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! :)