Last Week of School

Hard to believe, but this is Eli's last week of Kindergarten. He has 1/2 days this week and will finish the year completely on Wednesday. I can't even describe how impressed I am with the progress he's made in such a seemingly short time. I know it happens to most Kindergartners, given that they usually start out as pre-readers and limited writers, but wow. Eli writes 'books', reads anything he can get his hands on, adds and subtracts, remembers random facts about things he reads (space shuttles and baseball, specifically)... He's already asking when I am going to start 'school' with him over the summer. I guess that means he doesn't want to wait until next week as I'd originally planned!

Swim Team

Eli is finally old enough to join our neighborhood swim team. He was so anxious last year as he watched the older kids, including a few of his friends...this summer could not get here fast enough for him. We've had a few weeks of practices and Eli is already improving in endurance, big time! He can know swim a 25 and about 1/4 of that back without stopping to grab the side and take a breather. (Better than Mommy!) His first meet (a practice one) will take place this coming week. I'm pretty sure he will not compete against other kids, just against his own time.

Holy Roller-Coaster, Batman!

Wow. Eli's baseball season has been amazing, but tonight takes the cake. The Twins finished the regular season, undefeated. Even through a few tough games, even when three key players were gone for Spring Break, even when they didn't have their "A" game. So far the difference Lehr and I have seen setting this team apart from any others we've been a part of is the consistency across the board with the boys. We have two or three older, better players, as each team has, but what we don't have is a big drop-off to the rest of the team. These boys are all at a very solid playing level, on the field and at bat. It's been really fun to watch in amazement at some of the fielding that happens with the Twins.

Saturday's game was so crazy; we only played three innings because at that point we were so far ahead that the other team couldn't come back to win. Eli hit TWO doubles in that game. Tonight was the second or third tournament game (I can't remember!).We started out getting five (the max allowed) runs in the first and the other team matched us. Then we shut them out and they shut us out. Then we got two and they got four. Then they got a few more runs ahead (maybe a total of six?), and it wasn't looking good. Unfortunately what a winning season has done to a few boys is given them a false sense that success is only found in a "W". There were several tears by a few, but we rallied back and ended the fifth inning tied up again. Now we're in extra innings and we played two solid where we matched whatever they threw at us. The third extra inning went to tournament rules which meant the other team started at the beginning of their line-up and batted through. They could score up to 11 runs, but outs still counted. We held them at three runs. Our turn and we had two runs on the board before they got the first out. Eli smacks it outfield and advances to first. Then third, and we're tied. One of our sluggers hits it deep outfield and Eli gets to score the winning run.

Adrenaline. Emotion. We were all drained...I can't stop smiling and yet I feel like crying in pride. Even when the few boys struggled to keep an optimistic outlook, they STILL played their best. The fielding on this team is amazing. At least three innings started with one of our players catching a pop-fly or line drive. One was a diving catch!! When it came time for coach to talk to the boys, he held up two balls. He reminded the team that he really needed 12 game balls because each and every boy had contributed so much. The first went to one of the kids who hit solidly every time at bat and really helped us advance the runners. The second went to Eli for his outstanding hits. (I forgot to mention: Eli hits HARD now, usually to the grass or beyond, and he hasn't been tagged out in several games.) Coach said he was 'just so proud' of Eli.

This was very unexpected and reaaaaallllly cool to me. During the regular season, it works out so each player gets a game ball; the coaches make sure of it. But the tournament games are 100% based on who showed up and put the work in; no quotas to fill. Eli has never received a tournament ball before, and we've played many tournament games. Life is good.

I was way proud of Eli, but what I reminded him the whole ride home was that I wasn't proud of the win - I was proud of the playing. The boys never played like they were giving up; they left it all on the field each time and THAT'S why they ended up with the win. I also drilled into Eli's head that I was proud of his hits, but I was even more proud that he listened to his coaches and kept the love of the game in focus. Eli has yet to get down or beat himself (or the team) up when a play doesn't go right or when they are losing. He has a happy innocence about it that I hope he never loses; Eli loves baseball and that's all that matters to him right now.

Jazz Fest 2011

What a weekend! The four of us drove to New Orleans on Thursday, and arrived just in time for bed. We were staying with friends who were awesome enough to offer up TWO rooms for us to sleep in. I got Maddux, the Twister-player through the night, while Lehr stayed with Eli, teeth-grinder extraordinaire. We did not sleep much.

Friday morning we woke up and hung out with our friends and their twin boys all morning before heading to Jazz Fest in time for the first show just before noon. Satchmo, the dog, was a big hit with the kids. Maddux does not understand that dogs don't all know her well, so 'gentle' was something I had to remind her often.

Of course, red beans and rice was on the menu as soon as we arrived at Fest. Maddux got her face painted almost immediately by a traveling artist. Just before our second show started we ran into friends from Atlanta, and Eli ASKED to have a nap in the BOB. The rest of the day we visited a few stages, ate a few helpings of awesome food, and took in some great music. Dinnertime found us at a great restaurant we visited last year. Both kids opted for red beans and rice...AGAIN.

Saturday morning was great; we had awesome weather and spent most of it on a trolley. The twins had never been before, so Eli and Maddux got to show them the ropes. Once at fest, we hit a few tents early on in anticipation of a few stage (outdoor) shows to come. One of the tents we visited early on was the Economy tent where we dance and 'second line' every year. It was a blast until Maddux took a kick to the shoulder. She was fine, but yikes!

From there we went to a stage and Eli got to ride Daddy's shoulders up front to see Trombone Shorty really close. Maddux napped most of that show, so I remained towards the back and just listened. We didn't last long after that show. Dinner was really close to our friends' house, so we walked there once we returned home. Grilled oysters, fish, cornbread...we had it all. When we finished, we walked to a gelato shop and the kids were beside themselves with excitement over a sugary treat. Eli even commented, "This is the best day ever...I'm gonna dream about this tonight!"

Our last day included beignets...yum. We stopped off for the sweet dough before fest; Happy Mothers' Day! Sunday was another awesome day of music. We saw some brass bands, Michael Franti, and closed out with Robert Randolf. Maddux napped hard at the end, but Eli lasted the whole day. Both kids rode Daddy's shoulders during the Franti concert; they had a blast!

Maddux's Year-End Songs

The day we left for Jazz Fest, Maddux's class had a performance including their favorite songs from each month of school. Quite the medley of yell-singing, but it was fun to see. Maddux sings these songs (and MANY more) every day at home, so none of them were new to us. The highlight for Maddie? Daddy taking her to school and attending the performance.

