The Polk Family

Valentine's Day

2012-02-14T11:59:00.000-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day to the second guy who stole my heart.

I love you Elijah!

Sid the Science Kid

2012-02-13T14:19:00.004-06:00

One of Elijah's favorite new shows to watch is Sid the Science Kid. So when I found out he was going to be at the Children's Museum on Saturday, I knew we had to take him. Elijah had a lot of fun participating at the stations and earning the stamps for his science journal. He was so excited about meeting Sid and having his picture taken with him! Elijah also was able to get some Sid stickers and a poster too. After the Sid fun, we enjoyed all of the other neat things that the museum had to offer. It was a good morning!

Enjoying the Sid Stations: Power Science Lab, Science Station, Math Cart, and Inventor's Workshop

We're next to meet Sid - Love that smile!

Elijah and Sid :)

Anyone need a ride?

He was so proud of himself for earning all of the stamps

Blocks and Pajamas

2012-02-13T13:37:00.001-06:00

Having some fun with his blocks

Last Tuesday was Pajama Day at Elijah's school. The weather was cold, so it was a perfect day to wear warm and cozy pajamas.

A Special Night

2012-02-03T12:30:00.003-06:00

Tuesday night was Dad's Night at Elijah's school. Byron was out of state for work but flew back a day early so he could go with Elijah. He said there was no way he was going to miss it, especially since it was Elijah's and his first Dad's night! :)

The dads participated/experienced some of the actitives their child does when they are at school. Elijah loved seeing his Dad doing everything. It was a very special night for both of my guys! (A special thanks to Byron for taking some pictures for me.)

A second attempt to get Elijah to smile

Time for PE

Snack time - So sweet how he is looking at his Daddy

Music Time - Elijah said his Daddy sings good

Art Time - The dads had to do the tracing and cutting for this project

Happy and Having Fun

2012-01-29T14:03:00.000-06:00

Oh course at 3 years 2 months, Elijah definitely has his moments :) But we are so thankful that most of the time though, he is a happy kid and seems to have fun at whatever he is doing. Like...

Laying in mommy and daddy bed while playing with his camera

Helping vacuum

Swinging at the park

Playing in the sand

Making a welcome home sign for his Daddy

Roasting marshmallows

Having a picnic with his friend, Evie, and watching The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

Just a swinging at Hayes birthday party

Playing with friends

and waiting to enjoy some cake and ice cream

Snow Fest

2012-01-24T12:53:00.000-06:00

On Saturday we took Elijah to Sienna's Snow Fest. The weather was the pits, warm and drizzly , but that didn't stop Elijah or the other kids from having fun.

Yes, the mitten were way too big form him, but ...

Byron and Elijah attempting to make a snowman

Now that is a big snowball!

Our Little Guppy

2012-01-23T13:19:00.002-06:00

Last Monday, January 16, Elijah started swim lessons at Houston Swim Club.The first day he shed a lot of tears and it was very emotional for me as well. Then on day two, the tears were still present but significantly less. But day three was incredible!! Elijah didn't cry at all and had fun. The remainder of the week was a huge success as well. His teacher, Ms. Sami, is so great with the kids and I am very impressed with what she has already taught them in the first week. Elijah starts his second week of lessons today (Monday) and it should be interesting to see how it goes since he has a little break.

The pictures below were taken his first day. I wasn't able to get many because of the tinted two- way glass but at least I did get two. His group is called "Guppies".

Our little guppy on his way home enjoying a lollipop

This is Elijah's first time to take any swim lessons and we couldn't be any prouder of him!

It's Never Too Early

2012-01-21T19:11:00.001-06:00

Last week I took Elijah to the bank so he could make his first deposit into his savings account. He has been saving money in his piggy bank for awhile now. His first deposit was $28.00. He was so excited and the ladies were SO awesome with him. Like the title of this post says, "It's never too early" to teach them to save!

The lady on the right ,is his friend, who always hooks him up with several lollipops every time we go to the bank. She has seen him literally grow up over the years. :)

Very proud of himself and we were proud of him

Boys and Their Toys

2012-01-11T14:39:00.000-06:00

Since Byron doesn't have a pick-up truck, bringing home things he needs from Lowes, Home Depot, and other home improvement places isn't easy. So for Christmas, one of my presents to him was a trailer. Now, the home and yard improvements can begin. :) Oh course, Elijah had to help his Daddy put it together.

Right now, we have someone cutting our yard, but Byron still prefers to cut it himself. So as a "happy we sold our house" gift, he bought a riding lawn mower. I'm not sure who was more excited about it, Byron or Elijah.

The first start up

Byron also got a trailer to haul mulch, sand, and anything else he might need to in the backyard. But honestly,I know the real reason he got it was so he could drive Elijah around and see that huge smile on Elijah's face.

Couldn't forget about Mommy, could we? I also got a "happy we sold our house" gift that I like every much too. :)

Raleigh Christmas 2011

2012-01-09T15:15:00.000-06:00

Our next stop in Mississippi was to Raleigh to see my family. It was a nice visit and Elijah really enjoyed spending time with Hannah, my niece.

A little basketball time with Hannah and Uncle Mike

Elijah and Uncle Mike playing the drums together (Mike is doing the foot pedal)

Jamming! Thanks for the drums Uncle Mike :)

Hayride time

Nana and her grand kids

Byron's turn on the hayride

Working on his golf swing with Pawpaw

Uncle Mitchell (my Dad's brother) getting ready to take the kids for a ride on the golf course. Uncle Mitchell was so sweet and gave Elijah a old set of his golf clubs that we can have cut down for him.

Elijah and Hannah

Pawpaw and his grand kids

Hazlehurst Christmas 2011

2012-01-09T14:42:00.000-06:00

Yes, this post is late getting done, but better late than never right? :)

The day after Christmas we headed to Mississippi to see Byron's family. We had a nice visit and it was good to see everyone. Elijah had a lot of fun with everyone, but especially his Uncle Blake.

Elijah and Lindsay having fun

Ready to open presents

Each year Byron always does something fun or silly with his niece's gifts. This year he gave them this board nicely wrapped and all. Oh course, we did have them something :)

Having some fun with Uncle Blake

Looking for rocks for his rock collection with Granddaddy (Byron's father)

And of course you have to throw them too!

Unfortunately,a lot of pictures that I took during our visit disappeared. Talk about VERY frustrating! Elijah also had fun getting to riding in the wagon while his Uncle Blake pulled him, taking a ride in the trailer while Granddaddy drove him around, watching some fireworks, and enjoying a bonfire. I just wish I had the pictures to post of those things, but it is still a mystery what happened to them.

Story Time

2012-01-07T15:23:00.000-06:00

Elijah sharing "The Very Hungry Catepillar" with me. One of the sweetest moments to me!

Great Play

2012-01-04T15:33:00.003-06:00

My plans for the next post on our blog was to be about our visit to MS after Christmas to see our families. However, due to an very unexplainable disappearance of pictures from my memory card, I can't complete that post till I get the pictures that my mother-in-law has sent to me. So, on to the another post. But that post will be coming soon!

In November, I enrolled Elijah at Great Play after attending a free class with my MOPS group. He is really enjoying it and his teachers (coaches) are so nice! I love how they are so positive with the kids and never put any pressure on them. Also when Elijah turns 3 1/2, he will transition to a class that involves some athletic skills. With this class, the parents can either watch or leave, your choice. :) The pictures below are from our class today.

