12 Months Old

Dear Eli,

Happy first birthday, baby boy! I cannot believe you've been in my life for an entire year now. The time has flown, but at the same time, I feel like we've always been together as a mommy-son team. We're kind of best friends, you know. We hang out all the time (literally!). The other day I realized that for the past 365 days, the longest I have ever been away from you is 12 hours, while you were sleeping. That's kind of awesome (and exhausting), if you ask me! This past year has filled me with more joy, contentment, purpose, and fun than I ever thought possible. I barely remember what life was like before you came along.

I don't know why, but I have been incredibly emotional about you turning one. It's a big milestone for you, and it means that you're officially no longer a baby. I mean, you'll always be my baby, even when you're a teenager and a grown man, but your babyhood is definitely slipping away and it makes me sad. Just promise me that you'll always need me, okay?

Every night as your dad and I are lying in bed, it's become a tradition to ask each other, "What was your favorite Eli moment today?" We take turns recalling the best moments of the day with you, laughing at all of the funny things you did. I absolutely love this little tradition. And you don't know this because you never wake up, but we quietly creep into your room every night and watch you sleep for a few moments before we go to bed ourselves. We love watching you sleep because you always look so peaceful, just like an angel. You are stunningly beautiful when you sleep.

Your biggest accomplishment this month was learning to walk. Seeing you take your first wobbly steps was definitely the biggest highlight of my parenting life so far. The determined, thrilled look you get on your face every time you take a step is priceless. You look like you're about to burst at the seams with pride! The best part is that we really are as proud of you as you are of yourself. You're so awesome!

Your third and fourth teeth appeared this month, the fourth just a few days ago. You were a total stud about those little teeth, too. There were a few days when I could tell they were bugging you as they pushed their way through your gums, but you really didn't fuss too much. You're a brave guy. I love seeing your little teeth and I hope that they'll make eating a little easier for you!

Speaking of eating, holy crap, child! I seriously don't even want to talk about the subject because I might cry out of sheer frustration (heaven knows I've done plenty of it this month!). Let's just say that you're the worst eater I've ever seen in my life. Honestly, you haven't made much progress since you started taking solids at about 7 months old. You're still perfectly content only eating jars of baby food, cups of yogurt, and nursing. That's seriously all you eat. I'm pretty sure this is God's way of trying to teach me a lesson after all of my years as a picky eater. I know I deserve a picky child, so I'll just have to take it, I guess.

You used to absolutely love splashing around in the bathtub and playing with your toys, but out of nowhere this month, you starting hating baths with every fiber of your being. Now, whenever you hear the bath water running, you start bawling and crawl away from the bathroom as fast as you can. The other day, I found you butt-naked, huddled in the corner of the guest bedroom, pressed up against the wall, crying out of sheer terror. You couldn't have given me clearer signals that you didn't want to take a bath and I felt so bad putting you into the tub kicking and screaming while you were trying to claw your way out, but it had to be done. You stunk! I hope you'll get over this phase soon.

You love anything that is soft and cuddly and have turned into an even better snuggler this month. You love to rub your cheek against fuzzy blankets, stuffed animals, and pillows while squealing with happiness. When we're hugging you, you've learned how to squeeze back and sometimes you'll even give us a little pat on the shoulder or arm. It is so cute! You're still pretty stingy with your kisses and won't give them out to just anyone that requests one. I hope you'll have the same attitude with all the ladies that are clamoring to kiss you when you're a teenager! ;)

Eli, thanks for coming into my life and making me a mom. You have forever changed me. I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living, my baby you'll be.

xoxo,

Your mama

12 month stats:
Weight: 24.2 lbs (70th percentile)
Height: 30 1/2 inches (70th percentile)
Head Circumference: 18 1/2 inches (55th percentile)

My biggest parenting mistake (yet)

We introduced a bottle of pumped breast milk to Eli within the first few weeks of his life, and he took it wonderfully. I was so grateful for this because it was nice for me to have the occasional break as I was recovering from childbirth. Nursing a newborn can be totally exhausting when they need to eat every few hours and sometimes take 45 minutes to an hour to eat.

