Wednesday 23 January 2013

Eighteen months and...

Elijah is now eighteen months old... a year and a half! Does that mean I can officially stop counting months and just say that he is a year and a half? Hmmm, I think so. So I guess my monthly "...and counting post" may change.
Elijah is basically the sweetest thing ever, and he has been mimicking like crazy. He wants to wear our glasses, eat sushi with chopsticks, try on dad's underwear, and not only does he want to wash himself-he will scrub us down too. He is so cute tipping the shampoo bottle into his little palm, and washing my hair ever so carefully, and pouring a bowl of water over my head. Lather, rinse, repeat.
We have been going to the play gym at the community center and he loves it! Mostly he drives one little car to the next and occasionally picks up a mini street sign or a ball. He loves to play ball
You realise how often you do do something when your little one copies you. With every smooch there is always a "MMMWAH", with every hug there is a "OHHHHH", and with every warm shower a "AHHHH". Elijah has added a few more words to his repertoire including- home, no, elbow, knee, penis, and bravo, but he spends most of his vocal time meowing. Speaking of cats...Eli picked out a brand new flowered Hello Kitty water bottle, he is so excited about it that his water intake has increased dramatically. I think Cats are the new Dog this month.
Elijah still always wants to help clean up, and now he loves to throw things away. I gave him his disposable night time diaper to throw in the garbage and he did so promptly. I was proud. Lunch rolled around and I took a pot out of the cupboard lifted the lid and found the diaper. Okay he is also into taking things out of the garbage. He adores laundry time now, riding the elevator, pressing the buttons, pushing the coins in, what excitement!
He is eating well, he gobbles up oranges insanely fast,  couscous is always a hit, and he is loving longan berries. We have also had great success with poops on the potty, but he will not go without a few stories being read to him. Did I mention that he is obsessed with books?! I have to go to the library constantly because I am bored of reading the same books over and over. He will sit through ten full stories at time if not more. "more, more, book".

He makes us smile and giggle all the time with his crazy antics, playing his mini guitar and singing away, chasing the cat till it hides under the bed, riding the porcelain cat statue, playing basket ball with the vases, (yes we have moved into a beautiful furnished place), waking up saying hello to us, and splashing his own face with water in the tub and waiting for us to laugh. Elijah also loves to walk down the street holding Dans hand (he will never hold mine), and I love watching them. He has grown so much but he is still so little.
                                                           Happy half Birthday

Saturday 12 January 2013

New Years Eve

We brought in the New year with a wonderful meal, watching an amazing firework show over the ocean, and eating  "doce uvas de la suerte" the twelve grapes of luck. You eat each one and make a wish. I was not prepared for so many New Years resolutions, but I wished away as I downed the grapes and hoped for a wonderful year filled with love, community, date nights, crafting, letter writing, travel, service, home making, supporting, playing, a ballet class and of course many family adventures. Here is to 2013.

Wednesday 9 January 2013

Christmas Splendour




Moments of Christmas Splendour
making so many shortbread cookies with Cee Cee
setting up the tree at the Foxes in good ol' Lethbridge
the frosty trees, carollers, and crafts at Heritage park
the sparkly zoo lights
transporting all christmas festivities hereafter to Mexico
watching the kids at the fridge getting carrots for Rudolph
Nona drawing her stocking on the window... 
and Zia Maria laughing SO hard
Christmas eve dinner outside with all the kids in dressed up
oh and Nathaniel's curls, they melt me
everyone singing frosty as the snowman around the table
Papas creative side coming out with Christmas poetry
and the best drawn Christmas tree ever!
the beautiful Mexican crosses from my hubby
the sound of all the new instruments on Christmas morning
and Papa rocking out on a little orange guitar
Reid being so confused why I bought first communion wrapping paper 
(it was in Spanish and I was in a hurry...and it had pretty doves)
Jen waking up at 5am and bursting into our room at 8am
"they are not here yet!"
hearing Renaldo sing "so this is Christmas" 
and Mar and Dad thinking he was just delivering groceries
seeing grandmas face when she found out that hired personal chefs for ALL of Christmas day
mmmm...eating the french toast stuffed with cream cheese and walnuts
Clara's face when opening her sparkly pink shoes
and Elijah always trying to steal them
the big jug of watermelon juice
Everyone relaxed, sunning, pool siding, enjoying each others company
ah moments of Christmas splendour!