Warming Up

Now onto the stations

Christmas Day 2011 - Part 2

2011-12-31T17:05:00.001-06:00

Later on that morning we made Baby Jesus a birthday cake.

Finally the rain stopped and Elijah got to go outside and drive his truck

Notice the tongue? That is a new thing he has started lately

Jesus's birthday cake had finished cooking and now it was time to do some decorating.

Lighting the candle and getting ready to sing Happy Birthday to Jesus

Driving the truck again later that day in the cul-de-sac

It was a wonderful day!

Christmas Day 2011 - Part 1

2011-12-31T15:57:00.000-06:00

Elijah only asked Santa for one thing this year ... A blue truck he could ride on the cement and in the grass. And Santa delivered :)

Seeing what Santa brought him

Look Mommy, Santa drank all the milk

Santa even had Christmas lights on his truck too

Realizing the radio really works

Didn't take him long either to put his sippy cup in the cup holder :)

Stocking time

Helping his Dad put together the art easel we gave him

Christmas Eve 2011 - Part 2

2011-12-27T15:35:00.000-06:00

On Christmas Eve ,we opened our presents to each other. One of the sweetest things that Elijah did for us was he picked out our presents all by himself We did not give him any suggestions, directions, or try to sway him away from his choices. He knew what he wanted, and that was what it was going to be :) Even more impressive to us, was that he never slipped and told either of us what we were getting. Some of his choices were a little different :) but most were right on. The gifts from him meant so much to us because we knew they were chosen with a lot of love!

One of the gifts he got Byron was a tortilla holder and Daddy has already put it to use.

If you can't get to the other side of the box to get the paper off, just lay on top of the box.

Loving on his Daddy

Showing me the cross he got for my charm bracelet. He had put it into a very small tool box. :)

Elijah seemed to like everything we got him but his two favorites were his rock tumbler and his art easel.

Getting Santa's cookies ready for him

And you can't forget the milk

Making sure everything was just right before going to bed

Christmas Eve 2011- Part 1

2011-12-27T14:30:00.000-06:00

I have had some wonderful Christmas Eves in my life, but this one had to be one of the best hands down. Elijah was SO into Christmas this year which made it SO fun for Byron and I.He loved all aspects of it, but his favorite, by far, was all of the Christmas lights. I lost count of how many times Byron/we took him to look at lights. The pictures below shows some of the fun we had.

December 23, 2011

Elijah making reindeer dust to put out on the lawn

Elijah and Byron reading a story and being silly.

December 24, 2011

Decorating sugar cookies for Santa

Our Christmas Eve, we attend a church service that was geared more for the kids. It was very nice and there was a huge turn out! Here Elijah and Byron ringing their bells while singing the final song of the service.

After the church service, it was time for Elijah to put out the reindeer dust.

By the time we got to the front yard, it had started raining again.

Me and my buddy

Three Old Pictures... Again

2011-12-24T10:53:00.000-06:00

In November I did a post of Elijah's three year old pictures. However, when I did the post I only choose a few pictures to share. Then this past week, I started thinking that I really wanted Elijah to have all of his pictures (in his blog book) for him to look back on one day. So, here they are :)

We never knew that we could love someone as much we LOVE him!!

More Holiday Fun

2011-12-21T14:44:00.006-06:00

One of our Advent calendar activities was to make a gingerbread house. Well, things didn't quite go as planned. The icing (glue) was very sticky and hard to work with and Elijah's attention span didn't last too long either. But it still was a fun for all three of us.

As you can see, we didn't get it completely done, but Elijah was just as proud of it anyways.

Sunday Fun

Last Sunday, after church, we took Elijah to the Galleria. We had lunch at Rain Forest Cafe which was nice, except the tigers you see in this picture kept scaring him when they roared. I have to admit they were very loud! Now we know if we go back again, we need to sit farther back from the displays. Elijah is such a tropper! Even with him getting scared/startled, he said he had fun and wanted to come back. I LOVE his positive attitude!

Got milk?

Still unsure about everything even in Daddy's arms (Sorry Byron eyes are closed in this shot)

Enjoying the train ride at the Galleria

*The quality of the Galleria pictures aren't the best because I didn't have normal camera with me :(

Elijah's Video Message from Santa Claus

2011-12-18T14:57:00.002-06:00

Click on the link below to see Elijah's special video
http://www.portablenorthpole.tv/watch/m9TBAprg559ILO3xRuT64mg

Here are some pictures of him while he was watching the video. He was so excited and watched it three times!

A Little of This & A Little of That

2011-12-15T15:41:00.002-06:00

I haven't posted things about Elijah in awhile so I thought it would be to post a few things.

On Elijah's 3 year check up he was in 3 feet tall and 30 pounds. Still a little on the lower percentage of weight and height, but nothing to worry about. :)
He continues to be a picky eater and eating to him is not important to him
His favorite thing to eat, hands down, is cheese
Still only drinks water and milk
Naps are hit and missed now
If he watches TV, all he wants to watch is Caillou or Mickey Mouse; Sometimes he will watch Sesame Street or Sid the Science Kid
He isn't really into any one particular toy or themed toys
Is really into Christmas this year
One of the funniest things he does is when he does something he shouldn't do, he will say every time, "Mommy/Daddy, don't come see". We LOVE that he hasn't figured out not to tell us...yet.
Is really enjoying school and is doing well. He is excited when it is a school day and especially if it is a day he goes to music.
One of the sweetest things he has started doing lately, is out of the blew, he will say, "Mommy, I want to give you a hug and kiss". Talk about melting my heart every time!

Just some random pics I took of him one very cold evening.

Before the hard freeze, we went out to our backyard and picked the grapefruits so they wouldn't freeze. I think his facial expression is so funny in this picture!

Helping his Daddy put up more Christmas lights. He is really into all the lights this year, and even asked his Daddy to put more out in our yard. Oh course, Byron didn't say no. :)

Below is a few Advent calendar activities we have done over the last 2 weeks. We are doing an activity every other day until the week of Christmas and then we will do an activity everyday.

Baked sugar cookies, iced them and now it's time to decorate them.

Playing with snow (aka shaving cream)

Again, this year, are doing Elf on the Shelf. Elijah is into SO into it this year compared to last year. The first thing he wants to do, as soon as he wakes up, is go to find Jingle Bells. After that it is always to move the candy candy on the Advent calendar and see what the surprise is. Finally, he wants to take off one ring from his countdown chain. Thanks Mrs. Mandy for the chain!

Elijah and Santa 2011

2011-12-09T14:29:00.001-06:00

I started a tradition last year to display Elijah's pictures with Santa from previous years along with the most recent one. It is amazing to us to see how much he has changed from year to year.

'Tis the Season

2011-12-04T15:44:00.001-06:00

Elijah enjoying working on his snowman

Heading to the mailbox to mail his letter to Santa

Den Christmas Tree

View from upstairs - the train wouldn't fit under the tree like we had planned so we put it beside it

Front room tree

Elijah's tree in his room

Going to See Santa

Elijah and Santa

Elijah did GREAT with Santa

Thanksgiving and Other Random Pictures

2011-11-26T15:02:00.001-06:00

We were excited that our friends from Airzona were able to come to Texas to celebrate Thanskgiving with us this year. We had a very relaxing and fun visit.

Watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade... I know, such a sad/serious face...think someone was still tired.

