Jul 28-Aug 3: Erik is 2 Years Old!

We have achieved several major milestones this week with both of our kiddos - Erik turned 2 years old (wow, where did the time go?!) and Elin gifted us with her first smile AND her first full night's sleep!!

Erik had multiple celebrations that spanned the month of July to commemorate his 2nd birthday.  The celebrations began when both sets of grandparents were here at the beginning of the month and they ended this weekend with a pool party that was shared with our good friend, Kieran Cochran, who turned 5 this year.  In between these 2 celebrations, Erik has had a small, intimate family-only dinner & presents, a cupcake party for his friends at daycare and a public acknowledgement at Sabbath School!  By the time we were done with all the partying, Erik seems to have grasped that birthdays are special and that they include singing, presents and cake!  He now asks for cake for his afternoon snack and I have caught him softly singing Happy Birthday to himself a few times!!  We are working on holding up 2 fingers and saying "I'm Two!" when he is asked how old he is.   Here are a few pictures from Sabbath School and the pool party.

Erik refused to sit in the Birthday chair and then was scared of the candles.  Glad we won't have a pyromaniac to deal with at home!

Kent & Erik posing with the Construction Cake at the pool party

Erik got a lot of sports equipment for his birthday this year, including a soccer ball, a soccer goal & net and a t-ball stand.  I've included a few pictures of Erik playing with his new toys and testing out a possible new sport.  Another new development for Erik that happened in the last week or so is that he appears to be showing some interest in potty-training.  He asks to sit on the potty most nights prior to his bath and will occasionally make a "potty" face while he sits there (I think that is due more to the laughter he gets out of Kent or I than anything else).  No activity yet, but I'm pleased that he is starting to think through the process.

Soccer Ball

Soccer ball and a bat - a new sport?!

Cute Sayings:
1. Watert - he just recently started adding the extra T on the end of the word Water; we aren't sure why, but it is awfully cute.
2. Oh, Sorry! - this one pops out whenever he thinks that he is underfoot and getting in the way.  He seems to use this when, really, he shouldn't be the one apologizing and then is stubbornly silent when we ask him to say "Sorry" for being bad.
3. Dear Jesus...I wub you. Amen! - Erik's bedtime and mealtime prayers are becoming more of a habit for him.  He will usually repeat the last word or two of each sentence, but almost always will say these words each time.  He also checks during the prayer to be sure that everyone else has stopped what they are doing, folded their hands and closed their eyes.  If he finds a wayward soul, he will put a stop to t the entire proceedings until everyone is praying together.
4. Hello Baby Sister - there are several variations on this phrase with "E-lin" replacing sister or he will point to his chest and say "Erik's Baby" or "Erik's baby sister".  He will repeat his chosen phrase, over and over, until someone takes pity and acknowledges his statement and repeated it back to him!  He surely does love his baby sister!


The World of Elin is changing by leaps and bounds recently.  Elin still spends most of her day sleeping (preferably while someone is holding her), but she is also starting to track movements around her while she is awake.  She will turn her head side to side to watch someone or something and she can also turn her head to the opposite side when she hears something interesting that isn't right in front of her.  She loves to snuggle and be cuddled and is beginning to hang on when being held - whether it is a fist grabbing onto my hair or her arm or hand draped over my shoulder and squeezing to stay close.  I realize these actions are unconscious ones on her part, but they warm my heart nonetheless (even the hair pulling)!  Elin holds her hands in tightly closed fists less and less - she will spread out her little fingers and knead them on whatever object is nearby (which is where I get the hanging onto my shoulder claim).  

One of Elin's two major accomplishments this week is that she smiled at me for the 1st smile on Sunday, July 28.  I leaned over her to pick her up from her crib and got a smile in response.  I did get witnesses later in the morning when I attended the baby shower for Corey Grodack and Elin smiled at me as I was taking her out of the carseat!  Since then, she has smiled more often and Kent was skilled enough to get a picture of one of her first smiles (I tried, but was completely unsuccessful).  The second major accomplishment is that Elin has officially slept through the night - at 6 weeks old!  She has given me a few nights where she would sleep for 5 and a half hours, but then on Friday, Aug 2, she slept for a full 7 hours.  I was actually able to give her a dream feed half way through this time period, but she never woke up, so I'm calling it!  I am not expecting 7 plus hours of sleep every night yet, but I'm very hopeful that it will come soon!

Elin's happy smiles!