The Smith Family Adventures

Happy Momma’s Day

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Kimberly

Elias and Nathan made me this card.

Yesterday was Mothers Day. It was a wonderful day spent with my boys. The morning started out nicely. We got to sleep in until 6:00 or so, with only one middle of the night feeding around 3. Nathan made me breakfast. We went to church. Then most of the rest of the day we just stayed around here and played together.

The sweetest moment of my day came in the afternoon. I had put Simon down for a nap and gotten a bit done on the finances. Elias was in quiet time so I decided to lay down on the couch for a few minutes. When Elias came out of quiet time, I was laying on the couch with my eyes closed…but not asleep. He came up to me, kissed me on the lips, and said, “Happy Momma’s Day. Open your eyes. You wake up.”

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Little Boy

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Kimberly

Little Boy,

When did you grow up? When did you cease to be my baby…let alone my toddler son? When did you shed those extra rolls on your thighs? When did you become my little boy?

Because that is what I see when I look at you these days. A little boy, not a toddler. You’ve got two skinned knees, a dirty face from kicking in the dust, and you are squatting, playing in the water I used to nourish the plants. It has seeped through the soil, and out the bottom onto the deck where you exclaim, “I’m getting my stickers all wet!”

I see you, little boy. I see you so desperately wanting to become independent yet still needing so much help and encouragement from me. I see you becoming confident at new skills and nervous to try others. I see you growing. Growing your own branch on our family tree. A branch more beautiful than I could have ever planned or anticipated.

You’re still only two so we’ve got a long ways to go. But I feel that time is just sand slipping through my fingers. You are already a little boy. How fast will the rest go?

For now, little boy, I will try to just enjoy those small moments between the rest of life. The ones where when I ask what you are thinking about, you reply, “I’m thinking I love you so much, Mommy.” The ones where we dance together, and the ones where you bring toys to your brother. And I’ll enjoy the moments when you are acting like a little boy: playing in the dirt, jumping off the couch, or shouting, “Daddy hit a grounder!” at the top of your lungs.

You are my little boy. And I love you very much.

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Letter of the Week: A Toddler’s Alphabet Study (Dd)

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Kimberly

We had a lot more fun this week as we continued our alphabet study. At one point during lunch, I asked Elias what letter starts the word “dove.” He replied, “D says duh duh dove.” I think he was partly just mimicking some of the things I say. But the point of this whole thing (along with having fun) is to make him more aware of letter-sound correlation, and I think it is starting to help.

Here is what we did this week for the letter Dd:

Saturday: D is for Dinosaur

Elias loves dinosaurs so I wanted to be sure to include this one. We had a dinosaur book with magnetic dinosaurs we had purchased a few months ago. We didn’t know exactly what we were saving it for…so we gave it to him to play with during quiet time today. Elias loves asking what the name of each piece is. He also enjoyed placing the pieces in the book, and hiding them in the rocking chair.

Sunday: D is for Dove

Pentecost is coming up in a little over a week. We made a slightly early Pentecost decoration! I printed out four dove templates, and got out a variety of red, orange, yellow, and gold art supplies for Elias to choose from. He made fiery doves to hang around our house. Elias must have been in a coloring mood because he chose to decorate two with crayons and one with markers. He did add some variety, though, and glued some puff balls onto the fourth one! He used a lot of glue so I had to let that one dry over night. I tried a few different ways of hanging the doves, but settled on a garland of sorts. Elias wanted to use the fiery pipe cleaners so I connected the doves together with those and hung it on our wall. At breakfast time most mornings this week, Elias has commented on his doves.

Monday: D is for Daddy

I couldn’t resist D is for Daddy, especially since Elias doesn’t get to see his Daddy much on Mondays. (Nathan has class at PSU until after Elias is asleep). We drove down town and had a picnic with Daddy on the waterfront during his lunch break. The weather was gorgeous, and the extra time with Daddy was priceless.

Tuesday: D is for Drum

I had planned to make and decorate a drum together on this day out of a recycled can or something of that sort. However, we did not end up doing it. Both boys napped until pretty late in the afternoon, and once Elias woke up, I didn’t really want him banging on a drum with Simon still sleeping. I figured skipping one day out of four weeks so far wasn’t bad…and we can make a drum another time.