Helping Aunt Pam (not his aunt, but that is what he calls her) peel boiled eggs.

Oh course, our little cook had to be in the kitchen some to help fix ourThanksgiving feast .

My Two Guys

Like Elijah's shirt says, "Gobble till you Wobble!"

Play dough fun later that evening with Aunt Pam

Random Pics

Still loves helping in the kitchen

Snack break while watching football... Go USM!

Picking the first grapefruit from the tree in our backyard.

He had been wanting to do this for a long time and was thrilled he finally got to pick one :)

Birthday Celebration Continues

2011-11-25T14:39:00.001-06:00

Happy Birthday Elijah!

Monday, November 21, 2011

(We held his birthday party on Saturday, November 19th)

Snapped this picture the morning of his birthday

Spotting his 3 balloons on the stairwell

Checking out his birthday banner

The Birthday Boy!

He wanted to have bagels with Mommy for breakfast

And lunch with his Daddy downtown

Enjoying a birthday cupcake after his nap

He wanted Chinese for his birthday dinner so he could have won ton soup

Opening his gift from Mommy and Daddy later that evening

Think he likes it :) Let the cooking begin

He asked for an ice cream cake for his special day

Blowing out the candles

Oh course, he couldn't let any icing go to waste

Elijah is Three!

2011-11-21T14:31:00.001-06:00

On November 21, three years ago today, at 4:44 pm, our miracle was born. We never imagined that one little guy could bring so much love, joy, and happiness into our lives. The love we have for him is unmeasurable. Happy Birthday Elijah! Mommy and Daddy love you!

Celebrating Elijah Turning Three

2011-11-20T15:14:00.001-06:00

Saturday, November 19th, we held Elijah's three year old birthday celebration. This year we had his party at Play Scape (Sugar Creek Baptist Church). We were very grateful for all his friends that attended to help him celebrate this special time! On a personal note, I was very excited to see friends of mine, that I made through teaching, and their sons there too. And Elijah LOVED having both sets of his grandparents there as well. All in all, it was a fun party and Elijah had a blast!! Looking forward to tomorrow (Monday, November 21st) to say "Happy Birthday" to our sweet boy who will be three!

Thanks Mrs. Liz for the cute cupcake toppers!

Here we go Daddy!

Follow me Paw paw :) What can, I say? I have the BEST Dad .... and Mom too!

This is what I pray that at 74 I will still be able to do!!!!

The birthday boy blowing out his candles.

Look Mommy, I made sure all the icing is gone

After the party we headed home for some much needed rest time for all of us. Then Elijah opened up his presents and let me just say he got SO many! In fact, I put some away to pull out at a later date. =)

Fun with Friends

2011-11-13T15:54:00.001-06:00

This week we had two play dates with friends. As you can tell by the pictures below, Elijah had fun on both!

Stomping Grounds with Madeline and Mrs. Whitney

Park with Alyssia and Mrs. Liz

Mrs. Liz being her silly self!

Byron and I feel very lucky that Elijah has such sweet friends!

Veterans Day

2011-11-13T15:03:00.001-06:00

Elijah is very blessed to have both of his grandfathers, as well as several uncles, serve our country proudly in different branches of the military.

The information below is about my father, Robert David Nichols, Elijah's Paw paw.

SENIOR MASTER SERGEANT

ROBERT DAVID NICHOLS

US AIR FORCE

My dad served honorably in the United States Air Force from 1955-1975.

During this time, he was stationed at the following: Lackland AFB, Texas, McGee Tyson AFB, Tennessee, Biggs AFB, Texas, Sewart AFB, Tennessee, Naha AFB, Okinawa, Columbus AFB,Mississippi, Clark AFB, Philippines, Travis AFB, California, Ramey AFB, Puerto Rico, Keesler AFB, Mississippi,Jonson AFB, South Korea and retired at Keesler AFB, Mississippi.

During the time of the Vietnam conflict, his temporary duty included Vietnam and Thailand. His duties included air craft crew chief, flight chief, and NCOIC of Quality Control.

He currently resides with his wife of 51 years, Patricia Ann Nichols, in Raleigh, Mississippi. They are parents of two children, Michael and and Michelle (married to Byron Polk) and grandparents to Hannah Nichols and Elijah Polk.
I love you Daddy! Thank you for your years of service. I love that I have such military pride because of you.

B-O-U-N-C-E

2011-11-07T21:47:00.000-06:00

Byron and I have both secretly been wanting to get Elijah one of these. So, when we talked and realized we were on the same page, we had to do it. It is so nice to finally have a yard big enough to have one and we look forward to using it during his birthday weekend, Thanksgiving holidays, and Christmas holidays. Or anytime the weather is accommodating.

We surprised him with it Sunday and to say he was happy is an under statement. He had the BEST time playing in it and we had a lot of fun watching him as well. An added bonus was all that bouncing worked up a great appetite and Elijah ate more for dinner than we have seen in a long time. :)

Excuse our back yard, it is still a work in progress

What a great way to end a wonderful family weekend!

*Yes, the clothes are mis-matched and too big, but Sunday afternoons at our house is all about comfort. Ha ha!

Love This Smile!

2011-11-03T15:17:00.001-05:00

This is Elijah's new school picture. I LOVE that he smiled so big!

A Month of Thanksgiving (will be updated daily)

2011-11-02T14:55:00.001-05:00

A lot of my friends are doing this on Face book, but I thought it would be neat to do on our blog so that Elijah could have it when he gets older. So here we go...
Day 1 - SO thankful that God gave us our miracle we prayed so long for! Elijah you are an amazing kid and you bring so much to our life each and every day. We love you more than you will ever know!! We are so thankful that God's plan was for you to be a part of our lives.
Day 2 - Thankful for my amazing husband! I am blessed to be married to a man who loves me unconditionally for 21 years (well, 22 counting the year we dated) I am appreciate all of your hard work, your big heart, your compassion toward others, your faith/morals, and the great Dad you are to our son. I love you!
Day 3- Thankful for my wonderful parents, the model of being good parents the have been for me. and how they love me unconditionally...which isn't always easy. I thankful too that they are still alive and can continue to be an important part of my life and their grandson, Elijah's, life.
Day 4-  Thankful for being a child of God and for my relationship with Him. For His everlasting love is what sustains me!
Day 5 - Thankful that Byron, Elijah, and myself are blessed with being healthy. Being an older parent, I really realize how lucky you are when you have good health... both mentally and physically. Thank you dear Lord!
Day 6 - Thankful that I/my family live in a country were we have freedom of religion and we can come together with other Christians to worship and praise God.
Day 7- Thankful for a husband who supported me in the decision of  being a stay-at-home Mom for Elijah and for all of his hard work he does daily so this is possible.
Day 8- Thankful for Christ Church School where Elijah attends pre-school. I can't say enough about the school, teachers and entire staff.They are wonderful! Makes my heart smile that Elijah loves going to school.
Day 9- Thankful for the wonderful pharmacy staff at HEB. They are always so nice to all three of us and they don't mind the million questions that I call them with
Day 10 - Thankful for my friends who accept me as I am and are always there for me when I need them the most.
Day 11 - Thankful for all the veterans past and present who have served this great country. I am especially thankful for my dad, David Nichols, who served with pride for twenty years in the United States Air Force.
Day 12 - Thankful that both sets of Elijah's grandparents were able to be at the hospital the day Elijah (our miracle) was born. Also, thankful that all his grandparents are all still alive, as well as his great-grandmother. And thankful that my parents were able to be present when their only daughter  become a mom for the first and only time, especially after waiting so long and seeing their only grandson!!
Day 13- Thankful that I have a husband who enjoys cooking, even after a long day at work, and is very good at it.
Day 14 - Thankful that Elijah likes going to church so much and that he always wants to give an offer to the church even without us asking or mentioning it.
Day 15 - Thankful that our house "might" be sold

