More camping and stuff

I know most of you have seen Eli in his new shirt, but I had to post it just because he looks so cute in it. Yes, he is going to be a big brother at the end of May 2008!
























Here is the little ham bone posing for some pics in Stanley, ID (for anyone who hasn't been there, it is MOST beautiful). We had a fun trip, but it was a bit wet for about half the trip. That certainly didn't stop Eli from wanting to go outside and play! This kid is like the postal service - rain, shine, sleet, or snow! Eli woke up early every morning as Brandon and his dad were getting ready to go out hunting. Eli would start his morning by turning to me and honking my nose with his little mittens on, and then start saying Daddy and Pa as he watched the mighty hunters prepare to go out into the wilds. All morning he would go around asking for Daddy and Pa wondering when they would come back. So adorable!

Eli also discovered how fun sticks can be. You can scratch in the dirt, swing it around, and hit just about anything with them. They are great tools to assist in playing in puddles, mud, and the dog is especially interested in them as well.

He was so good about being bundled up. It got a little chilly at night and didn't warm up too much during the day for half the trip. He could barely move his arms (makes me think of the movie Christmas Story), but he would bring me his hat and when his mittens would fall off, he would bring them to me and hold out his hand for me to put them back on. He is so good about brining me his shoes and my shoes when he wants to go outside. He isn't too subtle about his wishes when he wants to go. He will say shoe, door, go! and really mean it! He gets so excited and makes the cutest little excited hehe giggle when we are about to go out the door.

He is really starting to turn into a little parrot and copy things that we say. I was talking with Brandon and said "See ya (sounding like seeeeeYA) and Eli parroted it right back. We didn't even realize that he was paying attention to our conversation, especially since he was busily engaged with steering my stationary dirt bike as I was sitting on it with him. His vocabulary is really starting to grow, but you can just see that he has WAY more to say than he has words to express. I am sure he is going to have some interesting things in store for us!

He has also started saying "Here you go" whenever he is handing you something. It is so DANG cute!

Eli's fascination with the moon has also continued to grow! He loves the moon and all day he walks around, points to the sky, and says moon? looking for it. The moon was really bright up camping and Grandma would take him to see the moon and sang him songs about it. He also had an adorable dance he did to "Buffalo Gals." He was so into it, it was hilarious!! The video I got of it didn't turn out because it was too dark. You can hear my singing (not an altogether pleasant experience) and you could see the white of his hat, but alas, none of his stomping feet and flapping right arm. He just doesn't seem to have the same enthusiasm for the song now that we are home. He will still dance to it, but it just lacks the same umph.




Eli in action! Faster than a speeding bullet!!

Yes, I can get into this chair all by myself in spite of the 1,000s of layers you insist I wear out here.

It is hard work being a kid! He was so tuckered out he took a long nap before it was 10:00! This never happens anymore.











Eli loved playing by the water. It made Mommy a little nervous at times, but that didn't seem to spoil any of his fun. We showed him what a great splash rocks make when you throw them in the water. He was always bringing me rocks.










Eli knows the importance of staying well hydrated to keep up his game! I love that he still smacks his lips and says Ahhhhhh every time he takes a drink or whenever he sees someone else take a drink!








Picking up rocks to throw in the water. He always made a splashing motion with his arm as the rock splashed in the water.











Who taught this kid to do this? I swear his is part lizard or something and is testing out the air with his tongue.














Eli loved this challenging little incline by the creek. It was pretty steep and had that willow bush by the side that made it quite the little stunt course. He loved going UP and DOWN.









Inseparable! Eli and his dirt bike. Some kids have teddy bears, this kid has a little dirt bike. It accompanies him to the store, on walks, to the park, in the tub, and he even snuggles with it while he sleeps. This is at the park by our house. Eli is doing so well at climbing on the toys and going down the slide.