The Amazing Elliot Diego Thomas, Dog Trainer Extraordinaire

Just check out how well I command my frightening beast, Nachinator the rock star!!! ~ Elliot

Yummy yummy in my tummy

A couple of weeks ago Mommy and Daddy decided that I was old enough to start eating 'solids' (more like 'mushies' if you ask me). Actually I think they were hoping that it would help me spit up less or sleep through the night, but nope I still chuck like nobody's business, and I still need my bottle and cuddle with Mommy or Daddy at least once a night.

Even with Elliot's help, I wasn't too sure about this eating off a spoon nonsense at first. I kept trying to push it back out or suck on it like a bottle, but in no time at all I was starting to get the hang of things and gobbling down my rice cereal.

Now I'm ready to start trying other foods, but Mommy thinks that with the way I spit up she'll keep my on the rice cereal for at least a couple of more weeks. I think she's getting a bit tired of doing laundry all the time!

So check out here and here for some videos of me in action. ~ Oliver

'Maybe' or 'Not'

Elliot's incredible vocabulary never ceases to amaze us. These days he's beginning to play with language a little bit, and it is really funny. For instance, he's decided that 'maybe' means 'yes' and 'not' can be used much in the same way as 'no'. This leads to many moments when we have to seriously hold in our chuckles like when I ask if he wants a cuddle and he responds with a 'not' as if he was a teenager already or especially when I ask if he wants to do something awesome like go to the zoo and he answers with an emphatic and enthusiastic 'Maybe!!!!'

Jolly Jumping Natural

Ya think I look a bit nervous? Nah!

That's right, I'm jumping . . . so totally jumping!

Does my bum look big in this?

Dance Party at Activate

Last week Mommy and Rebeka and Rhiannon took me for a long-awaited play at Activate and oh my gosh, they had a face painter and a dancing game too. It was SOOOOOOOOO much FUN! Just check out my killer dance moves. Do I have skills or do I have skills?!? I even unleashed some break-dancing action just to mix things up a bit! ~ Elliot

True love is . . .

. . . sucking the boogies out of your baby's nose so that he can breathe a little better.

(Good thing Paul loves his boys so much!)

I'm a water baby too!

Mommy and I have been going to swimming for a couple of months now and I just love it. In fact, I'm so comfortable splashing and kicking in the water that Mommy decided (much to everyone else's awe) that I was ready to go under water. And guess what, Mommy was right, I'm totally cool with going under water, I mean I lived under water for nine months, right? Can't wait for my cold to go away so I can get back to my swimming!

Here's a video of me in action. And if you just can't get enough of me there are always plenty of more videos on Mommy's YouTube channel caseysoo1. ~ Oliver

Happy Birthday to Mommy!

What an eventful and fun birthday week I've had this year. The festivities started the weekend before when Steve, Nikki, Rob, Sam and all the kids came over for some nibblies and drinks on the front porch (where we tried out our awesome new outdoor heater). And the fun continued all week with a yummy family dinner at Nero's, a potluck dinner and games night with Katherine, Karina, Amanda and their partners and babies, and maybe best of all, a crazy alcohol-fueled dancing night out with Danika that lasted until when I would usually be getting up to feed Oliver. It was fantastic to feel so irresponsible for a night even if it resulted in a killer morning-after headache and a photograph that I only sort of remember of me in some stranger's hat.

Our Gorgeous Little Guys

My Very Own Big Boy Room

Last weekend Mommy and Daddy put the finishing touches on my very own big boy bedroom. Daddy did the painting, and Mommy put together my new kid-sized dresser and wardrobe and stuck the cool animal stickers on the wall, and when I woke up in the morning what a surprise! I LOVE it!!! And I wasn't afraid to sleep all by myself in it right from the start. Sure sometimes I still need Mommy and Daddy to look under the bed before I go to sleep but that's just sensible if you ask me.

Here's the sign Mommy and I made for my bedroom door. I picked out all the colours and told Mommy which animals I wanted on it and she did the cutting and pasting. Looks pretty good if you ask me.

And here's my reading corner with the super cozy little chair Mommy found for me for only $5. (Gosh she goes on and on about her awesome bargains!)

Hey, who let Oliver sit in my chair? That's for big boys only! NOT babies.

And here's my awesome toddler bed with the beautiful quilt Katie in the Tri-Cities made me and the cozy froggy blanket that Gramma made for me under that. I stay super warm at night!

(Mommy and Daddy thought it would be cute if Oliver was on the bed with me for this photo. I don't know. He looks a little too comfortable. . . . I've already given him my old crib and my old room y'know!) ~ Elliot

Tummy Time

Don't tell anyone that I like to make myself comfy on Elliot's new sofa late at night!

Watch out world here I come!

You've probably heard how I'm already rolling over and stuff, but check out how ready I am to get moving! When Mommy and Daddy plop me down on the floor, I like to see the looks on their faces when they come back to find that I'm not exactly where they left me. It's not like I'm in a different room or anything yet, but it won't be long my friends . . .

. . . especially since I'm already loving to stand up! I'm in awe of myself even! ~ Oliver

Mommy and Daddy love me!

Cailey and me at the zoo!

I just can't get enough of the zoo! And this time my friend Cailey and her mommy and baby sister joined us and it was that much more fun. It was also much harder to mind Mommy especially since I was trying to show off for Cailey and assert my independence all day. If I wasn't tromping through the bush instead of using the footpath or ignoring Mommy and playing with a gate that ended up pinching my thumb very very hard and making it bleed, I was walking off on my own personal journey ignoring Mommy's pleas to stick with her.

At one point I just decided to freeze, both feet glued together, in the middle of the footpath and refused to budge. When I wouldn't come like Mommy asked, she thought she'd be clever and walk off without me thinking that I would eventually run after her. Nope! I'm even more clever. I stood my ground even after she was out of sight and it was she who came running back to me (and not too happily either!)

Here's some photos before Mommy got so cross with me that she put away the camera and made me sit in the stroller:

Mommy was very proud of how brave
I was to pat the kangaroo and
how gently I was patting her.

This wood railing is much more interesting
than any gigantic tortoise!

Would you take a look at
the size of that giraffe!

Mommy wouldn't let me go on the horsie ride,
but I did get to ride on a dolphin.

Cailey: "Oh my gosh, is Elliot
really licking my head?!?!?"

Elliot: "That's right,
the ladies love my head licking move!"

Mommy's a meanie!

Can you believe that she just sat there and watched me struggle like this? ~ Oliver