Eli Zachary Harrison

2010-05-10T17:56:00.000-07:00

Liam and family came up this weekend to go to Disney. We joined them on Saturday for Eli's first trip to the Magic Kingdom.

Although Liam was sick and didn't have the greatest time, there were some highlights for the pair.

Eli enjoyed the rides he went on.

While riding the train over Tomorrowland, Eli saw the racecars below. We pretty much had to make a beeline for them after leaving the train.

The highlight of the day for Eli was the Barnstormer... a real roller coaster. He was barely tall enough, but had no qualms about getting on. I wasn't sure if he was upset or not on the ride, but the first thing he said when it stopped was "more".

Indoctrination

2010-03-29T16:33:00.000-07:00

Are we ready for football season? I'd say so.

Or maybe we're celebrating the Women's Swimming and Diving National Championship

... Or rooting for Gymnastics in the NCAA's coming up

Catching up

2010-03-27T10:42:00.000-07:00

I've got a lot of catching up to do, so here's what Eli's been up to...

1. Riding his tricycle - he has ALMOST learned how to use the pedals. For now, though, he's getting around quite well Flinstone-style

2. The playground - Climbing up the steps to the slide by himself.

3. Bubbles - Since the weather has warmed up we've spent a lot of time outside. Pretty muchall the time between when we get home and when Mom gets home. He can blow bubbles by himself.

4. Learning how to cook - okay, not quite, but he can list the ingredients of quiche and lick icing off of a mixer.

Eating with Granddad

2010-02-12T18:27:00.000-08:00

Somehow, we always end up with pictures of Eli sitting with Granddad eating something.

2010-02-09T18:18:00.000-08:00

Papa took Eli and Liam for a ride to the playground in his bike trailer. They thoroughly enjoyed it.

As much fun as the kids had on the ride and at the playground, the dolly ride may have been better.

Helping Grandmother

2010-02-06T18:10:00.000-08:00

(These are a little late, but late is better than never)

Christmas in DeFuniak wouldn't be Christmas without decorating Sugar Cookies. Eli got to join in the fun this year.

Eli also helped make Great Grandmother's special Birthday Bread.

Neil Peart better watch out

2010-02-04T17:35:00.000-08:00

Eli got a drumset for his birthday. This was within the first minute of setup.

Happy Birthday to me

2010-01-21T18:10:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday 2.0

2010-01-21T18:04:00.000-08:00

Eli loves trucks, so his grandmother decided to make a dump truck cake for him. He recognized it immediately and then proceeded to say "have it". The bed was filled with peanuts and M&M's. These were the pictures in which Eli did not have his cheeks full of them.

Musical Genius

2010-01-15T18:07:00.000-08:00

Eli learned to play the saxophone in DeFuniak. Sure, it only has four keys, but you have to press at least one of them down to make any noise, so it made him very happy when he finally figured it out. Very Happy.

Baby Goat

2009-12-26T08:58:00.001-08:00

Eli met the baby goat at Thanksgiving, and enjoyed watching him. But I'm pretty sure we just upped the cute factor by having a toddler feed a baby goat with a bottle.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T20:19:00.001-08:00

Okay, to be completely honest, the first picture is not from Christmas morning, but it could be, right? Eli really had no idea what was coming this Christmas. He hadn't opened a present in almost a year, and remembered nothing about it. I'd love to say that by the end of they day he was ripping into them like there was no tomorrow, but he actually enjoyed playing with his new toys so much, he got saved about half of his presents for later in the day.

Every time we get blocks out, we have to build a barn. As an engineer at heart, I have made the barns fancier are sturdier each time, even adding a back door at Eli's request. We thought he might like a more realistic barn, and Santa happily obliged. This barn is all wood and very cool.

New Gator sweatshirt as well.

One of Eli's favorite presents is his tractor book from Aunt Deanna. The book is only about tractors. There are pull tabs, pop-ups, and textures. And it has a lot of tractors.

Thanksgiving

2009-12-20T19:19:00.000-08:00

Eli met his newest relative at the wedding, but he got to spend a lot more time with her over Thanksgiving.

You'll notice in all these pictures Eli is wearing a hat. He has connected wearing a hat with riding on the tractor and lawnmower. Therefore, he loves it.

It's not Thanksgiving without a Cane Grinding.

Liam's Rockstar Party

2009-12-18T19:19:00.000-08:00

Liam's Birthday party was rock star based, so Eli got pretty tricked out.

We probably enjoyed the rock-star look more than Eli, but he loved the guitars and drums around the house. Papa even went all out and bought Rock Band for the party. The kids loved the drums.

Mama loves her rockstar!

Liam's scooter

2009-12-15T18:56:00.000-08:00

Eli had a blast at Liam's birthday party. It was a rock star theme. By this time his hair had fallen down, but it was still blue and he still had his guitar tattoo. Things were dying down in the house, and there was room to play with Liam's new scooter.

