Elijah's January

Our constant view lately. 

Potty training is still extremely questionable.

Good thing this booty is so adorable.

Enjoying a very hungry caterpillar snack at co-op.

He only ate the crackers and raisins. 

Jon snapped this picture of the truck he made out of the Blockhead pieces.

Elijah was very proud!

I still love when he falls asleep on me!

Very rare, so I have to document it.

Elijah's newest obsession is playing with all the game pieces from our games.

Sorry is his particular favorite, as is Hi Ho Cherrio.

His version of Sorry is a lot more energetic and violent than the one in the rules.

Also a lot more prone to losing game pieces.

Another co-op snack art!

This time it was a snowman.

He's definitely way more invested in the eating part than the art part.

A few Elijah stories I want to remember:

-We were sitting in the basement and he was filling my lap full of play food. I tried to get up to go help Jon with something. Elijah yelled, "No, Mom! You a garbage truck!" He then grabbed my arm and rubbed it across my belly like a windshield wiper, 'compressing' all the food. Still deciding if being called a garbage truck is an honor or an insult...

-He's developed a rather nasty habit of using his little potty without telling us. He's too short to get on our big one without help, so we leave the little ones out for him. But he'll just do his business, and then go back to playing without any bum wiping. Not a fun surprise. Jon's solution: put the timer from Catch Phrase under the seat. Then any time he sits down, we'll hear the beeping and know to come check.

What Jon didn't count on was Elijah's deep concern about the beeping. He talked about it constantly for a few days, referring to it as the 'fire alarm potty.' Possibly not what we were going for, but he now refuses to use it and will ask to be taken to the big potty instead. I guess it's a win in the end?

-Because he's bare-bottomed in the middle of winter thanks to potty training, I'm always worried he's too cold. We put on two sweaters every day, and I always put on socks. But within 5 minutes of me putting on said socks, he will take one off. Every time. Just one sock. Not sure if it's temperature regulation or friction regulation, but he never has on two socks for very long. 

-He also hates being taken to the potty when he doesn't think he needs to go (which is most of the time). Thankfully Jon discovered that he will go willingly if we 'boing' him to the bathroom. We lift him by his arms and hop him into the bathroom, saying "Boing! Boing! Boing!" when he hits the floor. He loves it and we don't have to wrestle him onto the potty.

-He calls the mail truck the 'oatmeal truck.' You know, because 'mail' and 'meal' sound like the same word, I guess? There are joyful exclamations every afternoon when the oatmeal truck makes its approach. 

-Most kids, when picked up to snuggle, will wrap their legs around your torso like little monkeys. Not Elijah. He brings his knees up to his chest, which means his knees are also on your chest. And you get to snuggle like that until he's done and decides to climb up your chest and face, which is how snuggles always end with Elijah.