Eli napping

This morning before church I got Eli all ready and then went to help Jacob and myself get ready.  Eli was really quiet during that whole time.  When we were all ready to go I went to look for Eli and found him like this in his room.  He can't climb into his crib by himself, so he pulled everything out of the crib he needed and just laid himself down.  Church at 12pm is brutal for nap time!

Houston Temple

Last week, while James was still gone I decided to take the boys to the temple to walk around.  Here are a few shots of them there.

FHE

Last week we did an FHE lesson about being a child of God.  We traced the kids on butcher paper and then cut them out and hung them on the wall.  The kids thought it was the coolest thing ever!  The pictures turned out blurry, but still gives the idea.

Potty Training Update

I have been in contact with a few moms who are living in Papua New Guinea right now, and I asked them their advice on what I should know and be prepared for.  They told me that diapers are very expensive and they often leak, so I decided it was time to start potty training Eli.  This is exactly the same age when I started with Jacob, but I felt like Jacob was much more ready, so I didn't know what I was going to be in for.  I started potty training Eli last week, and it has been quite the adventure!  The first couple of days were full of accidents, my favorite being at dinner.  Eli hates to sit down in his high chair for some reason, so at dinner he is often standing up.  And the way I potty train is to let the kids run around in the buff from the waist down.  Right before dinner I made sure to sit Eli on the potty so he would be drained for dinner, but lo and behold in the middle of dinner he just started peeing all over his tray and all over his dinner.  I guess that means he's done!!

But after a week I have to report that Eli is now accident free!  He is even dry at night and during his naps.  His only hang-up is going #2.  He just won't do it in the potty.  He will hold it in until we go out somewhere and I have to put a diaper on.  Then he lets it go.  At least he's not pooping all over the carpets!  But I do have to report that tonight he went for the first time on the potty - hopefully it will be a breakthrough.  We shall see.  Eli also goes pee in his diaper while we are out and about, which I am actually a little grateful for.  It is just such a pain to have to find bathrooms everywhere we go and every 20 minutes.  I am happy that he goes in the potty all the time at home, and just does his business in his pants while we are out.  It's a great system for me!

Eli is very motivated by candy, so I have some jelly bellies (left over from Easter last year!!  I had no idea they would come in handy for something!!) that I cut in half.  Eli gets one every time that he goes in the potty.  It is just such a little morsel of sugar, but Eli loves it!!  Now he not only tells me when he needs to go, but he tells me he needs to go potty whenever he wants candy.  Often times he can't get anything out and he gets so frustrated!  Oh the power of that little taste of sugar!

One tip that I am extremely grateful for and I have to pass on is that I have Eli sit on the potty backwards - facing the potty.  I tried the little potty (which worked great for Jacob, but Eli is not interested in it), and I tried a ring on the regular potty (which works horribly for boys because it makes them aim out of the potty every time!), and so I didn't really know what to do.  But then a friend mentioned sitting him on the potty backwards and it was an instant hit!!  The design of the potty is just perfect for a little kid to sit on backwards, especially boys.  It forces them to lean forward a little, which means that the aim is right into the toilet bowl.  It also gives them perfect support.  Facing out is just a little awkward for a little kid, but facing in allows them to hold themselves up perfectly.  Truly an amazing tip that made all the difference for Eli.  Too bad it only lasted a week before Eli decided that everyone else sits facing forward so that is what he is going to do.  So now I have to be there vigilantly making sure the spray points down.  Oh well, at least he's going in the potty!

Houston Downtown Aquarium

Two weeks ago we went to the Aquarium again with a huge group from our ward, neighboring ward, and friends.  We got a great deal, so it's hard to pass it up.

Aren't these boys adorable?!  I always love this picture spot, because the room is actually quite dark and you can't see the mural painted on the wall until you take a picture and see it with the flash!  It's a pretty intricate painting - too bad not many people actually see it! Jacob was just amazed at the picture - he couldn't figure out where I had taken it, and where the background had come from!

This was some exotic animal that they had on display - to take pictures next to, not to touch!

Jacob always loves touching the sting rays and such.  Eli was not about to touch one of those things, though.  He sure loved putting his hands in the water, but as soon as a sting ray came by he would quickly withdraw!

Eli did like the underwater tube, though.  Here he is with the sting ray going right over his head.

Jacob the aqua man!

The white tigers are always a hit.  I just love the glass wall where the kids can get so close.  Last time the tiger was jumping up on the window right next to them.  This time he just wanted his lunch!

Don't be fooled - Eli is not some terrifying tiger as you might suppose from his expression!  (Major sarcasm - up close he looks like he's bored out of his mind!  Mom, what are you making me do?)

On the train to take us to the shark tunnel.  This is probably my favorite part of the whole experience!  The sharks are just so amazing.

Jacob saw all the kids go scrambling to get on this ride, so he jumped in line.  I could tell he was a little apprehensive at first, but he ended up doing it again and again.  He would have stayed all day if I let him!

The carousel is always a hit with the kids.  I just think Eli looked adorable, and Jacob was so funny trying to be a scary shark like what he was sitting on.

Fun day, and well worth the $8 we spent!

Rollerblading

Jacob is quite the rollerblader.  He has a great teacher and example (his daddy!) This was the day James left again for PNG earlier this month.  There is a cul de sac just a couple of houses down off our street where we like to ride bikes, rollerblade, etc.  On our way back to our house Jacob wanted to pull Eli home, which was so adorable!!

Eli's Little Hangout

We were all hanging out in our game room earlier this month when we looked over and saw Eli crawling into these drawers.  He just hung out there like that for quite a while.  Jacob also wanted to join in the fun.

Ice Skating

Jacob loved ice skating last year, so this year while James was still in town he took Jacob on a father/son outing. 

Jacob started out with his walker and had a fun time.

But he decided the walker was slowing him down, so he spent the rest of the time skating on his own and did a great job and loved every minute!

Fall Leaves on New Year's Day!

We decided it was time to rake up the leaves - we finally got our Fall.  The kids were a big help and had lots of fun in the process.  Our neighbor Athena (who is practically family) was there to enjoy it with us.

Happy New Year 2011!

Wow! Where does the time go?  Not only is it 2011, but it's almost 2 weeks in already!  For New Year's Eve we hung out with our next door neighbors and good friends, the Goodes.  We started out with a hodge podge dinner of taquitos, tater tots, french fries, salad, corn dogs, and edamame beans.  You can tell we had this planned at least 5 minutes in advance!!

After dinner we started the fireworks (don't tell - they are banned at Legends Ranch!) 

James even showed Jacob and Athena how to light the fireworks - they had a blast - I had a heart attack!

I think Aaron had the most fun with his firecrackers.  He found he could dump them in a bucket of water and they would still explode - shooting water everywhere!

Eli was a little wary of the sparklers, but he still wanted to hold onto them!

Jacob and Athena couldn't get enough of them.

After our supply ran out, Jacob and Athena enjoyed the big firework displays showering the skies - ahw!

Happy New Year!!  Hope this year brings you all much joy, happiness, and love!