Eli's Birthday

My baby is two! OK, so he's been two for over a week now, but I am finally posting pictures. Thanks, Aim, for reminding me to do so. Eli had a great birthday party. We kept it small this year, which was nice. Just a few of his friends and their parents, a TON of pizza, and the richest chocolate cake I have ever had. The cake even satisified Eli, our little chocoholic. He is still talking about his chocolate cake to this day. Our next birthday celebration is going to involve a "cherry cake." I have never had a cherry cake before- but this is what Priya is determined to have. Any good recipes out there?
Eli is talking a ton now- even some complete sentences! He is also having SO much fun with his sister, its really amazing to watch. He is usually a good sport as she does things like cover him up with pillows or shovels spoonfulls of yogurt into his mouth in order to pretend he is her baby.
Here are some pictures and a video at the end:

Dilly dally

Yesterday I was trying to get Priya to do something quicker, and I said, "Stop dilly dallying!" She asked me, "What's dilly dallying?" I gave her the incomplete answer "um.. like playing around." A few minutes later, she wanted to hurry me. She said, "Mom, hurry up! I want to go dilly dally!"
These kids are fast turning into best friends (who fight a lot!). Priya and Eli are inseperable now. Try offering something to Priya and she will say, "Do you have one for my brother?" If Eli happens to wake up before Priya does his first words are "Priya go??" (Where's Priya?) This makes me very happy.
The pictures below are from Halloween. Eli's schoolbus was an absolute hit, although it completely disintegrated in the rain by the end of the evening. During the parade, though, he wore it, walking up the whole lengh of Main St.!! Priya, my beautiful purple witch, helped him by carrying the end. The last picture of Priya is taken in the co-op, where our fun night started!

Chelsea

Priya occasionally will pick up an old toy that she has had for years, and find new love for it. Recently she found this little doll that someone gave her a LONG time ago. She has been taking it everywhere, to school, in the car, even sleeping with it (alongside with Bopa and her other pandas, of course). When she told me the doll's name, I said, "Oh, nice, Chelsea Idalia, huh?" To which she responded, "No!! It's Chelsea A-Doll-ia!!"

We had our first ever parent-teacher conference today, at Priya's school. Her teachers, Molly and Stacy, say that they really enjoy her and that she is doing great at school! We had wondered if some of the things we witness at home also occurred in school, like the shall we say not so pleasant interactions with her brother. They said that Priya is very sweet with her classmates and even told us an example of her helping out a friend! Wow! I felt very proud, and also realized how strong that "act out at home for mom and dad" phenomenon is!

Molly and Stacy explained how important the limit testing and button pushing is for this age, it is a true and constant evaluation of their security. It's so funny how Priya loves to say things to look for our reaction. Tonight we went to see Deidra, Eddy, Fiona and Lucas' new house. Priya had a blast running around with Fiona and playing with her toys. She didn't want to leave, because they were building sandcastles in the dark behind their house. When we finally got her in the car after a struggle, she said "I'm NEVER coming back!" What a silly girl!

Eli is talking more and more every day! When he does something on his own he yells "Me did it!!" His recent obsession has been school buses. He loves them, so Patrick made him this incredible Halloween costume which is a big cutout of a schoolbus that he can stand in and look out the windows! Only problem is, I think it will be two big and bulky for him to walk around in. This should be an interesting Halloween, and Dad and Berta will be there too!

Newness

Fall is in the air in Vermont, and it feels like life is changing again. Priya started preschool at Neighborhood Schoolhouse, and the transition has been much easier than I thought it would be. She is such a little schoolhead. Priya loves, and is very proud of her classroom. Its so open and sunny, and the toys are so inviting. Her teachers and wonderful, and they are very passionate about their job. Yesterday we went to a Fairyhouse festival, and her teacher Molly was there. She was driving by us and started yelling "Priya!! Fiona!! HI!!!" from a far distance, and then turned her car around to come and say hi to us. The experience made me realize that she definitely loves her students! So far it seems that school has made Priya more helpful at home, like she is taking more pride in herself. It makes me so excited to watch her grow, and at the same time, I am really savoring where she is right now. These contented moments are such a stark contrast from all of the sleep deprived, frantic parenting moments of the past 3 1/2 years.


Eli is a little monkey. He is almost two, and having these strongwilled toddler fits, the kind where he kicks his legs in the air as I swoop him up from whatever trouble he is getting into. His passion actually makes me laugh sometimes! His will gets in the way of actually getting him what he wants. Here is an example. He is busy playing with something, but I tell him its time to get his jammies on for bedtime. After fair warning, I pick him up to change his clothes. He is so upset that I have removed him from his pass-time that he starts to throw a fit. His thrashing body is so difficult to dress, that it takes me way longer than it should have. Even though I am telling him that he can play for a few more minutes after he is in his jammies, he insists that the continuous fit throwing is the best way to go. No sense of logic!


Eli's language is slowly but surely coming along. Julia's name (the generic "Hi-ya" which stood for both Hannah and Julia) has now turned into "Ju-Ja!" He gets posession now and likes to point out which things are "mine!" and which things are "Pee-ya's!" He is slowly putting words together as well. This is not the effortless accumulation of verbal skills like Priya has. He very intently pronounces the syllables one at a time: "Mom-my! Choo- choo- chain!" I am really loving his growing ability to communicate, and can't wait until we can have conversations.