Space Shuttle Book

Eli is very into writing these days. Sometimes it's labeling a picture he drew, sometimes it's writing lyrics to a song (current or one he's creating), and sometimes it's making a book. Before we left for Fest, Eli made a book about shuttles. He has certain facts totally memorized, so he didn't have to do any additional research to write this book. Eli does not like to look up spelling, and if he's already written out the word, he doesn't like to hear that it's not correct, so most of the time he ends up just sounding words out. Below are a few pages of the book....the rest are in this album.

Good Day

Eli had THE best day today. It would figure that it started out rough with a capital 'ROUGH'. Lehr's short time with him before school this morning was nothing short of yuck. But by the time I got to his class around 9:45 to work, he was in a great mood.

He got 4 +'s. He came home happy. He had a play date and was an angel. He listened to me. He included Maddux. He followed rules even when his friend didn't. He was pleasant after we dropped his friend off. He asked me if he could do a handful of things once we returned home and I made dinner. Even though the answer was 'no' most to most of those requests, he stayed happy. Even better, he actually said, "OK, Mommy!", when I told him 'no'. Weird. Very odd. And oh-so cool.

Great dinner. Great after dinner play. Normally bedtime is when it would all crumble. He was amazing. He kept his happy heart all of the way to the end. When I tucked him in and kissed him good-night, Eli told me, "Mommy, I'm proud that I made a lot of good choices today." Melt, melt.

Year In Song

Eli had a short performance at school this morning. Parents were invited to come see the entire Kindergarten perform songs for events from their school year. Eli's class was October, so he got to wear his Halloween costume. In true Eli fashion, he didn't tell us about this, but had tried on his dragon costume in his room one day only to discover it didn't fit well anymore. When I got the note from his teacher later this week to send him dressed up, I asked him about it and he told me about his discovery. (Info we could have used a lot earlier!) I reminded him that it is April and that means that Halloween costumes are not available for purchase right now. I suggested we find something he has that would look like a costume. He thought hard and then said, "Astronaut?" I thought it was a great idea, but we had nothing even close. Luckily he then chose my original thought: baseball player.

Maddux, Lehr and I arrived over 30 minutes early to find all seats already taken, so we ended up sitting on the floor (the cafeteria floor....kinda gross, even though it's clean) in the front. They turned out to be the best seats because we could see AND take video very easily. Lehr and I were shocked and impressed with Eli's stage presence. In the past, he has usually mouthed the words to songs when 'performing', and he does get shy sometimes. Today he was front and center and had all of his hand motions and song-words memorized. Maybe he'll be a performer like his sister after all.

Tiny Dancer

Yesterday was Maddux's spring ballet observation. Eli and I got to sit in her studio and watch her whole class (no photos or video allowed). Just as before, Maddux and her classmates went through a series of fun, dancer-esque exercises across the floor, including stretching. Maddux will not be participating in the Spring Concert next month, but she is learning the short dance with her class anyway. She loves when they get to hold hands and run around the room....go figure!

Dancin' Machine

When we're downstairs, I often have music on with kid pictures flashing. This weekend, Lehr put up music with the original video. (Sugarfoot...one of our faves.)

Maddux gets all 'in the zone' as she often does while dancing. Keep in mind that this was several songs in, Lehr tells me, so she was likely tired and out of moves. She still gets jiggy with it, using the hits to strike a pose. Usually when she sees the camera, she shuts it off a bit, but she still held on for another minute. Notice when she first jumps to the couch, she shrugs up her shoulders; she knows if it was Mommy behind that camera, there would have been repercussions. And do not miss the last 5 seconds....classic Mary Catherine Gallegher....er, Maddux.

Good Friday

Tonight the four of us went to a Good Friday service at our church. We had already been through an Easter Egg hunt and baseball and limited amounts of sugar, so we were unsure of what to expect. Both kids did really well though, enjoying the music and listening to the readings during the family service.

We'd discussed Easter several times in the last week, making sure both kids understood the importance of both Good Friday and Easter. We talked about how sad Jesus' friends and family must have been on Friday, but how even Jesus knew that His death had to happen...it's what He was sent to do. And then we talked about how cool it was that God loves us so much that He would do whatever needed to be done to save us from our sins.

This was a really really cool stepping stone for Eli. He's enjoyed his elementary kid 'service' this year (they have worship and a sermon and everything), and he's gotten so much out of it. Add to that his love for reading his Action Bible, and Eli knows a lot about the Word. There were several opportunities for me to discuss Good Friday and Easter with Eli during the service, but I had no idea how he'd react. The first opportunity came when we were invited to find a poster around the room with words/sins and use red paint to cover them up. We were urged to find one that we struggled with most: internal sins of the heart (greed, jealousy, resentment), external sins (stealing, abuse, etc.) or another which is totally escaping me right now. I knelt down and whispered into Eli's ear, explaining what everyone around us was doing. Then I asked him if he wanted to participate. He did, so I then asked him which sin he wanted to ask God to help him with most right now, and I told him which one I struggled with. He told me "hitting", which isn't something he does a lot of, but he knows how seriously we take it. So we walked back to the poster that contained the word "fighting" and Eli painted a red cross over that word. Very cool.

The next opportunity came in the form of communion. I don't think we've had Eli take it before as it's something I've never really formalized my opinion on (regarding someone who might not realize the weight of the sacrament). So as people gathered, I hung back with Eli, again explaining things in his ear. I talked to him about what everyone was thinking about when they went up to accept communion, and I talked to him about what an honor and responsibility it was. He told me that he wanted to participate again, so off we went. Once we took our wafer and juice, I had him kneel down with me on the step. Then I told him that as he took part, it was a time to talk with Jesus about how thankful he was to have Him in his life. He could also talk to him about struggles, or praises, or anything he wanted. I asked Eli if he wanted to pray with me and he said no. Then I asked him if he wanted to pray out loud or in his head and, of course, he said in his head. Then I asked if he wanted me to pray out loud so he could hear and he said no. I bowed my head and quickly prayed, unsure of what Eli would do. When I opened my eyes he was holding his juice and looking straight forward, not noticing me at all. After about 30-seconds, his spell broke and he consumed the bread and juice. Oh to know what he was saying to God.....

Finally, we had an opportunity to write our names on a small paper and place it into hold drilled into a large wooden cross. This was to symbolize us recognizing that we belong to Jesus, and the cross. Just as before, we discussed and Eli asked to participate. Amazing, unforgettable, and awesome.... How lucky am I to be part of the journey Eli is on.

