Crackin' me up these days...

It's official, Elias IS something else! He has really been blowing my mind with his actions lately and making me laugh all the while!

Big discovery of the day: flopping down face first on the bed is mucho fun!

Aw, POOO!

Early on in the Peace Corps, I accidentally kicked my much coveted apricot facial scrub, smuggled in from the US, down the pit latrine ("kamo"). It was one of those moments where you're filled with such an urge for a "do-over" at the loss, but really, can do nothing but laugh at how silly it really was to a.) try to pee in the dark without a flashlight, and b.) set things of such great value so close to the hole.

We had a repeat situation State-side this morning. Elias managed to drop his adult size battery-operated tooth brush down the sink. In my and Brad's scurry to accomplish morning tasks before Brad heads to work, we took our eyes off of the little silly stinker for a few minutes while brushing his teeth. The next thing we hear is his little sweet innocent voice chirping, "My toothbrush feel down the hole! My toothbrush fell down the hole!" Our response, "What hole??" only lead to the discovery that yes, in fact, and quite frankly, against all odds, the adult size battery-operated toothbrush is lodged just out of reach in our bathroom sink drain. Who knows how long it may remain. Water seems to pass it just fine.

Elias and his carving bud

 

Brother and sister wagon ride

 

Elias at the pumpkin patch

 

hello, i'm cute

 

 

Sinatra in the making

Elias has started singing like crazy lately. All of those songs I've sang to him over and over and over are being chirped back to me over and over and over again! Ba ba black sheep, red is rojo, bingo, old macdonald, itsy bitsy spider, Gigantic, etc. He likes to sing it loud and proud!

Elias has also started to put puzzles together. Although Brad says he's been doing it for awhile, I disagreed. He picked up pieces out of the box - without any help - and searched for the match. The last time we tried, he was just jamming random, unmatched pieces together...real progress.

There are lots of things Elias does that amaze me everyday. I'm so lucky to be home with him to witness all of the amazing feats as he develops.

The continuing battle between head and concrete...

...concrete appears to be maintaining a strong lead. PLOP! Down on the head again today. Dang, I swear it's been three weeks running with kerplunking on the same spot right in the middle of his forehead, not fun. Thank goodness his head appears to be built for that kind of abuse, so far. I can't figure out why he doesn't use his hands yetto break the falls? Hum?

Oak's Park

We went to the amusement park today. Elias didn't ride any of the rides, as I expected, but he got a real kick out of the roller coaster, and spent much of the morning running away from me (boy, was that fun). He had so many accidents today, tumbling down some stairs, bonking his nogin once while shielding Dahlia from his new scratching her cheek thing, and having two ZAM!s while walking home from the park, resulting in two bloody body parts (elbow and knee) and three other scratched up parts (other elbow, knee and cheek). It was almost more than I could bear.

To make matters worse, I forgot to ask for a decaf, had a super large caf coffee and still feel buzzed up on the caffeine, almost to the point of being sick most of the day. We had a pretty awful napping experience with lots of crying and poor Dahlia, feeling he effects of the caffeine. What a poo day!

Two stats for the big guy

Weighing in at 28 lbs., 36 1/2 inches tall, Elias Roark Williams! He's a funny little bug who, oddly enough, seems to nap better when Dahlia and I snuggle up next to him. Hummmmmmm...haven't figured that one out yet.

Elias on top of the world

Elias turned two today. How amazing??? His b-day proper was rather status quo. We went to the children's museum with Nana and cousin Shaun, out for pizza and home for a nap. His party this weekend was super eventful fun. More will follow about that once Brad downloads the pics. This picture depicts last week's outing to the zoo with Grandpa Ron and Grandma Dea. Ron hoisted Elias up on his shoulders when we went into the Elephant hut, just in time to see the elephants being hosed down and fed. He was just crazy about the whole day, Grandpa and Grandma were great!

Elias is really becoming the best big brother ever! And Dahlia adores him, would rather watch him than anything else. It's exciting seeing this relationship blooming!

Elias has a brilliant mind. He has started singing songs and telling stories. I love him so much.

Elias ate with chopsticks tonight!

Sleep at last

Elias has been really struggling around the sleep issue. He just resists and resists so seriously trying all of our patience. During naps, I've been resorting to cradling him in my arms and stroking his hair after a good struggle. His head will rest on my chest right beneath my chin, it's very sweet. And, after 10 mintues or so, his little hands and legs will start to twitch, letting me know that la-la land is close by. He doesn't resist my holding him for long, he settles in and sometimes strokes my arm, too. This evening, I settled him in with the story of his birth. His limbs were twitching before he was even born.

Oh, the wonderful adventures of being two!

