Today is Elliot's 2nd Birthday

   HAPPY  BIRTHDAY  Mr. ELLIOT !  I am ever so thankful that God blessed our family with you! You are fun. You make us smile. All of your various laughs are delightful. Your impromptu hugs are wonderful. Your impy pulling back and telling us no when we ask for a kiss or a hug, while your eyes are dancing with delight, eggs us on more too. Still not sure how one little man your size can be everywhere at once, but you sure seem to be at times! Your body strength and coordination are amazing for somebody your age and height. Your hearty appetite requires stocking up ahead. Not sure how you've done it, but somehow you've managed to capture personality traits of all four of my sons (your dad and uncles). It's almost eerie at times how much like them you are. And then there's the oh so strong gene from my side of the family, which shows up in certain male family members, that makes you resemble your uncle Brandon when he was young and look like your great uncle Craig to a 'T'!  WE  LOVE  YOU  ELLIOT!!!!! 

    Here are some pictures from his birthday party last year. Due to the date for it having been changed a couple of times, Byron, Brian and I were the only ones able to go to Illinois for it. The ride home was even more enjoyable, seeings how we brought the kids back with us ;->

     The birthday boy, after nabbing some of the icing off of his cake -

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    Yes, he has a scar by his eyebrow. He had full steam gone running into the bathroom to find mommy, slipped and his head had nailed the metal track of the shower doors. An ER visit and several stitches later, his mom called me to inquire how I had survived the frequency of such things with my four boys. ;-p

   Reaching for presents with mommy.

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     Getting help from Papa B.

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     the gift was "Vroom Vrooms!"

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     For the fun of it, we had also taken a gift for Analyse -

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   The party was at Aunt Cynthia's house. They were all in or by the pool when we pulled into the drive, so they couldn't see us nor us them. As Byron and I walked through the pathway in the bushes, Analyse, who was standing on the deck of the pool, spotted us. The rules about no jumping or running on the deck went floating away as she started yelling "Daddy!!!" and jumping in glee. The deck worked pretty darn good as a temporary trampoline ;-p.
    Later her actions proved that she was pretty thrilled to see me too -

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                                               That's Aunt Cindy behind us.

    At one point during the day, Byron, Cyndi, Analyse and most of the other family members and guest, were either playing in the pool or taking naps. Brian and I were sitting at a table with Aunt Cindy, Uncle Randy and Elliot. Elliot has this thing for hats. Always has. So he had taken Papa's hat and sat ever so contently in my lap, playing with it. Sometimes he put it on, frontwards, backwards, sideways, even upside down, he was after all only 1. He also enjoys undoing and redoing the sizing part in the back (baseball styled hat). While I was immensely enjoying just holding 'my' little guy, it kept getting better and better every time that of his own accord, he would lean back against me, look up with a smile and sigh. All of this lasted for over 45 minutes. I truly am immensely blessed!

    I just have to include this picture of Cyndi. I love when she bursts out laughing over something!

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    The birthday boy with his parents :->

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