sweet boy

Tonight Elliot put his arms around me and said, "I'm holding you."

Then, the came up next to me, laid down and said, "hello my Darling."

Is he a charmer or what?!

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Each day we make time for "dance party."

It is as it sounds--about 30mins to an hour of sheer silly dancing and running around. It is a thrill for both of us and it is the BEST way to start the day!

Oh, I must make a note that on Friday, Elliot had his first night with a babysitter! James and I attended the wedding of my dear friend, Erin. Elliot stayed with Amanda (who had come over that week to meet and play).

He had a blast and we couldn't love Amanda more! Yay for Elliot! Yay for mom and dad!

sweet

Today when E got home from school, he ran to the Christmas tree yelling, "Mom! Mom! Turn on the Christmas tree!!!! The Christmas tree is sad!

I turn it on

E "Yes, thank you. Now we have a happy Christmas tree!"

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Got home from work tonight. E always make me feel SOO missed and loved. Whenever I return home, he runs over to me yelling ,"Mommy! Mommy! I see you! Mommy's home!

Then he runs all over the house and spreads the good cheer!

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Tonight as I ate a late dinner (E has been staying up late quite often) he squeezed in beside me on the couch and we shared the food.
He put his arm around my shoulders and whispered, "Hi sweetheart."

Lately

These pics are of E with his favorite blocks. He has made so many ASTONISHING creations that I am bewildered thinking there is some little block gnome living in the couch cushions coming out and assisting this child!
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Elliot is asking so many questions. Sometimes the things he says sound like a little adult is speaking to me.

Today he grabbed my arms and hugged them tightly, lowering his head to them and saying,
"I love your arms and I love your hands."

Then he listed other parts of me that he "loved": face, shoulders, legs, etc.

Oh man--my heart is split open.

Before we went to HEB (H Heee Beee) tonight, Elliot was frustrated with something.
He called out, "BOND!"

I asked him, "Like James Bond?"

Elliot, "no, not like James Bond. Bond is what Elliot says when Elliot is angry. You can say bond whenever you feel nervous or angry."

I said that I understood as I held back laughter. What 2 year old says, "nervous"???

I didn't even know he knew the word--especially since he rarely gets nervous about anything!
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I put up the Christmas tree tonight (just with the lights). Tomorrow E will wake up and see it all lit up and ready for us to decorate! He kept saying how excited he was for "decorating."

Poor James has been at work with a deadline since about 5am. It's 9:43pm and he's still there. We miss him and are so proud. Makes me think of how fortunate we are to be together as so many families aren't during the holidays (and the rest of the year).

God bless us all.

roommates

Tonight E is under the weather. I put his elephant shaped humidifier in his room and introduced E to "him" so that E would feel comfortable with the new occupant in the room.
I explained that Elephant was Mommy's special helper and that both Elephant and Mommy wanted to take extra special care of Elliot and make sure to put some magical mist in the air so that the air was clean and moist to make the "sicky bugs" go away.
E turned to his Elephant as if it were living and breathing,
"Thank you for taking care of me Mr. Elephant. Listen to Mommy sing us a song, this is going to be a really cool song. I love you, Mr. elephant."

yep.

P.S. Photo above is at Elliot's school October Festival (as E calls "Bestival!!!")
He was the ONLY child dancing in front of the band. He kept looking at us with his, "can you believe how great this is?" face.
I have to say, I couldn't be more proud...the dancing gene passed right through. ;)

baby house

Tonight: family time.

I asked Elliot where he lived when he was a baby and before he was born.

E: "I used to live in an itty bitty house in Mommy's belly (he comes over and puts his itty bitty finger on my tummy) and then I popped out!"

I immediately wrote it down. Stuff that good needs to be put in writing.

gushing, remembering.

Just left Elliot's room after a LONG goodnight :). As I stood up to put E down, the rocking chair rocked too far back and hit the wall, making a little bang. Elliot gasped, and in a tiny, high pitched voice (so it's much funnier if you're actually hearing it from him) "What the heck? Mommy, what the heck was that sound?"
I tried my best not to laugh (unsuccessfully).
I guess when they are this age, most everything that comes out of their mouth is cute/funny. Here are some things I want to remember that he said recently:

-when he put on his button down Hawaiian shirt:

"I'm not Elliot, I'm James!"

-Talking about kids at school:

"Jonah wouldn't listen to Paloma and he moved that way (he points). Teachers told us do NOT touch the ants or we will get very itchy!"

-As I am leaving his room at night:

Mama, tomorrow we can put on our jackets and go talk to the birds. We can put our jackets on and walk up and down the hills and talk to the birds.'

-As I bring a balloon home from Central Market (he REMEMBERS that they have only 2 colors there):

"Mommy bought me this balloon from Central Market and it's green, not purple.

-I ask him, "why does Mommy love you so much?"

"because I am savoring my ice cream."'

E loves to sing. He likes all kinds of songs--from simple Baa Baa Blacksheep, to Sweet Baby James (he calls this the "horse song"--if you know the lyrics, it mentions horse and cattle.
He knows EVERY word and because the words are more mature, they are so funny when he sings them.

And...for about three days E was asking me to sing the , "sculpture song." Took me a bit to realize that this is Your Song by Elton John...

the words E was referring to:

"If I were a sculptor, but then again, no--or a man, who makes potions in a traveling show--
I know it's not much but it's the best I can do...my gift is my song and--this one's for you.
And you can tell everybody, this is your song.
It may be quite simple but, now that it's done-
I hope you don't mind,
I hope you don't mind,
that I put down in the words--
HOW WONDERFUL LIFE IS, WHILE YOU'RE IN THE WORLD.

Elliot, I sing this to you because the world is actually the most wonderful it could ever be because you are a part of it. I love you endlessly. I get a frog in my throat thinking of you growing up.
You are simply angelic.

Just keeping sweet records

Elliot has said lately:

"mama, you are my favorite girl."

"Daddy loves Mommy and Daddy and Mommy say I love you."

"Daddy is Mommy's boy."

"Mama, Nana is kind of like a bunny and Grandpa is kind of like a fishy."

"Someone's having a birthday tonight and it's Uncle Chris" (who, by the way is in Dallas and who's b-day isn't until March :)

instead of, I am two YEARS old:

"I am two AND old."

when Linus, our crazy dog was wining incessantly:

"I think he needs some space."

when he begins a story:

"Once upon a day..."

as he was humming in the car:

"Mama, I'm a humming bird"

"Mama, I'm so impressed with you."

These are here so I remember them, I have already forgotten so many things he has said and they happened this month!