My mistake came when I let a few weeks go by without making him drink from a bottle. He had just gotten released from the hospital for a nasty kidney infection, and I felt so bad for everything he'd gone through that I wanted to nurse him 24/7 because I know that's what he preferred. I babied him. BIGGEST MISTAKE EVER.

When Adam tried the bottle again a few weeks later, we were (stupidly) surprised that he didn't want it anymore. It was the boob or nothing for that kid, and we (stupidly) gave in. Of course, Eli refused the bottle because he'd been spoiled by getting the food directly from the source for all those weeks, just the way he liked it. I didn't mind that much because I liked feeling like he needed me. We didn't push the issue. I kept nursing him around the clock. A few more weeks went by before we tried the bottle again, and he wouldn't take it again. Big surprise, right? Looking back now, I can see how stupid we were by not forcing him to take the bottle occasionally, but as first time parents, we didn't know what we were doing.

To make a long story short, Eli is now a year old and still all he wants is to nurse from his mommy. Mommy loves nursing Eli, but there is a long list of reasons that mommy would love to be done nursing Eli soon. But he will have none of the weaning! And mommy doesn't know what to do!

Eli is terrible with food. I've never known a baby that is pickier and weirder about food than he is. He basically eats like a 5 or 6 month old. Literally all he'll eat is jars of baby food, yogurt, and occasionally, cheerios. When offered food, he eyes it suspiciously, tentatively pokes it with the tip of one finger, and then ALWAYS wrinkles his nose at it and turns away, disgusted. The child has never eaten a single bite of bread, a bean, a grain of rice, a soft vegetable, or anything else that most 1 year olds are eating.

His drinking habits are even worse. The only fluid he'll drink is my breast milk, straight from the source. None of this bottle or sippy cup crap for him! The only times he has wet diapers during the day are after I nurse him. If I play hardball to try to teach him a lesson and refuse to nurse him during the day, he won't drink anything and won't have any wet diapers, which really worries me. I'm trying to wean him, but when nursing is the only way to get fluid into him, I feel guilty denying him. We're still nursing at least twice a day, but I frequently slip in a third when no one is watching.

I feel like I've tried everything- breast milk cold, breast milk warm, cow's milk cold and warm, apple juice, orange juice, water. I've tried giving it to him from a bottle, a sippy cup, a baby cup, a straw, an adult glass, everything, but he won't have any of it! Adam and I have even resorted to shooting liquids into his mouth with a medical syringe like it's medicine. Sadly, we know that a full syringe, or 10 ml, is 1/3 of an ounce, so if we can force 3 syringes into him without him spitting it out, he's getting a full ounce. Yippee! According to most doctors, a 1 year old should be drinking 24-36 ounces of milk per day, plus water or juice on top of that. I usually only manage to get an ounce into him each day, two if I'm lucky.

It is incredibly frustrating when my job as a mother is to take care of my child's well-being, a large part of which is to make sure he gets enough to eat and drink. I can't tell you how many prayers I've said and how many tears I've shed out of sheer frustration and concern for him lately. I try to tell myself that he's fine and he is a happy baby. He's hitting all of his milestones and I think he's gaining weight, so how bad can things really be, right? But like mothers do best, I still worry.

The worst part of all of this is that I know I've created my own monster by not forcing him to drink bottles this past year. Maybe that wouldn't have fixed his eating issues, but I certainly believe that it would have helped him drink out of a sippy cup, and then weaning would be easier because I'd know that he was at least hydrated. All I know is that I am not going to make the same mistake with our next kid. That baby is going to take a bottle if it's the last thing I do! It will make my life so much easier and the transition from nursing/bottle to sippy cup of cow's milk at a year easier for the baby, too.

