A New Level

It is amazing to watch the boys grow and develop. Watching early turn four and move from a toddler to a little boy has been fascinating. He is continuing to reach all new levels of understanding, coupled with 15,000 questions, about life and the world around him. Today was teacher appreciation day at school. We put a small gift together for his teachers and the boys carried their gifts in to give to their teachers. As I was walking Eli to his class I said - "Now when you give your teachers your gift say - Thank you for being a good teacher." And he looked up at me and said, "I can't do that, they will laugh at me."And to be honest I was a little heartbroken. All of the sudden this curious little boy is worried about what other people will think about him. While I appreciate the awareness and the self control that way of thinking brings, I hate the loss of innocence that comes with worrying about other peoples opinions and actions. Now come the 1000s of life lessons that I think we are all still learning to worry less about what others think and more about who Eli is and who we all are in the eyes of God and how we - in our small way can make an impact on the world.

School

I have been trying to talk Eli into staying home from school today because of this nasty cough he is sporting. We took him to the doctor yesterday and he said it was a touch of a sinus infection and that he was not contagious and would be fine for school today. But call it mom's intuition, I think he will have a rough day with this barking cough.
When I told him I was going to keep him home today he said, and I quote, "But I want to go to school, mom. I have to learn. Children have to go to school mom to learn or else they will be dummies. I don't want to be a dummy mom."
He makes a good argument.

The Prayer

I seriously think we need to put together a book of Eli's prayers to share with him later. They are highly inappropriate and hilarious. I guess the good thing is that he feels like he can tell God anything. Sunday was a rough day. Eli was quite emotional/tired after church - so as things deteriorated from his plan, the weeping and wailing got louder and louder. Eli usually likes to say "his food prayer" at meals, but I offered to say the prayer for lunch since Eli was crying. He obliged and then asked to pray as soon as I finished. It went something like this.

"Dear God,
I don't want to listen to my parents. I want to do things myself because I am a big boy. I don't want to eat this food. I am tired and I just want to go to bed.
Amen"

Poor Bird

On Saturday a bird dive bombed and pooped all over our van. The boys were quited disgusted by this on the way to church. Their most pressing questions were - why does the bird have to poop all over our van and how can we get the bird back - you know, retaliation. Eli suggested that we catch the bird and cut its' wings off. I told him that was a little harsh that birds aren't potty trained like humans are. Isaac perked up and said "I know Eli! You can catch the bird and I will pee on it." An eye for an eye.

Turtle did it...

Eli likes to make orange juice, fake orange juice. He puts a couple of clementine oranges in a Tupperware container, stirs them around with a fake spoon and makes "fake" orange juice. On Monday he had taken 3 oranges out of the fruit bowl and was clearly dissatisfied with the container I gave him to work with that was "too small". He came into our bedroom while we were getting ready for work and showed us his new big container with a lid.

The question is where did he get it, since they are stored on a top shelf in the kitchen. Eli's first response was that he got it out of a dresser drawer in his room. When I told him "I didn't know we were stock piling Tupperware in your room," he said "Well maybe uhm Turtle got it for me." I have included a turtle below because his sad state makes Eli's answer all the funnier. I am assuming it was statements like those that were behind the "Calvin and Hobbes" cartoon.

So, John and I had a little fun with him. "Well how did turtle get up there? And, wow turtle must be so strong!" Well not to be out done by turtle Eli said "No, I'm strong - I got it down." "Oh, so you did get it down." Our trip to the kitchen contained all of the evidence - original container thrown on the floor, chair up against the kitchen cabinets, storage container cabinet door wide open. Another mystery solved.