Day 16- Thankful that we have a place to call home and come together as a family each night
Day 17- Thankful for Elijah's pediatrician, Dr Gmoser and his staff. None of them mind my numerous phone call/questions/need for advice.
Day 18 - Thankful that at the toughest times of my life when I am at the end of my rope, that I can always say "Let go, let God!" and there is always a sense of peace
Day 19- Thankful that Elijah's birthday party to celebrate this 3rd birthday was a success. But most importantly Elijah had fun and enjoyed celebrating with his his friends. He said "Mommy and Daddy, I had fun"
Day 20 - Thankful that my husband has a job and that it is one he enjoys.
Day 21 - Thankful that three years ago today, the love and joy of our lives was born at 4:44 healthy and precious! Happy Birthday Elijah!

Halloween Part 2: Trick-or-Treating

2011-11-01T17:32:00.000-05:00

Byron and I thought if was neat to see the difference in Elijah trick-or-treating this year compared to last year. This year, Mommy and Daddy did not have to walk with him to any doors. Plus any house that didn't have their front porch light on he wanted to know they weren't giving out candy. :) He really understood it better this year and he had a lot of fun. So did his Mommy and Daddy watching him.

Oh course, we had to go to Ms. Betty's house first

Ms. Betty is one of the sweetest ladies and neighbors we have ever had!

Jacob and Elijah

We were shocked that Elijah didn't get upset/cry when Brandon came out of the casket unexpectaly. Elijah just looked at him like " what are you doing?" He he!

Elijah and our dear friend, Mrs. Mindy

Halloween Part 1: Pre Trick-or-Treating Party

2011-11-01T12:46:00.000-05:00

Byron and I are very grateful that even though we have moved into another neighborhood, that our former neighbors (who we still consider our friends) still include us in their events. We had a great time at the pre trick-or-treating party with the The Crossings crew! A special thank you to Dawn and Kennedy for organizing it again this year.

Heading to the party (sorry for the blurry picture)

Bac bringing out the huge pinata for the kids

Can we help?

And some more help too :)

Trying his luck at the smaller one

Tried a few times at the cat, but was ready to move on to the pumpkin

Man, this is hard work

Did someone say candy?

The smile of success

It's Pumpkin Carving Time

2011-10-31T14:28:00.001-05:00

Last night, Elijah and Byron carved our pumpkin for Halloween. They did a great job! Now that Elijah is older, he really enjoyed more this year. We saved some pumpkin seeds to plant in our garden. Not sure how they will do but we are going to give it a try. ;)

"Hey, any candy in there?"

Happy Halloween!

HUMC Harvest Fest

2011-10-30T16:47:00.000-05:00

This year our church (Harvest United Methodist) held it 2nd Harvest Fest. Elijah and I were able to attend last year but Byron was out of town. However, this year all three of us were able to go. The weather was perfect on Saturday for this event and all three of us had a fun time.

Trick or Trunking

Elijah was not sure about the hand :)

Driving the fire truck

Elijah giving his Daddy a kiss! I LOVE this picture!

Great throw

Another good throw

He actually got 3 three in a row for tick-tack-toe

After the fest, we headed to the park for some more fun

He really enjoys going down slides

This is what we found waiting for us in our yard when we returned home. Elijah got so excited when he saw it.

Fun Day at School

2011-10-28T15:07:00.000-05:00

When we asked Elijah what he wanted to be for Halloween, he told us an astronaut. Not really knowing where this idea came from we decided to ask him. After talking to him we found out that he decided he wanted to be this after seeing the final space shuttle launch and from watching an astronaut episode on a show he likes. We both were taken back because we didn't think he had put this much thought into it and had just decided it randomly. It is amazing what kids think sometimes and their reasoning behind it. :)

So, this week at school, the kids could wear their costumes and were going to have a special lunch and activities too. Elijah had a great time and talked to me about his day all the way home.

"Houston, this is the cutest astronaut we have ever seen!"

Trying to get three boys to all look at the camera at the same time is basically impossible. (Elijah, Hayes, and Christopher)

They are all so cute!

Ms. Denise and Mrs. Dana ready for a fun day

Dewberry Farm - Part 2

2011-10-24T13:02:00.000-05:00

And the fun continues

Enjoying the hayride to the pumpkin patch

Daddy's turn on the train ride

And yes, we had to go back to the Corn House before we left

Heading home after a fun filled day!

Dewberry Farm - Part 1

2011-10-23T14:52:00.006-05:00

Last year we went to Dewberry Farm in Brokshire for the first time and had a lot of fun and we knew we wanted to go back again this year. So, on Saturday we headed there again. We were there almost four hours and had a wonderful time. Elijah did great and had a wonderful time! The weather was beautiful and there was even a very nice breeze. It was a little crowded but we were very lucky and timed everything just right. Nice!
Waiting in line to get our tickets
The Corn House
Elijah LOVED the Corn House

Time to feed the goats

Petting a pig

Getting ready for the duck races
Working hard to win
Enjoying the train ride with Mommy
Having a lot of fun with Daddy on the slide

Father and Son

2011-10-21T13:25:00.011-05:00

Below are some pictures that I captured of Byron and Elijah over the last week. They always have so much fun together!

Throwing rocks down by the river

Both of my guys had to have sticks to make some marks in the dirt as they walked :)

It's coloring time

Elijah gave Byron a big hug when they were done and said thank you Daddy for coloring with me. SO sweet!
Byron's picture that is now hanging up in Elijah's room

The smile that the two of us can't get enough of

A new interest for Elijah and one that Mommy doesn't like...

Climbing tress. Byron was behind the tree holding him in this picture, I promise.

Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-18T11:38:00.004-05:00

On Sunday afternoon we went to the pumpkin patch in Sienna. It was a beautiful day and we left with three pumpkins in tow. Two picked out by Elijah and one chosen by Byron to carve later into a jack-o-lantern.

First pumpkin pick

Second pumpkin pick (Sorry for the glare on the picture but the sun was so bright!)

CCS Carnival

2011-10-17T12:25:00.005-05:00

Friday night CCS held it's annual carnival. This year Elijah enjoyed it more because he understood the games, etc better. Unfortunately, Byron wasn't able to go with us because he was traveling back home from a business trip. So we made sure we took pictures for him. Elijah and I had a good time and it was fun to see our friends too.

Love that smile!
Out of 3 shots with the football, Elijah made 2 of them. Who knows maybe we have a football player on our hands. :)

Hoops anyone?

This was called "The Needle in the Haystack" and if you look closely you can see the green prize Elijah found.