Old Video

I just came across some files I shot back in the first week of December that I never edited. Here is a short video from the weekend we went tree shopping.

Respect

My girl is good. I really am not too scared about her letting people push her around. She stands up for herself, kindly but firmly. We've been discussing respect in relationships a LOT these days. Given all that is happening with Eli, we are continually talking about how mutual respect is mandatory in a relationship and nothing less than that is acceptable. I've been doing my best to drill into the kids' heads that the reason I will not listen to them when they are raising their voices at me is because if I did, I would be teaching them that it's OK to accept that, as long as you love someone.

Fast forward to last night. Maddux is running around with a few friends she met last month. They are getting along great; everyone is being kind and playing very nicely. At one point I see the boy accidentally run into Maddux and she fell down. I'm not sure if he even noticed it, but she was knocked off of her feet. She sat there stunned for a minute, and when he didn't do anything about it, she said (in a firm voice), "HEY! You knocked me down. And it hurt." He then apologized and they continued playing.

I told her (and Eli) later how proud I was of her for staying calm, and for letting her friend know that it was not OK for him to knock her down and not do anything about it. It was the coolest exchange to see....my girl can certainly take care of herself!

One Day At A Time

Today was much better than the rest of the week. Eli had no outbursts and was only minimally rude to me on only one isolated occasion. The boy napped, so that definitely helped (though he napped yesterday too....) He has had an AWESOME behavior week in school, bringing home top marks 15 of 16 areas so far. And tonight he had a baseball game: the first of three in four days. He played well, kept his enthusiasm for the game, and was happy even when we came home and prepared for bed (well after bedtime).

My favorite part of the day was after showers when we read books. Eli chose a very tame, kinda boring book about honesty. He said it was a great thing to learn about. We discussed many things as we read, often times prompted by him. Then we followed it up with prayers and Eli told me that he prays every night after we leave his room. I often try to pray with him before bed, but he's usually only a spectator. It doesn't surprise me that he likes to keep that private though; it's totally his personality. And randomly today I asked the kids if they knew why we were about to celebrate Easter. Eli knew it perfectly: "It's when Jesus died to take our sins." So glad he soaks up everything we teach him, even if it's not initially apparent!

Alien Abduction

I am really really really hoping that is the explanation for Eli's outbursts. If not, I'm not sure what to do. At least if it's aliens, I KNOW there is nothing I can do....instead I pull my hair out trying new tactics every month or so with minimal success.

If you know Eli, you know he likes to smile. He is a happy kid. BUT, when the wind changes directions and it is NOT in his favor, he is a very different child. He will be so fine, so happy, so....normal. Then something will hit him the wrong way and his tone changes, his demeanor changes and he is 100% negative. If some redirection or (gasp!) consequence takes place during that time, hold on to your hats. Yelling, name-calling, swinging fists (a new one), and much stomping follows. And then, once he's had a sufficiently calming time out, as quickly as the spell began, it's gone.

We talk about it during calmer times, and Eli totally acknowledges that it is not right, and in fact very WRONG to treat people that way, especially those who love you, but in the moment he always resorts to craziness. We have been 2-steps-forward-1-step-back for so long now, I almost don't remember what it's like to not bite my tongue so hard it bleeds....

Beach Video

Mad Dog Loves Eli!!

I seriously cannot stress it enough. I'm sure every parent that has a daughter sees the crazy love and compassion girls possess, but it boggles my mind daily. Maddux is so selfless and overly-concerned about Eli's well-being... A few times in the last month she's been hurt, but still asking about him (as in, she falls off of a bike, but through her tears asks for Eli). And on our trip to the beach last week, two instances stick out in my mind.

• The night we went to get ice cream, Eli was working on a horrible mood. The night before we all lost the opportunity to get ice cream (even though we'd planned on it) specifically because of his 'tude, so this time around I'd warned him that 'we' were getting a treat, but he may not be. The entire walk to Seaside found Maddux asking me over and over, "Can Eli get ice cream now?" "Is Eli earning back ice cream to eat with us?" She was not content to get a sweet treat unless he would be joining us.
• We had one full-on family night at the beach. We cooked up a bunch of seafood and played some family games. One game was Memory. Eli was fine, but tired, when we started the game. His first turn found him to be the only person who had not made a match. In a very non-Eli-like-fashion, Eli's face screwed up into tears and he sobbed. Maddux was so quick to try and console him, assuring him that he'd get a match next time. She was like an over-concerned parent, doing her best to pacify her poor, sad child. She was not happy until he got a match and felt successful.
  

Beach Dinner

About halfway through our beach trip we rode our bikes to Seaside for pizza. As we've done in years past, we got it 'to go' and walked down to the beach to eat. The four of us split two small pizzas while sitting in the sand, watching the sunset: perfection.

One of the coolest things about that night was Eli's concern for his surroundings. He saw a few empty water bottles and other small trash in the sand near us. He asked what it was for and we told him that some people forgot to throw their things away when they were done with them. Eli immediately said, "Well that's not very good. We should pick it up for them." And then he (followed by Maddux, of course) proceeded to pick up several bottles and bags and walk them over to the trash can.

Beach Conversations

Wow. Love love love the 'quiet' time on the beach with my kids where they just open their hearts and minds and don't hold back. Especially Eli. Maddux is an open book 8 out of 7 days a week, but Eli is a little more guarded sometimes. This week he and I have had a few great conversations already....so so loving this!

Yesterday we were sitting on the towels together, as his feet were a bit sore, and he was allowing me to snuggle him a little. The wind was blowing and body warmth made everything right with the world. I nuzzled Eli's ear a little and told him how much I loved hanging out with him at the beach without photo shoots and boot camp and school and baseball to distract us. We talked about how we love those things in our lives, but it's fun to just 'be' sometimes too. Then I told him how excited I was that, at that moment, God was growing up a wife for him: someone who was kind and encouraging, fun and confident, and someone who would respect and love Eli over any others. He was intrigued by this, even though we'd talked about it before. He asked a few quick questions and then dropped the subject. This morning he said to me, "Mommy, wouldn't it be funny if she was growing up and she was 4?" It took me a minute, but I realized what he was talking about and agreed. "Then she would be the same as you and Daddy, cuz I'm 5 and she'd be one less."

