My darling boy

**This post was written in August** just finally posting it.  I wanted to put photos with it, so I have waited to publish, but so far having major phone issues and can't get pics off my phone to this particular computer yet...ugh...working on it***


I am compelled to get these thing down on "paper" today.  One, because I need to keep up with all the amazing things Elliot does and says, and two because I am overwhelmed with grief at finding out that a friend of mine lost her son in a car accident this weekend.  I need to take this time to center only around my greatest joy.

Go hug your kids everyone.  Right now.

E is a lover and a firecracker.  He has grace and grit.  He is an old soul and "gets it" in ways I think often even some adults don't.

this summer he went to summer school, art camp, nature camp, and gym camp.  He thrived in all of them and learned so much.   I am grateful that he can have these experiences and adapt so well to new situations.

E: "'Mama, I feel nervous about going to gym camp."
Me:  "Do you know what that means?  It means you are totally normal.  Even adults get nervous for new situations, so this is a good sign.  It means you are about to do something brave and have an exciting new experience.

E:  Yeah, and nervous only last about three days, so after that, only excited will be left!
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While playing outside on his swing set:


E:  "mama, I wish they had gym camp for adults, because you would really enjoy it!"

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Lately, Elliot has become ready for reading and writing in obvious ways.  I have been working with him on this with ten words a day that he sounds out, rewrites, and uses in an sentence.  It is thrilling to watch such progress in such short time.

He was finishing up with one lesson and told me he would bring it to me when he was done.

 I was outside sitting on the swing set, throwing the ball for the dogs, when he ran out, paper in hand and gave it to me.  It was all correct.

Me:  Elliot!  I am so proud of you!  You are amazing at learning and focusing, and writing and reading!!,   Aren't you sooo proud of yourself too? Don't you feel like you have a new power?

E: you know, I do feel proud and like I have a new power!

..................time passes as we are swinging..............

E looks over at me and says,

"Any more compliments about my reading?"

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While putting E to bed:

Me:  Elliot, I think you are so special and I just know you are going to do great things in your life.

E:  You're going to do great things too, Mama.

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Elliot loves learning about anatomy.

E:  Mama, where is my collect straw?

Me:  I don't know what straw you are are talking about.

E:  You know Mama, the one in your body...your COLLECTSTRAW?!

Me:  Cholesterol?

E:  Yes!  Where is it?

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**This is now Oct. 26th.  Here are Elliot's latest jokes all thought up on his own**

Q:  "What did the kids call their mom when she was being mean?"

A: "MOMSTER!"

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Q:  "What kind of dinosaur eats steak?"

A:   A STEAKASAURUS!

--and the puns and plays on words live on...  (insert Mama's big smile).

             Elliot's latest trip to Louisiana to see P.K. and David.  LOVED the wildlife preserve! 

                                                      Science museum never disappoints!

                                                                         First parade!

                                                                     Elliot and Nimue

                                                 One of Elliot's MANY amazing creations

 **
this post has been written over time so much of this happened just as he turned 5, and some months later**

Elliot is 5.  WHAT?!  Yes, he is 5 with all the joy, and innocence 5 brings--but underneath is the wisdom of someone who has lived a very long time.  I am astounded.

Elliot just told me, "I can draw a skeleton, I looked at my socks so I know how to."
(he has a cute little skull on his socks)
Now he just asked, "how do I draw a ribcage?"

He is definitely my kid...I am an anatomy geek.

This child remembers EVERYTHING!  He has been asking me whether things he is remembering are dreams or real.  Most of the time, they are real, and they happened when he was a BABY!

If I had to put labels on him right now, some of them would be:

nurturer
comedian
engineer
problem solver
self starter
lover
people person
individual
story teller

I hurt my knee recently and Elliot unearthed my crutches from highschool out of our storage closet and handed them to me.  Then he got an ice pack from the freezer, held it at my knee while alternately kissing my injury and telling me, "let me know when this ice isn't cold anymore and I'll get you a fresh one."

My second injury was the complete melting of my heart.

He is so young, and children are supposed to be ego-centric.  And he is, to an extent--but he is so AWARE of others and the needs and differences of others it's incredible.

He makes cards for people.  He doesn't draw what he likes on the cards, he draws (after much thought) what the other person likes--including favorite colors.

Today he cut a princess out of pink paper for his "girlfriend,"  Emalina.

When inviting children to his birthday, he let me know that if I invited Jackson to his birthday, I needed to invite Josh, because those two boys played together a lot.

