Birthday!

A smattering of pictures from the day we celebrated Eli's 5th birthday...

FIVE!!

Eli and CJ.  They were born just 8 days apart and are best buddies.  We love celebrating their birthdays together!  This year we had the party at ASI Gymnastics with 20 of their little friends and so many sweet family members.

The blur of Eric and Eli leaping into the foam pit.  Good form, Eric! :)

 The party leader (one of the ASI Gymnastics coaches) was fantastic.  He kept the kids laughing the entire time.  I love how happy Eli looks in this picture.

Run!

He got the boys up on these blocks and told them he was going to give them a birthday present...

...which was a pink leotard for each of them.  :)  The boys were so funny about it.  

A more suitable gift- medals!

Eli was very proud of his birthday medal.  :)

Rope swing.

I love this shot of Hayleigh, Kayley, and Eli.  These are the two girls that Eli talks about marrying someday.  His choice changes frequently, but I'd be totally fine with either one of these precious girls!  :)

Cupcake time!



The fam.

I think a few kids got cut off the edges of this shot, but I couldn't back up any further to take the picture!  :)  I am so thankful for the friends God has given Eli!

The evening of Eli's party we took him to his first Rangers' game!  He loved all the Rough Rider games so much last summer that we figured it was time for the major league.  :)  My grandparents were in town from Maine last week, and my grandmom had a birthday that weekend too.  She is an avid fan of the Red Sox, the visiting team that weekend, so it was a perfect game for all of us.  I love how happy my grandparents look in this picture!

My parents with Jacey, Cooper, and Eli.  

Cotton candy and a baseball game.

Love!

It was a day that I hope Eli will never forget!  We had so much fun celebrating our precious boy.

Camping, April 2013

Some pictures from our big family camping trip last month...

It's hard to tell from the picture, but that's a little green snake that he's holding.  Eli LOVES animals!

Mom-Mom with Timothy, Charlie, and Eli.

Happiness!

I remember my Dad lifting us up onto this high sign as little girls.  Love that Eli is experiencing these same sweet memories in this beloved spot!

They braved the cold water!  He just wanted a warm towel, but I made him stop for a picture first.  :)

Boys on boats.

Cooper, and Eli being goofy.

I love this shot of my dad with the boys.

Eric, Eli, and their little boat.  :)

Soccer!

Pop-Pop and Eli.

He caught the biggest fish of all of us!

Jacey and Eli.

Me and my sweet boy.

They swung (swang?) like this forever.  It was adorable.

My parents with all the grandkids.

Wilsons.

This is how he rode home.  :)

As always, it was a blast!!



Five

Dear Eli,

Today you turn five years old, and my brain can't even comprehend how quickly the time has gone.  Everyone always tells you when you have an infant that "time flies," but I don't think I quite believed them.  And yet here I am with a five year-old boy, preparing for kindergarden and seeing your independence, and my heart just aches.

It's a good kind of ache.  It's a nostalgic and deeply thankful sort of ache that brings tears to my eyes as I look at you.  Because when I see you I see the tiny baby born so early and so sick.  I see the toddler who cried so hard he threw up every time I dropped him off at Sunday School.  I see the preschooler who independently learned colors, numbers, letters, shapes.  And I see this too-wonderful-for-words little boy who is so very ready to enter a new phase of life- school, boyhood, independence...  This is a gift to parents, I think- a gift that allows us to see a glimpse of God our Father.  We see who you were, and we see who you are now, and we dream of who you will be.  I ache for the past and yet look forward with so much expectation to the future. 

Eli, you are a joy.  There is really just no other way to put it!  You contibute happiness, help, humor, and compassion to just about every situation.  You care about those who hurt, selflessly lay aside your own interests when someone needs you, and are quick to give a hug or a present to anyone you are concerned about.  You are goofy and funny, always good for a laugh, easy to joke around with, so fun to talk to.  You're insightful and sensitive, but you don't dwell on your emotions, either. You are quick to forgive. 

You love sports with your whole heart, and you seem to be pretty good at them, too.  You love bugs of all kinds and would never kill even an ant.  You find snakes and lizards and so carefully put them back "with their families."  You ride your bike like a pro and are working diligently to learn how to skateboard.  Being outside is your favorite thing in the world, and you and Timothy spend hours working together on whatever project you dream up for the day.  You love to camp and fish, to hike and walk and run.  We love that our interests seem to be yours as well- we just love being together.

You are a hard worker and a perfectionist, which of course carries its positives and negatives.  You apply yourself whole-heartedly to tasks that are important to you, and I can't wait to see how much you thrive in kindergarten. 

You love Jesus, Eli.  You trust in God and talk to Him so often.  You want what He wants, and we love seeing the work of God in your heart already.  We pray fervently that there will be not even one day in your life when you stray away from Him.  May you always hear and follow His voice, valuing Christ above all else.

You have no idea how much I love you, Baby, though I try to tell you a hundred times a day in a hundred different ways.  I celebrate you today with my whole heart, praising God for giving me the beautiful privilege of being your mom. 

Happy, happy birthday, sweet boy.  I love you forever.

-Mommy.

Day-to-Day, May 9

I have several posts that are long overdo, so I'll start with a few "lately" pictures and move on from there!

First...  Eli loves to make cards and notes for pretty much everyone he knows.  He found this "Tokyo" card somewhere (I think my mom?) and made a note for Lucy (the cat).  She wasn't around when he finished with it, so he just set it by her food bowl so she could "read it later."  I haven't taken it away yet- it's just too cute!  :)

Bouncing.  This is a classic "before" shot of the old "It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt" adage.  :)

A picnic!

Cat in sun.

He loves to have a catch.  Eric is the go-to sports guy (and rightfully so!), but yesterday while Eric was at work Eli asked if I would have a catch with him.  Apparently my lack of atheletic ability was shocking to Eli.  :)  He kept giving me friendly pointers about how to throw the ball, catch the ball, etc.  He finally said, "Mommies just aren't good at throwing a baseball."  :)

Soccer buddies.

Asleep in the car clutching a toy gun.  

A corny photo:  (Sorry! :) )

He picked his own outfit!  :)  I think the tie might be a little formal for an outdoor birthday party.

Still to come are camping pictures and Eli's birthday party pictures!

Day-to-Day, April 18

Not so many pictures this time.  :)  Here's what this last week has looked like!

He's eating a donut during soccer halftime.  

And eating a snack after practice.  Soccer is so rough!

This boy loves animals, which absolutely includes bugs.  I love this about him.

It was yellow day at preschool, so I snapped a quick picture because they looked so cute in their matching shirts.  The great thing about this picture is not the matching shirts, though- it's Timothy's bizarre expression!  It makes me laugh out loud.

Bluebonnet season!  Eli, after learning that bluebonnets are the state flower of Texas, asked, "Do the other states have other colors of bonnets?"  :)

He has a renewed love of bike-riding and is constantly asking if we can sit outside to watch him ride in the street. 

Today they had cap and gown pictures at preschool, so they had to dress up.  Eli was NOT enthused to be wearing a button-down shirt and tie.  But he sure does look cute!

Have a great weekend!