We also had a conversation over lunch about God. Eli asked why God made guns, except for wars. (For some reason, he knows/thinks that guns and whatnot are ok when you're defending a country.) He asked about why God made criminals too. I did my best to explain that God made everyone to be loving and kind, but since we all have the power of choice, some of us choose poor decisions. Criminals are people who made bad choices, but they can still ask for forgiveness and change their hearts. At the end of lunch, way after the conversation ended, Eli said, "God is good, huh. He made all of this food for us. That's cool."

Amen

First Beach Day

We arrived to Watercolor on Saturday after a very long drive. Apparently the rest of Atlanta (and Georgia!) decided to take their Spring Break trip to the same place, leaving at the same time as we did. (The nerve!)

We've had a great few days already; lots of beach and pool. The water is a bit chilly, as is the wind, but we've had lots of sun and lots of fun. Yesterday we spent a big chunk of the morning on the beach, playing and walking to Seaside and back. Eli and Maddux brought their bikes to the beach, so they've been riding them back and forth to each of our locations as well. When we woke up this morning, Eli hobbled into our room with some stiff feet and asked if we could 'just sit on the beach today'. The flip flop walking, bare feet running, and biking in flops has left my little man's feet very overworked. Us clubfeet folks struggle with adequate muscle and flexibility in the afflicted feet. I feel very stiff the day after a long trail run or many balancing or barefoot workouts. Eli is now starting to experience the same pain when he pushes his feet further than normal. The good news is, he walked around a little and stretched like I told him and they loosened up enough for him to still enjoy himself today.

Ancestors

Eli just got the most AWESOME bible: The Action Bible. Not only are the pictures awesome, but the stories are told in a great kid (not toddler) friendly format. So so cool.

Somewhere in one of the stories we came across the word 'ancestors'. Maddux asked me about it later, as we read another story. She said, "What's those people again? Ann-brothers?"

Pledge

Maddux came home from school yesterday with an American Flag sticker on her shirt. Apparently she was able to say the Pledge of the Allegiance all of the way through, all by herself, from memory. She's performed this for me several times at home over the last few months; I am always impressed at how much she's learning at THREE years old! (I love her class!!) Maddux tells me that sometimes her class 'job' is to hold the flag for the class to say the Pledge. In this video she has one hand over her heart (kinda) and the other is holding the flag. (Also, she covers an eye towards the end. I assume it's to show 'indivisible'...she probably thinks it means 'invisible', but I haven't had a chance to speak with her about it yet.)

Game Ball

No new photos, no first-hand stories. For the second season in a row, I missed the game where Eli earned the game ball. Last night Eli's game still happened, despite rain. Maddux and I held back when the boys left to meet at the field early; the sky was heavy and the forecast was grim. Even once the game started, Maddux and I got ready to leave a few times only to back out because the rain started up again and/or thunder boomed. I was SURE the kids were huddled in the dugout, far far from the parking lot where Maddux and I would have to park. Lehr and Eli returned a few hours later with stories of the snack and wrap-up taking place under cover due to rain, but a game that went on and produced a game ball for Eli. Apparently he'd hit a single AND a double (that's BIG for my short-legged little man!) There's always next year...

Rock Star

In the last week, Maddux has worn a red cape, and usually a blue mask, more days than not. She wanted to wear the cape to school on Wednesday. I told her she could wear it into the car, and after I walked her into class (where she could show her teachers), I'd take it back to the car with me because she wasn't allowed to wear it during school. Her response? "But, Mooooom......I want to wear the cape to school so everyone will look at me cuz I'm a rock star."

She wore it earlier in the week when we spent the evening at the fields for Eli's baseball game as well. She ran around the dugout and the bleachers, jumping off of benches and speeding as fast as her little, but long legs would carry her. Rock star, indeed!

Batter Up!

Eli had his second game last night. He loves baseball so much! He still has his heart set on first, but since he barely touches the ball when it's in play, he's still in a rotation of any position EXCEPT pitcher and first base. This time around he did make huge improvements during his inning as catcher and he even picked up the ball a few times while he was playing second base!

The line-up for Eli's evening was: center field, catcher, and then 2nd base twice. Nothing in center field, but while he was catcher he stopped every ball and threw it back (with great success) to the pitcher. Eli wanted to catch a foul ball, but he has yet to come even close. His first time at second base yielded no play, but during the last inning the ball came to him and he picked it up to throw it to first base. YAY!

Every time at bat, Eli crushed it. He's really got a lot of power behind his swing right now, and he's finally learned to pull it a little towards third, to give himself more time to make it to first base. The first two times, Eli got out at first. The ball beat him to first on his first hit, and while he slammed the second one in a line drive up the middle, the pitcher caught it, by surprise. Eli really got upset when he got out, for the first time ever. He could not understand why he'd gotten out because he KNEW the first baseman didn't get the ball and tag the bag. I told him he hit the ball SO hard that the pitcher threw up his glove to protect himself and ended up catching it - just lucky. The inning ended with his out, so he accepted my explanation and got out on the field without any more fuss.

Eli made it to first on his last at bat, but almost got out because he didn't tag the bag right away. He then proceeded to progress around the bases another time and cross home plate for the first time this season.

Our God

Eli loves this song. Absolutely adores it. He plays it over and over again in his room, and when it comes on the radio in the car, he stops all activity and sings along until it's done, including air guitar and/or drums. He's written the music for it a few times - the drum parts - using whole notes, half notes and quarter notes. Last week he wrote out the lyrics one day. And he did it when there was no music to listen to! Eli lost the priviledge of his CD player the day before, so he did all of this by memory. And he did it in (literally) five minutes....crazy! Below are the lyrics he wrote, so you can translate his aweosme 'sound-it-out' words captured in the picture.

Into the darkness you shine out of the ashes we rise there's no one like you none like You!
Our God is greater, our God is stronger, God you are higher than any other.
Our God is Healer, Awesome in Power, Our God! Our God!
Our God is greater, our God is stronger, God you are higher than any other.
Our God is Healer, Awesome in Power, Our God! Our God!

He'll Be Comin' Round The Mountain When He Comes....

Little by little, Eli is starting to actively choose to play with his sister. He's even showing signs of (gasp) caring about her! The other night, when the two were alone in the bathroom, I overheard such kindness. Maddux had just lowered herself into the bathtub, only to discover her fresh knee scrapes burning. Eli assured her it would go away soon. She continued to complain; Eli said, "Maddux! Maddux! It's ok...just think about princesses and it won't hurt anymore!"

