Today we wrapped up the spring soccer season. Andrew & Mari finished last week and Elliot had his last game today – a make-up game. It was a fun year and we are already looking forward to the fall.
End of the Soccer Season
Elliot’s Bed Tent
Elliot got a bed tent for Christmas. He sleeps with it closed most every night. It turns out that Rose also loves the bed tent. Whenever we go into Elliot’s room she gets really excited and loves to sit and play.
Piano Party!
Instead of a formal recital, our piano teacher organizes a ‘Piano Party’ where the kids can play in front of a crowd and also they play some group games together. It is fun to hear all of the kids playing their songs and to catch up with the other adults.
Elliot’s 9th Birthday
Yesterday we celebrated Elliot’s 9th birthday! Elliot always wants snow on his birthday, but today he go 60 degrees and sunny. In the morning we hung out at home, playing basketball and kicking around a new soccer ball. At noon some friends met us for soccer at the field near our house. We had about 18 kids show up and fun was had by all.
In the afternoon he went to the Reagens to play. The Reagens & Liesses came over for dinner – sandwich bar. The evening ended with presents, playing with presents, and singing.
Elliot at the age of 9 is a really fun kid. He loves to be outside – doing anything! His favorite activities are basketball, soccer, and bike riding. He likes to explore the woods and go for walks with us. He generally wakes in the morning at around 7:00 or 7:30 and goes to bed at 8:30 or 9:00. His favorite food is Skyline. Favorite color: red. Favorite song: Hello. Favorite sport: soccer.
Homeschool Drama
As part of their enrichment classes Andrew, Mari, and Elliot all take a drama class. Last week they had their performances, culminating their semester’s work. They all love the drama classes and do an excellent job at the performances.
Elliot is the third goat in The Three Silly Goats Gruff. I apologize for the blurry video.
Mari played the role of the mother wolf and narrator in The Three Little Wolves and the Big, Bad Pig.
Andrew played the role of the Giant in Kate and the Beanstalk.
Elliot Playing the Piano while Will Dances
Elliot’s Piano Lessons
Elliot continues to enjoy his piano lessons. Here is a great shot of him working with Piano Jen. She is always coming up with ways to make the piano come to life!
Elliot’s First Communion
Elliot’s Second Birthday
We celebrated Elliot’s second birthday tonight. It was our first birthday party living in Des Moines, which was a little different. We were joined by the Reagens and the Lewandowskis. Holly tells me that she and Alex, Jill and Will, and my parents had a nice dinner, and at the end wished Elliot a happy birthday.
Leading up to 2 Elliot has really seemed a lot older. He doesn’t nap all the time now and he has been sleeping great at night. I am even thinking about moving him out of our bed, which would be the first time in over 5 years that Susan and I have had the bed to ourselves. I don’t think that he is there quite yet, but he is getting there.
At the age of 2, Elliot is a lot like Andrew, with some of Mari’s spunk. He likes to play games, and play with balls. Like all of our kids he likes to play outside. He still needs to be held a lot, and since we don’t have a baby this isn’t really a problem. He does great at meals but once Susan or I sits down he wants to come site on our lap, which we also tolerate. He is a fun kid.
For his birthday Susan made him a doll. This was a follow-up to the doll that she made Mari at Christmas. For Christmas she made Mari a ‘Little Sister Doll’, from Joyce’s Waldorf Dolls. It was basically your standard doll. She made Elliot is ‘Heavy Baby’, which is basically a doll head and arms, with a body that is filled with millet. There are no legs. Because it is a little heavy it feels a little more real than most babies. Because it is filled with millet we have to make sure that mice don’t find it.