A Season of Firsts

Dear Eli,

We just got back from running errands, and both you and your daddy got new toys! His, however, cost a little more than yours. While he's off picking his up (a new TV), you are playing in your brand new (to you) exersaucer! Thank you Uncle Andy, Aunt Jessica, and Cousin Jack for what is sure to be hours of fun. Here is a picture of you taken a few minutes ago during your first time playing:

So this brings me to the thought of firsts. We've already discussed your first night in the hospital (I didn't sleep),  and your first night at home (you didn't sleep... and subsequently, I didn't either), so now, I want to talk about some other 'firsts.' When you were ten days old, your cousin Sydney came over to see you, along with the rest of Uncle Andy's family--Aunt Jessica, and your cousins Madison, Riley, and Jack. Sydney, however, is a budding photographer and she took some of the first pictures of you. Turns out, she's super talented and captured some of the most beautiful images I could have imagined. You were very well behaved and only cried for a few minutes at the beginning. Here are some of the awesome pictures she took:

 As you can plainly see, you've been beautiful since day one. You're lucky... ask your Poppa one day about the first time he saw me. I was two week overdue, bigger than a bowling ball, and had a cone head. I believe he told me his first thought was, "Ew... put her back in..." But no worries, I'm not permanently scarred.

A few days after these were taken, your umbilical cord finally fell off, which meant you could have your first bath! Of course we had to document the occasion, and I believe the look on your face in this picture says it all:

Your face was NOT happy. At all. Your tiny little chicken legs were shaking, you were cold, crying, and didn't like the water. Good news, though--you now LOVE your bath, or "baffies" as we now call them. Stupid baby talk... both your daddy and I have fallen victim to it.

PS-ask your Grandma about the time she told you to "kick and splash." You followed directions like a champ! I'd post the video of you showing off that trick, but you'd kill me when you're older. You might be n-a-k-e-d in that one ;)

Another first worth discussing is the first time you ate real food. Now, your pediatrician told me not to give you anything other than your bottle until you were six months old because we "didn't want to encourage overeating." BUT I DIDN'T LISTEN! A couple of weeks ago I was eating some yogurt while holding you. You watched every bite that went into my mouth. Son, you were begging worse than the dog does. So I gave you a tiny bite and you LOVED it. Since then, you've had not only yogurt, but rice cereal AND mashed potatoes, all of which were big hits. Here is a picture of your the first time we ever fed you a non-bottle meal:

A few more firsts include...


Your first time in your swing:

You still spend a lot of time in this swing... thank you AHS cheerleaders for getting it for you!

Your first slumber party:

There were terrible storms coming into our part of the state, and because we don't have a basement, we went to your Grandmommy and Poppa's house. We slept on in the living room with you, and at 4:00 a.m., you woke up crying. Your Grandmommy came and got you. She said your daddy and I could go back to sleep, that she and Poppa would feed your and get you back to bed. At 7:30 a.m., she brought you back downstairs. You hadn't been back to sleep. At all. They were exhausted... your daddy and I just laughed. We knew what was coming for them when they volunteered!

Your first time in your bumbo seat:

 Is it just me, or do you look at little nervous here?! PS-Your Poppa bought you that bib. He says you're the little monkey and he's the big one :)

Your first time at the beach:

You hated the ocean. HATED it. We bought you a life jacket because I was terrified I'd get knocked over by a wave and lose my grip. So on our second day, I stuffed you into it and walked you out to the water. You feet had just barely touched it when you started to scream. We also learned quickly not to use spray sunscreen on you... apparently you didn't like when it got in your eyes.

Your first visit to Indiana:

At the beginning of July, we packed up and headed North. Your Grandma and Grandpa were so happy to see you! For some reason, though, you were NOT happy. You smiled for a few minutes after we got there, and then you had a melt down. Like...a Chernobyl-esque fit. I could see the look of disappointment on your Grandma's face and it made me sad. However, you quickly recovered--I suppose you were just tired... or hungry... or both--and soon you were just as charming as ever. They babysat you one day while we were there and your daddy and I had a date day. It was so much fun for everyone. Your Grandma and Grandpa got to spend a whole day with you, uninterrupted, and your daddy and I got to have some alone time. Aren't grandparents great?!


Your first time sitting in the recliner:

Your daddy was so excited when I told him I wanted to get a recliner to rock you in downstairs... he only thought it was for him. The look on your face CLEARLY shows who it was really for, though!

And your first time in your high chair:

Now, you haven't eaten in your high chair yet, but you DID sit in it. When you actually use it, I'll be sure to document that as well.

I'm not going to lie, I wish I had gotten your first smile and first laugh on film. I'm disappointed that didn't happen, but you just can't predict things like that. That's also the reason I don't have record of the first time you rolled over, but believe me, you've done it. Only twice, but still. Your newest trick is that you like to try to stand up (did I mention that already? I can't remember. I'm getting old), and soon, you'll be walking. You're growing up so fast and there isn't enough time to take it all in. I'm trying my hardest, but you change every day. That's why I started these letters--I'm attempting to record the steps you take, both literally and metaphorically, for both of us. You may or may not care about this when you are older, but regardless, I'll have these memories recorded for your daddy and me. I'm watching you sleep right now in your swing. You're sucking your thumb and starting to wake up. Soon, you'll cry and want to be picked up. You'll need me to feed you, hold you, and kiss you. And when you're older, I'll remember this moment, even though you might not need me quite so much any more. I love you to the moon and back, Eli James.

Love,
Mommy