So MUCH!

Dear Eli,

You'll have to forgive me. We've all been crazy busy the last few months, but that's no excuse. I should have written you before now... please forgive me...

Ok, moving on. Where to begin? I guess I will remind you that I have gone to back to school for my Specialist's Degree, and this past school year has been tough, but that hasn't changed anything for you and me. Currently,  I'm reading a whole slew of articles for a literature review (sounds great, huh?) and you and your daddy have gone off to the trail to take a run. I needed a brain break, and what better thing to do with my time than to write to my favorite boy! So here we are...

Let's start by talking about your birthday. You're ONE! Such a big boy! We had your party on Saturday this year because your actual birthday fell on Easter Sunday. Your Grandma and Grandpa came down from Indiana, of course all of your Georgia family was here, and even a few friends showed up to celebrate. You were so cute! You had on a blue and white plaid shirt and little shorts. You ran around like a crazy man... ok... walked around like a crazy man... and you had so much fun. We had BBQ catered in, mommy made you cupcakes (which were a disaster, and I don't think I'll ever do that again... but hey, they ended up tasting pretty good), and we had an egg hunt. You got lots of great gifts including toys and clothes, and you were such a happy little guy! It was wonderful :)

Towards the end of April, your babysitter up and quit. She got into an argument with  your uncle and said some pretty horrible things. She sent me a text message at 8:00 on a Thursday night saying she wouldn't be able to keep you any more, and that was that. She wouldn't return my phone calls or texts and she had her daughter drop your stuff off on the front porch. I think it was probably better that way, though, because she might have been a little crazy. According to your uncle, she said that people used to question her about putting kids in her car and driving them around, but when she just figured that if she got into a wreck, "well... oh well!" Of course that's NOT ok, and after hearing that I was more than willing to find you some place else to go.

I ended up calling a woman that people at my work know, and wouldn't you know it, she had an opening! I took that as a sign from God that you weren't supposed to be with the other lady any more, and you spent the last month with Ms. T. She's awesome! On the last day of school, she sent you and the other kids home with a summertime gift. How cool is that?! And she loves you, which is great :) You're still deciding whether you love her or not, and you usually cry when we drop you off, but Ms. T says you're back to normal in just a minute or two after we leave, so that makes me feel better.

In mid May, you had surgery to have tubes put in your ears. The doctor was pretty impressed that you could walk (yeah! I didn't mention your first steps! Daddy caught them on his camera. I'll post them :) and said he thought you'd be running after the tubes went in. He was right! That morning, I was a nervous wreck. I kept crying because I couldn't stand the thought of anything happening to you. I held you and loved on you, and when it was time, I went back with you as they put you to sleep. It was terrible. Nurses held you down while you looked at me and screamed. They put the mask on you and told me to talk to you to keep you calm. When you were out, I kissed your cheek and left. It was terrible. But the surgery didn't last long at all... I think it was seven minutes from the time I left the OR to the doctor coming out. You came out a few minutes later and I've never been so happy to see my baby boy.

The tubes have been a blessing, that's for sure, but last weekend, when we went to Indiana, one of them got clogged. Of course we didn't know that's what the problem was, we just knew we had a VERY sick baby on our hands. I took your temperature and it was almost 105 degrees. I FLIPPED. We rushed you to the hospital and the doctors told us that you had an inflamed eardrum due to the blockage, and that you would be fine. I've never spend $150 better. Just to know that you were going to be ok was the best news I could have heard.

So now it's summertime! You spend your whole day with us and I'm pretty sure you love it. I have a feeling that when we take you back to Ms. T in August, you might freak out, but you'll get used to it. In the mean time, though, we are having a blast. You talk talk talk talk talk talk talk. Of course, you aren't saying much, but you think you are! Last weekend, you were chattering at your Grandpa, and he asked, "Eli, are you going to be a talker?" and you said "No!" That's your favorite word, by the way. No. Eli, do you want a cracker? No! Eli, do you want a kiss? No! Eli, do you love mommy? No! But you always take the cracker, come running over for a kiss, and snuggle mommy, so I'm pretty sure you don't really know what no means.

Ok, son, I guess I have to go back to work now. We are leaving for vacation soon and I have to get all this work done before we go. I love you to the moon and back!

Love,

Mommy