Sea World

2009-11-12T18:39:00.000-08:00

Eli had a couple of Mondays off with Dad and we took advantage of Sea World being free for teachers and kids under 3. Eli saw the dolphins, penguins, sharks, turtles, manatees, and lots of other fun animals. The things he enjoyed most, however, were watching the roller coasters and playing in the fountains. He started off a little shy with the fountains...

Then he started to get a little braver...

Then he was all in.

He needs to get a taller to effectively use this water cannon.

A close third place was the carousel. Eli love riding on the dolphins, sharks, fish, and octopi.

Party

2009-11-09T18:35:00.000-08:00

Eli recently went to a birthday party for Cameron. His favorite part was the inflatable pools filled with balls.

Gratuitous Gator picture with Aunt Kristy

Halloween

2009-11-06T18:27:00.000-08:00

Eli was Bob the Builder for Halloween.

He loves his Bob book and want to wear his hat every time we read it.

He enjoyed having tools right on his belt, and could take them out and put the back all by himself.

2009-10-14T19:03:00.000-07:00

This is one of Eli's favorite books now. Of course, we never catch on video his more enthusiastic readings of it, but I still caught most of the words he normally repeats.

2009-10-03T17:56:00.000-07:00

More pictures from Josh's birthday weekend.

Eli and Aunt Kristy.

Spinning in a chair with Liam

Chillin' with Kristy and Wayne

Uncle Chris always cracks Eli up.

Playing Dominoes with his great grandmother

2009-09-30T17:51:00.000-07:00

I've been bad lately about updating the blog, so these pictures are from about a month ago when Eli went down to visit Liam and Luke for Uncle Josh's birthday.

2009-09-27T17:46:00.000-07:00

Eli enjoys coloring on the driveway with chalk. He's even learning to spell his name (when he says it, it sounds like "ooh ooh I")

2009-09-07T19:02:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted in a long time, so to make up for it, here's a great video of Eli and Liam playing in the pool at Papa's.

New place to play

2009-08-14T17:45:00.000-07:00

Dad's biggest summer accomplishment was a new floor for the porch, along with a solid kickguard around the bottom to keep out dust and rain. These upgrades make the porch a much friendlier place for Eli. He also got a nice big dumptruck to roll around on it.

Eli also helps keep the new floor on the porch clean!

Seussland

2009-08-07T19:06:00.000-07:00

On what I thought was the last daddy-day of the summer (long story, but I have got a few more) I took Eli to Universal. He'd been before with us, but before he could do anything more than sleep. This time, he got to enjoy a good bit of the Dr. Seuss section. We started on the Caraseussel.

One Fish, Two Fish was also fun. The first time Eli enjoyed the whole ride, but the second time he got sprayed pretty early and wanted to be "All Done".

We also got to play in New Zoo McGrew Zoo. This is Eli on the longcow. He prefered it more without me stepping away to take a picture.

There was some stuff for Eli outside of Seussland. He spent a little time playing on "Me Ship, the Olive".

Eli didn't get to ride the Trolley around Seussland. He was a little disappointed, but he got over it.

We left after lunch. Before I was outside of the Park Eli looked like this. He stayed that way all the way to the parking lot, during the ride home, and then finished his nap at home... I guess he got tired out with all of the excitement.

Playground with Liam

2009-08-05T19:02:00.000-07:00

More pictures from July 4th weekend in Boca. These are from a playground near Grandpa's house.

Pajama Time

2009-08-03T18:56:00.000-07:00

Liam spent the night and Grandpa's house when we were there, so the boys had some playtime in their Pajama's.

I could make up a story here, but it's pretty much just Eli holding a soccerball while the kid's stare at something.

This is from a different day, but is one of the many occurances of Liam hugging Eli. Liam is very affectionate. Eli cared more for the sharing of the firetruck.

4th of July - a little late

2009-08-01T18:46:00.000-07:00

So, the 4th of July was a few weeks ago, and that's how far I am behind on the blog...

Eli got to go to a parade in Plantation with Aunt Jessi and Liam.

Afterwards, they got to play in Grandpa's new pool

Most of the time, though, Eli said "All done" whenever his feet touched the water. So, he spent a lot of the time mowing.

In the pool

2009-07-26T17:45:00.000-07:00

We hit DeFuniak during a heat wave, so Eli hit the pool at least once per day. He mostly enjoyed the steps.

He would venture out a little further in the arms of Grandad, though.

He loved playing with his boat and splashing.

He also enjoyed dipping his face in the water... it was pretty funny.

More Farm

2009-07-24T17:38:00.000-07:00

Eli also got to pick blueberries. They are more fun than tomatoes, because they are much yummier than tomatoes.

The blueberries did not make it to a bucket.

Eli will be an expert farmer/gardener soon.

