Pull My Finger.

This weekend, Eli got the knack of walking while holding on to your fingers – and now he loves getting around that way. Before this weekend we would try to walk with him that way, but he didn’t seem to understand that you can just pick up your feet and walk without leaning your upper body forward. So he’d just try and walk leaning way forward, which didn’t work so well. This weekend though Jon was walking him around the deck while I was doing some yard work (role reversal – Jon on child care, Missy on yard work!), and Elijah really got it down. I think it helped that he had something to try and get to (me!). Once inside he liked doing the circuit around the house too - when he’s holding our hands he doesn’t bump in to things like he does with his walker, and can just go and go without stopping!

Discipline like a dog?

A couple of years ago, Eli's Uncle Jeremy got a dog, Camper. Jeremy has done a great job of teaching Camper discipline. In particular, when Camper is doing something that she's not supposed to be, Jeremy says "AAHT AAHT AAHT!" to Camper, and she knows to stop right away! (Jer doesn't really pronounce the "T" at the end, but it gives you a better idea of the sharpness of the sound.)

Missy and I have started doing the same kind of thing with Eli! If Eli is doing something that he knows he's not supposed to be doing -- like trying to grab the glasses off my face when I'm holding him -- Missy and I say "AAHT AAHT AAHT!" It really grabs Eli's attention and he knows to stop what he's doing. It works surprisingly well!

We also make sure to explain to Eli why what he was doing was wrong, and give him praise and hugs when he is behaving well again. But on a superficial level, it is kind of funny that we discipline Eli like Jeremy disciplines his dog. :-)

If I bang it, they will come.

Eli has a theory about things that get in his way while walking with his walker or pushing his highchair or toys around – if he hits it hard enough, loud enough, and repeatedly, eventually the obstacle will either 1.) move out of his way on it’s own, or 2.) Mom or Dad will come and move it for him to get the loud noise to stop. Either way he wins in the end.

And if option 1 or option 2 doesn’t happen quickly enough for him, he unleashes this deep, loud, uh-uh-uh-uh-uh sound. Not a scream, not a cry, not a tantrum, just a “get-out-of-my-way-I’ve-got-places-to-be” command sound. He only uses it when he’s happy, yet wanting to get a different toy or keep moving, and Mom and Dad are not responding fast enough. He sure knows how to get our attention!

Daddy's boy once again!

For the last two weeks, ever since Jon was sick for a few days and out-of-commission, Eli has been a little more distant with Daddy and more attached to Mommy. Jon’s been spending time with him, but Eli was being stubborn in feeling the love for Daddy (take that, Dad!). Well, Mommy had a few headaches this week which necessitated Daddy exclusively taking care of Eli quite a bit. And now Eli’s is crazy about Mommy AND Daddy again!

When Jon mowed the grass this Saturday, Eli kept going to the slider to watch, and would hit the glass to try and get Jon’s attention. I would help out a bit with the banging a bit, and Jon would come and say hi, which Eli loved! But when Jon had to finish the lawn work Eli just stood at the slider and cried and cried for Daddy. I’d take him to play with some toys and he’d be happy again - until he’d catch sight of Dad in the backyard. Then it was back to the slider, bang bang bang to get Daddy’s attention, and then more crying when daddy had to leave.

It’s amazing how much just being less involved on a day-to-day basis for just a few days can make in Eli’s life. Jon didn’t intentionally not participate, he was just sick, but still it’s taken almost two weeks for Eli to completely reattach emotionally with Jon. Just goes to show you how important it is to be actively involved everyday with our little one!

You're Hiccuping Just for Me? What a Great Mommy!

It was getting close to bedtime on Friday night, so we let Eli crawl up the stairs to his room, with Jon at the top of the stairs and me behind Eli. Eli got up to the top and was playing with the gate, so we started a game of Mommy being “behind bars” (still on the stairs behind the gate) while Dad and Eli were on the other side. Jon and I were just talking about our day while Eli crawled around, stood up by the gate, sat back down, reached through the bars to touch me, repeat, repeat, repeat.

One of the times Eli reached through to get me I happened to get the hiccups. Apparently Eli thought this was the most hilarious thing he’d ever heard, and was certain I was doing it just for him. He stood there laughing and laughing when I would hiccup, and would reach through the bars to touch my mouth, and then keep laughing. After a minute the hiccups slowed down a bit, but Eli was impatient for them to keep up – so he started supplying the sound effect himself. He would make the big hiccup noise and then laugh at himself, then stop and look at me, and if I still hadn’t hiccupped by the that time, he would make the sound himself again. Jon and I could barely stop laughing, it was so cute. Eli is such a silly little guy! Don’t know where he could have gotten that from! :)