Why Eli Probably Won't Start School Until He's 12

This past Thursday was Jude's last day of school. His class consisted mostly of boys, but my personal favorite was a little gal named Tessa whose delightful personality I absolutely adored. It's cute that Jude did, too. Here is a casual conversation I overheard a few weeks ago while washing dishes:

Kwang: "Is Ah-bbah pretty?"
Jude: "No."
Kwang: "Then who do you think is pretty?"
Jude: "Uhm-mah and Tessa."

It's summer! I can't tell the difference between the seasons in SoCal, but one way I know it is warmer out is when Kwang begins to conveniently pass all of our king-size comforter onto my side of the bed to the point where you cannot tell I am even in the bed because all you see is a mound of Calvin Klein Meadowgrass. I got him this lightweight blanket for Christmas because the only gifts he fully appreciates are those that are functional, useful, and necessary-- to sum it up: boring. AND... AND I had to reassure him that I got it with a COUPON... while it was on SALE. Anyway, no matter how warm the weather is, for some reason I always need a blanket. So I guess I'm partly to blame. But this is actually good for Kwang, because in the early morning he suddenly decides he needs a blanket after all. So in his sleep, he takes back all but a teeny tiny corner of blanket for me to sleep with. When I wake up, I find myself holding onto this little triangle for dear life. This scenario happens on a regular basis, but I can't complain too much (I'll just complain once to everyone on the internet), because this is the only time I can think of when he is neglectful of my feelings. When he's asleep. So that's not so bad. I realize all of this makes for a very boring read and, like you, I have no idea why I'm writing it. Anywhoooo....

Eli is still his unbearably cute self. Too bad no one can actually witness his loveableness except us. This has been quite an awakening after having an easy baby like Jude who went to anyone at any time. Last Sunday, I left Eli in the church nursery and informed the caretakers that I was fine with him crying but would be back to check up on them. By "them" I meant the babysitters. Yes, I would return to make sure they were still of sound mind and had not yet pulled out all their hair. So when I went back after the message, I learned that our little Eli had cried not only for the first few minutes, or even 10. The boy cried for THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE SERMON. NONSTOP. And probably without once stopping to catch his breath, he is that talented. Today was no better. I think we are officially the first family to WANT to leave their kid at the church nursery and have him cry it out only to have him brought right back to us.

To end on a less depressing note, one of the only things Eli loves that is not of the edible variety is a ball. A basketball, baseball, soccer ball, any ball. So when he found out that there was a ball actually ATTACHED to his body, he was very fascinated: