For Clara...

I promised Clara a video of Elijah, as she told me that I have not posted one recently, seriously Clara how old are you? She would then answer literally "two and half... why Zia?". Anyways enjoy the video! If you cannot see it here, go to: https://vimeo.com/50184796

Fourteen Months and Counting...

Elijah is now fourteen months old! He has learned so much this month and of course he is as handsome as can be. He knows what he wants, and he is letting us know.

He has discovered his supreme love for watermelon, we have been buying a baby yellow watermelon at the farmers market every weekend and he loves it! Of course because he is my son, it comes complete with a sugar high, and he is hilarious after eating it...running, screaming, and dancing! One night he even rode my sewing box, on and off on and off.

With the wonderful weather we have spent many a day down at Kits beach, Elijah loves the playground and the awesome sand pit there. We have had too many days getting completely wet and sandy in his clothes, I have had the look from other moms like "you are making it so much harder for me to keep my kid outta there".  He is happy and that is the important thing, even if sometimes you forget a change of clothes and you have to borrow a diaper from a stranger and take the twenty minute walk home in nothing but a fleece coat you (thankfully) found under the stroller.

 He is obsessed with the bath this month, if we even mention the word he runs across the room to the bathroom, signing "bath" over and over again. Then he climbs up the side and cannot even wait two seconds. He now takes his own diaper off and helps with taking his clothes off. Once he gets in he will play with his cups, ducks, and shampoo bottles happily for hours if we let him. Oh and he learned how to blow bubbles and puts his face right in the water! He is very proud and shows us often, he even mumbled a word that sounded fairly close to bubble...as he is not saying anything else we will take it.

 He is quite particular on things he likes to eat, porridge, toast, salmon, peas, green beans, crackers anything noodle and anything covered in tomato sauce.

Speaking of food Elijah has his very own kitchen! I scored at a church garage sale and finally was able to fulfill my childhood dream of having a mini kitchen. I may have been a tad more excited than my child, come on, it has a chalk board, a phone, a pull out ironing board, a hologram muffin tin oven window, a curved side pantry a faux granate countertop, need I go on? Anyways, since he figured out how to turn the knobs, he loves to play with it and it keeps him busy while we cook...well kind of.

Speaking of kitchen's Elijah figured out how to put a two piece lid back on a mason jar, empty our pantry, revove all contents from cupboards and race across the kitchen with the cooling racks.

He is now understanding and responding much more, I will say "Elijah go to the room and get a book and mommy will read it to you on the couch" he will pitter patter to the room, get a book off the shelf, and climb up on the couch. He is also learning his body parts and will point to them, he knows teeth, tounge, mouth, nose, toes, head and sometimes bellybutton and knees.

This month we are working on sitting on his little potty so that he can eventually go by himself, so we do not always have to lift him on the big toilet. He has somewhat masterd the walk backward to straddle the seat, but sometimes it ends up with a foot in the potty. 

 

Today he woke abruptly from his nap walked to the bathroom and with a bit of help from Daddy he sat on his potty and had a poop (with a book of course). Well done! We do prefer being able to just flush the big potty, but all in the name of independance.

We had to spend a few days inside as our little dove was quite sick (momma does not want to talk about the details, tear) he is all better now and we can report that all that is left is one snotty nose. What a trooper. I explained to him that I was sorry about what happend, and he proceeded to sneak behind me and he bit my bum! What a guy.

We cannot believe how fast you are growing, and how fast you are moving...did I mention that I turned around for two minutes to pack the stroller and when I looked back Elijah was at the bee hive with a look on his face like "mom come check this out, it is amazing!!" Yikes.

We love you more than ever.

Country Fair

I was too excited for the Southlands Country Fair this year, we went last year and Elijah slept the whole time, this time he was old enough to enjoy the splendour. To my dismay he was not that impressed. Come on! You can ride a pony, pet the animals, feed carrots to the horses , play with snakes, jump in hay pits. Nope, the box of recycling is much more interesting. All jokes aside he did love watching the horse jumping and the fancy ponies.

