Mr. Imagination

One huge change that I have seen in Eli over the last month or so is his growing imagination.  He loves to play and pretend and I love this fun new game of make believe we play!  One way that I see his growing imagination is through his new found love of stuffed animals.  While he enjoyed them before to hug, sleep on, or chew on, now he is actually playing with them. 

You will meet a few of his new "friends" in the pictures below, Doggie Star and Teddy Bear (he named them himself).  As for the rest of his "posse," here is a little run down of the who's who in Eli's world:

-Dolphin and Whale aren't pictured, but they are in Eli's new inner circle.  These two are always good for a laugh as they swim about his crib and go and give him "tickle kisses" (a speciality of Daddy) in the morning.

-2 Wooden Nutcrackers from our neighbors and friends across the street are a part of the gang.  During Christmas time, Eli really latched onto nutcrackers.  My mom had a huge nutcracker in her house and we still talk about nutcracker often around here (about how he will be "night night" until next Christmas.)  Our friend, knowing about his obsession with nutcrackers, gave us 2 wooden nutcrackers and it was love at first sight.  Eli loves it if we just repeat whatever we are saying in a deep voice and move the nutcracker's mouth....the belly aching laughs this rouses are hilarious!

-Another favorite friend is Snuggle Bunny, a white puppet inside of a book.  While the book attached to Snuggle Bunny can work to stifle creativity, you wouldn't believe the things snuggle bunny has done, from singing wheels on the bus to playing basketball. :) 

And finally, one more imagination story... The other day we were out on a playground that had a little play house.  Inside the house was a sink, a pretend stove, cabinets, etc.  Eli was playing and playing inside the house, and of course insisted that I join him in the house, even though I felt a little bit like Cinderella inside the Dwarf's house. :)  Inside the house Eli was just cooking away in his little pretend world.  I asked him what he was making to eat.  He looked at me with all the confidence in he world and said "a hot dog!"  Oh how I treasure these fun moments with my little man.  Thank you LORD for entrusting this precious little one to me, I acknowledge He is a priceless gift from You!

Eli and Doggie Star doing a little shoveling together in the back yard

Eli and his little buddy heading to the tent

Sitting in the tent with Doggie Star

Crawling though the tunnel with Doggie Star :)

Doggie Star may need a little Tylenol later, but at least he'll feel loved :)

Eating breakfast with company

Eli, Teddy Bear, and Doggie Star chatting away on this fine morning

Elijah's best buddies, Doggie Star and Teddy Bear :)

Sometimes I set up the tent inside if it is really windy out.  I had it set up in his playroom while I was making dinner one day and I noticed that Elijah was being really quiet.  I went in to check on him and found him like this.  He'd borrowed a few of Mama's pots and a spatula so he could cook like me.  Of course when I asked him what he was making, he said again, "a hot dog!"  I think he has realized that every time he says this he gets Mommy to laugh!

Just so you don't think all of Elijah's friends are make believe, here is a cute little picture from the other day with his friend Jovie.  So sweet!

While these next few pictures have nothing to do with imagination, I just thought they were too cute to pass up and I didn't want to do a separate post just for them.  Here are a few of Eli just being Eli. :)

I love you Eli!!  Thanks for all of the fun memories I get to make with you daily!