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!!