Growing up!!!

My little Elijah-man is growing up so fast! It's like after he hit the 18 month mark, he decided to become a big boy. We started potty training last week, and he is doing great. He stays dry overnight and during nap, which was our first inclination that it was time to start potty training! Here he is pictured in his Pull-Ups for the first time (19 months)...

And just for kicks, here's Nathan's first time in them at 22 months...

Check out how much bigger Elijah is! LOL Yes, he has Thunder Thighs. :)

We discovered last week that Elijah's shoes were too small when his toes began sneaking out of his sandals, and he developed a blister on the inside of his foot from his tennis shoes. So, on Saturday, I took him shopping for new shoes. I went to the Stride Rite outlet because I had a feeling he had wide feet. Yeah, try EXTRA WIDE! I was told he could wear W, but because he had a high arch, the lady there suggested XW. Sure enough, I couldn't squeeze his big feet in W. So, we left with new tennis shoes in 7 1/2 XW. LOL He actually measures a 7, but at least he has some room to grow since his shoes are so hard to find. I am glad that I went to the Stride Rite outlet, though, because the shoes only cost me $21 instead of $40-50.

At his 18 month check-up, our pediatrician told me that Elijah was the height of a 2 1/2 year old. He was 35 3/4 inches - almost 3 feet! Whoa!!! His best friend (Isaac) is 4 months older, and Elijah and Isaac are on the opposite ends of the spectrum. Elijah is really tall; Isaac is really short. When they are together, no one believes us that Isaac is actually 4 months older! LOL

Just last week, Elijah's vocabulary sky rocketed. He repeats everything anyone says now. He can say just about anything. I think perhaps the funniest event from this occurred last week during dinnertime. Every time I even START to cook dinner, Elijah heads into the kitchen and wants to sit at the table. The process of cooking dinner is rare to him. What's really funny is that he can't wait to eat, and yet, he has entered the picky food stage. But, that's beyond the point. On this particular night, I told him to go get Daddy for dinner. He ran into the living room, looked at Sean and said, "Eat! Sit down!" (while pointing at the table) It was so cute and funny!

If you know Elijah, you know that he LOVES his mommy. I am his favorite person - which is really, really sweet but can also be really, really annoying at times. The ironic thing is that as much as he loves me, he can't say my name. At almost 20 months, he has YET to say "Mama" or "Mommy." So, what does he call me? DADDY! What does he call Sean? DADDY! Yes, every parental unit is DADDY! How odd is that?! We try our best to get him to say, "Mommy" or "Mama" but have not succeeded yet. I'll let you know when that day comes. Surely he won't grow up calling me, "Daddy"...will he???

Elijah's "bestest" friend is NATHAN!!! He LOVES his big brother and follows him everywhere. He cries if he can't go in the same room that Nathan is in. Luckily, he has a big brother who is fairly tolerant most of the time and loves him a lot too. :)

I can't believe that my baby will be 20 months old next week. These past 2 years have flown by! I have a toddler and a preschooler now - no babies in this house!!!

Talking on the phone to Mawmaw (my mom)

One of my favorite shots of the boys from July 4th (even if it is a litte blurry)

Faux-Hawks

We gave the boys "Faux-Hawks" on Sunday for church. They looked so cute!

Faux - Hawk = Fake Mohawk

(in other words, the hair isn't actually cut but sticks up like a 'hawk)

First Dentist Appt.

Nathan went to his first dentist appt. on Friday (I know I posted on Sat. - didn't have the pics uploaded yet). He did GREAT - teeth look good and no cavities! Yea!!! The dentist's office had a TV above the patient's chair, and Nathan got to watch part of, "The Bee Movie" - which he's never seen. It was a pediatric dentist with lots of kid-friendly stuff (decorations and such) so I think that helped a lot. Here are some pictures from the experience.

Shouldn't have done that...

Well, I did something today that I shouldn't have (please don't call the cops)...

While at Wal-Mart, I walked down the baby doll aisle. GASP! And, I wondered if I would ever be able to buy those...okay, I actually kind of longed for it. :)

Yes, I am waiting for the day when there is princess stuff, baby dolls and Barbies in this house that is OVERFLOWING with action figures, pirate stuff and cars!

And you know what else...all of this dreaming and hoping made the little bit of baby fever I have even worse. That and knowing that my best friend from high school just had her first baby boy (Jackson Troy) this week....so cute - looks just like his mama!

*Sigh* And so I continue to wait until next summer...when I plan to get pregnant again!!! LOL

Another Nathan Funny

Nathan is at the age where he drives you crazy with his consistent talking/questioning, and he is filled with energy!!! But, there are times where - like the previous post - he says the cutest and sweetest things. Tonight was one of those nights.

During dinner, Sean was unsuccessfully trying to explain to Nathan how Nathan can be a daddy when he grows up. Nathan very innocently looked at Sean, chuckled and said, "I can't be Daddy! I grow up to be big Nathan!!!"

I cannot believe this little angel is mine and that he will be 4 in three months!

My Nathan

I was reminded tonight why being "Pretty in Pink" in a "House of Blue" isn't always so bad...

In preparing for prayers before bedtime, I laid down at the foot of Nathan's bed. He was lying on his pillow and then came to lie next to me as we waited on Sean to refill Nathan's water cup. Our conversation went as follows...

"Nathan, you need to lie down on your pillow. Why are you lying HERE?"

"'Cause you're here, Mama."

Yeah, I still want my little girl, but until then, being Queen of THIS castle isn't so bad!

July 4th - Frisco's Freedomfest

We laid low on July 4th since we had kept the boys up quite late the night before. We decided to head to Frisco's Freedomfest thatevening to see the fireworks there and enjoy the festivities a bit. Sean's company recently relocated to Frisco, and his office happened to be right across from where the fireworks were shot. We got reserved parking because of this connection and wound up watching fireworks from the bed of our brother-in-law's truck. We had an up-close view of the fireworks - it was awesome! The boys had a blast!!! Elijah would say, "Ew" or "Oh" while watching them. The best one was when we were in the car - sitting in a bit of traffic - when they shot off a few "extra" fireworks. I guess Elijah thought someone was taking his picture because his response was, "Cheese!"

July 3rd - Kaboomtown!

As is our yearly tradition, we went to see fireworks at Kaboomtown on July 3rd with Sean's side of the family. We arrived early - around 5 p.m. - and staked our spot. Then, we spent about 45 minutes to an hour checking out the vendors in the exhausting heat! (It's upper 90's here now!) Then, we hung out at our little "campsite" playing games, eating dinner and talking until the fireworks started at 9:30. As you can see, we had a great time!