Date day with EJ

Elijah and I went on a date on Saturday.  After picking up breakfast for everyone, we headed out on our mission.  Elijah needed new tennis shoes (sigh) and so we were off to find some that light up.  We decided to start at a shoe store (fools that we were) but it wasn't opened yet.  Since the shoe store is in a strip mall we walked down to look at the pet store (always fun!)  We wandered around and looked at the animals and talked about them.  He is so curious these days and asks a ton of questions of which I know about half the answers.  Then headed back to the shoe store.  No luck there, never fear though, Target is just down the way.  We were successful there and found some other fun items as well, including an Elijah sized tennis racket!  Then it was off to Toys R Us.  The plan was to get Elijah a sleeping bag in hopes that he might stay in his bed all night. (HA!) So we got the sleeping bag, looked at ALL the toys and picked up some glow in the dark stars as well.  Then off to get some lunch and then home for a break.  Elijah seems to have given up on naps.  He has now gone 5 days without one.  I still insist on quiet time in the bedroom so that I get a break, but alas the sleeping is just not happening.  Sigh.  After quiet time we packed up the car and went to the tennis court.  Elijah did quite well considering he hasn't ever played.  There is a camp for 4 year olds locally, so he may do that next summer.  I think he had fun and that is the most important thing.  We all went out for dinner and then ice cream (or sorbet for the kiddos!)  All around a good day.

Now, about the boy.  We are back in soccer class.  Elijah had to miss last week because he was sick and I refuse to be THAT mom that sends her kid when he is sick.  So I was nervous (again) that Elijah would have a hard time.  I brought the sling to keep Grace in and he (as expected) threw a fit.  I talked to the coach and he said that some kids just need that little extra time.  He's in a class of all girls and they are all super sweet.  He has a little friend in there and she came over and gave him hugs.  So it looks like I will be on the field (it's an indoor complex) for about the first 15 minutes of class.  Once he gets going he has a blast and participates and then spends a week talking about it.  I guess I just somehow feel like I have failed in some way.  I'm nervous about him going to preschool next year and I will be checking out some other schools while my parents are here this week so that I can find a good fit for him.  I don't want him to have anxiety about school.  He has also started having nightmares about bats.  I have no idea where this came from.  But alas.  On another note, he is kind and sweet (most of the time) to Grace. He wants to know what she is doing or why she is upset.  He is a big helper and sometimes I forget he is only 3.5 years old.  He's so tall.  He has grown another half inch since July.  He is in a booster seat in the car now.  He loves this and stretches his new freedom to the limit, but is easily reeled back in.  His favorite treat is gum and does really well with it.  He is excited about Halloween and is already talking about Christmas (since every store had their stupid Christmas decorations out at labor day...sigh.)  He loves video calling his Oma and Opa and has (accidentally) called them on my phone.  He isn't staying in his bed all night and I need to buck up and work on that, but when he comes to my bed, he crawls in and falls right back to sleep.  We were working on riding a bike without training wheels, but that is a difficult task 1) with a little sister wanting attention and 2) on a hard surface.  On our next trip to Grandma and Poppop's we will take the bike and work on it again.  He is very much 3 and I feel pushes buttons and tests limits often.  Overall, however, he is a good kid and he aims to please.  I worry about this sometimes and feel like he has unreasonable expectations of himself.  I don't want him to set himself up for failure.  He is very concerned about people's happiness, which is nice, but he needs to understand that is not his constant responsibility to make EVERYONE happy all the time.  He loves to move and shake and exercise.  He and I have taken to doing some yoga DVDs at night before bed.  He has good balance and listens to the instruction fairly well.  People constantly mistake him as a girl and he seems okay with it.  He dresses himself and refuses to get his hair more than trimmed.  As long as he's okay with it, so are we.  I think we'll keep him around as well!!!

Elijah's stats: 43 inches tall and 39.8 pounds

    watch out federer!                           mmmm, sorbet!!!!