Our New Home

2011-10-12T14:12:00.005-05:00

Well, I finally got around to posting some pictures of our new house. We moved in on Labor Day weekend and have been enjoying it ever since. We have many home improvement projects that need to be done or that we want to do but we know it takes time and of course, money. :) Like my Dad told me, "Rome wasn't built in a day". Hey, it took us 10 years to get our previous home the way we wanted it. So, in other words, be patient Michelle! Ha ha!
Our other house is still for sale and we continue to pray that it will sale very soon! We have had several showings and one offer but unfortunately it didn't work out. Right now we are just trying to keep a positive attitude about the situation and hoping that it will all work out.
We feel very blessed to have this new home and we look forward to many wonderful years in it as a family.

Ladybug Fun

2011-10-09T14:29:00.003-05:00

On Friday, Elijah attended his good friend, Evie's, birthday party. The party had a "ladybug" theme and Elijah, as well as all the other kids, had a lot of fun.
Getting ready to make his ladybug hat
The finished product
The birthday girl - ladybug wings and all :)
Elijah showing Mrs. Andrea he found all of his ladybugs in the ladybug hunt
Listening to Mrs. Andrea to find out how you play the ladybug spot game
Elijah enjoying some cake and ice cream

"We"dnesday

2011-10-01T13:55:00.006-05:00

Lately, I have been feeling that Elijah's schedule was becoming a little to busy and he and I weren't having enough quality time as mommy and son. Wasn't that the whole point of me not teaching/working anymore so that I could spend time with our son and create wonderful memories? So I talked to Byron about how I was feeling and we made a decision to let go of an activity that he was involved in. And I am so happy we did! Now, Elijah and I have a day every week for us to go and have some fun, no errands, etc, just fun! We are calling it "WE"dnesday.

On this particular WEdnesday, we headed to the Glazary. Elijah decided to paint a coffee cup for his Daddy just like he had seen in an episode of "Calliou". He did a good job and we get to pick up the final product this Sunday.
When we first arrived
Trying is best
This is fun Mommy!
Bonnie, the sweet young lady that works there, painted Elijah's hand so he could put his hand print on his daddy's cup.

*I will post a picture of the final product once we pick it up*

How a Hat Choice Makes You Stop and Say Thank You!

2011-09-28T15:53:00.006-05:00

On Tuesday, Elijah's school had hat day. When Elijah picked out his "Top Gun USAF" hat to wear, I was secretly loving it because my Dad served in the Air Force for twenty years. That is when his choice made me stop and think... Elijah, is very blessed to have his Pawpaw, Granddaddy, Great Uncle Mitchell, Uncle Blake, and cousin Mark serve this great country in the military. Because of SO many men and woman like them, is why Elijah enjoys the freedom that he has today! We, our family of three, would like to say thank you to all the men and woman of the military, past and present, for the sacrifices you have made and continue to make for us every single day! God Bless America!

The Next Iron Chef?

2011-09-27T13:20:00.005-05:00

Disclaimer:
Elijah was supervised the entire time he was using the butter knife.

Elijah continues to enjoy being in the kitchen and helping out when he can. This particular night, he wanted to help his Daddy cut the fresh green beans that we were having for dinner.

Concentrating very hard on what he is doing

Showing us his knife skills

Love this smile!

Showing us his hard work

Remembering

2011-09-21T13:18:00.004-05:00

Last night Elijah asked for me to read to him from his Beginner's Bible. The next story for us to read was "The Visitors" Genesis 18;21. After finishing the story and talking to him about it, I couldn't help but start to remember.

Remembering how less than 24 hours after Elijah was born, he was transported by ambulance (aka The Kangaroo Crew) to Texas Children's Hospital. During his stay there he had a wonderful nurse who's name was Sarah - just like from the story. He also had a fantastic doctor who's name was Dr. Prophet. These two amazing professionals were both there to take care of our miracle, Elijah (which means "The Lord is my God" - Hebrew)

There isn't any other way for us to remember this experience other than to know that God was in control of the situation . And He had to be... just look at the names of those making sure Elijah was going to be OK. Just like in the Bible story I shared with Elijah, we were given our miracle just like Sarah and Abraham. We even shared the older parent component as well :-)
So I felt happy to know that the story I had just shared with our son last night, helped me to stop and remember!

Sarah and Byron - Sarah went with us to see us off and make sure we were good with the car seat as well. :) She even called to check on us a couple of times once we got home. She was our saving grace during this whole experience!

Our little guy finally heading home!

Settling In

2011-09-17T13:42:00.009-05:00

On August 25, 2011, we closed, on what we hope will be our last home for us...well, until retirement. :) Then on Thursday, September 1st, we started the moving process. We were SO lucky to have my parents here for 5 days to help us with the move. Even though we hired movers for the furniture and larger items, we could not have done it without them. They helped us out SO much! It was an exhausting five days, but worth all the work.
We have been in the house now for 17 days and are settling in nicely. An adjustment that we have had to make is getting used to owning a home that is 12 years old. Our previous home was new construction but we know in time and along with several home improvement projects that it will an amazing home for our family. One feeling that Byron and I both felt when we viewed this house that was that it seemed like a "home" and not just a house. Not to mention that it had the three things we really wanted in our next house. Nice! :) We are looking forward to watching Elijah grow up here and creating wonderful family memories now and in the years to come.

Elijah chilling at the end of a very long moving day. We were only in the house for 2 days when Elijah said to me, "Mommy, I really like our house". There were a lot of changes for him over a two week period but he handled it better than we thought he would. What a trooper!
Byron and my Dad breaking in the kitchen at the new house. So lucky to have a husband and a father who are both great cooks!

One evening after a very exhausting day of unpacking and moving, Elijah said he wanted to go fishing. So thanks to Pawpaw, Elijah was able to fish. Who would have thought a bucket, water, soda cans, and bottle tops would make Elijah so happy, but it did!

I took this picture this week. Elijah likes going into the utility room when I am doing laundry and watching the washing machine. As you can tell by this picture,he was really into it. I have to say, he is a great helper where laundry is concerned.

*We are praying that our other house sales quickly, at a good price, and that someone and/or a family will feel like it is meant to be their home as it was for us for over 12 great years.

First Day of School

2011-09-04T14:53:00.007-05:00

Well, I have done a horrible job lately with blogging but I do have a good reason. Over the last couple of days we have moved out of our house into a new one (to us). Things have been crazy but exciting! During this last week, Elijah started back to school and we are so happy to say that he had a GREAT first week and is liking school. He ate his entire lunch which is huge for him, had no accidents, and didn't talk during nap time. This year he has chapel, PE, and music. He has experienced two of these additional activities so far, and he has nothing but good things to say about them. :) We are looking forward to another wonderful year.
His new backpack and lunchbox he picked out
Tried to get a picture of him that morning but he was not in the mood.
Wearing his new backpack - yes, it is almost bigger than him. :)
Arriving at school
Walking in like a big boy
Walked in and started having fun

Getting a high five from Mrs. Dana
He was excited about his surprise from us for doing such a great job on his first day.

