the vacuum

The other night while I was in the bath dada used the vacuum. I am very scared of the vacuum so I immediately wanted out of the bath. Mama dried me off and then I went to inspect things. At first I stayed on the other side of the room and cried. Then I decided that because dada was sitting next to the vacuum and it wasn't eating him or anything that maybe I could move closer. After about half an hour I was brave enough to touch the vacuum. I would run up to it, touch it, and then run the other way. I kept up quite a commentary so that mama and dada would know exactly where the vacuum was and where I was in case the vacuum decided to come get me.

The vacuum lives in the hall closet. Now several times a day I point at the hall closet and talk about the vacuum. Sometimes I can get mama or dada to open the door and then I can point at the vacuum and talk about it some more. Mama got it out yesterday and I laughed while she used it. Not-so-scary-vacuum after all.

Love, Elijah

growing

one week, five months, fifteen months

my jobs

I have two Very Important Jobs around the house. One is Pushing the Button and the other is Turning Out the Light.

My first job is very exciting. Everytime we go somewhere my job is to Push the Button and the garage door opens. I know it is time to leave because mama or dada will put my jacket on me. Then I head for the garage because I know it is time to do my job. When we come home if mama and dada put me down to walk to the door by myself I will wait there and point at the button and talk about how it is my job to push it so that they will not forget. Then I Push the Button and come inside. I love to Push the Button because the garage door is very loud and I love it when it makes all that noise.

My other job is Turning Out the Lights. I concentrate very hard and push the light switch down to turn out the lights. This is not easy because I have to hold my finger very still and hit the light switch just right. I turn out lights all over the house. One day my job will also be Turning On the Light but I have not quite figured that one out yet.

I don't know how mama and dada ever survived without me.

Love, Elijah

my own keyboard

Mama and dada finally got smart and gave me my own keyboard. Now when they are typing on the computer I can type too. Last night dada was busy on the computer so I sat down next to him and pulled my keyboard onto my lap and typed away. Just wait until they find out all the things I am typing about them.

Tonight I enjoyed a rousing game of Throw the Cup in the Bathtub. It was lots of fun. I would throw the cup in and it made a great noise. Then I would sign "more" and mama would get it out for me and I would throw it in all over again. Sometimes I would miss and the cup would go behind me instead.

Love, Elijah

at the lake

This weekend I went to the lake with dada. I rode around behind him in the bike trailer and then we got out to look at the ducks. I gave dada rocks to throw in the lake. I practiced walking on grass which is not easy because it is bumpy. I had lots of fun at the lake.

Love, Elijah

hanging out

Here are some pictures of me hanging out in my new orange shirt. In the picture where I am standing in front of the chair I am dancing, but it is hard to tell. I am quite the dancer and I dance all the time. Sometimes I start dancing and mama and dada didn't even notice there was any music. I also dance while I am sitting down.

Love, Elijah

firetruck

This is me in my firetruck shoes and my firetruck shirt playing with my firetruck. Mama thought it was cute. I found out that I can push buttons on the side of the firetruck and it will light up and make noises, so now I press the buttons all the time. Mama and dada are thrilled beyond words.

Love, Elijah

books

I love to read. I have a special table where all my books are kept in the living room. I like to read all of them one right after the other. Especially if mama is trying to put them all away. That is when it is funnest to read them because I can sit next to the table and pull them all out around me and be surrounded by my books. Recently I have discovered that I can bring mama and dada a book and hold it up to them and they will pick me up and put me in their lap and read the book to me. This is one of my new favorite things to do, I bring mama and dada books all the time.

Love, Elijah

cousins

Awhile ago I went to visit my cousin. He is two. We played the piano, read books, played peekaboo, and then dada dumped leaves on us. It was very much fun.

Love, Elijah

gamma & me

Mama and dada went out to a movie and when they came back I was sound asleep in gamma's lap. It was very nice and snuggly there. I don't know why mama and dada would want to go to a movie when they could just watch me.

Love, Elijah

in the backyard

swimming lessons

Once a week I go to swimming lessons. I love to swim. There is a mean lady there who comes over and makes me swim under the water to mama. I don't like her very much but I am not afraid at all of putting my head in the water. She always counts to three and then dunks me under. At first I cry but by the time she gets to three I stop and have my head down towards the water because I know what is coming next! I love to kick in the water because it makes big splashes. My favorite part is when mama spins me around really fast.

Love, Elijah

more christmas

At Christmas my gamma and gampa and aunties came to visit. I had lots of fun with them.

Love, Elijah