Loose Tooth!

At 4 and a half years old, Elliott has a loose tooth!  I didn't even know you could lose teeth this early!?!?  I think I was in the first grade before I lost a tooth.  I have heard the earlier you get teeth, the earlier you lose them, and Elliott did have four teeth at four months old. 

He discovered his loose tooth at breakfast this morning.  While eating a bagel, he said, "Mommy, my tooth hurts."  I looked in this mouth and the offending tooth was a little wobbly.  My little man, being the sensitive guys that he is, was very concerned.  I, of course, explained that it was all totally normal and that it is actually so cool because these are baby teeth and that soon he was going to have GROWN-UP teeth, just like Mommy and Daddy!  Then I told him all about the tooth fairy, and how you put the tooth under your pillow, and how she leaves you MONEY.  I thought I was doing a pretty good job explaining it all when I notice poor Elliott has tears in his eyes!  So, I just hold him and assure him everything is going to be ok, and he seems better, but he refuses to eat any more of his bagel.

Fast forward to later tonight:

E: "Do monkeys have teeth?"

Me: "Yep, sure do."

(Elliott sits thoughtfully for a couple of minutes)

E: "So, do they stick them in bananas and she just takes the banana?"

Me: (very confused)  "What?!?!"  (realization hits) "Ohhhh, monkeys.  Yeah buddy, I don't think the tooth fairy goes to monkeys."

E: "Why not?"

Me: "Eat your dinner."

WHERE DO THEY COME UP WITH THIS STUFF???

Trick or Treat

Halloween was amazing at our house this year.  Not surprising to those who know him, Elliott was a construction worker.  And Lily was the most adorable little elephant I have ever seen!  This was Lily's first year trick-or-treating, but you would have thought she had been doing it in utero!  She never let go of her pumpkin and actually outlasted Elliott.

 

One of my favorite parts of the night was during trick or treating, many people told Elliott what kind of odd jobs around the house that needed to be done.  Each time, Elliott gave them this blank stare, as if saying, "Uhm, why are you telling me?"  Another highlight was when one elderly gentleman dared to put potato chips in Elliott's bucket.  Elliott, in typical 4-year old fashion says, "But that is not candy!"  Ironically, that was one of the couple things he chose to eat when he got home.

 

 

Elliott, the construction worker, complete with hard hat, safety vest, and toolbelt - with tools, of course.

Before trick or treating.  Lily was eager to get this show on the road and did not understand why we would stop to take pictures.

Our sweet Elephant trick or treats.  Don't give this elephant peanuts - just candy or pretzels please :)

Enjoying her spoils.

The family!

A sticky mess by the end.

Elliott going door to door in the neighborhood with some buddies.

Tidbit: French Toast

I made delicious apple french toast for the kids the other morning, which Lily loved.  Elliott, on the other hand, said, "I don't really like this french toast... but thanks for trying."

So, here is the question.  Sincere?  Or has my four-year old mastered the art of sarcasm?

Proud Mama

I'm not always the best at looking at my kids and physically seeing myself in them.  Some days I'll look and see my nose; another day, it might be my husband's, or I might wonder where on earth did that nose came from!

Despite this, I see myself in their personality quirks every day, every minute.  With Elliott, it is his anal retentiveness, his close adherence to the "rules of life."  Some of these are wonderful, like the totally exaggerated way he looks both ways before crossing the street.  Or how everything in playroom has it's own place - not that he puts things away on his own accord, but God forbid you put something away where it doesn't belong!  Other rules can be frustrating, like how we don't go in bathrooms with hand dryers despite the million times I have told him they are "just loud, not scary."  Or that vegetables are gross (btw, did you know that french fries are not potatoes?  Potatoes are gross, but french fries are delicious, ergo, french fries are NOT potatoes).  But no matter how frustrating Elliott's Type A can be, I GET IT, because I am totally that way.  And if I am completely honest, I kind of love it, because he gets it from ME.

Lily, on the other hand, is this sassy little spitfire who lives to torture me with her total disregard for authority.  When you tell her not to do something, she grins this cheesy smile as if to say, "You don't really mean that... I am far too adorable to say no to," and she is pretty much right on the money.  Every line is meant to be challenged, no wall too high to climb, every closed door just means look for a different door.  She's not afraid of anything or anyone.  No one is going to push this girl around.  She knows what she wants and will run over any obstacle.  While I cringe and apologize to the parents of the crying little girl at playgroup who tried to take the ball Lily wanted, secretly I cheer for my little Miss Independent.  Because she's a girl after my own heart.  We know what we want, and there isn't anything wrong with that (although Lily's ruthless methods might need a little shaping... I didn't say she was perfect!)

My two little stars.  So different.  But so me.  And I love it.