Christmas and New Years

Dear Eli,

So we've made it to the end of 2011, and what a year it's been! I mean, when your daddy and I started this year, you weren't with us, but now... well... you consume almost all of our time! And we love it :) In fact, as I write this letter, your daddy is sitting in the floor, trying to get you to eat. What's for dinner, you ask? Peas and Carrots. Your favorite! You've got food all over your face, and your dad is chasing you around saying, "You want a bite-bite?" So cute!

So let's talk about Christmas...

As soon as school was out, we left for Indiana. We got up at 4:00 a.m., and we were on the road by 5:00. We wanted you to sleep most of the way, which you did. Kinda. I ended up sitting in the back seat with you for the majority of the trip so you wouldn't cry. Because, let's face it, dealing with a crying baby for six plus hours isn't ANYONE'S idea of fun.

Once we got there, though, you were happy until it came time for bed. Your Grandma and Grandpa were kind enough to give us their room, but that didn't seem to matter to you. You didn't know where you were, you were starting to get sick, and you screamed. Every. Night.

Even though you were kind of a butt, that didn't stop your daddy's family from showering you with gifts. You got a walker from your Grandma and Grandpa, a puzzle and a puppy that teaches you the ABCs and what not from your Uncle Bob and Aunt Tina, and a Notre Dame jersey from your Aunt Kate. I have to admit, that jersey IS pretty cute. Even if it's not Georgia.

We had originally planned to stay from Saturday to Tuesday, but it was just too much, and we ended up coming home early. I think your Grandma and Grandpa were sad, but they understood. You needed to be in your own bed.

The week went by pretty quickly, even though you were super fussy and getting sick. That didn't stop the days from passing, though, soon it was time for your very first REAL Christmas!

This year, Christmas was on a Sunday, and while you got us up around 4:00 a.m. hacking coughing and crying, you ended up falling back asleep and we didn't get out of bed until 7:00 or so... and then it was time to see what SANTA BROUGHT!

Ok, so I have pictures, but they take forever to put on here, and I don't feel well, so tomorrow, I'll put them up. I promise.

What did Santa bring you, you ask? Ohhhhh, LOTS of things :)

For Christmas, you got...
A ball
(Another) Walker-I guess he didn't consult your Grandparents?!
Some Veggie Tales DVDs
An Activity Table
A Pop-Up Toy
Some Baby Tylenol (Santa knew you were sick!)
A Sippy Cup (You don't like it)
Some Night-Nights
Bath Toys (One of which lights up and squirts water. You don't like that, either. Bad Santa! Scaring the baby!)
And a bunch of other things I can't think of right now.

After we opened presents, we ate some cinnamon rolls, then it was time for church. Normally, we have a slew of old ladies that want to keep you in the nursery, but I guess because it was Christmas, no one volunteered. Well. You talked, squealed, gabbed, and spit your way through the first half of the sermon, and then your Grandmommy took you downstairs. Thank goodness, because you obviously needed to express yourself!

After church, we headed home. We wouldn't have dinner with my side of the family until Monday, so we got to come back, rest, and let you play with your toys. (By the way, we ended up eating at Hardee's for lunch because it was the only place open. If they still have Hardee's when your older, go get a Thickburger. You won't be disappointed!)

Your Grandmommy and Poppa came over later that night to see you (again) and see what Santa brought you. We ate dinner, hung out, and when they left, we went to bed!

The next day, we went over to their house. We ate filet mignons and baked potatoes and it was DELICIOUS! You were pretty crabby, though, because you were full-on sick at that point. We didn't know it yet, but you had an ear infection. Ouch!

You managed to stay pleasant through the presents, though, and you were loaded up again! You got a toy guitar from your Grandmommy and Poppa. He said he's bound to have a guitar player in the bunch! You love it, by the way. It makes all sorts of noise and you go crazy! (By the way, you are currently playing with the removable part of the walker your Grandma and Grandpa got you... and you love that, too! Anything that makes noise and lights up, right?!) You also got a wiener dog toy from your Uncle Andy and Aunt Jessica, a walker from your Uncle Cameron and Aunt Kelly, and some more bath toys and some money for your college savings account from your Grandmommy and Poppa.

So now, here it is, New Year's Eve. In the past, your daddy and I have gone out and partied it up. Not so much since we got married, because we're old and like being a home, but when were younger... you couldn't hold us back!

