Great Pics

 
I got some great pics of Eli with our new camera the other day. I love this one because he looks so pensive. I happened to catch him when something on the ground had caught his attention. Many more great pics like this one from this day at Picasa.

An Eli story from my Dad from September 6th, 2008; Last evening Elijah came down after a wash and asked me whether I could play with his new MAGFORMERS mom gave him. I said, sure and we sat down on the carpet to play. While we were playing he asked me, "Appacha, do you know why Ammachy bought me this gift now? I said, may be you are a good boy. Then he said, Yes I am a good boy, but that is not the reason; Ammachy bought this because she was going away to India for two weeks, and she won't see us for that long, aren't you sad Appacha"? I said, yes Appacha is sad, but we need to pray for Ammachy so that she will be safe there and come back healty. Yes Appacha, I will pray right now. Then he started praying, while playing with the Magformers, and the prayer was cute. This is what he prayed, "Dear Jesus, keep Ammachy safe in India, even when we are not with her, and even when you are not with her; keep Ammachy safe, in Jesus name we pray." When Sajeev came down and told him it is bedtime, he turned around and asked, if he could have a sleep over with Appacha. And he was sleeping with me form 9 until 7 AM after our bedtime stories. There was no kicking, but tuning around often. Good morning every one!!

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Now on Facebook....

I've moved my blog about life with my wonderful son, Elijah, to Facebook (finally!). Actually it hasn't moved....it's still on blogger at http://spcherian.blogspot.com....but now it's connected to my Facebook account and should provide notifications when I make new posts (for those of you who love Eli out there). I can't promise that this will necessarily increase my posting frequency...but at least it will make things a little more transparent. - sajeev

Really...it doesn't hurt

As you might expect, Elijah gets his fair share of cuts and scrapes as he goes about his daily aerial routines in our family room or back yard. Two days ago he got a pretty bad scrape on his ankle and my Dad cleaned it, rubbed it with alcohol and put a band aid on it. Of course, the alcohol stung (it's "the stingy medicine" according to Elijah) and he didn't like it. Well later in the day my Dad noticed that Eli was wincing a little and seemed overly protective of his ankle. So he asked Eli if anything was bothering him. Eli said no. He asked Eli if his cut was hurting and he said no. My Dad asked him if he wanted him to put some medicine (meaning Neosporin) on it and Eli emphatically said no. So my Dad let up....but then he heard Eli quietly praying (whispering) "Dear Jesus, please take the pain away so Appacha won't give me the stingy medicine". Too cute.

Elijah - Step 1

Disney World

We just got back from Orlando after spending a day at Disney World and a day at SeaWorld. We had a lot of fun and Eli really enjoyed meeting all of the Disney characters, going on rides and seeing the shows. I think the highlights of his trip were (a)meeting the Disney characters one-on-one at Chef Mickey's cafe in Disney's Contemporary Resort, (b) watching Mickey's Philharmagic Orchestra (he made us go twice!) and (c) riding his first roller coaster (the Shamu Express) at SeaWorld. We have a lot of fun stories to tell, but for now I'll just share some pictures and video from the trip.

The breakfast at Chef Mickey's was a lot of fun. Elijah got to meet Donald, Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Pluto. Donald was especially happy to see Elijah's shirt (which was a Donald Duck shirt). The rest of us had a blast too. All of the characters kept picking on Eli's uncle, Jithu, because he wouldn't get into the birthday celebrations by waving his napkin around. Donald took particular interest in Jithu (see video below) and we loved every minute. He was a very good sport, though.



Here's Eli meeting Mickey Mouse:


Here's my personal favorite.....Donald Duck meeting Eli and having an intimate moment with Eli's uncle, Jitesh Thomas (aka Jithu):

Yesu Marathaven

This one isn't really a story....this past Winter I sang a Malayalam song at a friend's wedding and it became a really hit for Eli....he was running around the house singing it for quite a while. It's appeal seems to have died down a little, but I record the lyrics here for posterity...

