We Return!

See? We did not, in fact, fall off the face of the planet. It only appeared that way for a while. With Mommy working full-time, going to school part-time, trying to work out once or twice a week, and attending to various other responsibilities, things have been....hectic. 

Since last we spoke, Elliott has had so many fun escapades. We have been to plays at the Birmingham Children's Theatre twice. We saw Disney on Ice when it came to town. He has been to the zoo ???? times--Boo at the Zoo was a particular favorite. We went to the movies once with friends, and we've spent good quality time with almost all of Elliott's cousins this fall. 

And Elliott purchased his first toy with his own money. We DO a lot of things (i.e.--experiences) but don't BUY him a lot of stuff. There was one particular toy that he begged for all summer and we realized that Christmas was going to be too long to wait. (He's single-minded.) It wasn't even expensive; it's just that we don't buy him random toys all the time. So we made an elaborate "extra chores" schedule that covered about 10 days so that he could "earn" $15. He did great and I was so proud of his determination!

In the midst of all these adventures, Elliott grew approximately 14 inches taller. :)

Hilarious Stuff Said by the Boy

Elliott is such an unintentional comedian. I know that in 10 or 12 years, I'll have a too-cool teenager and it'll be hard to imagine that he ever said such things.

--Like when he walked outside and asked, "What's all this fresh air doing out here?"

--Or when Pawpaw had his battery (i.e. pacemaker) replaced and Elliott asked, "Then why is he still walking so slow?"

--Or when he solemnly informed us that he used to be afraid of "monsters and aliens and ghosts. And ugly dogs."

--Or when I called home from work to talk to him and he told me in his most serious voice that "Mister is completely ruining Daddy's life." 

--Or when he saw a picture of a skeleton in a waiting room book and pointed out the leg bones, arm bones, rib bones, etc. And then he pointed to the coccyx (that weird little tailbone) and exclaimed, "And that must be the weiner bone!" (Yep, he went there. In public.)

Things That Were a Big Deal This Summer

So it seems that the summer has come and gone. After our trip to the beach in May, here are the other highlights! :)

1. Elliott went to a typical daycare this summer. And, for the most part, things went OK.

2. Elliott took swimming lessons for a couple of weeks in the early summer. Although half the sessions were a bust when he never even made it into the water, he picked up some skills. With a lot of coaching from Eric, he got good enough to pass the swim test at the Y a few weeks ago.

3. Marilyn ran a 5K (Retro Run, hence the glasses) with her 2 favorite guys there to cheer her on.

4. Elliott has gone to a ton of birthday parties: several swimming parties, a McWane Center party, and even a bowling party!

5. We got a new back yard. (And wish we had done it years ago.)

6. We rescued a cat, Mister Pettypaws. Although we are seriously considering murdering her at times because she won't stop scratching us, Elliott is madly in love. A few days ago he reported that Mister is his best friend he's ever had. Awwww. (Imagine how close their relationship would be if she would stop attacking him! Haha)

7. We have had a lot of extra time for stuff like zoo trips, hiking, farmers' markets, and generally being lazy--the perfect way to spend a summer.

***Editor's note: You may notice that Elliott is a big fan of the "thumbs up" right now. :)

Lord help the sister who comes between me and my Mister...

I know that lyric is not exactly right, but I couldn't resist! Introducing Mister, our newest family member. Elliott picked her out, and it was love at first sight.

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to a man who truly enjoys every single minute with the ones he loves. Many people talk about family values, but he really lives them. He does so much for others that most people never even know about, and it makes me very thankful to see him lead our son by example. If Elliott can show even half of the "servant's heart" that his dad does, he will grow up to be a wonderful man indeed.

Happy Mother's Day to me!

Taking a cue from a friend, I asked Elliott some Mother's Day interview questions earlier. Some of the answers were funny and some were super sweet!

If your mommy was an animal, what kind would she be?
a lion or a pterodactyl


What is Mommy’s favorite TV show?
I don't watch TV when he's up so he couldn't even hazard a guess on this one!


My mommy is as pretty as……………
herself


I love my Mommy because...............
I have a big heart
(Pity love, I guess!)


My mommy says the most important rule is……………
don't open the door if a stranger knocks
(so glad to see that one's getting through)


What does your mommy do while you are sleeping?
kisses my cheeks


What food does your mommy make best?
meat


My favorite thing to do with my mommy is……………
hug and kiss her


Nobody is better than my mommy at…………
helping people feel better when they are sick


What makes your mommy laugh?
when I tickle her

March in a Moment

March was a month of mayhem! Here is a brief recap of selected events.

 Elliott played a lot of soccer. He's the kid in red being chased by the 2 kids in blue. I believe this was when he scored his second goal of the game, but maybe it was his third. (Can you tell we're really proud of how well he's doing?)

And here he is acting a fool during a game break.

 We met some friends to ride the Cottontail Express and had a fabulous time as always.

Even the creepy Easter Bunny was there.

And finally, Elliott went fishing and ATV riding at Uncle Blake's pond. His mom was just glad that no one got a fish hook to the hand or face; however, she really wishes that she hadn't seen this photo of her baby on a 4-wheeler.

Happy Birthday Mommy!

Thank you for being a great Mommy and sharing your birthday with me. - Elliott

Divided loyalties

Elliott is so ready for 4-year-old soccer to begin in March. But he doesn't want anyone to think he has abandoned his beloved football so he wears his Bama jersey with his soccer attire. :)

Sometimes this boy amazes me

At Elliott's old school's last parent-teacher conference a couple of weeks ago, his teacher mentioned that he "understands the relationship between letters and their sounds" better than any other kid in his class. So a couple of days later we wrote down some basic words (dog, cat, etc.) and asked him what they said. He started sounding out the letters and got them right! MY KID CAN READ, Y'ALL! 

(OK, not really. But he can read a few things and I am pretty impressed by my not-even-4-year-old.)