However, I have to say that watching you play with a pair of socks is MUCH more fulfilling than anything else I've ever done.

You wanna know what the best part of 2011 was, Eli? Every moment since 5:30 p.m. on April 8th. Because that's when you arrived. You've changed me in ways I didn't know were possible, and you've discovered parts of my heart that I never knew existed. I love you to the moon and back, Eli James. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, my sweet baby boy!

Love,

Mommy

OH MY GOODNESS!!!

Dear Eli,

This letter will be super short, so I'm just going to call it a note... but I wanted to write you and tell you what you did last night! So your daddy had given you a bath, and I could hear you upstairs laughing and giggling with him. When I went up, you guys were playing basketball with your tiny goal, and you were having the BEST time. When you daddy is able, he'll send me the video and I'll post it for you. Anyway, you're playing playing playing, and you would consistently hold the ball with one hand, and hold onto the goal with the other.

THEN.

All of the sudden, you let go with your other hand, and you just stood there. By yourself. And balanced.

You stood unassisted for probably five or six seconds, chewing on that little basketball, not realizing what you were doing. Of course we did, and your daddy had been videoing you, but he wasn't at that exact moment.

We were so proud of you! We started clapping, but you didn't know why, and I'm pretty sure you didn't care.We tried to get you to stand again, but you weren't interested. You looked at me like, "I'm not a monkey, mommy. I don't perform on command!"

You're growing up too fast. Last night was the first time I looked at you and realized you won't be a baby much long. It made my heart both achingly sad and wonderfully happy all at the same time. To know that you are growing and developing--how wonderful! To know that you are becoming more independent and don't need your mommy as much--how sad--yet wonderful! I know... I'm a mixed bag of emotions right now. It's hard to explain. You won't understand until you become a parent... which won't be until you're at least 30 because you can't date until you're 25. Ok. 24.

Ok, I have to go give a mid-term now, but just know that I love you to the moon and back, Eli James :)

Love,

Mommy

Your First Thanksgiving and Some Other Stuff

Dear Eli,

Tomorrow you will be 8 months old. Can you believe it? I know I can't. Your daddy and I were talking about that on the way to work this morning. About how, when you were born, we thought you'd be little forever, and how by Christmas, you'd be crawling and getting into everything... but that would be 8 long months from your birthday! Well... those months actually weren't too long, and here we are. And yes, you are crawling everywhere, and yes, you are into everything.

So let's talk about Thanksgiving, shall we?  This year, we went to your Grandmommy and Poppa's house. They just finished the addition onto the back, so there was lots of room. You were very excited to eat! You had a bib on that said "Baby's First Thanksgiving," and you were SO cute. However...

We ate kind of late this year. Maybe 5:00 or so? By that time, you were tired, so you ended up sleeping through most of dinner. I held you and you slept on my chest while I ate. It was actually pretty great :) By the end of the meal, you had woken up, and you managed to eat quite a bit of sweet potato souflee (I don't know how to put the fancy accent mark in there, so you'll just have to imagine it) and dressing. Oh, and ham. You LOVE ham.

So we ate, we hung out, you played with your cousins, it was a good time! Eventually, though, you got tired and cranky, and it was time to leave.

It was good. A wonderful Thanksgiving with lots to be thankful for.

Let me tell you this, though-- because your daddy and I had all week off, you did NOT want us to go back to work. That next Monday when I dropped you off, you clung to my sweatshirt and cried. You had never done that before, and my heart broke into a million peices.

You've gotten back into the routine, though, so that's good. However, it's going to get jacked up again after Christmas break. That's ok with me, though, because that means that I get to spend two weeks with you at home! I can't wait :)

Random switching of gears... We took you to your first basketball game last Friday! You had a great time. You crawled all over the floor (not the court, mind you), you watched the game, and you played. It was so cute! Here are a few pictures:

How cute are you?! We went out to eat before the game, and boy was it a mess. You woke up crying in the diner, clonked your head on the table, screamed some more, and stuck your hand in my plate of pancakes before I could get the bottle in your mouth. Awesome. I ended up having to change your clothes... which you did NOT like. It all worked out for the best, though, because you were clean by the time we left, and everyone wanted to hold you.

Ok, I have to go teach a class now, but I wanted to write to you while I had a minute. I love you to the moon and back, Eli James!

Love,

Mommy