eli did at 18 months old. He watches everything Eli does and then tries it himself. Lately, he's been into playing "RAWR!" with Eli's dinosaur figures. He makes dinosaurs attack each other, eat each other and roar at each other. Eli's toys are always chosen over the typical 18-month-old toys like shape sorters, puzzles with big pieces and latches.

Ewan, just like Eli, is growing like a weed. He's 25 pounds and super tall (sorry, can't remember his height!)

He is a super happy guy. Laughing and giggling most of the day. But he has started to throw mini-tantrums when he doesn't get his way. After dealing with Eli's tantrums, Mama finds Ewan's tantrums kind of silly.

Ewan very much wants to do things for himself. He practices putting his boots on throughout the day, even if we aren't going outside. He takes his pants off all the time, but can't seem to get them back on. He wants to put his own shoes and socks on, gets frustrated when he can't and gets mad at Mama for putting them on for him.

Ewan still loves cars and trucks, waits for the garbage truck and street sweeper at our windows and makes the best vroom vroom noises.

Eli is 4-years old

Oh my little baby is 4 years old!

We had a wonderful party at a gymnastics studio. Eli and his friends had an absolute blast on trampolines, in the ball pit and jumping wildly in this bungee-cord harness thing.

Eli, still obsessed with dinosaurs, got a dinosaur cake. A VERY homemade-looking dinosaur cake. Ah, frosting: why must you give Mama so much trouble.

At 4, Eli is the ultimate negotiator. A "no" elicits a paragraphs-long monologue to which Mama oftens says "Fine" to end the discussion. Truth be told: his requests or "solutions" to the problem are often very complicated but very reasonable.

Eli takes a rest every afternoon but rarely falls asleep these days. He plays elaborate games in his room (which also happens to be Mama and Daddy's room). His games often involve dinosaurs, "flying" between beds or heaping toys, clothes, hangers etc. into some kind of huge messy pile that-- if you look close enough -- is actually a volcano, mountain, tower etc.

Eli has been in preschool since September. He goes 2 mornings a week. When asked what he learns in preschool, he says "We don't learn -- we play!" Even so, he comes home with all kinds of ideas for new experiments and says he wants to be a scientist. Go preschool!

Eli is growing like a weed. Two months ago, Eli could easily wear most 3T pants. Those pants now hit the bottom of his calves. Yes, he must drink milk at dinner, but not THAT MUCH!

Mama and Daddy are excited about 4. Here's to a great year learning with a 4-year-old!

Conversations with Eli

Magic Blankie

Ewan fell down while riding his push-car and bumbed his head. He was crying pretty hard so Mama picked him him. Eli grabbed his blankie and gave it to Ewan.

Mama: "Oh look Ewan, Eli gave you his special blankie."

Eli: "Yeah Ewan, blankie is magic. It takes away your sadness and puts it
in the ground."

College

Eli: "How will I learn to be a paleontologist?"

Mama: "You'll go to college."

Eli: "They'll teach me how to dig up dinosaur bones?"

Mama: "Yes. You'll have to take all kinds of science classes."

[Pause]

Eli: "Did you go to college to learn how to be a good taker-carer-of?"

When I grow up

Eli was learning to swim, and he was successfully swimming in the pool with a lifevest. He was very proud of himself. He swam up to Daddy with a big smile on his face.

Eli: "I'm a very good swimmer!"

Daddy: "You are!"

Eli: "I'm a good runner too."

Daddy: "Yes, you are a good runner and a good swimmer."

Eli: "When I grow up, I am going to be a good runner like you and a
good swimmer like mama."

[Pause]

Eli: "And also a good taker-carer-of."

[Pause]

Eli: "Also a paleontologist."