On the farm

2009-07-20T17:33:00.000-07:00

Eli enjoyed picking tomatoes with Grandad.

And riding the tractor was fun, even if it was very loud.

There's even wildlife on the farm... Eli got to use one of his words for a real-life turtle instead of a bath toy.

The Beach

2009-07-17T17:24:00.000-07:00

When we visited DeFuniak, we took a little trip down to the Beach one evening.

Eli needed a little encouragement, but ended up having fun in the edge of the waves.

Eli also got to play in the sand. Surprisingly, he didn't mind at all being buried up to his waist... he even helped.

Eww! Sand does not taste good.

After rinsing off, we had a picnic with some watermelon.

Then Eli got ready for bed and enjoyed a little more time with Uncle Reid.

Fun with friends

2009-07-05T18:35:00.000-07:00

The trip to North Carolina wasn't about the location, it was about the company. Eli was one of 6 children. Here he is sharing his book with the youngest of them.

The adults spent a lot of time playing Guitar Hero, so the kids wanted to participate too. Between Griffin on vocals, Gwen on Guitar, and Eli on Drums, they have a full band.

Here's the whole group at Chimney Rock.

More North Carolina

2009-07-01T18:17:00.000-07:00

This is Biscuit. Biscuit is a big fat pig that lives under a produce stand/barbeque restaurant in Cashiers, NC.

Here we are at sliding rock. Eli didn't slide down the rock, but he enjoyed playing in the Mountain stream. Until, that is, he sat down in said mountain stream... it was a little chilly.

He recovered.

This is Eli exploring.

Backpack

2009-06-27T18:02:00.000-07:00

Shortly before the trip to North Carolina we picked up a backpack that Eli could ride in. He had a great time on hikes and Dad got a good workout.

Sprinkler fun

2009-06-12T19:23:00.000-07:00

Eli was a little scared of the sprinkler at first

Eventually he worked up the courage to approach.

He didn't really get the "running through the sprinkler" memo, but he enjoyed playing with it a little.

Okay, now he's just missing the point entirely.

He had a good time, though, and went back to tell mom all about it.

Watermelon

2009-06-10T19:16:00.000-07:00

Outside fun

2009-06-07T19:54:00.000-07:00

Eli got to play outside with a friend while Dad played frisbee.

Daddy's little helper

2009-06-04T19:51:00.000-07:00

One of the highlights of any guy's week is putting together a "some assembly required" item.

One of the highlights of a dad's life is the first time his son helps him. Eli handed me pieces and was very interested in the whole process.

Sunglasses

2009-06-01T19:49:00.000-07:00

I was tempted to title this "Sunglasses at Night" or "Cheap Sunglasses", but neither applied

Butterbeans

2009-05-29T19:21:00.000-07:00

Eli was very hungry last week. I'm not sure if it was a growth spurt or recovering from his cold (which he is now completely over), but either way, after a very large dinner including his fruit dessert and yogurt, he was still acting hungry. I figured that if he was really hungry he would eat butterbeans. He did. He ate a lot of butterbeans. He ate probably as many as I would in a serving... if I liked butterbeans. He just sat on the floor and ate.

New tricks

2009-05-17T17:18:00.000-07:00

Eli is learning so much every day. He probably has a vocabulary of around 20 words now, and that just counts the ones we recognize.

Picnic

2009-05-15T17:53:00.000-07:00

We went to a Sunday School picnic a few weeks ago and I forgot to post pictures. The picnic and the grass were fun, but they also had a super playground.

Eli got to hang out with a couple of friends also. Here he's showing Levi how to have fun in a swing.

It was good timing to have a soccer goal around, because Eli is starting to get interested in kicking balls instead of just picking them up. With a little encouragement, he even scored a goal.

Rash

2009-05-12T17:46:00.000-07:00

Dad got a new laptop, and Eli helped with the unpacking.

Just when he was getting over an ear infection, Eli started to get a strange rash. It started on his neck and ears yesterday, but this morning it was very bad on his lower stomach and even on his forehead. Apparently, it's an allergic reaction to either a bug bite or something he ate (even though he hasn't eaten anything new lately).

Through the ear infection and this rash, Eli has been a trooper. He was in an excellent mood today, and the rash doesn't seem to itch too much, and the face and neck parts are fading. Hopefully tomorrow will bring more improvement.

Other great Easter pictures

2009-04-24T17:46:00.000-07:00

Reading with Grandpa. Eli loves reading about anything that goes "Vroom"

Chillin' with Uncle Josh and Aunt Sarah

Just being cute

Hanging out with Liam. Yes, Liam did share his food. And yes, eventually Eli got his own plate.

Bubbles

2009-04-20T17:38:00.000-07:00

Eli learned a new word last weekend. As soon as the bubbles came out he said "Bubbles" as clear as any other word he says.

He actually got to make some bubbles himself.