Clothing

Maddux loves to help pick out her clothes. Sometimes I let her totally pick the outfit too, which she goes ga-ga for. Since we get our clothes ready the night before, Maddux is used to them being somewhat laid out already. However, she takes it to a new level. For months now, I will go into her room to find a 'bodyless person' on the floor. She will have the clothes laid out as if they were on a person, all of the way down to socks in the shoes. Love it!

Astronaut

Eli is really, really, really, really, REALLY into space shuttles and shuttle launches these days. It started a few weeks ago when Discovery launched for the last time. We watched some footage online and the boy just soaked it all in. Since then, pictures, legos, construction paper crafts, paper airplanes/shuttles have been all created around shuttles and boosters and fuel tanks. Eli is all about when the boosters and other 'stuff' disconnects and drops off of the shuttle. He even had Lehr print him out about 15 color/story pages from an online site; the boy has the story memorized and can read words like 'atmosphere' and 'external'.

When Discovery came back last week, I tivoed the landing so that Eli could watch when he got home from school. Of course he's seen it about five times since. He is convinced he will be an astronaut one day, even though we've kinda told him about the future of the shuttle program. It is really, REALLY cool to see how certain things turn these kids into absolute sponges, eager to soak up any information they can. Life is good.

Eli's First Baseball Game, 2011

Eli is back for another season of baseball. This time around he's on the Twins, and he's just as into it as ever. Tonight was his first game and the team did really, REALLY well. Eli smashed three balls: the first near the center for a single, the next two, he got out at first. However, the second ball was hit near the center and thrown to first causing a very, VERY close play at the bag. So close that the first baseman and Eli were both going for the bag at the same time resulting in Eli getting totally knocked off of his feet. My boy jumped back up and brushed himself off, earning applause from the stands. I high fived him for running like heck, even when he knew he'd probably get out.

No major plays in the field to speak of: Eli played Center Field and Second Base. He has it in his head that he wants to play first, but Eli has yet to show the type of focus and skill needed to play that position safely. He has done really well at second in practice, but he never got his hands on the ball during his time there today.

All in all a great game, and they walked away with a "W". I can honestly say that the way the team played today reminded me of how Eli's teams have played in the past, but during the playoffs. If the boys are this on top of things already, this should turn out to be a really fun and exciting season!

Don't Stop, Baby...

Maddux so loves to dance. Especially when I turn on some songs from Zumba and show her the 'real' dance that goes with the song. This dance is part of Maddux's interpretation of what the 'real' dance is for this song. Good stuff.

Slumber Party

For the first time we allowed the kids to sleep in the same room/same bed last night. We came home from a family dinner date and the kids were playing really well together. One of them brought up both sleeping in Maddux's bed, and since we didn't have anything pressing in the morning that would require a good night's sleep, we decided to give it a go.

As expected, Eli fell asleep instantly. They were both quiet in her room right away, but when we went in twenty minutes later (so I could take a picture), Maddux was still wide awake, just gently stroking Eli's hair and watching him while he was passed out. Another twenty minutes went by and she was asleep as well. Around 6:30 this morning they both came into our room, at which time we put them back to bed, in their own beds, but I'll chalk it up to a successful night, for sure. Eli did tell me today that Maddux kept talking when they went to bed. He said that he had to tell her, "Maddux, be quiet!" four times.

Drummer Boy

Eli's been back at it again, full force, since the holidays. In recent weeks, Lehr set up Eli's smaller set that he received for his birthday from Grandpa Ed. What a blast! Both kids enjoy it, and Eli has really started to keep a good beat on his own. Quick video from Lehr's phone here:

The Topic Of Marriage

NO clue how it came up, but one day last week the kids and I were enjoying a lazy breakfast, thanks to our Winter Break from school. Either Eli or I said something about being married, and Maddux chimed in, "Yeah...married. (Pause) Mom, what's 'marry'?"

I wasn't really sure how to define it in 3-year old terms, but I basically told them both (even though Eli didn't ask, I know he didn't really know either) that being married means you promise to love and have a family with another person, for the rest of your life. I tried to cover topics that have been in our house lately such as always being kind, always working together, and always thinking about the other person first.

So that moved us to who the kids would marry. I told them it would be a long time until they got married, but God was growing up a person for each of them to marry. Maddux wanted to know where she would live in our house; I told her that when you're married you move away from your Mommy and Daddy and live with your husband or wife and maybe kids. Eli asked if Maddux would move with him when he got married. I told him that she could maybe move to the same street, but she would probably live in a house with her husband, not actually with Eli. He thought on that for several moments. Then he grinned and whispered, "Mommy, I'm gonna marry Bekah." So cute. He then told Maddux that she needed to marry Titus (Bekah's brother and Eli's friend), but Maddux stood firm that she wanted to marry Owen. Such a funny conversation to have with a three and five-year old!

On-Time

This morning I got home from camp a few minutes before Eli's bus arrived. I met him at the driveway as he and Lehr were 'scooting' up. (Eli's driven his scooter up to the bus stop this week.) I rolled down my window to chat with him for a second, as we always do when I make it home in time. With a huge smile on his face, he said, "Can't stop to talk, Mom. We're running late!" And with that, he was off. Even when he's blowing me off, he's cute!!

Shoes

I've been trying for several months to teach Eli to tie his shoes. One main obstacle is his refusal to be open to teaching in this area; he's a *little* stubborn like his mama. So when I sit down with him to work on it, regardless of how patient and 'gentle' I am, he never wants anything to do with it and he basically fights me every step of the way. For whatever reason, that changed last Wednesday during Maddux's ballet class. As I've done many times in the past, I suggested we bring the shoe-tie book and practice board to work on during he class and for the first time, Eli happily agreed!! It was not all smiles and giggles; he was very frustrated many many times, resulting in him sulking for a portion of our afternoon. However, he tied his own shoes once before we left ballet and he did it again the next day for Lehr. Even more exciting was when I went to school today and his parapro teacher told me she'd offered to help him when his laces came undone, but he'd told her, "Nope. I got it." All grows up!

On The Stage

Maddux is at it again, singing up a storm. Today's selections were a Valentine song she learned at school and "Just The Way You Are".

Bikers

I took the kids to the park to ride their bikes yesterday morning. They had a BLAST and did really well. Eli needs to work on his 'start up' with his bike, and the flat trail provided many opportunities for that. Maddux doesn't need help with anything on her training wheels; she's an animal! Later that day when Lehr got home, he took them into the cul-de-sac and practiced more, catching some video at the same time.