I've been stressed out of my mind lately about all of this and am wondering if any of you have had similar issues with your kids/nieces/nephews, etc. Why is my child so weird about all of this (good thing he's so darling, right!)? Is it wrong to wean a baby that isn't eating and drinking well on his own? Should I continue nursing him until he goes to high school, or should I hold out for college?

To the fathers in my life

Happy Father's Day to my dad, my husband, and my father-in-law! I am so lucky to have these incredible men in my life. They are all so awesome and I don't know what I'd do without each one of them.

I'm totally a daddy's girl. My dad and I have always had a really close relationship. We totally get each other. My dad is such a great example of how to be a hard worker. He usually works 10-12 hour days and the work doesn't stop when he gets home. He always has a project to work on and never sits still. He is incredibly friendly, confident, and fun. He's always laughing and joking around about something. He is also incredibly patient- he had to be after living as the only male in a house with 5 women! I love my dad so much!

A year ago, I made a prediction that Adam was going to be an awesome father, but at the time, I had no idea just how awesome he would be. I can say with confidence that he has exceeded every expectation I have had for him in the fathering department. The best part about Adam as a father is how naturally it has come to him and how effortless it is. He is totally and completely smitten with his son, and the feeling is completely mutual. Eli loves nothing more than rough-housing, playing music, and snuggling with his daddy. The best part of his day, by far, is when his daddy walks through the door.

Adam thinks every little thing Eli does is funny. When he gets home from work and I tell him stories about the cute and funny things that Eli did during the day, he listens intently, hanging on every word, and laughs at my descriptions. I never feel like I care more about the little things than he does, which is so nice.

My father-in-law Hiram is also an incredible man. I absolutely love his sense of humor. You should hear him crack jokes in Sunday School every week. He's the life of the party! He has raised some pretty incredible children, and for that, I'm very grateful. He is also a great example of service because he works at the temple every Saturday for 8 hours. What a sacrifice for him to give up his weekends like that! He is also a wonderful guelito and would do anything for Eli. It's been so fun living across the street from him because we get to see him every day.

Happy Father's Day, you three! I love you!

Eli Meets Oso

As a parting gift before he went home to Spain, my parent's foreign exchange student, Jon, gave Eli the best present of his life, a 6 foot tall teddy bear. This video showcases Eli's utter bliss with his new friend perfectly.

*Please excuse my near hysterics beginning at about 2:02. I don't know what came over me, but I pretty much thought this was the funniest thing I'd ever seen in my life.

Discovered in the Garden

We didn't plant these beauties, but they just popped up by our front door one day.

What a lovely surprise!

Who knew that nature was capable of making such an electric blue?

My Biggest Pet Peeves

I've been noticing a lot of things that bug me lately, and it got me thinking, do I get annoyed at weird things? This might be petty, but I have to get these off my chest.

1. Those commercials where the company tries to make it look like their processed junk food is actually hand made in a sun-filled kitchen by a chef in a crisp white jacket. I mean, get real! We're not buying it! We know it's actually made by machines and conveyor belts in a dingy factory.
2. Bleeps on t.v. Come on, we can still tell what you're saying! Or am I the only one that fills in the bleep with the swear word in my head?
3. When people fill up the dishwasher with the big dishes that should really be washed by hand and call it "doing the dishes." It is such a waste to run a 70 minute cycle for a few big dishes when you could do them by hand in 5 minutes.
4. Loud eaters. Smacking food is so gross!
5. When the sheets on the bed come untucked and the blankets are skiwampus. I've been known to get up in the middle of the night just to tuck them in and make them even on both sides. It drives Adam nuts.
6. Impatient drivers. I understand being a little impatient when someone is going seriously slow or doing something really wrong, but I hate when people freak out for the littlest things and have no patience.
7. When people pronounce the word "especially" "expecially," and "Italian" "Eyetalian."
8. Dirty, old sponges, scrubbing brushes, and dish rags. What is the point of "cleaning" when all you're really doing is spreading bacteria from your nasty little sponge/brush/rag all over the dishes and counter? Keep them sanitary, people!
9. When people completely ignore my child when he is being adorable by smiling at them, trying to make eye contact, and get their attention.
10. Those rugs that go on top of the toilet seat. Eww!

