All About Eli, Age 9

**I haven't looked at my blog since June and now it's the end of October!  I didn't realize this post was written and not published.  I assume I didn't publish it because I wanted to add more.  Now of course I don't remember what more I wanted, ha!  So I'm publishing it the way I found it.

Eli is funny.  Already at 9 years old he talks about how much fun it'll be when he's a teenager.  (Ha!)  He loves the idea of getting to do things he can't do now (watch Star Wars, read Harry Potter, get his own phone...).  He still has a lot of "kid" years left til then, silly boy!

He still loves exploring nature and learning about creatures.  He gets excited to find dead things outside, and if it was up to him he'd add them to his "museum" collections in his room!

I can't remember if this was a dead bee or beetle!

The tiniest dead snake!

Dead cicada

On his way to his 1st day of 3rd grade!

And all smiles at the end of the 1st day!  He LOVED sharing the school experience with Clara.

He was in Mrs. Wheeler's class this year and 3rd grade was a positive experience for him.  He enjoyed his teacher, his best pal Cooper was in his class, and he also made good pals with a boy in his class named Kyler.  He gets along well with all of his peers.  He joined the new school choir that was only for 3rd and 4th graders.  They met once a week after school and he was loving it!  I was really surprised that he wanted to join, as he had never seemed to enjoy singing at home or church, but I was so pleased he did!  It was such a bummer that he couldn't see that activity through.  They were supposed to sing at a nursing home during school hours, and also sing at a school-wide event.  :(  

Ezra and I loved coming to have lunch with Eli every month!  We always stayed for recess, too!

I was SO pleased to be able to accompany Eli on his 3rd grade field trip to Conner Prairie!  I hadn't been on a field trip with him since preschool!  My mom babysat Ezra so I could go.  Obviously we have been to Conner Prairie a hundred times, but I actually thought it was rather nice to go somewhere we were very familiar with, since there was no way of getting lost, and we didn't have to worry about moving quickly to make our way to see everything.  We just picked a few spots to visit and had a blast!  Another perk was that since so many parents chaperoned, all of our groups were 2-3 kids!  So the only kids I was in charge of were Eli and his pal, Kayley.

Eli really struggled with finishing the school year with e-learning.  He loved his class zooms, but the last few weeks he grew to hate e-learning and started refusing doing it.  I tried offering incentives but when he wasn't interested we had to take things away.  :(  We had to take away his bike, electronics, even the Google Assistant in his room that he listens to music with.  It was NOT a happy time.  He wouldn't ever complete 3 of the assignments he got, but at least he did the rest because it was definitely a battle!  While I'm super grateful for the teachers who had to put the e-learning curriculum together at the last-minute, that process of learning is so not beneficial to children and I definitely don't ever want to repeat it!

These videos are of some fun we had playing at Carters Playplace in November.

Bike-riding boy!  Eli definitely loves the freedom and independence that comes with being a bike rider and being able to take off and go riding (mostly) whenever he'd like.  There are a few boys in the neighborhood who he rides with sometimes.  One boy, Andrew, is a few years older but he and Eli have struck up a good friendship.  Eli is absolutely happier to have some time to play and hang out with friends.

What a voracious reader he is!  Eli can most often be found reading.  He has a very bright mind and a thirst for knowledge.  He has an amazing memory and retains well what he reads.  Before the libraries closed from COVID-19, it was hard for me to keep up with checking out new books for him to read because he finishes them so fast!  We read together most every night.  (Sometimes he just wants to read on his own which I admit is a little sad.)  But I LOVE how reading is such a big part of his life.  I sure hope he will always keep reading and learning!

Sweet picture of Ezra playing with Eli's toes while he read.  

Library days were always a favorite!  He'd bring over a pile of books to start reading right away!

Eli received a science kit for his birthday and enjoys mixing and making new concoctions at his desk.

Eli's been wanting to take martial arts classes for a long time.  We finally signed him up for karate in January!  We had to pay a monthly fee and then you can come as often as you want.  So I was taking him to karate several times a week.  He was loving it!  He graduated from white belt and moved up to yellow/gold belt a couple weeks before the gym closed due to COVID-19.  Hoping to get back into it!

Eli with his sensei on his white belt graduation night.

Working on an excavating activity from Grandma Hayes.

Playdoh creations with Clara

Brotherly love!  Ezra always loves spending time with Eli and coming up to give him hugs.  Eli is doing better at showing kindness to Ezra.

Out exploring on a cold spring day on a walk from home to their school.

Scootering on our favorite Midland Trail.

Found a ladder on a tree during our first visit to Macgregor Park.

Eli does not enjoy getting all wet and muddy like his younger siblings!  At River Road.

Lots and lots of scooter rides this spring!

Clara thinks the world of Eli.  He will often share "secrets" with her.  They share bunkbeds and sometimes stay up WAY too late talking and giggling and making all kinds of plans!  (Why can't they do that in the day???)

Another creature to add to the group!  At least this one's alive!

Eli's 9-year-old Interview.  I did his interview towards the end of e-learning when he was a MAJOR grump (I thought doing his interview would help cheer him up).  Reading his answers you can definitely sense his mood.

Favorite Color: Black
Favorite Foods to Eat: Nachos and grilled cheese
Favorite Drink: Soda
Favorite Treats: Milkshakes
Favorite Books: Warriors; Resistance
Favorite Show: Wild Kratts
Favorite Song: "Help Me, Rhonda" (Beach Boys)
Favorite Friend: Cooper
Favorite Things to Do: play legos and ride my bike
Favorite Places to Go: library and the Children's Museum (when it's opened!)
What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up? An explorer
Favorite Thing to Wear: My pajamas!
Favorite People in the World: Myself
Favorite Scripture Story: None
What Do You Love Best About School?  recess.
Favorite Sport: Riding my bike
What Are You Really Good At? Riding my bike!
Where Do You Wish to Go on Vacation? Montana again
Best Memory? Me in Montana
What Would You Buy if You Had $1000? A motorcycle
Favorite Game: Hide & Seek
Who is You Biggest Hero? I don't have one.
What Do You Like About Yourself? I'm good at riding my bike.
What Makes You Scared? Nothing...pretty much.
What Makes You Happy? Money, riding my bike, and playing video games.
What Makes You Mad? Everything
If You Had 3 Wishes What Would They Be? A truck, a motorcycle, and money.
What Do You Like Best To Do With Your Friends? Ride bikes
What Do You Like Best To Do With Your Family? Go on vacation
What Do You Love About Being 9? Nothing. Everything?
What Do You Hope to Do Before Your Next Birthday? Buy a motorcycle.