A few photos I forgot yesterday...

Cowboy Eli  Cutie Boy
 Tiger Fan Eli
 Pirate Eli
 Buddies Eli and Carter

Eli...E-L-I

I decided to write about my first born today. He never ceases to amaze me!
Eli has recently learned how to spell his name. He introduces himself to everyone like this: "Hi, I Eli...E-L-I!" Then he follows up with "I free!" (I'm 3!) I have to say this cracks me up everytime and I love hearing him say it!!
So, Eli's favorite movie (this month) is The Lion King! We were in Sam's Club yesterday and in the food section. For those of you who avoid this black hole of supersized (and amazing) products and prices...this section is on the opposite side of the store from the electronics. The electronics section has about 15 flat screen TVs set up, usually with a movie running. The menu of a DVD had been on the TV the whole time we were in the store, but I guess a worker finally realized that and decided to hit the play button. At that moment, the music blares out, the sun rises and the animals begin to migrate to Pride Rock to see the future king, Simba....as do my children!! They both bolt up in the shopping cart and begin pointing across the store to the TV and yelling "lihn kinnnn" "lihn kinnn!!" To avoid my dynamic duo from flipping out of the cart and running across the store to the movie, I tell mom to finish up and we will be in the electronics!! The kids get to watch about the first ten minutes of the movie before we're ready to face the checkout line. We tell the lions, birds and TVs (yep--all of them) goodbye and head to the checkout and car!
We are meeting my dad for lunch after this eventful trip to Sam's and of course Eli has to sit in the booth between Hunny and PaPa! After his first trip to the bathroom, not for potty but for 'pankin, he sits back down and tells his loving grandparents that mommy "pank" Eli one time in bafroom!! Oh yeah, forgot to mention that he told every table we passed on the way back to our table what his awful mother had done to him in the bathroom too ;) He settles down in the booth and says "take him out an beadim." I ask him to please repeat...he does "take him out an beadim." I realize he's saying "take him out and beat him." I look at him and say "who baby?" He says "garrr." We go back and forth a couple times with "Who?" and "Garr." I promise you I thought he was saying God. All I could think was what are they teaching yall in Sunday school??!! Heehee just kidding!!! But the final time he added some claw hands to go along with the word and I realized he was saying Scar!! Scar is the bad uncle in The Lion King. There's a part where Mufasa and Zazu are discussing Scar and it goes something like this:
Mufasa: Oh what am I going to do with him?
Zazu: He'd make a very handsom throw rug!
Mufasa: Zazu!!!
Zazu: And just think, whenever he got dirty you could take him out and beat him!!

Are you kidding me?! I walked away from the tv in Sam's and by the time I was pulling out my credit card I totally forgot about Simba and Mufasa. Eli, on the other hand, not only remembered the line from the movie but also assimilated it to what was going on at lunch....my "beating him out back" obviously!!! I'm just amazed at what his brain is doing now, and let's be honest, also a little bit worried. Have to double check the things I say and make sure if he repeats them to someone that DSS will not show up on my doorstep to question my mothering tactics!
I will say that 3 is a bit hard with a boy because they are literally energizer bunnies with WWF tendencies, but I am so looking forward to this next phase of his life. I enjoy seeing how his brain is working and how he notices EVERYTHING!! His memory kills me...I often wish mine were as sharp. He has also started being very concerned with our emotions. "Mommy, you sad?" "Mommy, you happy?" He has a sweet little heart and it fills me with joy to hear the precious words that come out of his mouth. I'll finish with a story that melted this Mama's heart...
Eli couldn't find my mom (he calls her Hunny) the other day. He came to me and asked where she was. I told her she was cleaning the bathroom and would be out in a minute, just wait for her. He waited a few minutes...okay seconds...and went to the bathroom door. Mom had the fan on and could hear him knocking but said she'd be out soon and to just wait. She opened the door to a red-eyed little boy and realized he was crying. She said "baby what's wrong?" He sniffed, looked at her with watery eyes and said "I worried about you Hunny!"
Precious little boy who is showing me a new way to love!!