Patrick has thrown himself back into his studies. We have rearranged our house and his study area has grown. We are so busy with out opposite schedules, so when we do hang out, it feels like a great treat! I arranged for us to have a date this Thursday evening, I can't wait!
Here are some recent pics:

Camping in Maine:



Legos at the Big E!! Time in the background.







Building a Fairy House in Grafton with Fiona:



Priya's first day of pre-school!!:

Cool Rivers

It has been scorchingly hot. We sweat in our beds at night, and I'll do anything to avoid cooking with the oven. Today, we went swimming in two different rivers. Actually, the mornings outing was nothing more than wading- but it was great fun with Erin and Ella. In the evening, we met up with Patrick to swim under the covered bridge which was wonderful! Priya is gradually getting more comfortable in the water, although Eli is still not so sure.
Priya is still, after three straight years, inseperable from Bopa. Every night Bopa is tucked in the sheets with her, and she will tell me things like, "Mommy, I didn't take a nap because I wanted to stay up to make sure that Bopa was ok."
In other news, Eli can finally say Priya! It sounds like "Pee-ya!" and he loves to say it! Actually he loves anything to do with his big sister and will follow her anywhere. He is still using the potty, but only when he is already naked. We have to remind him to use it, and he does have accidents sometimes. Our recent visitors Grandma and Grandpa Bernie, and then Michelle Yau and Jeff got full exposure of our little vermont nudists!
Here are some pics:

cat lessons

Overheard this a.m.
Priya "Thomas, if you eat all of your cat food, you can pick out a piece of candy!"

where is life?

I just asked Priya where all of her questions came from. She said "They come from my life." I asked her, "Where is your life?" She said, "Its inside me!"

The above pictures are from July fourth- both from the parade and from the fireworks! We had a blast! How fun to cuddle up on a blanket, way past bedtime, and look at all the colors!

tired of diapers?

The oddest thing happened today. Eli used the potty about 20 times. Honestly. Its like he decided to just go for it. He sat on it in the afternoon and pooped. Then, this evening, he repeatedly sat on it, peed, and brought it to the bathroom for dumping in the toilet. He would immediately afterward sit on it again and somehow produce even more pee. Don't ask me how he was able to keep peeing at about 3 minute intervals!
It was all very exciting, but I have no illusions about early potty training. I'll take it as a very entertaining whim of the strong willed.

Fripp Island Reunion

Fripp Island Pictures

Celebrating Brian's Birthday

The froggie slide at the kiddie pool.

Me and my boy.

Priya loves cherries!

My beautiful girl, riding the Fripper. We saw
dolphins and got dropped off on an island where
we looked for seashells!

Kim's graduation

This past weekend we ventured to Connecticut for cousin Kim's graduation party. Not only did we get to see our Connecticut kin but Maine cousins, New York cousins, and grandmama and grandpapa (my grandparents) from Florida! What a treasure it is to still have them, and for the kids to see them. Eli and Priya had colds though. I was afraid that grandmama and grandpapa would not be able to withhold from kissing them- and I was right! Hopefully they won't get sick..

Funny Faces

Priya has taken to making funny faces for the camera. She is just a riot- she has the greatest sense of humor. Today I heard her say to her brother, while in the bath:
"Eli do you want to stick your finger in my nose?" OK, I guess its time to teach some personal space boundaries!
Here are some faces along with one of Eli's: (The dots on her nose are popsicle drops, I believe.)

eating noises

Visit with Thompson at Amy's house





Luke, Ann, Eli, Miche, Norah, Priya, and Nate!


Driver's Ed starts early now.




Grandma, sunshine, and swings- how glorious!




Blessing Deidra's (hidden) Belly

The Cousins in Virgina

Storytime by Nana

Brown-eyed boy

Happy Little Love

When your first kid was an early talker, you really notice it when your second isn't. I'm curious if Eli's being "tongue tied" is affecting his ability to talk. Many of his sounds are nasal, so instead of really saying agua or water, he usually just says mmm hmmm in a particular intonation so that I know what he wants. Another example is his word for nursing, which sounds a little bit like an oink! Regardless of his ability to pronounce, he is a good communicator and we can usually figure out what he wants!

If you get your timing right, and sit Eli down to eat his meal when he's really hungry (but don't wait until he's a crank-pot), he makes the most wonderful noises while he's shoveling food into his mouth. It's like pure expression of food-thankfullness. I don't have it on video yet, but its something like, "nnnmph.. ummph.. nnnnguh." Its very cute.

Priya seems to be developing her compassionate side. She is paying more attention to when someone else seems to be sad, or hurts themself, and offers hugs/kisses, or even words of advice! For example, she notices now when I seem grumpy- and she'll say something like "mommy, maybe you should go lie down!" She is also becoming more and more cuddly as she grows! I love the ways she is growing and changing, and its exciting to me that she seems so proud. I hope that means she will have good self-esteem.

This morning for the first time she was able to tell me about a dream that she had. It was a bad dream, and she woke up crying loudly at 5:30. I went in her room, and she told me that she dreamed that a monster was in her room. I told her that it was just a dream, it wasn't real, and we cuddled up on the futon and went back to sleep together.