My little sneak!

Lately Eli has had much fun playing hide and seek, I must say he's rather good at it too! I remember teaching younger siblings to play this game and how hard it was to teach them to stay still and be quiet. Not Eli! In fact I never even taught him to play the game he just started it on his own! In the living room his "hiding" place is behind the TV cabinet we have. If you've been to our house you know that its at an angle away from the wall near the front door. Normally we stash his play shopping cart there, but what he likes to do is move the cart out just enough for him to get in the corner and sit down. Then he pulls the cart up to himself and he's pretty much hidden. The only reason you can find him is because I happened to see him hiding there and he was not done getting into position before I found him. Which I wasn't trying to play the game I was just coming down the stairs with Willa at the time and saw him "hiding" from me.

Several times throughout the day I have "diaper changing time" where I take both kids up and change their diapers at the same time. I start with Willa, get her changed then lay her in her crib under her mobile and crank it up to keep her busy while I take Eli in his room and change his diaper before returning to Willa (just as the mobile winds down) and we all return downstairs. Eli is familiar with this routine and at the sound of me winding the mobile for Willa he sprints down the hall to his room. The other day he did this however instead of standing in the middle of the room giggling at me as I "chase" him when I get to the room he is nowhere to be found. I know he's in there "hiding" somewhere, I turn on the light and call out "Where's Eli???" Not a peep, fortunately for me I could see his little feet peeking out under the glider he was hiding behind. Again he was really still and VERY quiet... That is till I find him and pop around the chair and go "roarrr!!!" To which he squeals loudly and dashes out the other side giggling madly. Ah I love that little man!

Last week sometime I had awaken to hear him playing in his crib over the monitor. I got dressed and padded down the hallway to his room. Once I get to the door I hear everything is quiet, so weird because he was just moments before singing at the top of his lungs! I open the door and peek in, he's sound asleep again.... Or so I thought. No matter I was still going to get him up as it was time to get up anyway. First I turn on the light furthest from his crib and not as bright to "ease him into waking" if in fact he was truly asleep. Then I turn on the other light. I lean over his crib and say "Eli.... are you asleep??" Nothing, not even a tiny smile, not even faster breathing. I get a little louder and say "wake up!" Nothing, then I hear again without a smile and barely any movement his fake snoring. Just for a second then he stops and remains motionless. Wow this kid is good, so I say "Oh I guess your really still asleep... Ok then *fake yawn* I'm going back to bed.. Goodnight Eli" and I walk out of the room. I stand just outside the doorway till I hear giggling and him standing up in his bed. What a little sneak!

So today I hear him playing and singing as I'm feeding Willa. I'm almost done and then I go to get him. Now the only thing I can conclude is he hears me coming down the hall (there is a board that squeaks) and that's when he goes into his "I'm asleep" mode. Today tho it was even more elaborate. He had placed his blanket over his face, flared his arms and legs out and pretty much looked like he had just suffocated himself. I knew better as his "blanket" is a thin receiving blanket that he hugs not sleeps under. I turn on a light slowly and lean over his crib. I can barely see 1 eye peeking at me from around the edge of his blanket watching me and sparkling with mischief. I can't help myself I burst into laughter to which he giggles and rips the blanket off his face and smiles at me. Then quick as a flash rolls over on his tummy, tucks his blanket under him and fakes he is sleeping again. The little turkey! We're going to have to keep our eyes on him! I think he's going to be ornery!