The Best Sunday Ever

We had an awesome day yesterday. It started with FIA and only got better. After we finished our morning of service, we went home to ride bikes, eat lunch and catch a few winks. Once Maddux woke up, we headed west to grab some dinner. There was a particular area I wanted to scope out for some photo shoots, so we picked a casual restaurant in that area. The kids loved the food and had a good time hanging out with Daddy while I ran in and out, trying to get a few shots before the sun left us. There just so happened to be a Yoforia a few doors down from the restaurant, so you KNOW Lehr was pushing for a 'special treat' after dinner. I caved and everyone cheered. While we were eating our yogurt, the kids were being really sweet to each other, and they even posed for a few pictures for me. In the midst of all the wonderfulness, Maddux calls out, "This is the BEST family ever!!" She said it later, in the car, also. I couldn't agree more.

Faith In Action

As we've done before, we brought the kids to Faith In Action this morning with the intention of them participating. Since I'm always running around shooting pictures, that means they work with Lehr, if possible. Maddux usually has to end up in childcare at some point, due to her boredom or the 'danger factor' of the job at hand, but Eli hasn't been in childcare during an FIA in a long time....he has been helping at all of them for over a year now. This one proved to be the most enjoyable for him yet. Lehr was able to work with a friend to build some big, sturdy wooden tables for the football team...I think for water coolers. Eli got to use a drill, measure the wood, get covered in sawdust, and hang out with Daddy and some big boys all day. Maddux had a good time with her friends in the gym also; her favorite part was worship at the end, of course. Dancing around in a gym with hundreds of people watching? Right up her alley....

Today was especially great because of Eli's attitude; he has had a rough time lately, especially in heart matters concerning the family. But today found him happy, grateful, caring, and giving. Life is good! (Here is a short segment from the news that light, featuring Lehr's back :) )

Ups and Downs

And down and out. These last few weeks have been challenging to say the least. We're going through a very 'fun' phase with Eli involving sneaking to do things without permission and mouthy disobedience. Our house is not exactly what I'd call 'enjoyable' at this time...I'm sure Eli and Maddux are wondering what happened to their parents, because the drill sergeants we've become are unrecognizable, even to us. One of the main consequences Eli has earned lately is the tried-and-true 'sit on your bed'. Twice in the last five days he's had to do that for an entire afternoon. After dinner, he was released for a short amount of time before baths. And after that storm, the rainbow came out, brighter than ever...

Both of the most recent occurrences have resulted in Eli using less than respectable verbal jabs. He does a lot of "Weeeeeell, YOU don't get to make the rules" and (we all know this one) "You're not even a nice mommy". Once dinner rolls around and we talk about his time-out time, he's somewhat calm and we have a great dinner. Then comes the best part. He plays with Maddux so nicely and so attentively that I can hardly believe it. This is the exact conversation between them last night, as they were running around and playing with stuffed animals together:
M - "Eli, I love you!"
E - "I love you too."
M - "Are you my best friend?"
E - "Of course I'm your best friend, Max."

I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it with my own two eyes. But why does it have to take him sitting out for hours to then be so kind to his sister?!

Just The Way You Are

Never were words more true....Maddux is so this song...she is amazing, she is perfect, she makes my world go round.

Recently we were in the car, listening to music and singing along as always. When we got to this song (Bruno Mars' "Just The Way You Are"), Maddux asked some questions and since they she's sung along. She will even sing on her own when playing in the house. Usually while she's wearing one of her many princess dresses....of course.

It really hit me as I heard her singing, "Dere's not a thing I will change" (cuz you know she changes words around sometimes)...that song is so how I feel about my daughter these days. She is silly and funny and challenging and happy and beautiful and headstrong and social and confident and amazing. Amazing. I hope she always has the confidence in who she is as she has right now.

So Girly

Maddux loves to comb her hair. Here, she is, as always, paying attention to what is going on in the other room (Eli reading "Cat and the Hat", while also focusing on making her locks silky and smooth.

Trust

Buckle up. This one is bound to get long and rambly.....

Starting a few weeks ago we started becoming aware of a few trust issues where Eli was concerned. With each one, we felt we dealt with it swiftly, calmly, and very fairly. However, things kept happening, and he continued to break our trust. That culminated in this week when, twice in two days, Eli was MIA, out of our house. The first time it was as easy as he was in the front yard when I was looking in the back yard and vice versa, but he was being sneaky and disobedient. Big talks, removal of privileges that depended on our trust in him. The very next day (not 24 hours later!!) Eli left our house and walked close to a mile away. Let that sink in, because it still hasn't with me. He is FIVE. He wasn't running away. My very methodical and practical child had a plan of action and an end place in mind. However he and I had just discussed this plan (the end point, not the walking) an hour earlier and the answer was 'no', mainly due to the previous day's actions. Thankfully I became aware of his absence almost immediately and was able to drive to his end location and pick him up before any harm was done. But there were no words...there are STILL no words to describe the fear and helplessness I felt in that time. And it got worse once I had him safe at home and realized that he had done this all on his own.

As much as Eli is a regular kid who disobeys (as obvious in this post!), he is very Type-A, he is a rule-follower and enforcer, and he likes boundaries. He is the child who will still come ask me if he can use the bathroom in the middle of the night instead of just going. He is the kid who doesn't leave our side in large public places for fear of getting separated from us. So now Lehr and I are thrust into the world of parents who have been made aware that they actually DON'T know their children as well as they think. That was a club I was hoping to avoid joining until at least Jr. High....

So, consequences, removal of privileges, many many many many talks and lectures. This morning gave me hope. On the way to church, the kids and I were talking and having a great time. Lehr was not with us because he went in very early to prepare for the worship set he was playing. Eli kindly told me, "Daddy said I could go early with him next week." (Eli usually does go in, but that is a big kid privilege, so it did NOT happen this morning.) I reminded Eli that as much as Lehr loves having him go in early with him, it probably wouldn't happen for a while because he (Eli) had broken our trust. Then I talked a little more about what that meant and how long it takes to build that trust back up again. (This was really a conversation and not a lecture; I promise!) I reminded Eli that it takes several times of trusting someone to build up trust, but just one time to break that trust. This morning Eli got up from bed, went to the bathroom and then went back to his room to play (as we expect him to). I told him that his actions this morning showed me that I could trust him, and that type of behavior would help build up trust again. Not a minute later from the backseat I hear, "So I need to build up like blocks to a building."

Hello, God...Thank you!!

