Eli's first Christmas morning! :)

 Christmas morning was delightful with Eli squealing with joy!  He really couldn't understand what the day was going to bring, even though we tried to prepare him.  He loved having a donut for pre-breakfast, opening gifts, breakfast, play time, play time, play time!  He was wow-ed by the fact that there were so many presents for him.  He didn't celebrate his birthday here with us this year and hasn't been to a birthday party yet, so all the presents were quite a shock! He was thrilled.  :)

cousins! :) :)

E and E are one month apart in age!  :) :) 

monkeying around....  ;)

pretty much us! :)

making corn muffins...

stirring in the molasses

really enjoying the corn that we didn't put into the batter

just look at those cheeks!!  :)

some December fun

Just enjoying his "turtle fort" with his monkey pal. 

And doing a little Christmas gift painting.

"cut hair" says Eli to Daddy on the phone today.

BEFORE 

BEFORE 2

super shaggy...

So I had been thinking that it was about time to take Eli to get his hair cut.  He's been here for over 2 months now and it's getting a little shaggy.  I was wondering how long I could put it off though, kind of dreading the experience - another new thing for this little man who has had so many new things lately...

Well a few days ago he says to me, "Mommy, Eli hair too big!"  Yep, it's time.  The poor child is telling me, all on his own, that he needs a hair cut, and wondering if I forgot about it.  "Yes, you're right." I tell him and start looking into where to take him.

So this morning, Eli got his first hair cut in the US. He was excited. I was nervous. (how much of our lives are going to be this way?!)   He did really well.  Didn't need to sit on my lap or anything.  Giggled when the buzzer trimmer thing  (what's that called?) was near his ears. The gals at the salon fell in love w him.

I'm realizing that everywhere this little man goes, he melts people.  He just brings out smiles all over the place.  It's pretty fun!  My little spreader of joy...  :) :)

all done!  and smiling.... :) 

pretzel fun at snack time...

sportin' his new do!  :)

mid-December update

We've been busy.  Life is good.

hiking at Mt Hope Cemetery

Our days and weeks are filled with playground time, trips to the library, playing in the attic, reading books, tickling, visits from friends, play dates, lots of cooking and baking, fort time (in his huge cardboard box), shopping, crafting, painting Christmas gifts, hiking, opening mail - he *loves* all the Christmas cards!, a visit to one of my schools, going to swimming lessons, watching Shaun the Sheep and the Gruffalo (the only two things he thinks come out of our tv!), eating popcorn, playing ball, taking walks, riding his bike and scooter, enjoying the climbing wall that Daddy built in the basement.  Oh the fun and giggles!

some mellow piano time in the attic

He is washing his hands independently now and doing a great job with brushing his teeth too.  :) He rips off his own little eye sticker each day like a champ after his two hours of wearing it.  He is getting better about knowing his routine and what his days are like.  The calendar with photo magnets we use to talk about each day's plans helps a lot.  He really likes to know what's happening next, so we try to keep him informed of the next event or two at all times, as possible.  He likes to clean up after each meal and helps to load and unload the dishwasher. He's pretty good about cleaning up and really likes things in their places.  He is enjoying the jobs we are giving him around the house. He's a great little helper, and sometimes will cry a bit if I do a job he had his heart set on doing...

He seems a little confused about "days".  It seems like he thinks there's a new day each time he wakes up - whether it's morning or after a nap.  Is this a developmental 3 year old thing, I wonder?  He  must think Daddy is gone to work every other day, if that is the case...  He has "figured out" that Mommy reads books on sunny days (at all his nap times, when there's day light) and Daddy reads books when it's dark (at night before bed).  Too funny.  He's making sense of things in his own way, I guess.

Also, we were on Goodman about to turn onto 490W a few days ago.  He pointed to 490E and said,"That way Eli han (and) Daddy swimming, library. This way (pointing to 490W) Mommy my school."  Has he seriously figured out which way to turn to get to things he has only been to a few times?  He recognizes places that he has only been to once - it amazes me. I think soon he'll be helping me when I get lost... ;)

And just yesterday we were in the kitchen making corn muffins when Sleigh Ride came on the radio (Pandora) and he shouted "Snowman!"after just a few notes, bc we heard that same song at the RPO concert last week when we went to see the Snowman. How does he remember that?!

playing in a HUGE leaf pile w Daddy!

oh the fun they have together...

citizenship

Good news!  Guess who is now a US citizen?  His paperwork arrived in the mail on Thursday and the date he became a citizen was October 9, 2012 - the day after he arrived in the US with us.  Hooray!   The document was created on November 28, 2012 and we got it on December 6, 2012.

His document has our last name (as his last name) on it too - woo hoo!  Now we just need to apply to change his soc sec card.  So exciting!  :)

"turtle fort"

This is the magic that happens when a neighbor gives us a box!! :) 

(now it has cool windows and is decorated, but this was day 1)

he cracks me up!

For a while we couldn't figure out this one phrase that Eli was saying.
It sounded a lot like Chiang Kai Shek, but we were stumped. We knew and he knew that we weren't understanding him.

Guess what it turned out to be?  Sunglasses!

(i know you're thinking these two sound nothing alike, but if you say them over and over (in a 3 year old voice) they may start to...)

 Oct 2012 in Taiwan

in our hotel elevator 

Today we were waiting in line at the post office There were two older women in line behind us.  (He had already shouted "Grandma!" at each of them when they came in.  Thankfully they were both plenty old enough to be great grandmas.)  They were complimenting Eli on his sunglasses and monkey hat.  He was just staring at them. Then Eli accidentally dropped one of his mittens.  One kind woman told him that it was on the ground.  He picked it up.  He paused for several seconds, got a smirk on his face and then dropped it again.  She pointed it out to him again.  He picked it up, twinkle-eyed pause, dropped it again.  And they were fast friends.  The game went on for about 4 mitten drops until we were called to the counter. Way to make our wait time pass much more quickly, Little Man.

delighted with his accomplishments...

We've had Eli with us for 8 weeks today - wow! I can't even believe it.  Seems like we have been together for so much longer than that.  He's doing so well, that I often forget this is all still pretty new to him.  He's learning so much so fast, it amazes me.

This morning at breakfast he said,
"Mommy show Daddy Eli eat spicy eggs." 

That's his longest sentence yet.  He's so proud of all his accomplishments (even eating and enjoying some pepper on his eggs) and wants me to txt or call J to share each one.  (I try to remember them and save them up to call or txt not so many times in his work day.)

Also this morning as we were driving in the car he saw a bicyclist and said,
"Bicycle turn that way" when he couldn't see him anymore.
And then "Eli sleeping (snoring sounds...), awaaake!, bicycle today" - to let me know he wants to ride his bike after his nap time.

 :) Such a cutie pie! :)

first PB&J...

We *LOVE* the library!

These were from walking to the library, at the library, and walking home.  He loves to take walks and he loves the library story time for kids.  :) On our way home he straightened out all of the recycling bins on our block.  He likes things in order...  :) 

day in and day out...

I thought I should post some of our regular daily life photos for you - so here they are, unedited.  This is a peek into our daily lives... playing, reading, looking at photos, trying hot cocoa, "robot showers", making a mustache like Daddy's, napping w his monkey, checking for snoooow...  :)

Laurie, the blanket and pillow you made him are awesome!  Thanks again.  Sandy B - he loves his "bunny" so!  Thank you!  :)  Tracy, he adores the monkey you gave him.  Thanks again friends! :)