Monday, March 19, 2007
Green popstickles and blue Elias eggs
On Saturday, we put on our green. Elias was green from head to toe and very delighted to wish everyone Happy St. Patrick's day! We had green milk for breakfast and the "popstickles" for dinner!
Today, we dyed easter eggs! After having the boxhalf eaten by a special little guy, we decided it was time. Boy, did he get into it! I did a demonstration, and before I was through, Elias had several eggs in each of the three bowls of dye. He swished and stirred the eggs around with the little metal stick that comes with the dye. And of course, had his fingers in each one too! (Those little wire things are impossible to use). He used the little magic crayon to scribble out some lines and I put all of our names on our own individual names, which he really enjoyed. Dahlia sat across from us in the highchair and ate the crayon I gave her to use to draw on her egg. Fun was had by all! Elias scooped out most of the eggs, but decided that three eggs needed a super long dose of the blue dye. He's three eggs turned out the very coolest!
Of course, we had to sample one egg that had cracked. Elias had quite the technique of literally smashing the egg with amazing force unti lthe yolk was completely squished! I thought for sure he was going to have nothing to eat but a handful of shell mashed into egg white. He was able to peel the shell quite well, and then nibbles away at the white. Fun was had by all!
Saturday, February 24, 2007
The Opossum and other spooky tales
This has been a challenging month in the life of Elias. We continue to chip away at the potty training. His is a question of will, I think. Often, when he's "making feces" in his pants, he'll look at me first and I'll asked the inevitable question, to which he will yell back "NO!" Oh well, can't blame a girl for trying. We are trying to be strong. Well, at least stronger than him, otherwise for sure, we'll all flop. He's doing well and is overall quite cooperative, especially when he feels that we are consistent and enthusiastic, too. Tough work.
We were going to start preschool this month, but that didn't pan out, which is just as well. I was really feeling like it was too soon for him to be away from me for so long. So, we adjusted a little with the babysitter so that Elias and I can have some alone time while Cheryle is here. I have really been enjoying it. I am learning a lot from him. Learning how to just accept him for who he is and letting go of my own agendas. It has been a challenge, but one from where growth all around has occurred.
Elias is such an amazing and funny little creature, too. He's been impersonating Dahlia's cry and her babbles quite a bit. I think he is really feeling the shift in her needs and how it is affecting the attention he receives. 2 1/2 is really so hard because they are always testing limits and sometimes I find him so aggravating, but getting upset only makes things worse. I have to stretch my patience and reframe the situation, remain calm and try to make a learning lesson out of everything. It is hard.
Elias is 2 1/2. What's going on with him? He wants to get into everything, he wants to do stuff he shouldn't. He's curious about what happens when he does stuff, like toothbrushes down the drain (one out, two more down). He likes to splash water and spit water from one cup to another. He likes to splash around in his pee on the floor. He likes to pat his sister on the head and squeeze her until she cries (sorry Dahlia).
We've been doing bath time lately, he and I. I'll fill the tub up and close the curtain (which is clear) and he'll splash and chat and tell me what he's doing. He'll ask me to hold things or ask me to put things into the tub. He'll ask me how things work or tell me about something he's thinking about. He'll tell me he's going to do something I've asked him not to and he'll tease me. There is often screaming because I won't let him do something dangerous (like jump up and down in the tub) or because I haven't done something right (like not put on his towel correctly following his bath). Here's one funny thing he did recently in the bath: he pulled his penis out of the tub, peed in measuring cup, and handed it to me to pour into the toilet. Silly. All in all, it's such a nice time together, and I love that little stink bomb. He's such an amazing little mind.
Monday, February 05, 2007
Being a parent is hard
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Tiger and Tag, II
On another note, we are headlong into the beginning phases of potty training or "independence in the bathroom" as Montessorians call it. What a fun time! (tongue in cheek) Yesterday, Elias pooped in his diaper (cloth) and took the liberty to release it onto the kitchen floor. He was very excited and sat his poopy bottom down on the floor to enjoy the looks of his poo, leaving another nice smear, and to top it off, he then stepped in it and started to track it around. Yeah! I didn't freak out, but I did have some panic attacks that we might all come down with schistosomaisis or something. The real icing was during the bath, when we were enjoying friendly waterplay, Elias takes a poop right in the tub and then, as I frantically scoop out Elias first and all of the toys and then little floating turd, Elias proudly pees on the rug right in front of the toilet, despite my urgings to actually place his penis in the toilet and pee. I felt kinda gross after this one.
On a more pleasant note, this morning, I truly enjoyed watching Elias interact with some other children from music class. And I was proud and sad at the same time to see him engaging in the Pelelay game on the other side of the parachute. He is growing into such a wonderful little boy, and with bittersweet reflection, will not much longer rely on mommy being by his side to enjoy the world!
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Saturday, December 30, 2006
In memory of the mullet

CIMG1432
Originally uploaded by amykwelias.
On Brad's birthday, he convinced me to cut Elias's hair. Elias has been sporting a very trendy mullet since around December, 2005, and it has just been getting better and better with back hair growing longer and longer and front and sides in a steady holding pattern. Brad had brought up cutting the back a few months ago, but I think what sealed the deal for him was when Santa called him a girl. I don't know why it would bother Brad, what with him in long locks for so many years, but it did. So, on Brad's birthday, he convinced me that I should cut his hair so that Elias can see that it doesn't hurt and then, if all goes well, cut his hair too.