Yeah, that sounds like most five year old boys... ;)

Some things I don't want to forget:

Me:  Ms. Hannah is having her baby right now.
E:  Did it already pop out?
Me:  No, sometimes it can take a long time.
E:  Yeah, because the baby just wants to stay inside and play with your ribcage a little longer.
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I bought Elliot a circuit board (8ys+) that you can build circuits for making alarms, lights, sounds, etc.

At night as I was putting him down to bed he said:

"Mom, you know about love and electricity?"  There is a circuit from my heart to your heart of love."
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Me:  Elliot, who are your girlfriends at school?
E:  Melody and Addison.
Me: What is it about them that you like?
E:  I like the LOOK.
Me: (laughing) what?
E: (reaching out and pushing up on the bottom of my bobbed hair cut)  I like them because they look like you.
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E:  I drew a picture today of a man who thinks he's kissing a lady, but really he's kissing a MONKEY!!!"
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E: (tooting)  HEY!  Somebody's gonna have to call the insurance!!!
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E:  Mom, you know how you throw the ball for the dogs so that they get all of their energy out and behave better?  Well, I'm pretty sure that's what the teachers are doing to the students when they have us go to recess before lunchtime.
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E: (handing me a picture he drew)  I hope you like it, that is you and you are standing next to a heart factory...<3 p="">
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I picked him up from school one day and his music teacher said,

"I think he's going to be a late night talk show host."

Then a month later I picked him up again, and the same teacher said.

"I think he's going to be president."

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Well, Elliot will be whatever he wants to be, that is for sure.  Between that brain and that heart, there is magic.   
 

I think I always begin these posts stating that it has, "been so long since my last post" and that there is, "so much to say..."  This one is no different.  As life speeds by, I am able--at least--to live in the moment with Elliot.  The moments are fleeting, but they are what make life so good.

Elliot is a boy now--self sufficient and proud.  He does things for himself and even for me!  He is especially good at being my co-pilot on errands and helping with the dogs.  I realize that I don't dread errands so much now, because with E, they are actually fun!

In late August, Elliot began Cedars Montessori School.  I feel like angels sing when I drop him at school.  I could not love this place, or the staff any more.  It is a magical place where Elliot is THRIVING.  Each day he tells me about playing or learning and I hear stories of new friends, Simon, August, Gracie, and more.

IN the first week their teacher brought in a turtle that had been injured in the street.  They got to help nurse it back to health.  Coming from a family that is fond of saving turtles, frogs, birds, etc...I love that he had this experience.

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Things Elliot is now into (and signs that he is a BOY now)

-Superheros
-DIRT
-fast running...ALL THE TIME
-jumping off everything

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Things Elliot has said in the past few months that I love:

"Mom, your going to want to teach your students Danger Catcher pose in yoga--in case they get into danger."

"Mom, when you do yoga it's like turning an avocado into guacamole."

"When I am sixteen, I won't drive yet, I promise."  (P.S.  I haven't even mentioned driving to him)

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Another thing, besides building that E is into is ANATOMY!  He wants to learn all about his insides--which of course, makes his yoga teaching mama very excited!  When other kids are not sure where their bones are, Elliot will tell you how very happy he is about having a ribcage.

In recent talks about what happens when you die, I think I may have sold the whole death thing a bit too much in trying to make it less scary.

With a  huge grin Elliot told me:

"Mom, you will die!  Daddy will die!  I will die! And then we'll be the dead Brooks family in Heaven!!!"

Ummmmmmm....

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Life is good, so we'll stick with that for now.  :)


**notes on the photos.  E is now doing great with swimming--no floaties and taking lessons without fear of the water!

The famous tree pose made James and I laugh out loud.  I said, "E, go by the tree and I'll take your picture--and THIS is the pose he struck!  NEVER have I had him put foot on a tree!  It looked so "posed" and yet--all his idea! Ha!

Finally, LEGO fest was insane and wonderful.  I know E won't forget it.  He held his own amongst the older, and larger kids...

Wordsmith

Elliot has such a large vocabulary that at times I have to laugh hearing such big words in such a small voice.  Recently, he has said some things that really made me laugh or warm my heart (or both) but he didn't get them just right. 

me: "Elliot, how's is going in there?"
Elliot:  It's going great because the way I build is really sopisticate.  (Soo-pis-tic-ate)
--

Elliot:  "Mom, I can tell I'm growing because I'm not declakit anymore. (Dek-la-kit)

Finally, I think his honestly is something to marvel at.
 ---
me: "Elliot, do you want me to leave your lego car next to your bed while you sleep and you can play with it in the morning?"