Wednesday: D is for Dump truck

We played with Elias’ dump truck today, and played outside in the dirt. Lots of little boy fun!

Thursday: D is for Dinner

Elias made place mats for our dinner table today. I told him he could decorate them however he wanted, and he chose water colors. I did not take pictures of them, but they were very simple. Elias water colored a few pictures, and I covered them with clear contact paper on both sides. Voila! Place mats for our dinner table that can be easily wiped and cleaned!

Friday: D is for Daniel (and the Lions)

Tomorrow will be our Bible story. I chose Daniel and the Lions. Elias already knows this story so he will have fun hearing it again.

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They Had A Moment

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Kimberly

This evening I was playing with my two boys and they had the sweetest moment! Elias was putting together some dinosaur puzzles. Simon and I were sitting and watching him. I was giving Elias encouragement and praise, and explaining to Simon what Elias was doing. When Elias was on the third puzzle or so, I looked down to find Simon giving one of his big ol’ smiles. Gums showing, eyes lit up…his whole body into it…..and he was looking directly at his big brother. I looked at Elias because I didn’t want him to miss it. I was going to point out to him that Simon was smiling at him. But when I looked up, Elias was looking right at Simon already….and giving a big ol’ smile right back.

I wished that it could have been one of those cheesy movie scenes where they crank up the music and slow time waaaaaaay down so that you can even see the dust particles suspended in the air. It was such a joy filled time. Both boys smiling at each other with genuine love and happiness in their eyes…..I don’t know what more I could ask for.

Don’t worry, though. There’s some brotherly rivalry there as well. A few minutes later when we were preparing for baths, I was having Elias choose his and Simon’s towel and washcloths. Elias picked out the towels, and then I told him to choose two washcloths for Simon. He did. Then instead of choosing one for himself as he has done for as long as he can remember, Elias said, “I need threeeeeeee of them,” and proceeded to pick out three for himself.

I’m just so relieved and joyful that Elias is really starting to not only accept his baby brother, but also enjoy him as well.

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Weekend Highlights

Posted on May 5, 2013 by Kimberly

Friday Late Afternoon

Nathan was home late from work so the boys and I played out on the balcony. It was Simon’s first time out there for an extended period. The weather was gorgeous, and he enjoyed himself…just chillin’ in the bouncer while Elias and I played with chalk. It felt like summer…my favorite time of year…and we were all just content being together.

Friday Evening

Nathan holding Simon while I pushed Elias on the swing.

We decided to head out for another picnic dinner. We couldn’t believe that there was no one there besides us. Where was everyone? We plopped down in the middle of the soccer field so we’d have sun for awhile and enjoyed our dinner together. After dinner, we headed to the playground. Finally other families showed up, and the park was a happening place. I was about to lose my faith in society if no one used the park on such a beautiful evening except for us! Elias first enjoyed the slide…until a little girl joined him in wanting to use it. Then he decided it was time to move on to the swings. It was good outdoor family fun. Someday we will wish we could have these days back. I’m glad we made the most of it tonight!

Saturday Morning

We packed the boys up, put on sunscreen, and headed off to Portland Saturday Market. My main mission (besides getting out in the sun) was to purchase tie dye shirts for Elias and Simon. Last year I bought Elias a tie dye t shirt, and it is still his favorite to this day. Every morning when I suggests outfit options he says, “What about the tie dye” and goes to get it out of the drawer. We bought Elias another one in his new size, and Simon a tie dye onesie.

Here are my two favorite quotes from the morning:

1. Me: Sorry….my legs are super hairy

Nathan: We live in Portland, honey. I wouldn’t worry about it.

2. (Referring to the flowers we had just purchased)

Nathan: I’m saying I bought these for you even though it was your money and your idea.

Saturday Evening

My parents took us out to dinner for our 7th Anniversary (coming up in two weeks). We thoroughly enjoyed the dinner and the company. Before we left I explained to Elias that we were going to meet Ama and Baba for dinner. He said to me, ” First we go to dinner, then we go to Ama and Baba’s house.” I then explained to him that we didn’t have any plans for afterward but we might be able to go there. He informed me, ” We’re going to Ama and Baba’s. I know.” (It turns out we did go there after dinner. Elias happily played bat and ball, and with his big wheel, with the water table and in the dirt. A perfect evening for a little boy).

