While Sister is Away.....

Mr. Eli loooooves his sister.  First thing in the morning, he asks for her.  When we are about to leave to pick her up from school, and I say "let's go get Edie!" he shrieks with delight.  But, that said, he does get into some fun during her three days a week at preschool...

His very favorite? Sister's stuff! He puts on her purse and struts around with the proudest grin you've ever seen. 

Eli and I hit a playground most days together, and he loves the 100% mom attention.  Even me just sitting on the ground, letting him body slam and hug me can entertain him for quite awhile. 

And of course, the climbing.  Eli is a big climber.  He actually moves chairs around the house to use as ladders.  This is when I miss sister a lot, because she keeps a close eye on his shenanigans.  This sitting on the kitchen table wouldn't have happened under her watchful gaze.

Pumpkin Patch

Last weekend we went to a pumpkin patch.  Our first time, I think! It was a lot of fun.  Goats to feed, face painting, straw mazes, and banjo playing.  The country side outside of Nashville is so beautiful, too.

Buddies

Edie and Eli are quite a pair these days.  Sure, there's a lot of yelling and hair pulling and frustration.  But watching these kids grow up together is my biggest joy.  They adore each other like none other.  Edie always wants to be the first one in to see Eli when he wakes up from a nap.  She dances around in his room to make him laugh.  Eli has been spotted hugging and attempting to soothe Edie when she cries.  Eli calls her "Dye-dye" or "sissuh" -- i.e. Edie and Sister.  They wrestle around, giggle and tickle one another, and slowly but surely, Eli is learning how to play with Edie without driving her nuts.  They are my favorite pair.

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Another playground

With the fall weather and the kids' energy levels, we are outside a LOT. Our backyard is still full of skeeters, though, plus our construction project, so we tend to hit up playgrounds. Here are the munchkins today. It was one of those days where they looked bigger with every blink.