Random Friday Thoughts

Good News/Bad News. The bad news is Eli will have to miss Jazz Fest this year (something we haven't done since we started going several years back). The good news is, he'll be moving to a new house that week. It's as official as it can be before we close: our house sold and we bought another one! We spent the better part of the morning at the new house with the inspector. Eli's behavior was similar to post-bath time: red-bull wired. He could not stop running from one room to the next, up and down the stairs, so on and so on. Unfortunately I might have to invest in more gates once we move in, to block off certain areas of the house, just so I can keep an eye on him. I didn't realize until now how 'easy' it is to keep tabs on Eli during the day at our current house! We have one gate at the top of the stairs and that's it! Oh well....if he gets on my nerves now I can just send him out to the yard for the day, right? (Kidding!!)

Before we left for his gym class this morning I turned on the TV to catch up on a few minutes of tivo. Keep in mind I seriously NEVER do this when Eli is home/awake. (Not trying to sound high and mighty - it's just not something I do unless it's one of the rare occasions every few weeks when I pull out a sign language DVD for him.) I had a music special on Kenny Rogers that I've not been able to watch for weeks now. (Yes, I admit it: I LOVE Kenny Rogers. He's always been a fave of mine.) Eli was playing with his toys in the living room, but once Kenny started singing, that kid couldn't keep his eyes off. When the song ended and they went back to talking, he resumed pushing trucks around, but each time a new song started, he stopped, stared, and sometimes started dancing. Take that, Grandpa Jim!

Yesterday Eli and I went to the Botanical Gardens with Tyler and Shannon. The boys did great but Eli's newest obsession (also seen in the house this morning) is doors. If he can reach the knob (which he can't in this house, but he can in the new one) he HAS to open and shut a million times. There are a few random doors in the Children's Gardens at ABG, and Eli was sure to find them. In fact, to get him to move on I had to physically remove him and carry him to the next exhibit...that's how focused he was.

Finally, I checked in on Eli during his nap the other day and captured a shot of him practicing yoga (child's pose) in his sleep. When he looks this peaceful it's harder to remember the tantrums. On a slightly related note, I put Eli to bed tonight and while I read him a story in the rocking chair, I gave him the blanket I made (rather than the 'magic one') and not only did he not protest, but he stuck his thumb in his mouth (something usually reserved for the one-and-only-blanket) while we read stories. He still says, "Mommy" when he touches that blanket too....melts my heart.