Cooling Off

2011-08-28T13:22:00.004-05:00

After arriving home on Friday exhausted and hot, I noticed that Mrs. Betty's (our friend/neighbor) sprinkler was on. So off I sent Elijah, still fully dressed, to have some fun and cool down. And he did both :)

Meet The Teacher

2011-08-26T13:23:00.006-05:00

On Thursday Elijah and I attended his "Meet Your Teacher/Open House" at Christ Church School. I was very happy to hear that he has Mrs. Zimmer this year because I taught her son when he was in first grade. Now she is teaching our son. Mrs. Zimmer has been teaching at CCS for 17 years and all of those years have been with the 2 1/2's who will turning 3. So I have no doubt that Elijah will be in great hands this school year...again. After meeting both of his teachers is was obvious that he really liked them (as well as his mommy) and is ready for school to start. As of right now, there are 7 kids in his class and 2 of them are friends from his class last year, so that is an added bonus. All three of us are excited about his first day of school next week. Post to come about that later.
At home before we left to go to the Open House
Didn't take him long to find a car and the grocery cart
Elijah and his friend, Hayes
Mrs. Denice (Zimmer) his teacher
Having a conversation with Mrs. Zimmer about Caillou
Mrs. Dana (Rice), his other teacher

Post Idea from a Friend

2011-08-09T12:44:00.003-05:00

My friend, Alli, got this cute ideal from a friend's blog she follows. So I asked her could I steal it from her and she said yes. Thanks Alli! Like she said, it is very fascinating to hear kid's perspectives at different ages. I plan on asking these same questions again, when Elijah turns three.

What is your name? Elijah Nichols Polk
How old are you? Two
What is your favorite animal? cow, sheep, ducks, chickens - Actually I like all animals
What is your favorite color? Red (When you ask him this question other times, he will always say yellow. But we had just finished up VBS and his group's shirts were red)
Who is your best friend? Noah (This was a little boy in his class at school yet they never hang out together :) I thought sure he would say Evie)
What do you want to be when you grow up? a dentist, police officer, and a doctor
What is your favorite movie? All the movies
What is your favorite book? That's How Much God Loves You
What makes your happy? Coloring
What makes you sad? The lamp What do you mean the lamp? When you won't let me turn on and off the lamp in the den
What is your favorite thing to eat? Mac and Cheese, cheese, and carrots (Thought this was funny since he won't eat carrots)
What is your favorite song? You Are My Sunshine
What is your favorite game to play? Starfall
Where does Daddy work? Downtown Houston
Where does Mommy work? Home (I was surprised by this answer because I was expecting him to say that I didn't work. So, I loved this answer!)

When we got finished he asked me if I had anymore questions for him. I responded no, but asked him if he wanted me to ask him more and he said yes. He then proceeded to tell me he thought that was fun. :) Thank you again Alli for allowing me to borrow this ideal from you.

Friends

2011-07-27T13:21:00.005-05:00

Evie, Elijah's friend from school, came over this week for a play date. They had a good time and it was so sweet to hear all the laughter.

A little coloring after playing upstairs
Could he get any closer to her? He was trying his best to sit in the seat with her. :)

Making pizzas

Picnic Time

Enjoying their pizza while watching Caillou.

Growing Up

2011-07-22T08:20:00.002-05:00

I thought it would be good to do an update on Elijah since it has been awhile. I apologize for the length of this post but we want to remember these things and have them for Elijah to reflect on as he gets older.

At 2 years, 8 months, and 1 day old, Elijah
-Attended his first summer camp and loved it!
-Continues to not eat a lot but is willing to try more foods now
-Potty trained
-Sleeps in a big boy bed and still has no attachment to a stuffed animal and/or his blanket
-Continues to love being outside
-Is a great traveler
-Likes to sing
-Vocabulary is extensive
-Loves to talk… all the time :)
-Ask a lot of questions/ very inquisitive
-Remembers everything- I mean everything!
-Likes to help me load and unload the washing machine, dryer, and dishwasher. He is a good helper.
-Enjoys helping us cook and making his own pizzas
-Says his prayers at night all by himself – it is the sweetest thing in the world to listen too!
-Wants to do everything by himself and gets upset :( if we help him, even when we need to help
-Has got a definite stubborn streak
-Likes going to the pool
-Continues to like rocks – finding them, throwing them in water, and has even started a rock collection
-Still likes going to Lowes and Home Depot
-Enjoys going to church
-Has become a big Daddy’s boy
-Compassionate toward others
-Enjoys playing educational games more
-Seems to prefer showers instead of baths now
-Continues to enjoy being read to
-Very energetic (kind of like the Engerzier Bunny- he he!)
-Continues to make us laugh
But most of all he continues to steal our hearts every day.
We love you Elijah! To heaven and back, and then some!!

Aloha Island Camp 2011

2011-07-16T07:12:00.005-05:00

This week Elijah attended his first summer camp. The camp was Monday-Thursday from 9:30-1:30. Elijah had so much fun!! Everyday on the way home, he would tell me all about the things he did and how he liked camp. As a teacher, I loved hearing his enthusiasm about learning. Mrs. Andrea did a wonderful job! An added bonus was Elijah's friend, Evie, was attending the camp too. We couldn't have asked for better first camp experience for him. He is already looking forward to attending again next week.
This week's theme was "Aloha Island"
This is the surprise gifts we were given at the end of the week. Elijah enjoys looking through the photo book and telling us all about the things he did at camp. Thank you Mrs. Andrea for everything!

Continued Likes and Some New Ones

2011-07-11T12:22:00.013-05:00

The Old Still loves being outside...If he could stay out there, he would!
Continues to like looking for rocks and adding them to his rock collection. Too funny how serious he looks in this picture.
Finally likes his ITouch instead of our phones. We have some educational websites that we downloaded for him and he enjoys playing over and over.
Still likes helping Daddy water our potted plants.

The New Elijah only wants to take showers now instead of a bath which I love. It makes getting ready for bedtime quicker and it is so much easier on my back. Yes, I do have a picture of him taking his first shower, but didn't think it would be appropriate to post it on our blog. :)
He wants to help me unload the dishwasher now and the silverware is his job - minus the knives, of course. He even wanted to do it on vacation.
Enjoys pretending to drive a car. His favorites to drive? Ours!
Another food added to this picky eaters list, just never thought it would be cottage cheese. Obviously, the one shown is for me. He doesn't need decuded fat at all. He he!

A Fourth of July Suprise

2011-07-06T20:21:00.011-05:00

What a surprise we had when my parents decided to come spend the Fourth with us. The reason I say surprised isn't because they were coming to see us, but because it had only been two weeks since my mom (Nana) had knee replacement surgery. She is such a trooper! We had good visit and Elijah had SO much fun! It was a good weekend and a wonderful Fourth of July.
Pawpaw and Elijah trying to be sneaking but they got caught :)
Helping his Pawpaw cook

Happy Fourth
Mid morning we headed to the pool to start off our Fourth

Elijah and his Nana poolside

Afternoon pool time

Eating watermelon in the pool= fun

Think he has out grown this?

Later that afternoon Byron, Elijah, and Pawpaw headed to the hill in Sienna for more Fourth fun.

I love this picture!

Vacation 2011 Final Post - Springfield and Lambert's Cafe

2011-07-06T13:28:00.007-05:00

On our final day of vacation we drove to Springfield, MO to check out the largest Bass Pro Shop in the US (as of today). To say it is big, is an understatement! They had numerous tanks for fish, alligators, and turtles. Every time you turned around there was something else to see. Glad we got to check it out.
Do you need a hug?
Hey, what's in here Mommy?

He had a good time pretending to drive the boats

Byron and Elijah were looking at the adult and baby turtles that were swimming and lounging around

Checking out the fish

Lambert's Cafe
Byron had seen this place on the Food Network so we decided to check it out. They are know for their flying rolls. The atmosphere, food, and service was great!

