Weekend with the boys!

Yes, we are still alive over here (contrary to popular opinion, since we haven't posted in forever). It's been crazy busy, and I've been tired, so phhh. No posts.

As the little one does more and more cute things I feel compelled to update the blog though, so I can start posting about his insane adorableness once again.

So, a few weeks ago now Elijah and I headed off to Ohio to help my Mom look after my brother's two boys while Scott and Jill went on a much deserved cruise together. It was much more work than I thought it would be, but also much more fun! Three kids and a dog really take it out of you, even with both Mom and I there! I thought I'd post some highlights, to give you a glimpse at some of our (almost) week together.

-Elijah was a big cracker (or "dots" as he calls them) fiend. He figured out how to open up the pantry and get access to the crackers, so he would invariably be seen walking around stuffing himself full of Hot 'N Spicy Cheez-its (until he ate the rest of the bag by himself!) and then the Ritz dinosaur crackers. We'd take them away, move them to a different shelf, but it seemed like he always was able to get them anyway (hmm, maybe two other little boys were accomplices?). :)

- After one of Elijah's cracker binges, Andrew pointed to Eli's tummy (by now rather large and sticking out) and said that he had a "fatty tummy." A few nights later after dinner, Andrew told Elijah that he had a fatty tummy again, and then pointed to his own tummy and said he had a fatty tummy too, and that's where Eli got it from.

- I played "I Spy" with Andrew while making lunch one day, and it was so cute to see him try and guess the things I spied, and then try to pick something out himself for me to guess. Invariably he would stand right next to it, or couldn't keep his eyes off whatever object he chose. Then when I would do several incorrect guesses and questions he would roll his eyes (how dumb can this lady be?) and then give me additional details (It's green and round . . . and behind the chair . . . and is right next to my foot!). We had a lot of fun!

- On Sunday night Andrew and Nathan and I were playing the "I Spy Spooky Mansion" computer game together while Elijah was watching . . . until Elijah got sick of us not paying attention to him and turned the computer off. On a game that you can't save! All our hard work down the drain! Andrew was a little upset with Elijah, and Nathan kept saying, "He just wants us to spend time playing with him is all." After Elijah went to bed the boys and Grandma restarted the I Spy game - only to have the power go out when they had just finished and were reading the secret clue! Oh no! That game was not destined to get finished that night!

- When the power went out we had about a 15 minute search (by the light of my cell phone display) looking for matches. They were right in the cupboard of course . . . doh. Then we had a 15 minute conversation about why we couldn't sleep with the candles lit all night.

- While the power was out the topic of power plants came up somehow. Andrew asked what a power plant was, and Grandma provided him with an in-depth answer. To which he turned to Nathan and said, "Are those like the power plants they have on Jimmy Neutron?" When Nathan answered yes, Andrew turned to Grandma and told her that he did actually know what a power plant was then - he had seen them on tv. What a new generation!

We also went to a cool children's museum, played outside (though I wouldn't really classify the two hours I spent shoveling ice and snow as playing!), and went to a Valentine's Day party at Nathan's school on Friday! We had so much fun together, and Elijah misses his Natey and Drew now (by the end of the time together he was saying "Nate" and starting to say "Drew"). Jon showed Eli the picture of Nathan and Andrew that we have on the fridge a few days after we got back home and Elijah went crazy, smiling and laughing, and then looking for them. We miss our boys!