Elliot:  "Mom, I don't think that's  a good idea because you know how I like to take things apart."

Me: "So you're saying that if I leave it here you would just want to play with it?"

Elliot:   "Yes, so you should bring it into the livingroom for the nighttime."

Yogi Elliot

observant Elliot and Easter

My mom always tells me how observant I have always been and I actually still am. Also, I am the finder of things...usually.
Now I pass the torch on to Elliot who finds things for James and I constantly!
Two days ago, while in my bathroom, Elliot picked up my sunglasses off the counter and said, "the little screw on this side is coming lose--the screw on the other side is in further."
I take the sunglasses and nearly squint to see that indeed, the tiny screw on one side is SLIGHTLY further out than the other.
I thanked Elliot and told him how special that was to know...then I forgot about it.

On my way out the door to teach yoga that evening, I picked up the glasses and off popped the arm! I couldn't believe that Elliot noticed it, told me about it, and the SAME DAY it needed to be fixed!

**Elliot Quote of the Day: "Mama, how do squirrels sleep and not get scared when there's thunder? "

Ahhhhh Elliot, friend and lover of the woodland creatures!

**I am a proud mama if you hadn't noticed. This blog is for Elliot one day to read. Soooooo, if it is less than entertaining and you don't want to hear my doting, you might want to skip it! Love to all of you who read it--but I tend to skip anything "negative" on this particular blog. That doesn't mean we don't have hard days--but this is about the days that aren't.

been a long time

There is a lot to catch up on--as there always is in the world of a growing child. Life has been so busy that keeping up the blog has fallen aside.

Elliot is now four and has really come into boyhood...(sigh...).
It is bittersweet for sure.
He spends most of his time riding around the house on his tricycle...FAST. He steers like he's a race car driver and is fast and fearless. Even outside he will ride his "bigwheel" down a steep hill while squealing with glee.

He is able to do so much. As we often excliam, " You can do that because you are FOUR now!" He prides himself on all that now comes with ease. He often speaks of when he was a "baby," and could not do the same things.

Speaking of babies, or anyone younger than Elliot:
Elliot is a born teacher, giver, and encourager. He is a living heart.
I recently got an email from one of his beloved teachers who wrote:
"His kindness and tenderness
towards others is clear and he shares a very empathetic nature with
children who may be sad or upset."
Any parent would be proud to hear these words about their child--and as he is only four, it is so beautiful.
Yesterday, James and I took him to the park. There was a 3 year old boy there who was as big (read: bigger) than Elliot. After brief introductions, they were off playing. Soon after, the younger boy shoved Elliot to the ground. Elliot did as he always does in this situation, he did not push back, but instead said very sternly to the child, " NO! We do NOT push!"
We explained to Elliot that the other boy was younger and they began running and playing again.
Elliot climbed the rock wall and up the ladder.
Then, the other little boy began to try the same things. Each time, Elliot walked over and gently offered assistance under the little boy, the same way a parent does. He had his little arms outstretched to actually catch the child if he were to fall (not realizing that he would not be able to catch the other boy and would more likely be crushed!) Then, he began putting his hands on the other child's hips to hold him and position him. He did this EACH time the little boy attempted a new challenge.
Did I mention that the little boy's mother was ALSO there doing exactly what Elliot was doing?!
The mother and I had a good laugh and she mentioned how rare it was to see that and how special it was.
The best part was that Elliot truly felt helpful and nurturing, because before we left, as Elliot is guiding the boy on yet another venture, Elliot turns to the mother and says, "Well, this might be the last toy your boy can do today because we're about to leave."
Insert lots of laughter here and overfull hearts.


(Elliot with his love, Emalina. After school date.)

The other night Elliot asked,

"Mama, If I have a bad dream and you have ear plugs in, how will you hear me."
**I do wear earplugs to sleep, but turn on a monitor in my room to hear him**

Me: "I will hear you, I will know. Don't worry. I hear you on the monitor."
Elliot: "But what if you don't?"
Me: " I promise I will. I have special Mama powers."
Elliot: "Oh I get it. So if I have a bad dream, it will travel into your dream and wake you up and you'll know."
Me: Exactly.

Sometimes, I feel like that could happen--as I often feel we share the same heart.