3 Years Ago...

...we were introduced to a particularly beautiful form of torture known as Elijah Wilson Nimon-- Elijah because we wanted him to be a warrior who loved God, Wilson because my grandfather Wilson is as close as it gets to finding a modern day Elijah, and Nimon because we didn't really have any choice.

I'll be honest. Babies aren't cute. I knew this going in and was still able to be surprised just how much like a purple rat he looked. We loved him anyway and we think he's turned out just fine, thanks. I mean, he can recite Psalm 150 from memory. (Even when I can't, as he proved at his 3rd birthday party on Saturday). There is the occasional nuclear meltdown, but every ninja assassin has a few of those :)

Anyway, to commemorate the LJ, here are a few pictures from birth until now-- apologies if you have seen some of these before, but I think they really catch his spirit.

10 minutes old

4 months old

8 months old

1 year old (he looks a lot here like Judah does now)

18 MONTHS OLD

21 months old-- finally, a little hair gel!

2 yrs old-- the Curious George obsession begins!!

2 yrs 3 mos-- just a man and his swing :)

2 yr 6 mos--Only a year after riding his toy car, he's graduated to horses

2 yr 9 mos -- posing with a puzzle he did "ALL BY MYSELF, DADDY!"

3 yrs today-- for anyone that knows him, it's not surprising we caught him last week trying to sneak out to a semi-formal with an "older woman"

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ELIJAH!!!!