Sarva srushtikalumonnai pukazhtheedunna
Srashtavine sthuthikkum njan
Ee kshonithalathil jeevikkunna nalellam
Ghoshicheedum ponnu nadhane

Yesu marathavan, Yesu marathavan
Yesu marathavan Ha, ethra nallavan
Innumennum koodeyullavan

Thante karuna ethrayo athivisishtam
Than snehamascharyame
En langhanangalum en akruthyangalmellam
Akatiya thante snehathal

Roga sayyayilenikku sahayakanum
Rakkala geethavumavan
Nalla vydyanum divya oushadhavumen
Athma sakhiumavan thanne

Thejasil vasam cheyyunna visudharothu
Avakasam njanum prapippan
Divya athmaval saktheekarichenneyum than
Sannidhiyil niruthidume

Zionil vaaniduvanai vilichu thante
Sreshtopadesavum thannu
Ha! enthoratbhutham ee vankrupaye orkumpol
Nannikondennullam thullunne

I will glorify my Creator who is praised by all the creations. I will praise his glorious name as long as live on this earth.

Chorus
Jesus is unchangeable, Jesus is unchangable
Jesus is unchangeable—Ha! what a wonderful and everlasting friend He by my side .

How precious is his mercy, how amazing is His love
His great love has removed all my transgressions and inequities (chorus)

He is my Helper when I am sick and bedridden
He is my song in the darkness of night
As the great physician with the precious ointment, He is my Soulmate (chorus)

For my inheritance with all saints living in glory
He shall strengthen me with His Divine Spirit
And Keep me ever in His presence (chorus)

For my eternal living in Zion, He called me out
And gave His precious advice
Ha! This great mercy is so wonderful that
My soul overfloweth with thanksgiving (chorus).

Idols

This morning I was playing David and Goliath with Elijah using a plastic action figure set my dad had bought him. Eli wanted to be Goliath and I was going to be David (with the Philistine and Israeli armies supporting us, of course). Well, we are all set up and then Eli grabbed one of my Israeli army guys and the following transpired:

Eli: OK Daddy. This guy is gonna be God.
Me: Oh....no buddy...we can't say that a statue is God
Eli: Yes we can, Daddy....this guy is gonna be God
Me: Well, buckwheat.....God doesn't like it if we make any statues or pictures of Him
Eli: (flipping out) But DADDY!!! This guys has to be God!!! He has to be on David's side!!!

Then it dawned on me that one of the key points of the story was that the little guy (David) was able to beat the big guy (Goliath) precisely because God was on his side. So Eli felt very adamantly that we had to be able to see God on David's side. I decided that today it was more important for him to know that God is on his side than to know that we shouldn't make any idols that represent Go.....so there was the plastic Goliath up against my David and some randomly chosen plastic action figure. It's fascinating to see how his mind works.

Any questions for Daddy?

A few nights ago I had an epiphany while putting Elijah to bed. I thought bedtime...after the story and prayer....would be a nice time for Elijah and I to talk about anything that was on his mind....as time for him to ask any questions of his daddy. I envisioned him asking me how things worked or why we had to behave or where snow came from. I could see us both looking back on these conversations later as key Daddy and Elijah bonding time. Here's how our first attempt went:

(just finished telling the story and praying....)
Me: So buddy....I was thinking that this would be a good time for you and Daddy to talk about any questions you might have for Daddy.....is there anything you'd like to ask me?

Eli: Yes, Daddy, there is. Daddy?

Me: Yes, son (mentally refreshing my thoughts on theology, politics...)

Eli: I want to ask you.....could you lay with me for 10 minutes?

Me: Sure, buddy. Is there anything else you'd like to ask Daddy?

Eli: Yes, Daddy. Daddy, I like Diego (Nickelodeon TV character) do you think tomorrow you could take down all these Thomas (the Tank Engine) stickers and put up Diego stickers so I can have a Diego room?

Me: (slightly disappointed at the level of our conversation...and the change of heart towards Thomas) Well, we'll talk about that tomorrow buddy.

Eli: But Daddy...

Me: No more talking.

.....and off to sleep he went. I'm sure tomorrow we'll move onto theology and politics.