Okay, so it's not official yet, but boy oh boy does it feel like we have ourselves a wonderful, emotional roller coaster, precocious little stinker of a two year old. He's curious, independent, driven, demanding, loving and caring, rageful, testing, articulate and wonderful, yes wonderful, even when he just screams and screams and screams all day long and the neighbors must be thinking I am engaging in some form of toddler torture. I love him to pieces and especially when I have and take the time to just be with him and watch his little mind go. It is quite amazing. Patience, that's the key and I have to remind myself of this a million times a day. Then I can appreciate him for all he is: the purest little being on earth.



We've been keeping a low profile these days, trying to adjust all of our changes and to reestablish our relationships. It's been hard but good. It gets better all of the time.

Elias has really started playing, hard core. Playing catch, playing with his kitchen, exploring objects around the house. He has started chosing his clothes, if he feels like it, requesting to play certain games or eat certain fruits, especially this (I offer him an apple, he says "How about a plum or apricot or pear??"). This morning he told me that he wanted to do art. When I asked him what kind of art, he told me he wanted to use stamps. So, we went to the store, bought some stamps and went to work. This is great fun!!

Elias has started to take some interest in potty training, too, which I am delighted and also exhausted by because of the vast number of accidents that are, to say the least, more unpleasant to clean than a dirty diaper. We are going with it, though. He is really very aware of when he has to go and also has exhibited self control. Now, it's just a matter of him rememvering to do it and us being consistent about helping him to remember. Some days, I just don't have it in me. I guess I don't want it bad enough, yet.



Elias has started showing some fears about certain things, fears about noise and unfamilar things, like we went to a music show for kids. The band was a pirate band, and Elias was so afraid that we had to leave. Any loud situations he heads for the door. He also has some trouble around sleeping, fighting falling asleep, in particular, but I think it is pretty standard at his age. I think it is the separation, lately I've been holding him and stroking his hair until he falls asleep, that closeness seems to help.

He's as cute and sweet as a pea. H ereally loves Dahlia so much. He loves stroking hair and holding her hand, especially when I am reading him a book. He always says hello to her first thing when he wakes up and is always excited to introduce her to people who have not met her. When he needs attention, he knows how to ask for Dahlia to be put down, though. I can't believe how much he has grown. I miss the little, chubby cheeked baby sometimes, but feel excited all the more for what is to come with him with each passing day.

fun in the sun

one recent sunny day, poolside fun turned silly when elias started filling his potty with cold water and then sitting in it!!!!

the dust settling...

finally, things are getting back to normal around here. and it shows with elias. my, how we treasure our little routines. it is amazing how much independence elias has had to take on. some days, he manages, others, like this morning, he really starts doing stuff to make me nuts! like today, he threw cheddar bunnies all over and then "cleaned them up" he said, by flinging them all around the house. he took forever to leave the house, but once we did, the day was good.

we played at heide and piper's place today after music class. elias was looking pretty tired once we got home. so, we all three ventured upstairs to nap. it was a three ring circus! boy, can i perservere. after an hour of shielding dahlia from kicks and trying to quiet down grunts from all around, both were asleep. i amazingly rolled out of there with dahlia without waking elias, who went on to have a lovely 2 hour nap. i felt kinda guilty for making him stay up there and lay down, but a friend and fellow mother of 2 assured me that we all do it. whew.

and enters Dahlia...

Elias's sister, Dahlia, was finally born one week ago today. Elias seems quite smitten with her. His adjustment to sharing me and Brad is a different story. Actually, I think he is doing okay, but there has definitely been an increase in crying and acting out. Might as well correlate with being 20 months. Nonetheless, Brad and I spend alot of time worrying about how we may have potentially ruined his life.

Brad's been home all week and it is pretty scary thinking of how in the world I am going to do it! I think we will all work it out, it just scares me.

One (of many) cute thing Elias has been doing is wearing Dahlia's polka dot socks. They are a little small, but I think it helps him feel more connected to her. We also recently purchased a little guitar for Elias. He has started to play "I love you" song for Dahlia. He also likes to play the Buenos Diaz song. Speaking of which, his spanish is really taking off, faster than Brad and I can keep up! He's really an amazing sweety.

Rocks

Elias is feeling a bit under the weather today...way to cooperative, a little lovey and very snifflely and snotty. Although he put up the good fight around nap time, I really don't know how the nap thing will work with baby. Maybe it will go away which will be very sad because I know he needs it. We'll have to wait and see, I guess.

Anyway, I've been noticing more and more around the house little piles of rocks. And the other night, Brad said, "What's this rock doing up here?" I believe the rocks are Elias's first collection. He picks them up from the yard, from on walks, or from the park and sticks them into his pockets, into my bag, or just carries them around and eventually, they end up somewhere around the house. Last night, I gathered all of the rock piles from around the house into one bowl! Practically filled it! He's really pretty clever, isn't he?

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