Of course, chasing bubbles is much more fun than making them.

Got one!

Ninja Training

2009-04-17T16:33:00.000-07:00

Eli spent some time Saturday getting some hands-on ninja training with Grandpa.

When the cameras came out, he had trouble taking his destiny seriously. Ninjas don't look at cameras.

Eli used his new skills to take vengeance on the Basil. I'm not sure why he was mad at it, but he took vengeance none the less. The Basil did not see him coming.

Liam got some ninja training too. Before long, they will be an unstoppable force.

Easter Egg Hunt

2009-04-14T14:24:00.000-07:00

Eli had a great Easter in South Florida. On Sunday we went down to Pembroke Pines and had an Easter Egg Hunt with Liam, Cameron, and Evan. Eli hunted eggs like a pro. He found 7 eggs and picked them all up by himself. He even voluntarily put them in the bag (with some encouragement).

Here are the boys after the hunt enjoying their goldfish-filled eggs.

2009-03-25T17:30:00.000-07:00

We had the Bumbo out for a friend who came over Sunday night. Eli hasn't really fit into it since he was 6 months old, but he found it on the floor and got into it on his own. He had fun for a while, but then realized he was kind-of stuck

Just checking in

2009-03-10T19:00:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since we posted, so here's more pictures of everyday life with Eli.

Eli figured out that his phone was a phone very early on. He still rarely picks it up without holding it up to someone's ear.

One of Eli's most consistent words is "Puppy". He loves his puppy, but is very good about putting him back to bed before he leaves the house.

And here's a very happy kid.

Family and Friends

2009-02-22T17:52:00.000-08:00

The last couple of weekends have been a blast. First, we went down to Kissimmee, where a good chunk of Michelle's Family had rented a house. Eli got some quality time with Liam on a different playground.

The cousins practiced sharing. Liam enjoyed Eli's bike.

And Eli enjoyed Liam's pears

And, Eli also got to hang out with some slightly more distant cousins (first cousins once removed to be exact). Sophie and Marie had a blast playing with the babies.

Then, this weekend, 3 of Michelle's best friends came up for a couple of days and brought Luke (9 1/2 months). Eli helped him learn how to share too.

Playground fun

2009-02-11T17:23:00.000-08:00

Ups and Downs

2009-02-09T16:25:00.000-08:00

Eli came down with a nasty virus last week. He couldn't keep food down for almost a full day, and Mom and Dad had to take some time off of work to take care of him. It was sad to see him sick, but he was extra cuddly.

Kids bounce back quick, though. By Friday we were at the playground. Eli LOVES the swings and he's pretty fond of the slide too. We went back on Sunday for more fun.

29 years later

2009-02-02T17:09:00.000-08:00

My mom enjoyed making special cakes for each birthday we had growing up. We had train cakes, superhero cakes, strawberry shortcakes, and many others. For my first birthday, she made me a carousel cake with animal crackers. 29 years later, she made a strikingly similar cake for Eli. You'll notice the although I was a relatively chubby kid, I think I started to slim up a little earlier than Eli.

One and Walk

2009-01-31T16:55:00.000-08:00

Like always, food proves the best distraction. In this case it got Eli to take more steps in a row than he had up to this point.

Aunt Jessi and Uncle Chris came by this evening for dinner. Liam was showing off his mad walking skills to Eli, who was impressed and seemed to try a little more often around his big (though two pounds lighter) cousin. These two are getting to be a blast together.

More Birthday

2009-01-26T15:54:00.000-08:00

Because one is never enough, Eli had another Birthday party, this time with more spectators. Lanny even got to join in via Skype. Grandmother made a very special cake, which in addition to being EXTREMELY delicious, was an almost exact replica of the cake she made Eli's dad for his first birthday.

Eli ate more sweets in the last 5 days than his entire first year. He liked it.

Birthday Video

2009-01-24T09:20:00.000-08:00

This is a pretty long video, so it was having some issues uploading. Totally worth it though

Happy Birthday!

2009-01-21T17:51:00.000-08:00

That's right, Eli is a whole year old today. He's going to have a family party in DeFuniak this weekend (the day before his Great Granddad's 100th) but we had to celebrate the real birthday at home. Mom made some Chocolate-Pumpkin cupcakes and we let Eli go to town.

So, is Eli left or right handed? He went in with the left hand first, but once it was full he went back with his right.

And here's proof of his Ambi-eating.

The birthday cupcake was a hit.

But Eli was full...

In case you're wanting video of this event, a 2 1/2 minute one is uploading as I type. Check back in a day or two.

