Prayers

Please pray for the repose of the soul of my Uncle Joe, who was my Godfather, who passed away on Monday.  Please also keep my family in your prayers today and tomorrow as we attend the viewing and funeral, especially pray for my Aunt Karen.  Uncle Joe was an amazing man, always quick to joke and full of life.  He was married for 37 years, the father of three girls, and the grandfather of three.  He will be greatly, greatly missed.  When one day we meet again in heaven, he will be waiting there with a smile and a couple of jugs of heavenly homemade wine!  Love you Uncle Joe!

Freeman's Farm

Last weekend Eliana and I went to Freeman's Farm Fall Festival to visit another pumpkin patch, this time with some of her good friends from daycare.  Eliana, Jake, and Jack are the three amigos in her class.  They have been together since Eliana started daycare in the infant room and then all transitioned to the toddler room together.  We talk about Jake and Jack ALL the time at home.  Just mentioning their names can stop a tantrum or meltdown in the mornings while getting ready.  It was a lot of fun to see them all together, as usually I just get a glimpse of their friendship during drop off or pick up on the days I work.  I also enjoyed talking to their moms and hearing about the things they like to do together on their days at home.  The farm festival was a hit, especially the tractor and the hayride.  Although weather was a little dark and wet, we still had fun. 

Eliana, Jack, and Jake chasing the farm's dog.

The petting zoo wasn't that interesting (you couldn't actually pet any of the animals) but they liked it for a few minutes.

This picture cracks me up.  Eliana and Jack were dancing.  I think she is practicing some moves for my brother's upcoming wedding.

She really liked sitting on the tractor!

Freeman's had a little country store that we visited.  Eliana wanted to sit with Jack in the cart (which is amazing as she never wants to when I take her grocery shopping).  When it was time to say goodbye, she gave Jack a big hug and a BIG KISS!  Uh oh.

Just a little under 3 feet.

Is this not adorable?!

We bought a little pumpkin and a couple of gourds.  Eliana wanted a "baby gourd" so I found a very small one.  I was planning on just buying the one, but then she wanted the "mommy gourd" so I found a slightly bigger one and couldn't resist buying her that one too.  She seems to like them!  Even now, she still plays with her mommy and baby gourds.

Conversations with Eliana

I had a conversation with Eliana that went like this:
Eliana: "Minnie poopy diaper."
Me: "Oh no, Minnie has a poopy diaper?  What are you going to do?"
Eliana: "New diaper."
Me: "Where are you going to get a new diaper?"
Eliana: "Store. New diaper, store. Car store."

Then Eliana grabbed her pink toy car, put Minnie Mouse on it, and pushed it into the other room. 

So you might think this isn't really a big deal.  But I think this is one of the best conversations I have had with Eliana to date.  Usually our talking revolves around things Eliana wants ("More fruit please!") or Eliana pointing our objects in the book we are reading ("Prince's nose").  It never really involves a back and forth exchange, usually Eliana just making a statement.  So I was really impressed with Eliana's language skills, and her imagination and understanding of the world around her.  She knew just what to do to take care of her baby doll.  These are the little milestones you never realized existed until you become a mom. 

Eliana trying to change Minnie's diaper.

Minnie Mouse

A little over a month ago, Eliana started carrying around a doll or stuffed animal everywhere she went.  It started with one of my old cabbage patch dolls that she found at my parents house during a Labor Day visit.  Eliana and Dixie were inseparable for about four days.  However, I would not let her take Dixie to daycare, so she quickly adapted to loving whatever doll was closest at hand. 

Eliana insisted Dixie sit in the high chair her.  When Dixie got yogurt on all over her, I would no longer allow two in the chair at one time.  Eliana is kissing her baby in this picture.

Since Dixie had to sit at the table, Eliana wanted to sit at the table too.  Then Eliana wanted to give Dixie some of her milk.

I found them sleeping like this one night.