If you do any of these, stop, I beg of you!

What are some of your pet peeves?

ELI WALKS!!!

Eli busted this out tonight and we were all pretty surprised, to say the least. It's amazing how fast he went from not walking at all to taking like 11 steps in a row. Of course, I burst into tears immediately. I'm so proud of my boy!

Guelito

I stole this photo from Adam's cousin's blog because I love it so much. Sorry, Allison!

Adam's grandfather (his father's father) passed away a few weeks ago, and I wanted to share a little about his life and the funeral. His name was Samuel, but everyone called him "Guelito," a nickname for grandfather in Spanish. Although it was a sad occasion for a gathering, it was fun to spend a little time with some of the extended family that we hadn't seen in awhile.

Samuel Alba was born November 25, 1919, in San Carlos, Mexico. He married Hermila Lydia Salinas on January 23, 1943, and they were later sealed in the Mesa Temple in October 1949. They are the parents of 12 children. Samuel grew up in the LDS church and was active in leadership positions all his life. He served as a branch president in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, and then as District President of the Coahuila District of the Northern Mexican Mission. After relocating to Utah, he served on the High Council of the Salt Lake Liberty Stake. Samuel and Hermila served two full-time missions together, one in the Dominican Republic and one in Barcelona, Spain. He was ordained a patriarch in the Salt Lake Sugar House Stake in 1997 with a special calling to serve the Spanish-speaking wards and branches of the Salt Lake Valley, a calling he faithfully fulfilled until his health would no longer permit. He was able to give many of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren their patriarchal blessings.

Samuel immigrated to the United States in 1941. He was an entrepeneur in Mexico and Texas, owning businesses in construction and shipping. He worked at various jobs in Idaho and Utah and always valued learning and service. He attended school in Piedras Negras, where he received a certificate in accounting and general business. After losing his sight in 1988, he requested that Hermila and others continue to read aloud to him every day from the newspaper, magazines, books, and the scriptures.

Even though Guelito had 33 grandchildren and 54 great-grandchildren, he knew each one of them individually and each was important to him. He and Eli had a very special relationship. Guelito always referred to Eli as his "guerito," or his "little white one." In fact, on the last day he was conscious, he kept asking for his guerito over and over. I was very touched when I heard that.

We have had the chance to live next door to Guelito and Guelita for the past 4 months, so we have gotten to spend a lot of time with them. Although I was never able to communicate very well with Guelito because he didn't speak English and I don't speak Spanish, I will be forever grateful for the wonderful man that he was and all the example he set for all of his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Adam was a pallbearer along with the oldest son from each of Guelito's children.

We got a few family shots at the cemetery, although there wasn't a single one where everyone's eyes were open. That's what you get when you're a family of 10, I guess.

All of the Alba men are so stinkin' handsome!

Poor Eli hadn't had a nap all day and was totally exhausted, but rose to the occasion, like always.

I love how happy he is in this picture.

Adam with his siblings. I don't know how poor Michelle has survived as the only girl amongst this group of hooligans.

And here are a few photos from the last day Eli saw Guelito.

Although it's not a great picture, I'm glad we were able to get a 4 generation photo before Guelito passed.

We will sure miss our Guelito!!!

Look Who's Standing!

Over Memorial Day weekend, Eli surprised us by standing without holding onto anything for support. He can now go from sitting alone in the middle of the floor, using his quads to push himself up, to a standing position all on his own. His record is about 30 seconds and is getting longer every day.

We got a few shots of it tonight while we were at Uncle Nick's baseball game. As you can tell from these pictures, he was quite proud of himself.

Oh, and by the way, he has a new "big boy attitude" to go along with his big boy tricks. He has so much sass and personality lately, I can hardly handle it. Heaven help me!