They grow up so fast

2009-01-17T16:18:00.000-08:00

It seemed like yesterday that Eli couldn't even crawl forward yet, and now he is standing up on his own. It was only one week ago today that he first stood on his own for more than a second or two. Now, after just a week of standing up all over the place, he took his first steps today. The first two times, he only took two steps (one left, one right) before falling, but later he got 4-5 steps in between dad and mom. It only happened a couple of times, so we don't have video yet, but if he progresses as quickly as he did with crawling, pulling up, and standing, he'll be walking all over the place within a week and we should be able to get some video. For now, you'll have to be content with pictures of Eli standing up from this week.

Like everything else in Eli's world, food is the best incentive to produce results.

Christmas in Boca

2009-01-12T12:42:00.000-08:00

This is what our Boca Christmas looked like (on New Years Day). After opening presents, we spent most of the morning outside.
We had a party a couple of days later. How many parties can you attend where you stick out by NOT wearing a Star Wars shirt?

This Christmas was fun, but these two are going to get more and more fun together as they get older.

The Last DeFuniak Christmas post

2009-01-10T12:32:00.000-08:00

I can't finish Christmas posts without showing the Quilt Eli's Grandmother made for him. I can't express how amazing it is.

And here's a few last Christmas pictures from DeFuniak.

Even More Christmas

2009-01-08T20:20:00.000-08:00

Christmas was the first time Eli got to meet Uncle Reid and Aunt Lanny. I'm not sure who enjoyed it more.

More Christmas

2008-12-31T15:39:00.000-08:00

There was more than Christmas presents in DeFuniak. Every time Eli visits, he gets to experience more (and care more about it). He picked up pecans with Grandad.

He LOVED spending time outside with the dog.

He explored the "black forest", which used to be the grove of red cedars for Christmas trees, but has long since overgrown its usefulness. Now it just looks cool.

And... Eli tried his first Satsuma. The face he is making is usually reserved for things he really likes, even though it doesn't look like it.

Baby's First Christmas

2008-12-25T12:17:00.000-08:00

Eli's a little to large for most "Baby's First Christmas" clothes, so Mom made him some Christmas pajama pants to wear on Christmas morning. He donned them as he opened his Christmas presents eventually, even though he was more interested in everyone else's. The table was a hit, though.

Eli's stocking included some Eli-sized bananas. He was very interested in them.

Grandad though Eli might like to bite off the banana himself instead of having it cut for him.

Eli agreed. He ate the whole thing that way.

Merry Christmas from Eli and the Jumping Penguin

2008-12-25T12:10:00.000-08:00

The Ups and Downs of Autumn

2008-12-09T16:31:00.000-08:00

So, now that it's almost winter, it's starting to feel like fall here in Orlando. Anyone who complains that we don't have seasons in Florida doesn't do their own yard work. Well, mow-every-week season changed to mow-every-two weeks season, and now it's on to raking season. We spent most of one morning raking up 18 bags of leaves, and Eli helped.

Autumn has a downside too. Eli got a cold that wouldn't let go, and eventually had to go the the doctor. They had us use a nebulizer three times a day for a week. He had another checkup today and got the all clear. For all of his illness and treatments, he was such a trooper and stayed in a good mood most of the time.

Thanksgiving

2008-12-05T17:30:00.000-08:00

Yes, it's been a week since Thanksgiving, but by now you shouldn't expect me to be on time with these posts. Eli Spent Thanksgiving in DeFuniak with BOTH sets of Grandparents, Aunt Deanna, Uncle Josh and Aunt Sarah, and lots of other fun people.

Those other fun people included Eli's second cousins Max and Mia. They played very well with Eli as he tried to fit in with the big kids.

Aunt Deanna entertained Eli with the Piano.

Eli entertained himself with Tic Tacs. His breath was minty fresh.

Dad got some rest while Eli was swarmed with attention from grandparents, aunts, and uncles. Kind of...

Eli witnessed his first Cane Grinding. He was clearly impressed.

He also got his first Christmas present. It was a package of Ornaments, so he was allowed to open it early.

It took about 10 minutes, and a slight bit of help, but he got into it eventually. Christmas is going to be fun.

Stand up!

2008-11-19T18:17:00.000-08:00

Dad thinks he's pretty smart. He puts things that I want, like the remote control, out of my reach. Well dad, you're gonna have to try harder now.

2008-11-17T16:12:00.000-08:00

Hi, Just because I haven't had as many posts lately doesn't mean I stopped being cute, see?

I had some pictures left over from the last month, but in all of mom and dad's travels, they haven't gotten them posted. They're very tired.

Here's a couple left from DeFuniak. I helped pick up pecans.

Mom wanted to take me to a Pumpkin patch, but this is as close as I got. I figure it's better, because there are some pumpkins, some corn, squash, sugar cane, and some weird bumpy things.

peekaboo

2008-11-09T17:36:00.000-08:00

Eli loves to open things: drawers, cabinets, doors, whatever. He's now figured out that he can use the door to hide. Until he shuts the door too hard and can't open it, he loves this.