"Yes!! That's exactly what I'm saying, Eli! Each time you show me I can trust you, you build up one more block and we need to build a big building of trust to do the 'big kid' stuff. And when you do something that shows I can't trust you..."

"...I knock the whole building of blocks down."

Wow. I'm so not the one in control of this conversation...it is taking all of the right turns and I am utterly amazed at the work God is doing.

So so so excited that Eli is (hopefully!) understanding this now. These past few weeks have really scared me and I'm hoping we build that building up again soon.

You Can't Make This Stuff Up

That girl is full of life. And full of words. The things that come out of her mouth crack me up on a daily basis. I end up posting maybe 1/4 of them via Twitter, but so many slip through the cracks and I forget them by the time I sit down at the computer. Here are just a few from the last few days:

• We have many 'dance parties' in our house, usually mid-day when it's just me and one or both of the kids. The other day Maddux told me (mid-spin), "You dance better if you have these pants and this shirt on."
• Walking into the YMCA the other day, I asked Maddux to hold my hand and keep it warm. "Just put it in yer pocket." she told me. "But, I don't have any." "Welllll.......try to get one, Mommy!"
• We play a lot of music in the car, and the kids learn lyrics pretty fast (that is not such a good thing these days). After about a week of a particular Beastie Boys CD playing almost exclusively, Maddux yelled out "What! What!!!" mid-song one day, all on her own. She has arrived.
• We got another dumping of snow last night. Today when we were driving out of the neighborhood, Maddie asked, "Mommy, when are the penguins comin' out?" Took me a minute to even ask her what she meant. "When it snows, the penguins come." I love three year old logic!!
• More dance parties. More music and dancing. And Maddux is the biggest dancer, wiggler, mover of them all. She will not stop for anything. Last week she told us, "I dance to all these songs, cuz that's my job. I'm tired, but I still have to do it."
• When things get particularly 'ugly' between Maddux and Eli in the backseat we have what we call "silent car". No talking for some set period of time. Lately when Maddux has become frustrated with Eli's need to control everything she does, she'll give an emotional, "Don't talk to me that way! I want a silent car!" Then she'll cross her arms and turn her head towards the window. 3 or 13???
• This morning I told Maddux, "God gave you a beautiful heart." Her response? "I know! I wanted Him to make it pink and He did!"
• The other day the three of us walked down the hill after picking Eli up from the bus stop. I noticed a small scratch on the bridge of his nose that wasn't there the day before. I asked him if it happened at school and immediately Mad Dog chimed in with, "Did you cry or were you tough as nails?"
  

All It'll Cost You Is Your Voice!

I woke up with a scratchy throat today and over the course of the day it developed into almost total laryngitis. Eli hadn't heard my voice progressing throughout the day like Maddux had, so when I picked he and a friend up from Brainy Builders today, it took him by surprise.

"Mommy, did the Sea Witch take your voice?"

Eli was totally grinning at his joke (based on The Little Mermaid, which he and Maddie watched for the first time a few weeks back). He was being funny and he knew it.

Perfect

Maddux and I were hanging up her clothes and listening to music. Bruno Mars' "Just The Way You Are" came on and Mad Dog started to sing along. As usual, she stopped and asked me about lyrics.

"Mommy? Why does this boy not want her to change?"

I explained that he loved her just as she was because God made her perfect and there is no reason for her to change that. We talked a little more with me giving not-so-subtle hints that she should NEVER put up with anyone asking her to change for their benefit. Later in the song I asked her if she needed to change anything about herself.

"Nope. God made me perfect so I don't hafta change."..... "But I still change my clothes!!" Can't take the goofy out of that girl...

T.R.O.U.B.L.E.

In the car last night I told Maddux that her friend, Sam, would be coming over for dinner this week. Her response?

Smile. "I gonna play doctor wiff him, Mommy..."

My Love

It's always interesting to me the things that I end up doing with one child, but not the other. Eli knew "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town" pretty much by heart when he was just two because I would always sing it to him before naps and bed. (I know...odd 'lullaby' choice.) Maddux knows the song, but I rarely sang it to her. No real reason; it's just the way it worked out.

One thing I have found myself doing way more with Maddux is a specific declaration of love before bed each night. I'll say to her, "I love you all the way up to the moon, all the way down to the swimming pool drains." Then she'll respond to me with "I love you all the way up to the birds, all the way down to the grass." And so on.... It wasn't even intentional on my part, but I love that it is a staple in our relationship. A few weeks ago I also said to her, "I love you more than ice cream." and a similar trend followed. That girl loves to love, and that makes my world go round.

Date Night

Crazy schedules have been the norm since we returned to school this month. Because of that, we've not been able to start back up our individual date nights with the kids yet. It seems that each night finds one of us home with the kids and the other at an appointment or rehearsal. Saturday night we had nothing planned, so we opted for a group date night: a Family Date Night. We picked a fun restaurant that the kids haven't been to in at least a year and played it up big. Lehr even took Eli to Harry's during Maddux's nap and bought flowers. Eli wanted to wear a work shirt, so we all got dressed up as well.

The evening started off great, but Eli tripped coming into the restaurant, landing hard on his knee. Since he'd been going strong all day, his fatigue set him off into a bit of a whiny spell. Luckily, the restaurant is loud, so his complaining as we waited for a table was totally unnoticed by anyone else.

Once seated we ordered quickly and then just enjoyed each other's company. We were sitting at a high table, so I worried about Maddux and her potential for injury. (She tends to not sit still. Ever.) However, she was great the whole night! She ate cleanly, sat pretty well, and behaved wonderfully! Both kids got hamburgers and we split some zucchini fries for the table. The venue we chose is known for their small specialty milkshakes, so we all had a little. The Nutella shake was topped off with flame-charred marshmallows. That made Eli VERY happy!

Scoot!

Eli and Maddux received razor scooters for Christmas and they are still a HUGE hit. More so with Eli, as Maddux has really taken to riding a bike recently. This weekend Lehr shot a few minutes of video as the kids enjoyed the sunshine and lack of snow and ice on the ground.

Swim Lessons

Last year I enrolled the kids in one swim lesson over the cold months, just to keep their swim 'skills' in their memory. Since it seemed to work pretty well, I did the same this year. Once a week the kids take lessons, back-to-back, so they each get to watch the other. So far so good.

Maddux loves the water. She can kick pretty good, but struggles to remember that her arms are supposed to come out of the water. And something she's done the last two weeks is stopping halfway down the lane to grab onto the side for a moment. Maybe she's getting tired? The video is pretty cute because it shows her working so hard to keep her eyes in the water, but she alternates that with throwing her head completely back to wipe the water and hair out of her eyes.