We walked home and found an amazing blackberry bush and it officially completed my wonderful summer. I love picking berries, the way your hands turn purple, the prickles, eating handfuls, it was simply glorious. Now we have to make something scrumptious with them.

Wanderlust

 

Great moments from Wanderlust Yoga Festival in Whistler...

Amazing crystal blue waters, the earthy smell of trees,

and glorious snow capped mountains.

 Singing Kirtan lead by Krishna Das

Taking a yoga class from Seane Corn while Micheal Franti played live...

simply delectable (especially when he held my baby).

A fancy mountain chalet with an outdoor pool and hot tub!

Elijah watching people with mad yoga skills,

 standing next to them and doing his newly perfected 'one handed headstand',

touching his toes and then clapping for himself. Priceless.

Going to the farmers market with Zia Maria and sampling every

kind of snow cone flavor from pineapple habenero to kalamansi lime.

Elijah running into the lake with all his clothes on and loving it.

All the wonderful surprises that made my belated birthday anniversary present simply

Wanderfull!

Thirteen Months and Hilarious!

Elijah is thirteen months old, and what a guy he is! He always finds that patch of dirt, his shoes are always filled with sand, and if the door is only slightly open he will find a way out.

His new found love are stairs, and the bigger the better. There is no turning around or sitting on his bum, he would prefer to go straight off and absolutely no hand holding!

He also loves watching Dan and I do headstands, now whenever we say "headstand" he flips upside down to do his own (okay so it is more of a downward dog). It is always followed by an applause...if not from us he does it for himself. He loves clapping for all his accomplishments.

Elijah loves cupboards, drawers and anything kitchen, he is getting quite domestic and loves to vacuum, sweep, and hold the dust pan. Sometimes we even leave the vacuum on, if not he makes the sound on his own "mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm".

Up until this month we had a swanky wood booster chair for Elijah so he could eat at the table with us, but after trying out Nate's awesome chair when we were camping he was hooked. Who knew that all we needed was a $30 plastic chair with a tray and our child would embrace eating like never before. Okay maybe he was just ready. For the first time ever he is eating three meals a day, and is actually ingesting a substantial amount!

One of his favourites is fish roe sushi. He loves pasta, green beans, tomatoes, black beans, plums, apricots, chickpeas, peas, red pepper, broccoli, and bread (just like his dad). 

Elijah is now signing "dad" "help me" "baby" "fish" and "bird" and of course the sign for "Zia" is the sign for phone. Clara had the same sign for me. Perhaps my sister and I talk on the phone a bit much! Ha. He loves to scream and graces us with many different variations during the day.

He has had a great month for pooping and peeing in the potty. Now, after he pees, he wants to wipe (just like mommy). He rips off tiny pieces of toilet paper, gives a little wipe and throws them into the toilet. This success would be much more appreciated if it did not lead to a complete fascination with the toilet and a need to stick his hand in it. yuck. If it is too quiet we know exactly where to find him.

He loves being outside. He loves to walk and explore in his bare feet. Today I noticed his first scrape on his elbow which made me think he is growing up already.

Tonight Dan and Elijah popped bubble wrap and he giggled so hard and so long. I love that sound, (his laughter not the bubble wrap).

Camping

Moments from our glorious camping trip...

Eating pancakes and pupusas hot from the grill

Eli looking so smooshed in his lifejacket

Dan waking up at the crack of dawn to enjoy some play-dough time with Clara

When Jen and Marie finally invited me to brush my teeth with them

Dan Wakeboarding

Eating way too many smores and making banana boats

Seeing faces of those I miss

Deciding to go to Joe and Cathy's cabin just in time for a huge storm

Dad's potato stoppers

My sisters super packing so we had anything and everything we needed

Reid's awesome firewood haulling

Seeing a shooting star

Oh and when Dan burnt all the veggie dogs.