Games

2008-11-04T18:11:00.000-08:00

Pretty soon after he started crawling, Eli and Mom started chasing each other. Usually this happens a couple of minutes before bed when Eli is on his second wind and Mom sees the light at the end of the tunnel.

Halloween

2008-11-04T16:16:00.000-08:00

Eli enjoyed some warmer weather this weekend in South Florida. It was actually kind of cool in Orlando last week.

Babies love Halloween, and by babies I mean parents of babies. Luke doesn't seem to be too afraid of the predators on his left and right, but I guess dragons and lions aren't natural enemies of dalmatians.

Halloween was the second biggest event this weekend. Eli got to hang out with Aunt Kristy and lots of other gator fans for the big game.

I don't think Michelle meant for this picture to turn out the way it did, but just look at the score, the reaction of the gator players, and Eli's face. Eli doesn't have any Georgia fan cousins to be polite toward.

We're going to the Fair!

2008-10-20T17:15:00.000-07:00

To anyone who has ever lived in Alachua County and heard the county fair jingle used there, I apologize for reminding you of it. Anyway, my class reunion was this weekend, and Eli got to go with me to visit the grandparents and see the other sights of DeFuniak. It turns out, in addition to my class reunion and homecoming, the Walton County Fair was in full swing. Grandad wanted to take Eli to see the lights and the animals (and to show his grandson off to whoever happened to be there that he knew).

Eli got to see all kinds of animals. There were rabbits, chickens, sheep, alpacas, mules, cows, horses, pigeons, and goats.

Eli is not really scared of anything or anyone. Even a very large horse.

Or sheep.

He even got to ride a sheep.

He wasn't afraid of the pigs either, but we decided not to let him ride one. I'm not sure if that's a food dish or a water dish, but.... um, eww.

Who needs toys?

2008-10-17T18:29:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, while Liam was visiting, Dad had to mow the lawn. Eli loves to sit and look out the window, and this time he got to share with his cousin.

PJ time

2008-10-15T18:19:00.000-07:00

Liam and Eli are both early risers. They had a lot of fun on Saturday morning playing in Eli's room.

Game Day

2008-10-14T18:18:00.001-07:00

Eli's cousin came to visit last weekend. Liam is an LSU fan (don't blame him, he gets it from his father), so he was representing on Saturday evening. Eli countered with his Gator Jersey, and seemed confused why Liam's Tim Tebow Jersey was the wrong color.

Not even a bitter rivalry can get in the way of buddies. Before going to bed, they gave a sportsmanlike high five.

Even though this picture was taken before the game, the looks on the faces say it all.

The weekend wasn't all about football. Eli and Liam had lots of fun together and with the rest of the family. More pictures will be on the way in the next few days.

bathtime

2008-10-09T18:58:00.000-07:00

The other day, Eli's rubber duck got misplaced, so we opened up a new pack of smaller ducks that happen to squirt water. He REALLY enjoyed them. Since then, he hasn't really cared about them, but luckily we were able to capture the first night.

All systems go

2008-10-07T06:41:00.000-07:00

Eli finally got his transmission out of reverse.

Haircut

2008-10-04T18:29:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed Eli's hair getting a little long. A couple of months ago, we got brave and trimmed around his ears a little. This time it was out of control and needed a full cut. Apparently, the first haircut is a big deal, so we got lots of pictures.

Eli enjoyed the apron. It was kind-of like a giant bib.

He was very well behaved. He shifted around a lot, but it was mostly out of curiosity.

The clippers were a little scary, but Eli was brave and got through it.

Eli celebrated his first haircut with a high-five for the stylist (barber?). No, this picture is not a caption faked to match the picture, it was a response to a requested high five.

Football and other forward progress issues

2008-09-28T15:53:00.000-07:00

It's a special moment between a father and son when they go to their first football game together. Eli watched as TFA beat Trinity Prep, or at least the first half of it. He also enjoyed the attention he got from a bunch of high school girls. Finding a babysitter will not be a problem.

Eli can crawl, but only backwards. Apart from the obvious downside of not being able to move toward the objects of his desire (usually cords, mice, and remotes), he can also end up backed into some awkward corners. While it can be an understandable annoyance to him, he handles it pretty well most of the time. He only really gets upset when he realizes he can't get out or sit up.

Avacado

2008-09-20T18:00:00.000-07:00

Our neighbors have been supplying us with a steady stream of avacados for the last couple of weeks. Eli appreciates it.

Is he left or right handed? Most people tell you to observe what hand the child eats with. You be the judge.

Mmmmmm, avacado is yummy (yes, we say that about most of the foods he tries, I guess Eli just likes to eat). And Eli looks good in green. I've never heard of an avacado mustache before, but Eli is forcing me to coin a new term.

Weekly cuteness fix

2008-09-13T18:21:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the cheerios go on the face

sometimes they go in the mouth.

see?

You are getting sleepy... very sleepy

Go Gators!... Again!