Eliana has been pretty nondiscriminatory with her stuffed animal love.  One day she will be carrying around "Woof Woof" the dog, then "Quack Quack" the duck, then big or little Mickey (she has two Mickey Mouse dolls, one is about twice the size of the other). 

Dancing with Dolly.

Snuggling with Big Mickey

Playing in the kitchen with "Ah Ah" the monkey and Bunny (occasionally called Thumper but mostly just Bunny).

But now, I think Eliana has found a true friend that cannot be replaced - Minnie Mouse.  I rotate Eliana's toys every few months, so I finally pulled Minnie out of the closet about a week ago.  Eliana has been obsessed with her every since!  Minnie is a great doll for Eliana because she has on a shirt (we used to put one of Eliana's old shirts on Mickey so that he would be wearing something), her pants are white so they look like a diaper, and she is wearing shoes.  These are all traits that we discuss at length about Minnie Mouse.  So many interesting parts in just one stuffed animal!  Eliana has been mostly ignoring her other stuffed animals in favor of being with Minnie.  Eliana thinks Minnie can do anything.  When we were outside coloring with chalk, she put chalk in Minnie's hand and had her color too.  She does the same thing with crayons inside.  Today at lunch Eliana was having grilled cheese and broccoli, so she insisted Minnie have a "cheese san-wich" too. I raided Eliana's play kitchen and made Minnie a cheeseburger, which Eliana showed her how to "eat" once she finished her own lunch.  Is this the start of a long and lasting friendship?  I guess we will find out!

10K Race

Yesterday I ran in the Run Like a Girl 10K race.  I have done the Indianapolis Mini Marathon multiple times, and I wanted to try a slightly shorter distance to see how fast I could go.  This was my first timed race besides the Mini, and I had a really good time!  I have always enjoyed running the Mini Marathon, perhaps because I always know lots of people doing it, but usually around mile 9 or 10, I start to get really worn out.  I just want the race to be over and pray that my legs don't fall off somewhere in the next three miles until the finish line.  So I thought perhaps a 10K (6.2 miles) would fit my abilities and endurance a little better.  After the race yesterday, I have to say it is a much better distance to run! I had been training pretty well until the last two weeks (I know, not a good time to stop training...).  Originally my goal was a 9 min/mile but come race day I knew that was probably pretty ambitious.  I ended up completing the race with a finishing time of 57:49 (right under my modified goal of 58 minutes!).  That is a 9:20min/mile.  I was pretty happy with that time, and even happier that my legs felt good after the race.  David and Eliana met me at the end of the race, and I gave Eliana my medal (the pink ribbon in the picture).  Then she wanted my headband too, so you can see her styling that in the picture also.  I don't know that I will be signing up for any more races for a while, but I definitely had fun doing this one.

Circle S Farms

Most Tuesday Eliana and I get together with some other moms and kids and do something fun.  Today we went to Circle S Farms located just outside of Columbus.  Eliana has been fascinated with all of the pumpkins she has been seeing around the neighborhood, so I knew she would love this outing.  She kept saying she wanted to go to the park, so I told her we were going to the "Pumpkin Park."  Eliana seemed to have a good time.  Her favorite parts were the goats, the grassy area with large pumpkins and "gowds" (gourds), and picking dirt off of her pumpkin.  Her least favorite part was the hayride.  She really did not like that even if it was pulled by a tractor.  It has been a lot of fun watching Eliana experience all these new things!

Checking out the goats with her friends Theo and Adele.

Inside the hay barn, going down the slide. 

Eliana really enjoyed the hay barn slide, but otherwise wasn't a big fan of the hay.

Claire shared her wagon with Adele and Eliana.

Taking a hayride out to the pumpkin patch.  Eliana refused to be in this picture and instead cried on my lap.

Checking out the pumpkins.  Eliana had a hard time picking one.

She finally found one with a sufficient amount of dirt to be able to take it home.

Hayrides are more tolerable with a pumpkin in your lap.