Dear Eliot: One Year and Three Months

Dear Eliot,

It has been a very long time since I have written you and I apologize.  The last three months have been a whirlwind, as you know, and you have grown SO MUCH.  You are also blabbering (some Eliotish and some English) SO MUCH and we are grateful for some communication!  

- You love any carb which includes: bread, crackers, cookies, pasta and more crackers.  This picture was taken after you had eaten a whole banana and full bowl of oatmeal.  You now know how to get into the pantry and get what you please, which right now makes me laugh.  Ask me next week how I feel about this accomplishment.

 - You also enjoy fruit and cheese which has me convinced that we should be raising you in the south of France not Dallas.  Let's tell Daddy that we need to move there.

 - I am officially taking you off the bottle TONIGHT (you only take them at night before bed) because it's just time.  Please don't hate.

  - Your faces are an everyday source of entertainment.  The pictures above were taken right after the other.  Amazing.  You WILL be going to a children's theatre camp in the summer when you're old enough and you can gripe to your therapist about it when you grow up. :)

 - Along with the faces you can also say: bye bye, cheese, teeth, "cease" (what you call your blanket..I wish you could explain that one), outside (all day, every day and possibly in your sleep), cookie, no,uh oh, ow (even though you only know what it means when you hurt us on accident) dada, and I believe you attempted "more" the other day but so far you're sticking to signing it.

 - You can point out your ears, your hair, your feet, your teeth, your tummy, and your eyes.  For whatever reason, finding your nose is out of the question.  

 - So that you don't get TOO big of a head, I will let you know that you are not walking. Have no interest.  Crawling suits you fine and walking is just a little too dangerous.  Have we told you that you're cautious? Right now I'm fine with it but hopefully some day you will decide to walk beside me, or walk at the park, or run around.  I believe this will help in the tiring out process!  

 - Sebastian (whom you call "Saya") has taught you the fine art of begging.  Especially around breakfast time.  And when there is bacon and toast involved.

 - Speaking of Sebastian, you love him...adore that little black mess.  You love patting him, squealing at him, chasing him, and kissing him (which drives me insane).  You bark when he barks.  You guys are a team and you love to tag team it when food is around. 

 - This is one of your favorite spots.  You love to be outside under our tree in the front yard.  You point out all the trucks and wave bye to them.  You help me meet neighbors and get to know neighbors and I love it. 

 - You also love to swing in the front yard and instead of saying "swing" you say "Weeeeeeee!" and point at it.  

 - This is your favorite person in the whole wide world.  You say his name constantly and you wonder where he is constantly.  Y'all are big buds and do almost everything together.  Daddy enjoys his trips to the grocery store with you TREMENDOUSLY and hopes that you inherit his love of that big air conditioned box that Mama hates.  You will basically go anywhere with Dada and for that I am so grateful...gives me a chance to get stuff done.  Or just rest my eyelids for a little bit.  ;)

p.s. You are getting a new blood cousin Ellie Grace and a new not blood cousin Avalynn Elizabeth.  This won't be very exciting to you right now but hopefully so in the coming years of get togethers.