Our super awesome weekend

The weather this weekend could not have been more perfect. Saturday was one of those Top 5 MN days of the entire year. Gorgeous! My sidekick and I spent very little time inside. Lots of park trips and walks and playing on the patio and walking up and down the driveway.

Elijah has had some serious milk cravings lately. Or OCK, as he calls it. Each night after prayers and before sleep, he asks for OCK. I can't deny him since he is using the word correctly, so I always let him have a few swigs. This weekend he asked for OCK not just before bed, but all throughout each day. Is he reverting to the baby years? We are careful not to give him too much so he continues to eat well.



OCK also means PARK. Many many times this weekend I found him pointing outside, toward the park, saying OCK repeatedly. We have to be very very careful in our house not to say the word PARK if we don't intend on going there within the next three seconds. Serious disappointment occurs for the park-lover when the word slips out accidentally.



On Saturday afternoon we drove down to my sister's house to celebrate my nephew's high school graduation. As I said, it was a beautiful day, so it was nice to sit outside and catch up with everyone and watch the cousins love on each other. Elijah got some serious attention.



Even though my sisters and I all live in the same "city," we don't see each other enough. I love my sisters. And I love all of my nephews and nieces.



Swinging was a big hit for Elijah. Could he look any more comfortable? And could Elijah's sweet little cousin Kaleigh be any cuter?



We decided to collectively color a special card for Erik. Elijah took it upon himself to give us an art lesson and show us his special coloring techniques.



On Sunday morning we got ready nice and early and headed into the city to visit our good friend Jess. It was another beautiful day to be outside, so we walked from her house to a cute little restaurant for breakfast. We sat outside and enjoyed some delicious food. We decided it was time to go when Elijah dumped an entire container of Chips Ahoy cookies on the ground (I know, why am I feeding my child cookies for breakfast, right?).

We walked to a few nearby gardens that I had no idea existed. They were beautiful! It felt like we were out in the wilderness instead of in the middle of a huge city. Elijah fell particularly head over heels for the waterfall. He pointed and pointed and pointed at it, even after we were well past it, and then started signing MORE and pointing back toward it.



The flowers, the paths, the trees, everything was beautiful and peaceful. I guess there is a reason it is called the Peace Garden.



The garden across the street was gorgeous, too. There were rows and rows of roses and huge fountains to gaze at. We ran through some sprinklers and Elijah loudly proclaimed DUH (done). Ok, no more sprinklers.



Dan survived another Man Weekend. We relaxed at home in the afternoon and evening, enjoying more time outside. Maybe it was because Elijah was tired that he had a two-hour crying/screaming/tantruming/body flailing party for himself. By 6:00 I begged Dan for a reprieve and fled to the bath tub with my book.



Elijah finished off his weekend with an OCK nightcap and went to bed a tired boy. Oh, and woke up this morning a coughing boy, yet again. Tomorrow morning he will get a pre-op physical and that will determine if he is healthy enough for surgery on Thursday. Please pray with us that the 18th is his day to get this done!