This was right after he caught the roll. Byron snapped a picture when Elijah caught it, but it turned out so blurry that you couldn't really make it out. :( The guy throwing the rolls seemed very surprised that Elijah caught the roll all on his own because it was a fast and long toss. I know we were :)

Taking his first bite of the roll

Check out the size of his cup! He thought it was too cool.

It wsa a very relaxing and fun vacation! Just what we neeed!

Vacation 2011 - Happy Anniversary (Part 4)

2011-07-05T16:09:00.013-05:00

Branson Landing is where we started our day on June 30th. Did a little shopping and oh course when shopping everyone needs a break for some lunch.
Having a little fun before eating some yummy BBQ

We followed Famous Dave on a recent Food Network BBQ competition. The BBQ was very good and the jalapeno mac and cheese was a favorite for Byron and I.

Pam and Elijah doing some leaf rubbings later that afternoon.

Anniversary Night21st Anniversary celebration at Worman House

It was a wonderful night and a romatic way to celebrate our life together!

Vacation 2011 - Table Rock Lake (Part 3)

2011-07-05T15:03:00.003-05:00

Tuesday we headed out to Table Rock Lake for a day of fun. The weather was perfect and it was such a relaxing time! This was Elijah's first time on a boat and he was in heaven. In fact, the next day he kept saying he wanted to go out on the boat again. Think it is safe to say that we see more boat adventures in our future.
Our boat captain for the day
Such a sweet picture
Pam and Gil were wearing life vest because neither one of them felt comfortable with their swimming abilities. :) And an added plus was that it made Elijah feel better to know he wasn't the only one having to wear one. We were shocked that he didn't ask one time to take his life vest off.

Byron and Elijah even braved the super cold waters to take a little dip.

Vacation 2011- SIlver Dollar City (Part 2)

2011-07-05T14:26:00.004-05:00

We decided that since we were in the area, we could check out Silver Dollar City. When we got to the theme park on Sunday, things didn't start off smoothly. Elijah was really scared by an unexpected LOUD noise and it took him awhile to settle down from that. Poor baby! But once he did, he was fine and had fun. And another factor that played into our visit not going so well was the heat. It was HOT! But we made the best of the situation and kept on going. Our friends Pam and Gil met at Silver Dollar City while working there and later they married.

The dogs in this show were amazing and an extra bonus was that it let us cool down for awhile.

At the end our adventure, Elijah had fun playing in the Lego area at the park. Note to self: All future visits to amusement/theme parks will be in the fall - especially Disney World!

Vacation 2011- Our Home Away from Home (Part 1)

2011-07-05T12:00:00.006-05:00

This year we decided to head to Branson, MO for our family vacation. We both had been wanting to see what this area was like. We stayed in a small town outside of Branson called Spingdale. That is where our cabin we rented for the week was located.
The view of the back of the cabin
The living area
Some artwork around the grounds
Our backyard critters :) They came out every afternoon and were funny to watch

A short walking distance from the cabin was a play area that Elijah loved going to.

Having some fun with our friend, Gil.

Say Cheese...

2011-06-30T15:46:00.003-05:00

...as in Chuck E. Cheese. Before we left for our vacation (yes, this posting is getting done late), Mrs. Liz and her 2 daughters invited us to join them there for some fun. This was Elijah's first time to Chuck E Cheese and he had a good time. He was more into riding things than playing the games. But he did earn enough of tickets to get two prices. Plus we stayed cool instead of dealing with the summer heat.

Questions and Answers - Father's Day 2011

2011-06-21T13:24:00.003-05:00

This year I wanted to do something different for my Father's Day post. I wanted to hear Elijah’s perspective on this Father's Day. My goal was to create a post that Byron and Elijah could read for years to come and that would hopefully bring a big smile to their faces.
So below is the question and answer session that Elijah and I had about his Dad.
*No prompting was done by me to help Elijah with his answers :)

Me: What do you want to say to your Daddy today for Father’s Day?
Elijah: I love him
Me: How much do you love your Daddy?
Elijah: This much! (As he stretches his arms out as wide as he can)

Me: What are some things you like to do with your Daddy?
Elijah: Build towers and knock them down, go to the pool, go to HEB, go to Lowes and ride the lawn movers, take out the trash and recycle, help him cook, and just play with him.

Me: What do you like about your Daddy?
Elijah: He makes me laugh, reads me bed time stories, takes me places, let’s me help him make his coffee, let’s me push his lawn mower, and he helped me get the yellow ball from the machine.

Me: What is so special about your Daddy?
Elijah: Mommy and Me
Me: What do you mean Mommy and Me?
Elijah: Daddy loves Mommy and me! (This answer is priceless!)

It was a wonderful Father’s Day. We started the morning off with presents, went to church, and then had lunch at the Swinging Door. That is Byron’s favorite place to eat BBQ. The rest of the day was relaxing and spent being together as a family.
Byron, you are amazing father! Elijah and I are both blessed to have you in our lives. Happy Father's Day.We love you SO much!

Random Pictures and another Milestone

2011-06-15T14:04:00.003-05:00

Got ice cream?
Helping his Daddy decide what they need to get from HEB
Downtown with Daddy checking out the demolition of the YMCA
Looking cute wearing his Daddy's safety glasses
Enjoying some chicken with Alyssa on a play date
Having fun with the mowers at Home Depot

The milestone? Well, it's actually a milestone for Byron and I. Elijah was left with a babysitter for the first time on Tuesday. Yes, I know those of you reading this are saying, "Are you kidding me? First time?" We hear that a lot, but... :) We have left with family member's before but never someone outside of the family. I was lucky enough to have a friend's college daughter keep him. He loved her and they had a great time! We were so proud of how we did. And yes, she will be keeping him again some this summer.

Have You Ever... Part 2

2011-06-13T15:02:00.005-05:00

The fun continues...

Byron getting ready to pull the rib cord. We both were surprised that he got to do this. Too neat!
Coming in for the landing

Elijah on the way home wearing the crown he got at Burger King that morning. He was SO great the whole time we were there (which was several hours) and had a lot of fun too. Such a big boy.

We are excited that we ended up with so many great pictures (this is just very few of them) and the video we got made rocks! In fact, Elijah loves watching it over and over.

Have You Ever... Part 1

2011-06-13T14:35:00.006-05:00

...jumped out of a perfectly good airplane? Well, that is what Byron did Saturday. This was my gift to him for his 50th birthday. Since this was a special birthday, I wanted to do something he would always remember. Mission accomplished! It was a wonderful time for all three of us but an experience that Byron will never forget!!
Suiting up
Elijah helping his Daddy out
Waiting for the plane
Getting ready to board
No turning back now
Byron and Rob (his instructor)
Getting ready to jump

Here we go!

Growing Up

2011-06-07T14:00:00.005-05:00

In the last month, a lot of big changes have happened with Elijah. The changes are exciting, but sad too because it means our baby is growing up. :(

Our first big change is Elijah is now potty trained. I was not ready for it and had planned on waiting closer to him turning 3. But he was ready, so we went with it. He has done better than we could ever have hoped for and because we did it when he was ready, I truly believe it made all the difference in the world. I just kept it laid back and positive and that worked great for him. Realistically though, we know that until he gets older, that we will have to stay on top of this every day. :)
We do have him in a pull-up only at nighttime, because we can tell he still needs it at this point. Yes, the pull-up will be going away soon. All other times though, he is in "big boy" underwear. Yippee!