So, I start cutting Brad's hair with Elias on his lap. Brad is saying, "Don't cut there. Cut here. Okay, cut Elias's hair. Cut where your fingers are." Before I knew it, I was cutting off all of Elias's back hair. :-(
I really hadn't planned on it. It's like, I just want to push away all of those firsts, I guess, because the more firsts that pass, the more he moves away from being my baby to being my little boy, to being my boy' to being my adolescent, to being my young adult, to ...you get the picture. It's all just going by so fast. I think he does look just adorable, still, but there will never be the first haircut again and his hair will change and never be the same and I will miss it. And his mullet was beautiful, and there's nothing wrong with being called a girl. He's just beautiful and soft and sweet.
Christmas
1. The triangle instrument (Elias wants to carry this around with him whenever we leave the house. He doesn't play the triangle, though. Mostly just holds it.)
2. Mousetrap-The Game
3. Replacement sugar bowl for his tea set
4. Basketball hoop and net
He's really enjoyed the books and puzzles and other toys, too, but has really taken a liking to these.
Yesterday, we went to OMSI with Oscar and there were literally 20 billion people there. It was a chaotic mass of miniature humans running to and fro, away from their parents beckoning them back. Ugh. This was not the day to go to OMSI. However, despite the crowd, we did fairly well until the very end when Oscar and Elias got into a tussle over some dehydrated peaches. First, Oscar throws himself on the floor because he is not allowed to hold the original bowl of peaches. Then, when offered some peaches in a secondary bowl, grabs the bowl and flings the peaches all over us. He proceeds back to the original bowl that Elias is still clutching. I intervene, to help stabilize the bowl. Oscar's mom comes to the rescue and removes Oscar from the bowl. But then, from out of nowhere, I find that Elias and I are now in a tussle over the bowl. I'm thinking, "NO! THIS ISN'T WHAT I'VE MEANT TO HAPPEN!" Elias is looking at me, screaming at me. I try to release the bowl to keep it from exploding everywhere. It's too late, Elias pulls the bowl and peaches are released into the atmosphere! In the midst of all of this, Dahlia is trolling around the floor eating peach and cheddar bunny debris. Nice, nice ending.
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Funny little guy
Monday, December 18, 2006
sleeping prince
Today was a great day. We got lots of errands done and everyone stayed pretty much together through it all. Problems began at nap, with an inordinate amount of kicking and hitting (what it this about?). After a great deal of rearranging and discomfort, Elias settled in to a position and gave in to sleep. He was holding onto my earlobe at the time. His limbs lighten and eventually, his hand just flops down on my face. I stealthfully sliver from under the blanket and look at him sleeping. Everybody always talks about watching their babies sleep. I know I haven't done this nearly as much as I should. He looks just like Brad when he sleeps. And, it's hard to image that he was so frustrated just a few minutes prior. So peaceful, my sweet.
Monday, December 04, 2006
Grandma Jean, Tiger and Tag
Friday, November 17, 2006
Ball begins with "B"
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Monday, November 06, 2006
Craziness, goldfish and more craziness
So, on Friday after a very mediocre nap, the kids and I venture out to the pet store. Once inside, we take pause to adore the little white mice running on the wheel and sleeping little pink noses pressed up against the glass. Elias took quite a tumble off of a little step stool, he was so excited to watch the mice. Next, we walk over to the fish. I was aghast by the living conditions of the poor common goldfish. Literally thousands swimming on top of each other! I tracked down a guy to scoop us out one, but at 29 cents a pop, sprung for two! Mr. Independence decided he wanted a "black" goldfish. So, the guy, seeming a bit exasperated by the fact that we were asking him to select specific fish among the thousands, first scooped out a gold fish with black fins. We decided that one could be for Dahlia. We sent him back in for another. This time, he was able to bring out a nice, black goldfish, along with a few dead ones that were floating at the surface (gross). The luke warm fish guy put the fish in a plastic bag (tied ridiculously, I might add) and sent us on our way. At home, we excitedly prepared the bowl and poured the fish into the water. "What are their names?" I asked Elias. At first, I don't think he understood. He was calling them both "Tag" or something like that. After asking for more clarification, we decided that the orange one was Tag and the black one was Tiger.
Both fish had been acting peculiar since we put them in the water...they didn't want to eat! Then, the orange one started to swim to the surface to breath air. Then, the orange one started to form white dots. YUCK!!! Then the water started looking pretty bad, and still, we had yet to see a fish eat. Well, today, when we arrived home from the indoor park, the orange one, Tag, was laying at the bottom, dead, not resting, DEAD after all of three days in our home. What in the world??? So, it's sad because we hardly got to know her/him, but it has provided an opportunity to talk to Elias about death and when he wakes up from his nap, we are going to have a flushing ritual for Tag.
When I told Elias the fish was dead, he said something like that we could go to the store and get another fish for Dahlia that was "NOT DEAD." I tried to explain that "NOT DEAD" was actually "ALIVE." That sparked alot of talk like "Mommy is ALIVE, Dahlia is ALIVE." I chimed in the Elias is ALIVE, too. To that, he said "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO." Then, he would move the bowl around, causing Tag to shift a little and he'd say "Tag is swimming! Tag is swimming!"
Oh, yeah, and before Elias accepted Tag was dead, he told me we could give him some medicine and put a bandaid on him.
So, the moral of this story may be to splurge for the $3.29 fancy goldfish. We'll see how long Tiger makes it.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Crackin' me up these days...
Big discovery of the day: flopping down face first on the bed is mucho fun!
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Aw, POOO!
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.