Sunday Morning

On the way to church, Elias chatted away. He wanted to know who would be at church and whether they were a boy or a girl. He named all of his little friends and some of the adults he knows. I’m treasuring these times when he wants to talk to us. Someday I’ll probably have to pry answers from between his lips!

Sunday Afternoon

After church, we came home and ate lunch. After I put Simon down for a nap, Nathan took Elias in his bedroom to play. I found them laying together in the boat bed having fun. I love my boys!

Sunday Evening

Softball has started! Nathan played rec softball last year, and really enjoyed it. He is playing again this year with the St. Juan Diego Screaming Eagles. I took Elias for a haircut on the way to the game. Then we went to the field to watch Daddy and Uncle Scott play. There was such an amazing difference for Elias from last summer! Last summer he always wanted to go to the playground, or play chalk. He had hardly any language. He got bored easily. Today, he was so interested in the game! He cheered the players (admittedly, from both teams…but hey…that’s good sportsmanship, right?) After Nathan hit a ball, Elias shouted, “That was a grounder!” Elias missed Nathan’s great catch in the outfield because he was running around in the dust and the grass…but hey…a little boy has got to be a little boy sometimes. Here are the boys watching the game with Ama and Baba who also came to support the team:

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The Many Faces of Simon

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Kimberly

Simon is getting so expressive….both with his face and with his voice. He’s a charmer, and I just can’t get enough of his smiles or coos. Here are some of his funny faces from a tummy time session earlier in the week:

On a different note, Simon is really starting to notice more in the world around him. He has become more aware of his hands and arms, and regularly sticks his fist in his mouth. He has a soft froggy toy that he also loves to suck/chew/taste when he can get it close enough to his mouth. He has also been grasping things more. When I put a rattle in his hand, he’ll grasp it for awhile. He had never intentionally grabbed anything until yesterday. I think mostly he was just lucky in being able to get his hand in the right place. He definitely wanted the toy….and kind of jerked his body toward it. He arm shot out (possibly intentionally or unintentionally) and crazily landed on the toy. He then grasped it and picked it up off the floor for a bit. It was fun to watch:

Ooooo look at that! I want it!

Please, Mom, get if for me!

Woah! What just happened?

I got the toy! I got the toy!

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Letter of the Week: A Toddler’s Alphabet Study (Cc)

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Kimberly

It was Cc week in the Smith household. While Elias is still not consistently connecting letters with their sounds, he has become more interested in them. Often he will ask me, “What starts penguin?” or “What says T?” or other similar questions relating to letters and sounds. We had some fun this week with the letter Cc.

Saturday: C is for Colors

On Saturday we got out the watercolor paints to make a colorful spring display for our window. One of our bucket list items for spring 2013 was to do a spring art project so this activity pulled double duty! I got out some coffee filters, and had Elias paint them with water colors. Then we laid them out to dry overnight. On Sunday, I pinched them together in the center, tied pipe cleaners around, and curled the ends to make antennae. We hung them on our door and they became beautiful spring butterflies. They turned out very cute!

Sunday: C is for Cross

We did our Bible based lesson for the week on Sunday this week instead of Friday for a change of pace. Nathan read the story of the crucifixion and the resurrection to Elias.

Monday: C is for Caterpillar

Well, we did butterflies during Bb week, and we did butterfly art. So I figured we had better study caterpillars too. I read Elias the story, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Then, I got out some finger paint, and intended to do caterpillar thumbprint art with him. I showed Elias how to make the fingerprints into caterpillars by placing his fingers on the paper a few times. I also left out the book for him to look at. Elias did enjoy making some finger print caterpillars. But as you can see from the picture, he enjoyed smearing paint around on the paper a bit more.

Tuesday: C is for Cars

Mostly we just played with his cars. He has a special ramp for the cars which was given to him by Uncle Greg for Christmas. We had fun racing cars down the ramp…we even raced three at once! Elias kept saying, “We’re playing with C-C-C-Cars!”

