2 years - really?

I visited this page today, apparently for the first time in two years. Wow, how time flies. I resolve that I should try harder to post here because it is a nice running diary of life with Eli. I can't believe he was three years old when I last wrote here - now he is five. The last two years have been amazing and breathtaking. How to sum it up? Music, talking, traveling, and family fun. Eli remains addicted to music.

Using the Sonos and listening to music on his iPod Touch is his favorite pastime. Whether it's Louis Armstrong's "It's a Wonderful World" or Run D.M.C.'s "It's Tricky", Eli loves music. From the moment he wakes up until the time he goes to sleep, music is a constant presence. Perhaps his greatest thrill this year was going to see Paul McCartney at Miller Park. There was something magical about sharing his first concert experience.

 Eli has become quite the talker. He likes using complex words to express himself. Usually he expresses himself by worrying or otherwise being anxious. I think he takes too much after mom, and to a lesser extent, dad. I can't believe there was a time where we were concerned he wasn't talking enough. Now we can't get him to stop! But it is great listening to him try to apply complex logic. Today he talked about using dye to 'paint' Fozzie the dog like an American Flag (blue on the face and stripes on his body). Last week he confused the liberty bell with Taco Bell. And so on. But each day brings joyous discovery of new words. And he is beginning to broaden his skills into spelling and reading. He can confidently read 3 and 4 letter words and is learning to spell better each day. If we spent more time reading, I think he would have an easier time with longer words. But we don't want to push him too hard and break him of the joy of reading. He is still at an age where he sometimes chooses to have family reading time after dinner and before bed.

 Traveling is a major theme in our lives and we are fortunate to share it with Eli. He loves visiting Seattle and we've gotten to bring him on a trip there each of the last three years. As I write this, Shelby and I are preparing for a trip to Atlanta, Miami, and Sao Paulo. Watching him gain confidence as a traveler has been exciting and rewarding. He worries a bit too much about things out of his control, but he loves exploring and has a fantastic, patient disposition. He isn't hurried or restless on flights, usually because he can listen to music or watch videos. I hope we get to continue bringing him with us for years to come, though we realize it will become harder once he begins kindergarden next fall.

 Finally, there is family fun. We are lucky to have several routines that we all enjoy. On Saturday mornings, we exercise and then go to the coffee shop where we share a scone, a waffle, and usually a hot chocolate or tea. This fall we've added 'Slurpee Saturday' to the mix, where Eli and I go to 7/11 (new to Madison in 2012) and each get a Slurpee. Once a week we all go to the gym and Eli stays in the playroom while we exercise. When the weather is nice, we try to walk down to Monroe Street to pick up dinner at least once a week. Eli rides his bike sometimes, occasionally walks, but usually prefers to ride in the jog stroller. I never would have guessed a five year old would have the patience to ride for more than an hour in the jog stroller.

 There have also been highs and lows in the last two years. Triscuit, our beloved greyhound and first 'big' pet, passed away suddenly last June. We quickly realized we needed a greyhound in our lives and adopted Fosbury (aka Fozzie) in August, 2012. He has a lot more energy and is more anxious than Triscuit, but loves to run and enjoys activities Triscuit never liked. It has been fun teaching him to be a house dog, though he flunked out of dog obedience school this spring. One reason I haven't posted to this blog is until recently, I was coping with migraines that limited the amount of time I could spend in front of computer monitors and other bright light sources. I now have that, as well as the asthma that was complicating my breathing for the last ten years, under excellent control. Everyone in the family is healthy and active - something I try never to take for granted. More pictures will follow, but I wanted to make sure I wrote out a post before leaving on our trip. Though I'm probably the only person who will read this, it's a great reminder of a moment in time.