That Boy Of Mine

How many changes can take place in such a short time once a baby starts going to school... Last year was his first year on the big yellow bus, and we saw the introduction of 'specials', the cafeteria, report cards, and many classroom procedures. At home we saw Eli start to read a little better, start to write a little better, and towards the end he even took an interest in drawing. This year, however, those changes are capitalized, to say the least.

Eli's favorite thing is to make books in his room. He draws, he writes, he cuts, he pastes. In addition, Eli has a few small notebooks that he always has in his room and/or backpack. I recently bought him a new one from the dollar bin at Target. Within a week it was halfway full. If I were even more obsessive about recording daily life with the kids, I'd take a picture of each individual page... The book is full of math, shark pictures, Star Wars pictures and lists. Yes, lists. Lists of dangrs animals (that's his spelling), vlnt storms (what 6-year-old uses the word 'vlnt'??) and dedly sharks. Awesome.

Last weekend the kids woke up a little before Lehr and I were ready to rise. Eli entertained himself very quietly, making a Darth Vador costume out of a backwards t-shirt, a black hoodie, and a red boom wacker. Love it.

Finally, every time I mow the yard, Eli asks to help. I usually let him assist me in the backyard, which usually results in a Roomba-esque pattern of mowing. The last few times, he's concentrated on making straight lines like I do. And now I'm proud to say that Eli mowed the whole backyard by himself last weekend. I was a great supervisor, encouraging from the side-lines and not lifting a finger.

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.

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!