Eli is a fish. He loves the water even more than last year, and his progress is obvious even inside of a lesson. This last week the coach advised the boys to turn their heads to the side to breath...not a stroke passed after that without Eli moving his head to the side.

One area Eli has always struggled with is the kicking. He never seems to keep his legs together, moving them like a water polo player instead. This is very easy to see when it comes time to use kick boards. Without his arms helping him, Eli falls to the back of the pack quickly, pretty much swimming in place. One area he may have a knack for is diving. You can only see part of one 'dive' on the video, but over half of the time that he's asked to jump into the water, Eli leads with his hands in a stretched out dive/flop. No formal instruction has been given on that yet, he just sees it and mimics.

2011 01 Swim Lessons from Nicole Eliason on Vimeo.

Winded

This is Maddux's newest term: "winded". She doesn't use it in the context most people would, however. She uses it to describe something that has had wind go through it. For example, yesterday we were driving down the street and she asked why some trees had leaves and some didn't and some trees had MUCH leaves. I went through a quick winter temperature explanation for her, reminding her how the leaves fall in our yard each fall. She responded by telling me that the leaves that fell off of the tree in our cul-de-sac were due to her climbing on and jumping on the branches, and NOT because they were dead and fell off of the tree when the wind blew.

"Mommy, I climbed up the tree and jumped on the branches to shake it. I make the leaves fall off.....they didn't get winded."

All-American Man

Eli loves the American flag. Why shouldn't he, really? I'm not sure what started his adoration of it, but for months (at least six months now) he's been obsessed. He draws it, he wears clothing with it, he points it out every time he sees it... At one point over the summer, he wore the same flag shirt a solid week. (Since we were displaced at the time and living out of suitcases, I barely noticed.)

This Christmas I knit most of my gifts: hats and scarves mostly. Sometime around Thanksgiving, Eli asked me to knit him a hat. I was hesitant. I've knit him a blanket, two hats and two scarves and he uses NONE of it. But he kept insisting that he wanted a red, white and blue hat. So I told him after the holidays I would. We were iced in all week, so I had some time to make said hat. Eli loved it. Outside of the goofy stars, I'm happy with it too. So far, Eli has worn it 75% of each day, whether he's cold or not. I guess that makes up for the other projects that have gone unused!

Bobsled?

Eli went to rehearsal with Lehr this morning. This week Lehr was only playing in one song, so there was plenty of downtime before the service started. Our church parking lot was a huge flat surface of ice all week, but most of it has melted away. The shady spots, however, still have some frozen areas. Eli and one of his idols, Ashton, found a big icy section this morning. Skateboards, recycle bins and shoes were used to play on the slick surface. At one point, Ashton convinced Eli to get in the recycle bin and bobsled around the corner....good stuff.

2011 01 Eli and Ashton on Ice from Nicole Eliason on Vimeo.

Defrost

For the first time in a week, we were able to go outside today and PLAY! No big jackets, no three layers of gloves....just warm sun, temps above freezing, and a whole lot of energy to burn off. The kids had a blast with their bikes and scooters...they've been unable to use those for a full week due to the layers of ice over every surface. I was working most of the day, so Lehr was on full-time Daddy-duty. He tells me that angels were singing: the kids played TOGETHER for quite a while without arguing at all. They interacted without yelling, complaining, or bossing each other around. Of course that would happen when I'm not around, right?

Snow Days!

As predicted, we got a huge dumping of snow late Sunday night, resulting in no school for the kids on Monday. It was so much snow (for Atlanta) that we also had no boot camp, no work, no swim lessons..... The city basically shut down. The precipitation stopped around noon Monday, but the cold air lingered, freezing everything up last night leaving us home-bound again today.

Yesterday we went outside to sled first thing. A few boogie boards, some rain boots...we were set. After about an hour, Maddux was done, so I brought her back inside. Eli stayed out long enough for his fingers to get seriously numb, but he had a blast. We colored, played with new bead-crafts I bought the day before, listened to music, and read books all day. When the temps were the highest, we took a short drive up to the store, just to check out the rest of the world.

Shortly after dinner the snow/slush turned to ice and everything, including the snow, froze over. This morning we woke up to many many sheets of ice as far as thee eye can see. Eli still wanted to sled, so I took him back to the main hill we'd used the day before. Unfortunately many people had driven on that road at this point, so it was ice mixed with patches of just road, which was starting to rip up his board. After about 15 minutes I suggested we go back to our hill, which gets less traffic. The hill was not too great (TOO much snow coverage), but one of our neighbor's driveway was perfectly iced and sloped. Also, the hill in our yard worked, as long as you weighed less than 60 pounds. Eli and I spent a few hours outside before Maddie joined us. She lasted approximately 6.5 minutes. Just long enough to go down the driveway and yard hill one time each. And just long enough to fall, touch the ice, and fall again, resulting in tears each time. After the snowball that we found lodged in her boot yesterday, I think she's been 'scarred' by the snow. My girl does not enjoy the cold!

More reading, coloring, dance-partying, and bead-crafting today. We made bagels when the kids go up...blue, red, pink, purple, all in a tie-dye fashion, due to the way the kids 'mixed' the color in. In a few we will turn on a movie...we're about stir-crazy though!

2011 01 Snow Sled from Nicole Eliason on Vimeo.

That One's A Keeper!

Haven't blogged yet this year and I thought this was the perfect reason to start. We've been boxed up in the house for two days straight with no school, no boot camp, no work, no photo shoots, no swim lessons.... My last 'fun' idea today was to paint Mad Dog's nails. Eli declined, but Maddie and I spent a good 20 minutes in my bathroom being all 'girly'. At one point she pointed to the trail map on the counter.
"What's dat, Mommy?" I told her it was a map from the last time Daddy and I went snowshoeing, before she was born. I told her she may have even been in my tummy. (Upon further thought, she wasn't.)

Maddux asks, "Was dere toys in dere?" I could barely stop laughing long enough to answer her. She didn't get it, so she then asked me, "Well, was my blanket in there? No??? Then what did I do?"

I told her she was just growing, but she grew so fast she didn't have time for anything else.

"Well, how about clothes...was I wearing baby clothes?" I told her she was naked but it was roasty toasty in my belly, so she wasn't cold.

"Yay!! Roasty Toasty!!!" That girl makes sure I never go a day without a good laugh.