Things to Remember: Eli at 3.5

Age: 3.5

Favorite Song: Trashin' the Camp (Tarzan)

Favorite Show: Little Einsteins

Favorite Food: cantaloupe, popsicles, and bagels (read: doughnuts)

Favorite Superhero: The Flash

Oh this kid.  Motherhood is often described as a lonely business, but with Eli around that's impossible.  He follows me around all day, filling the hours with chatter and tricks.  He is squarely in the questioning phase, and there are times when I feel he will "Cuz why?" me to death.  When he's not straining my scientific chops I am a captive audience, demanded to "Watch this!" several times a minute.  Those jumps and "super fast running" never get old, am I right?

We will be starting a little neighborhood preschool this week and I can't believe it. When did my kid become old enough to go to school?  I've started planning my share of the lessons and it is so fun to think of the things his mind will be learning.  Like all mothers I know my child is curious and brilliant and I can't wait to see his progression.

Eli loves to help, and nothing pleases him more than you telling him that he's been very useful (a la Thomas the Train).  Every house project, cooking pursuit, even cleaning duties- he must be right in the middle of it, doing whatever we're doing.  He digs when we dig, stirs every stir-able thing, and under no circumstances should I sweep the pile into the dustbin because that is HIS job. 

Zach and Eli are the best of friends.  Eli thrives on his daily ritual of hugs and kisses before Zach goes anywhere, and has a meltdown if he doesn't see Dad do a cool trick out the window before he leaves to work.  Those two are thick as thieves, giggling over shows, jumping on the trampoline, or eating "secret snacks".  I go all gooey on the inside watching them together.

The latest obsession and craze these days: Tarzan.  Taking precedence over legos, sometimes even over superheroes, is talk of gorillas and elephants and swinging in trees.  Once he gets started on the "Zabada zoobeedoo" camp song it doesn't end for quite some time, and the begging to watch the Disney movies never does. End, that is.

Sometimes I come to and look around and realize again that Eli is our son.  I am so taken with his little personality, his confidence, and his enthusiasm.  How did we get so lucky?