2008-09-06T20:15:00.000-07:00

Eli didn't get to see any of the Miami game tonight, but he did enjoy Florida's victory over Hawaii last week. Tonight he was rooting for the Gators while asleep in his Gator PJs, so these pictures are actually from last week. Sure, the Jersey is a bit big on him (it's a 3T), but with shoulderpads it would fit perfectly.

To get ready for the game today, Eli experienced a Gainesville tradition in a very special way. He ate his first real table food today (Sweet Potatoes, so he was kind of used to it) while we were at Sonny's, including his first meat. He enjoyed Sonny's new pulled chicken, though we did not let him learn the joy of Sonny's Sweet BBQ sauce yet. Pardon the picture quality - we weren't expecting this milestone, so this is a cellphone camera picture

Cheerios

2008-08-27T17:56:00.000-07:00

We've been giving Cheerios to Eli every once in a while for the last week or two, but he couldn't manage to get them in his mouth. Once he figured it out, though, he got pretty consistent. Consistent enough for me to get the video camera out and film him getting two in a row.

Funnyface

2008-08-26T17:59:00.001-07:00

We've been posting a lot less lately, but it certainly isn't because Eli isn't being as cute. With both schools starting back for Dad and the PE creeping up for Mom, there just don't seem to be as many hours in the day. So, here's a look at Eli the last couple of weeks...

Playing with his blanket

Wearing his new monster shirt

showing off his smile, and his top teeth

Sticking out his tongue

Snuggling with Dad

Transitions

2008-08-15T17:28:00.000-07:00

Sorry, it's been a while since I posted. Eli was getting bored too

There have been a few changes to routine lately. Eli started day care last week, and has been doing very well. He also got a real cold for the first time (then gave it to dad). Other than one really bad night, he's gotten through it all very well. Oh, and his first week in daycare 2 new teeth came in (first two top ones). We also changed Eli's baths to in the tub... well, in a mini-tub in the tub. It took some getting used to...

But it didn't take him too long to get used to it.

This is Eli sick. He couldn't breath through his nose very well, which didn't make him very happy at all. Overall, he's been a very good boy dealing with it though.

Everybody, Let's go to THE MALL!!!

2008-08-02T18:21:00.001-07:00

We got a lot of newborn to 9 month clothes from baby showers and hand-me-downs from friends, but we were a little slim on 12 months and had almost nothing bigger than that. So, when we happened onto a clearance sale at the biggest J.C. Penny's we know of during Eli's first trip to a mall. we went a little crazy. We got 18 items for $44.20 (original price ~$225.00). At other places in the last week, we got 9 more things for just over $2 each. So, Eli is in great shape now for the next year really. He at least has a good backbone of a wardrobe.

Here he is with the Penny's haul.

Eli picked out this shirt himself, and still seems pretty interested in it.

It is a very nice orange.

Even though it's his first trip to the mall, Eli is still baffled at the prices. Or baffled at what a price tag is.

Low prices never tasted so good!

6 Months Old

2008-07-29T16:46:00.001-07:00

Well, Eli turned half a year old last week, but he just had his doctor visit yesterday. He weighed in at an even 20 pounds and 27.5 to 28 inches long, depending on whether you trust the doctor or the nurse. He's back up to 90th percentile in weight and still around 80-85th in height. The first picture, unlike this post, is actually on Eli's 6 month birthday.

Dad couldn't resist buying Eli a 6-month birthday present. Since Eli recently learned to sit (we still have to put him that way, but he can stay up when he wants to), Dad thought this penguin would be a good new toy.

Granddad and Grandmother H. were here all week to watch Eli. I'm not sure who had more fun. Eli loved all the attention he got, and they loved all the attention they got to give him.

2008-07-22T18:14:00.000-07:00

There are many ways to distract babies when they are upset. One thing we have figured out is that Eli is a total camera ham. Whenever he's doing something cute and we try to take a picture of it, he just stops and smiles at the camera. So, Mom tried getting the camera out when he was upset. This is the result.

Grandparents are also a good distraction. We're having a super fun week, with Mom's parents here over the weekend and Dad's visiting for the week.

Grandparents with lollipops are especially distracting. Excuse the extreme chub (on Eli), he's been eating quite a lot lately... as in the his normal amount from bottles plus about 8 oz of solid food per day.

Eli is now 6 months old! But his 6 month pictures will be coming in a few days. Also, his 6 month check-up and weigh-in will be next week.

...with a little help from my friends

2008-07-13T13:38:00.000-07:00

Dad was in Atlanta for the week, so Mom decided to pack Eli up and head to South Florida, where she could get help from friends and family.

Like always, Grandpa has to get the double-cousin hold

But this time, Eli had a surprise for him. The most impressive part of this feat was that Eli managed to wet Grandpa without getting any on himself.

