Milestones in Language

Look where Eli climbed up.. Just kidding, and yes one of us was waiting to catch him in case he made the plunge, but he was quite happy to sit where the junk food is kept.

Eli had a couple cute milestones this week. We have been teaching him body parts, and he can say a few of them. He can say ear, nose cheek, tongue, teeth, and hair, oh and his favorite, toes. Well we were at Aldi's doing some grocery shopping, and I said "oh that's cheap", he then excitedly put his hands on his cheeks, Home Alone style and said "cheeks". Well cheap does sound like cheek...

On another day we were addressing an envelope and he was helping me hold the pen as we were writing. When we wrote "Erie" Eli excitedly grabbed his ear and said "ear, ear!". Well yes we live in Eary I guess.

You don't realize how many words sound like other words until you are teaching someone a language. Eli knows the word stinky, and waves his hand under his nose, and he pronounces it "dinky". When we were working on a project I said scotch tape was sticky, and that confused him because it didn't smell. Sticky and stinky are much too similar.

Whats in your ear?!

Jon went on a walk with Eli in our neighborhood. They passed a tree with little berries. Eli picked one up and was looking at it for a while. Jon didn't see it after that and figured Eli dropped it some where along the walk. When they got home this is what Jon found... Eli turned to him with a huge grin.

Sept. 9th

The weather is a little cooler today, Eli can finally wear his cute outfit from his Aunt Chrissy and Uncle Taylor. He looks like a model!



Eli knows he is not supposed to touch the key board, but the buttons are just too tempting.

Drinking his morning Ovaltine (he know it as hot chocolate).

Bubble Bath Time!

Pictures of Eli

Well we have been extremely busy the past couple of weeks. I don't have time to write much but I thought I would add some recent pictures for friends and family to see. Eli has been talking in baby babbling quite a bit. His language skills are improving every day. Today he said "shower", last night he said "nose" and "teeth", and the other day he said "Oh my!". Can you guess who he heard that from?

Popsicles are an outside only food...

Eli's new bed from his Meme (Jon's Mom). I think he really likes it.



Most nights Eli helps me cook dinner. He samples things as we cook.



Here is Eli sampling the green pepper seeds...

Eli drinking his morning Ovaltine.

Eli noticed the camera and had to be a ham.



Eli at the beach on Lake Erie.



Hanging with Dad, while hanging on Dad.

week 3

So as Jon and I were having a seriously intense conversation about adding cabinets to the dinning room, we look behind us and see this... Mr. Butthead was playing with the water dispenser. I think he was just waiting for a moment we weren't paying attention to pull this one.

Check out Eli's new hat! His Aunt Sarah picked it out. He kept it on as soon as he saw Jon wearing one too. This week's highlights:
We went to Ikea yesterday and got Eli a kid bed. We'll see how he sleeps in it tonight. Jon is putting it together now. Eli currently sleeps on a mattress on the floor. Sometimes he rolls off and wakes himself up. We have a bed rail to add to his new bed.
We also got another cabinet for the bathroom. Hopefully this one works out and we are not returning it like the last one.
This week we also had half of our massive pool deck removed. Once it is gone we plan to add steps down and create a patio in the back yard.
It was also my first week back at work. I think Jon is now seeing just how much work it is to stay at home with a kid. I would come home, and he would ask for 20 mins to chill. I was like "where's my 20 mins?" I didnt even take a lunch.
Eli's new word for the week was "table". Jon and I kept moving the dinning room table around, he said table once very clearly. He will also repeat "Claire" when Jon is yelling to me from another part of the house.
He is still very attached to Jon, and I think he views me as competition for Jon's attention. When I wash his hands or face he screams and thrashes his body. He will calmly protest for Jon under the same situation. The only that calms him down when he is crying because Jon had to step out, is to offer him food. He loves trying new things and there are very few things he does not like. He had freeze dried okra today from Trader Joe's and almost ate the whole bag.

Week 2

This week started out pretty crappy but today things are turning around.

On Sunday we found out that Jon accidentally drilled through the vent exiting the furnace as he was putting up a towel rack in the bathroom. A guy at Lowes said this could lead carbon monoxide to leak into the house as well as gas. So Jon cut a whole in the bathroom wall and patched it up with something that seals that kind of thing. He replaced the drywall and then started puttying. Eli was cooking with me in the kitchen and helping Jon too. On Monday Jon found bubbling in the ceiling of the downstairs bathroom. The shower was leaking through to the floor downstairs... We will be remodeling the bathroom much sooner than expected. Then today things started to look up, our dishwasher finally arrived! And the installation guy was available! I was also able to schedule Eli's pediatrician appointment, and Lowes really helped us out with a bathroom storage unit mix-up. A delivery truck came took the incorrect one and delivered the correct one. It was a good day.
Eli has learned a few new things too. He can climb in and out of the tub. When I say "oh man" he now says "man" in a tiny mimicking voice. He said "uh-oh" after I  said "uh-oh" because I dropped something. He is learning to do dishes. He stands on a stool next to me and wipes dishes with a sponge. When the phone rings he goes and grabs it and brings it to us (a nice perk). He holds the phone to his ear and nods his head yes. Nodding his head yes and shaking his head no are his primary means of communication. For someone who only started hearing English 3 and a half weeks ago its amazing how much he understands.
Two days ago when I was putting Eli's shoes on our cat Angel was trying to sneak out the door. I was telling her "no, get your butt in here" Eli went over to her and pushed her back into the house. I said "good job Eli" and he proceeded to hold his hand up, initiating a high-five.  It was pretty funny. I was impressed he understood that much and also that he knew that warranted a high-five.

Jon adding concrete to the crack to meet the home owner insurance needs. Eli was content as long as he is near Jon. He likes his new truck from Neal and Melissa.

We went to the mall to cool off one night. The house was so hot. Eli got new sandals and had fun running around.

At the mall they had a Tornado machine. Eli enjoyed it.