Happy 4th Birthday Eli!!

Our big boy is now 4 years old. We celebrated by watching a couple extra Transformers, cake and ice cream with family, opening presents, and playing with new Transformers.

He's getting bigger physically as well as in his maturity level and knowledge. It's a joy to see him grow everyday and we're looking forward to seeing the person he comes.

Here he is over the last 5 birthdays.

A Little Craftiness

Here are some of the projects I've been working on while Eli is busy playing.

A baby blanket for some friends. I love how it turned out. (Quilted and flannel backing)

A Swiss flag quilt for my Mom's birthday (Quilted with crosses as well)

Inspired by this quilt

Crocheted Mike Wazwoski for Eric's office

My current and ongoing project: a flag quilt for Eric 

(He chose 24 flags, these are just the first 7 I finished)

Inspired by this quilt

And the obligatory Eli pictures of course.

More Than Meets the Eye

It's still Transformers all the time around the Nies house. Eli loves his toys that are Transformers, and turns others, like Legos and cars, into them. He will not draw anything else and is constantly requesting to look at pictures of Transformers. Not to mention watching the original show on Netflix, the current offshoot of Rescue Bots, and reading the books he has that include Transformers. AND they are included in the story (or continuing saga, if you will) Eric tells him every night before bed.

He has reached the point where he looks at a picture of a Transformer (say, Sunstreaker), then he draws his version of Sunstreaker, and proceeds to build him out of Legos. He is very precise in his building and transforming. It's almost a point of pride for him. 

He also enjoys playing that he himself is a Transformer. His current modes are "guy", "box", and "lion".

 Here is Eli with some of his Transformers (toys and Legos) all in "guy mode". 

 The same Transformers in "vehicle mode"; Eli is in "box mode".

 Ultra Magnus - drawing by Papa, aka Les Nies and built by Eli (guy mode, front view)

 Ultra Magnus - (guy mode, back view - green Legos in place of gray)

Ultra Magnus - (vehicle mode)

I have a feeling we will be enjoying the company of Transformers for many months to come.

Christmas Crafting

We had a wonderful Christmas at our house. Despite Elijah being sick the weekend before, and me half sick the day of, it was a great time. My mom helped me cook a delicious Swiss meal and everyone laughed at the amazing goofy gifts we exchanged.

I'm thankful it's over though. Back to regular routine for Eli and I. Which includes my usual sewing time. The weeks leading up to Christmas were busy ones for me and fraught with tension as I hurried to get gifts finished by the big day. Next year I definitely need to start earlier. Below are some of the projects I presented to those I love. (The links provided show where I got patterns or tutorials.)

A stuffed teddy bear for my nephew's birthday

Crocheted minion for a friend

Crocheted Hobbes for Eric 

Crocheted owl TP cover for goofy gift

Sewn purse for a friend

Rice bags for family members 

(by next year everyone will have gotten one from me)

Hot pads for mother-in-law and sister-in-law

Mug rug for my mother-in-law 

(yes, there is a story behind the skull fabric)

Fabric box, rice bag, and mug rug for Eric's co-worker

Denver Broncos colored afghan for friends

And, of course, while I was taking these pictures Eli had to get in on the fun and photobomb me.

To Keep the Family Happy

Here are some recent pictures of Elijah.

 Transformers in the tub

In his Christmas jammies

 

Pretending to be Daddy in his exercise shoes and bandana

Working hard at drawing

Smiles

Lunching at McDonald's

Transformers: Eli Style

People always told me that kids find a toy and become obsessed with it. I don't remember doing this as a child but Elijah proves the theory true.

He LOVES Transformers. The original and the more young kid-friendly Rescue Bots. He is constantly drawing and playing with his various Optimus Prime toys. 

(And of course requested to be Optimus for Halloween.)

He also thoroughly enjoys Legos. So why not combine his two loves?

He is very specific on how they transform. If you do it wrong he will let you know. Below is an example:

Above is plane mode. 

This is truck mode. 

And here is guy mode. 

Suffice to say, if Eli turns out to be a car designer, we will have the best vehicles in town. 

Evolution of Drawing

For the first three and a half years of Elijah's life, there have been several times when I've worried about his development.

Ultimately, for no reason.

First the doctor was worried at his 18 month appointment that he wasn't talking/babbling enough. I worked with him for two months and he had dozens of spoken words and sign language. Now it's hard to get him to be quiet. Then I began to have concerns about his lack of climbing or desire to climb. Not long after he began to venture around playground equipment on his own. These days I have a hard time tracking him at the park because he's so busy having fun and climbing. 

Recently it has been worries about crayons and paper. Over the last couple months, Eli showed almost no interest in coloring or drawing (at home at least). About a week ago, he requested I draw him a Transformer. And then another. And another. AND another. Eric got in on the fun too.

(Eric's Heatwave on the left, my Bluestreak on the right*)

It was a daily activity with new and different characters requested. Finally we suggested we draw pictures for him and Eli could color them.

(Tweak from Octonauts on the left, Batman with handy helpers on the right)

While we were drawing for him, Eli would be next to us, observing (he's blue and red), critiquing (is that the best you can do?)**, and working on his own skills.

A couple days ago, he ceased asking us to draw him pictures and created his own.

(working on shapes, lines, colors)

Within a day or two, his drawings have become amazing. Especially for the short time he has been working on them.

(top is Eli's Optimus Prime, bottom is the original)

He has even outdone his mother. 

(that (yellow) person is better than any I drew for the first 25 years of my life)

I convinced him that all great artist's sign their work so Eli has been working on that as well.

(I had to remind myself to teach him to write it from left to right)

Suffice to say, I think we may have another Nies artist on our hands. 

(definitely right handed but you have to have those other colors at hand)

I love watching Eli draw, but this is my favorite family activity - cuddle time.

*Please note my artistic skills lie in more of a yarn and fabric direction than with crayons and paper.

**This line sprang from me finishing every picture with "That's the best I can do".