Just Pictures

2008-07-05T18:44:00.000-07:00

Eating Sweet Potatoes is fun

Eli's toys are fun

He hasn't quite figured out the mouse yet, but he's getting close.

Watermelon!

2008-07-02T19:15:00.000-07:00

Grandmother and Grandad came down to watch Eli for a few days and brought lots of fruits and veggies like usual. I think Eli might have actually found something he knew he couldn't fit in his mouth. Grandad did give him a taste of watermelon, but he didn't seem to care much... he will learn.

Teeth and more

2008-06-25T18:29:00.000-07:00

Eli has teeth now. See?

He uses them to eat. This stuff tastes orange.

Mmmm. Orange is good. He wants the rest.

So, this is similar to his other eating video, but he's eating sweet potatoes for the first time. I think he likes them. I didn't even start the video until he was on his third "serving".

Eat and Run

2008-06-21T07:57:00.000-07:00

Grandma and Grandpa came by today, as well as Aunt Jessi, Uncle Chris, and Liam. They were on their way to North Carolina and took a small detour to have lunch with us, which was very nice. It had been a while since Liam came to visit Eli. They enjoyed their time together... it's fun to see how much more they interact each time we get together. Of course, we still have to force it a bit.

Eli and Liam pose for a picture

Liam shows everyone Eli's new teeth. No, don't strain your eyes trying to find them. You can't really see them in the picture.

The cousins hug before Liam gets back into the car. Have fun with that car ride, guys.

Swimming and Blackberries

2008-06-13T16:57:00.000-07:00

That's what DeFuniak is good for this time of year. Well, other things too, but we didn't get pictures of those. Eli got to watch Mom and Dad eat the frist corn of the year and lots of other fresh veggies. This was Eli's first trip into the pool, and he wasn't quite sure what to think. It didn't freak him out, but he wasn't exactly excited about it either. As always, he enjoyed lots of time with the Grandparents and Aunt Deanna. Everyone got to share in the joy of teething, as he has cut his first two bottom teeth in the last two weeks. Sorry there aren't any tooth pictures, but you'd be surprised how hard it is to get a baby to open his mouth at the right angle...

He was sad before he went in the pool, I promise.

I'm covering up his chest so you can't tell it's more toned and tan than mine.

Swimming is hard work.

He actually helped pick some of these. Well, he helped pick some, I'm not sure those specific berries ended up in the basket...

Boca

2008-06-11T18:14:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I know we just got back from DeFuniak, but I didn't ever actually post on our trip to Boca and we got some good pictures from Grandma's camera. So come back in a few days for DeFuniak pics. In Boca Eli got to spend some time with his cousin, but didn't get to meet his new friend Luke, because he was sounding a little under the weather (he felt fine, just sounded hoarse). The first two pictures are from the Cuban restaraunt near Aunt Jessi's house.

Grandpa can't resist a chance to get both grandsons at once.

We thought about switching babies, but they didn't like the idea.

Have we had any gratuitous bath pictures yet? We use a baby tub at home, but forgot it, so Eli had to make due with the sink. He won't fit in there much longer.

Laughter

2008-06-05T08:29:00.000-07:00

Laughter is always wonderful, but from a four and a half month old it's amazing. So, to provoke a little more I thought I'd try a trick I had seen on a YouTube video that appeared on Liams blog a few weeks back. It worked.

More eating

2008-06-05T08:10:00.000-07:00

That's the story of Eli's life so far. He's actually starting to swallow some "solid" food, but pictures don't do the process justice, so here's a video.

FOOD!!!

2008-05-27T16:47:00.001-07:00

Eli tries to eat pretty much everything he can get his hands around, but isn't exactly proficient at it. We got the okay from the doctor to start solid foods, but they recommended we start with rice cereal instead of fingers, toys, toes, cameras, shirts, hair, bibs, computers, etc... So, today Eli ate from a spoon for the first time. Well, we kind-of tried a few days ago, but he mostly stuck his tongue out. This time we successfully transferred food from a spoon to his mouth, and it stayed in his mouth for a little while. He actually seemed to enjoy it, but I'm not sure he swallowed much. I figure he had to have at least accidentally swallowed a few flakes, but Mom is skeptical. The pictures could be better, but we didn't have a camerman, and this was a two-person job.

4 months

2008-05-21T13:24:00.001-07:00

Eli is big. He weighed in at an even 16 pounds today, and got a clean bill of health from the doctor (well, the liscensed pediatric nurse, the doctor was out) who hadn't seen him since he was 6 lb 2oz and dehydrated. I didn't trust the length measurement from the regular nurse (it was her first day and the process looked sketchy) so I did it myself at home... 26 1/2 is much more reasonable than 28. Either way, he's very high in the height percentile, about 75th in weight, and still right around 50th in head size. Pictures of the doctor's office are boring, so here's some cute ones from Sunday in an outfit aunt Kristy gave him.