Elliot's Educational Tip of the Day

"Plants don't eat poop."

Thanks Elliot, good fact- I will be able to make life's decisions much better knowing that.

Observance

Last weekend we were at my parents' house visiting. It was a nice day out so Grandpa and Elliot were outside in the garage. Elliot was helping Grandpa pick up his golf balls. He picked up the golf ball that he is holding in this picture and looked at it for a couple of seconds and then proclaimed, "Hey Grandpa, this one has tennis shoes on it!"

Yes, Elliot- the world has "tennis shoes" on it. Oh Nike, you sure did a number with branding...

Elliot's Lesson Learned

Sorry it's been a while. Things have been a little hectic. We still have plenty of crazy stories, but I just don't seem to have the time to write them!

Well, this isn't crazy, but it is unbelievable what comes out of kids mouths sometimes!

So it was Friday morning and Mark had off so I was getting ready to leave for work and Mark was watching the boys. I was getting Elliot his breakfast and everything had been going good so far...

Elliot was asking for a Jell-o jiggler and I told him he had to eat his breakfast first before he ate his jello. He proceeded to say, "I don't like you anymore Mom, I like Dad."

Even though the kid is 3 the words still stung a little, so I asked him if he understood what not liking someone anymore meant. I told him that saying that meant you never wanted to see someone again, so he proceeded to tell me, "I never want to see you again Mom."

Ouch.

I told him this was very mean and then I said it back to him. He got very mad and with tears in his eyes and his strongest voice he said, " Don't say that to me Mom, you hurt my feelings!"

I told him that is why you don't say things like that because it is very hurtful. By this time MArk heard what was going on and had a talk with Elliot. He told him that he had to come and apologize to me. Of course, now Elliot was feeling pretty rotten so he wouldn't come and say it to me.

I tried to talk with him in his bedroom and tell him that saying you don't like someone is just like hitting someone and we never hit so we should never say those things. Well, I think it was really hitting home because Elliot kept trying to hide behind his door saying, "Don't talk to me Mom."

I told him I was going to leave for work and of course then all h-e- double hockey sticks broke loose. He starting crying and carrying on and telling me I couldn't leave. (Quite the change of heart from a few minutes previous)

We got everything figured out, but I think from now on Elliot won't be saying those types of things an anymore... at least I hope not!

Countdown to "The Comeback" and another funny Elliot story

We are counting down. Only 8 more days. I am doing my first run since Brody was born next Saturday. I am a little nervous- I have trained up to 3.5 miles, but I haven't made it to the 4 mile mark. I am sure that I will do OK, but I would really like to be able to do a 4 mile run at least one time before Saturday. We will see how it goes...this course has a HUGE hill 3 miles into the 4 mile course that I am not looking forward to. I will just continue to putt putt along until I finish!! Wish me luck!!

Now for another funny story about Elliot- so we had a salesman come this week to give us an estimate on new carpet. The guy had a little bit of an accent so I asked him if he was from Jersey. He said to me, "Why does it always have to be Jersey? No, I'm from New York."

So he definitely had the New York accent but he was a super nice guy. We were chatting with him and he was telling us some horror stories (like how he went into a house and the whole room that the lady wanted new carpet in was covered in cat sh*t- so much for cleaning your carpets- just buy new ones) and getting a little animated. I guess he kept getting louder and finally Elliot looked up at Mark and said, "Daddy, turn his mouth off."

Yeah- right in front of the guy. Luckily he had told us he had an 18 month at home so I just told him to wait another year and he will be in the same boat as us!!

Big Mouth

We were eating lunch at Fuddruckers today- if you haven't been there, there is a lot of stuff on the walls- lots of pictures and knick knacks of all sorts. There was a picture of Mick Jagger singing behind our table. Elliot being the observant kid that he is saw the picture and said, "He's gonna eat that ball!"

Well, maybe he is, I mean, his mouth is pretty big...

The things Elliot says

Elliot is starting to say something funny or cute on a pretty regular basis now. I am going to try to write them down so that 15 years down the road, I can tell Elliot that he really said this stuff!

So a couple of days ago, Elliot and I were in the bathroom. I was talking to him about how big boys use the potty, and if he wanted to be a big boy, he should go poopy on the potty. He replied, "I can't!"

I asked him why he couldn't and he said to me, "Because I said so!"

I guess I have said that to him a few times when he asks me why. They really do listen and learn from you, don't they!

My First- "Kids Say the Cutest Things" Moment

This last Tuesday night we were all in the car driving to Target. Elliot was in the backseat watching a movie as usual, I was riding and Mark was driving. We were on a divided highway, so there was a car in the right lane passing us. I looked over and saw an old beater truck with a really rough looking guy driving. He was probably in his early 50's with stringy, unkept salt and pepper hair, and a long straggley beard to match. As he was passing, he was puffing away on a cigarette. I thought to myself he looked rough, but didn't think any more about it.

About 30 seconds later, I hear out of the backseat, "He's got a crayon in his mouth!"
Of course, Mark and I started laughing, and so I asked him what color the crayon was and he said, "Orange!" (The color of the filter)

We told Elliot that it was in fact a crayon, now we just have to make sure that he doesn't try to do it!!! He was so proud of himself that he figured it out, and you could tell that he put some thought into it because it was well after the guy passed us. It just amazes me how those little brains work!