The second big change that has occurred is that Elijah now sleeps in a big boy bed. He still loved his crib but we decided to move him because he had started sleeping with his legs through the slats because he wouldn't give up his favorite corner to improve the situation. He would wake up and have major marks on his legs and we just couldn't see him that way. We also knew with traveling this summer it would make the trips a lot easier. He seems to really like his "big boy" bed and has been doing wonderful with his naps and bedtime in it. I think the biggest shocker, to both of us, as of this posting,is he has never gotten out of his bed or has even tried. But then again, he never got out of this crib either. :) We are still looking for bedding and are in the process of redecorating his room to look more like a boy's room instead of a nursery.

Think he likes his new bed?

Mommy and Daddy are SO proud of you Elijah!

Oklahoma Trip Final Post - Mim's Birthday Dinner

2011-06-03T13:35:00.005-05:00

Saturday night, about 25 of us gathered for a dinner to celebrate Mim turning 90. Mim seemed to enjoy the evening. Byron and I think she looks amazing and does well to be 90. It was a very special time for all of us.
Elijah giving Mim a birthday hug - so sweet!

Love that smile :)

Mim with her daughters, Barbara (left) and Evelyn. Barb is Byron's aunt and Mrs. Evelyn is Byron's mom.

The two birthday girls

Oklahoma Trip Part 3 - Chisholm Trail Museum

2011-06-02T13:57:00.005-05:00

Saturday, May 28th, we went to the Chisholm Trail Museum. Byron and I had already been to this museum before but wanted to take Elijah this time. I think it is fair to say that the pictures show he had a great time.

Uncle Blake helping Elijah rope a Longhorn and being sill at the same time :)
Mim, Elijah, and Aunt Brenda

Mim on her 90th birthday with her grandchildren - Brenda, Byron, and Blake
Trying his hand at branding.

Oklahoma Trip Part 2 - Kiddieland Park

2011-06-01T15:15:00.009-05:00

On Friday evening, all fourteen of us headed to a local Mexican restaurant for dinner. The food was good (not Texas good, but good) and so was the company.

Brenda (Byron's sister) and Mim (Byron's grandmother) both share the same birthday, May 28th.

Oh course, Elijah had to get in on the fun

Kiddieland Park
After dinner, we headed to Kiddieland Park with Uncle Blake and his family. This was a very special time for Byron and Blake (Byron's brother) because when they were younger and visited Duncan, they would go to this park as well. It was wonderful to know that Elijah was able to experience the same fun that both his Daddy and Uncle Blake did growing up. Not sure who smiled more while we were there...Byron, Blake, or Elijah? :)

Enjoying riding the train

Elijah had the best time riding the airplanes. It was one of those moments that as we watched him he seemed so grown up and was so happy! It really was a special moment for us. When I later told Elijah's Pawpaw about this, he loved it because he too loves planes and spent his military career around them.
Pre-flight check
Ready to go

Hot and tired, but we had SO much fun!

Oklahoma Trip Part 1 - Mt. Scott

2011-05-31T14:12:00.006-05:00

This past week, we headed to Duncan, Oklahoma to be a part of Byron's grandmother's 90th birthday celebration. So Friday morning, we headed to Mt. Scott with Uncle Blake, Aunt Michelle, Lindsey, and Ashton. We had a great time!!
Just one of the incredible views from the top. To say it was windy at the top was an major understatement!

"I'm king of the world"
Our little guy doing some rock climbing

A baby Longhorn
The Longhorns roam freely in this area
Getting ready to throw some rocks - Uncle Blake did a great job skipping rocks on water!

Throwing rocks that his Aunt Michele gave him (yes, both brothers married Michelle's... got to love it!)
And buffalo roam freely too
After a great morning at Mt. Scott we head to Meers for some yummy lunch. The dives are always the best places to eat. :)

Jamming on his Way to School

2011-05-20T11:00:00.006-05:00

It is hard for us to believe that Thursday, May 19th, was Elijah's last day of preschool. This was him jamming on the way to school that morning. The music you hear is from his motorcycle that his Pawpaw gave him. What a happy boy! :)

Changes are Happening All Around

2011-05-14T14:08:00.006-05:00

It’s hard for us to believe that next week our sweet Elijah will be turning 2 ½! Time is just passing by so fast. And with the passing of time, there have been some exciting changes happening with him.

We have started potty training. I wasn’t ready at all, but Elijah started showing a lot of interest in it. He can successfully do both things where going to the potty is concerned and is doing very well over-all. I wanted to keep this transition laid back and pressure free and that seems to have been just what Elijah needed. He is already using the adult toliet and his pull-ups are staying almost dry during the day. So, we will be saying farewell to the pull-ups after our trip (we are driving) to Oklahoma at the end of this month. Elijah has totally amazed us with this process and we are both very grateful for that. :) We still have a way to go but are are the right track.

Talking on the phone now has become something he enjoys doing. He actually will/can carry on an understandable conversation when he talks to someone. This comes in very handy when Byron is traveling.

Byron and I have always been surprised by Elijah’s vocabulary, but in the last couple of weeks, it has taken off. In fact, his teacher called this week to tell us that she is blown away by how his vocabulary has expanded lately. We love calls like that!

He has always been somewhat independent when it comes to doing things but it has now turned to being very independent when he does EVERYTHING! Which is good and bad, it just depends on the situation.

Elijah now enjoys singing all by himself. Some of his favorite songs to sing are “Jesus Loves Me”, “You are My Sunshine”, and “Twinkle, Twinkle.”

We love you Elijah and are so proud of you!!

Helping Mommy clean

Thank You!

2011-05-10T11:19:00.004-05:00

I had a wonderful Mother's Day. The morning began with being showered with gifts and cards. Later that morning we attended church and went out for lunch. Lunch was then followed by nap time for everyone :). It was a fun and relaxing day!

Thank you God for choosing me to be Elijah's mother and thank you Elijah for blessing my life!

Mommy LOVES Elijah!
My mom was here on Mother's Day this year.
Elijah and Nana on Mother's Day

Watching Elijah play in his pool was a great way to end my Mother's Day. He had so much fun.

Mother's Day Tea

2011-05-06T15:02:00.007-05:00

Thursday, I had the privilege to attend my first Mother's Day Tea at Elijah's school. It was such an wonderful experience and a memory that I will never forget. Thank you Elijah for blessing my life and for the the privilege of being your Mom! Like I tell you each night..."I love you to heaven and back and then some!"

Mrs. Joyce, Elijah's teacher. How he loves and respects her :) And he feels the same way about his other teacher too, Ms. Lisa.

Our gifts

Ms Lisa trying to get a group shot which is very hard. Out of 8 kids in his class, three of the Moms are expecting.

Vacuuming and ready to help clean up

A Little Bit of This and a Little Bit of That

2011-05-04T13:53:00.009-05:00

Here are some things that have been taking place in our lives the in the last week.

Elijah's final school picture for this year.

Byron and I getting ready to enjoy the Sienna Sip and Stroll. This is an annual tradition for us :)

The pictures below were taken at a birthday party that we attend
Buddy (our neighbor's dog) and Elijah
Hug time with Buddy
Playing in tent
Just chillin

Singing with Daddy at church (No, I don't carry a camera with me to church normally. But my mom was with us and she had hers, so I snapped this shot)

Elijah and his Nana!

"Look Mom! The daisies that I planted are starting to grow!"

Now, this is a different kind of hat for him - hehe!