Wednesday: C is for Cards

I did not realize until I was talking with Elias about the word “cards” today, how close it is to the word “cars.” Oh well. A little repetition can’t hurt. (A lot won’t hurt either!) This was another art project. I decided we would make cards to send to loved once and to use on special occasions. I bought thick water color paper, some brightly colored card stock, and some heart shaped stickers. We stuck four heart stickers onto the water color paper in random places. Then I had Elias fill the whole sheet with water colors. After the paper dried, we removed the stickers (it was actually very easy to peel them off) and we were left with a white heart. They turned out rather beautiful! Then, I cut the paper into four pieces, and combined each one with a coordinating piece of card stock (which I folded into a card). These will be fun to send out!

Thursday: C is for Clifford

Today was pretty easy! We read Clifford books.

Friday: C is for Cookies

Tomorrow we will bake cookies together. I saved this for Friday night so we’d have more time. I have a craving for oatmeal so perhaps we’ll make oatmeal cookies!

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You Know You’re Raising Your Child Right When…..

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Kimberly

You Know You’re Raising Your Child Right When…..

He sings along with Bob Dylan!

I’ve never thought much of Bob Dylan. I mean, he’s a great songwriter. And the instrumentals are great. But, oh, that voice. That horrible voice. No matter how much I am forced to listen, it just isn’t growing on me. (Although I have to admit the Bob Dylan Christmas album has a bit of a charm to it. Maybe it’s just the holiday spirit helping out)

Nathan is a big fan, though, (probably because his Dad is) so we end up listening to Bob a lot at home. Nathan really wants Elias and Simon to be fans. So he’s indoctrinating them early. One morning a few months ago, Elias said to me: “I want to listen to some Bob Dylan”. I turned my face away, rolled my eyes, gave a silent sigh, and then turned back to him smiling and said, “Go tell Daddy. It will make him very happy.”

On Sunday afternoon, the boys were playing play-doh while I worked in the kitchen. Bob Dylan was on in the background. Nathan started singing along in his best nasally voice….and Elias started repeating. He’s probably the only two year old who sings Bob Dylan. He’s been sing/shouting “How does it feel!” all day.

Grandpa Smith, this one’s for you:

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Family Fun (In Pictures)

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Kimberly

Saturday we filled our day with family fun. Uncle Greg and Shaina were in town. We celebrated birthdays and an early Mothers Day. We went to the zoo with family and friends. We enjoyed ourselves a lot!

Elias was super excited to go to the zoo. Here he is getting ready. He put on his hat backward and ran around the house.

Elias loved touching the pygmy goats.

Simon was a very happy boy. He was awake for much of the morning. Here he is laughing/smiling at Auntie Kristy near the hippo exhibit.

Uncle Greg and Shaina pose for a picture.

Elias was more interested in the lion statues than the real lions. He wanted Daddy (and later Uncle Greg) to come up and sit with him.

The cheetahs were more active than I have seen them in a long time. This one ran quickly right up to the window. It scared me and Auntie Kristy…as we were not paying enough attention and only saw him at the last moment!

We stopped to eat a picnic lunch. Uncle Greg and Elias played and played. Elias was so happy. He has been wanting to stop and run around on the grass for the last few trips we’ve been there, but I’ve denied him due to cold weather. Uncle Greg ran around with him, and even spun him around!

Simon fell asleep after lunch. Auntie Kristy got an arm workout carrying him around.

When we came home, we thought Elias would nap for sure because he had run around so much. Alas, he did not. So after quiet time, I did a water color activity with him. After painting his project, he decided he needed a mustache too.

In the evening, we went out to dinner to celebrate Uncle Greg’s birthday, then went to Ama and Baba’s afterward. Uncle Scott is coaching Elias on “manly” activities like playing in the dirt, digging holes, finding worms, and other things that Elias thoroughly enjoyed.

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Fun In The Sun

Posted on April 26, 2013 by Kimberly

This morning we went over to Ama and Baba’s for some fun in the sun. They have a water table and a fun gravel pit and lots of dirt in which little boys can get dirty! Plus Uncle Greg is home for the weekend so that was an added bonus. Elias loved playing at the water table and digging around with Uncle Greg. He wore himself out, though! It’s the first time he has ever put himself to sleep during quiet time. I went in to get him after I put Simon down for a nap and found him asleep in the rocking chair exactly where I left him 30 minutes earlier!

Simon got a bit of time outside as well, but didn’t like squinting. Even with a hat in the shade it was too bright for him.

Here are a few pictures of my boys having fun in the sun: