Oliver: 14 Months Old

Dear Oliver,

You took your first few steps a week ago while we were in the shallow end of the pool but you haven't taken any since.  You are totally capable of walking, but you just don't really want to.  Your crawl is crazy fast and you can get around just fine like that.  Every time we encourage you to walk, you get a big grin on your face, plop down and your butt, and propel yourself forward on your hands and knees.  It's almost like you're teasing us with your crawling.  The skin on your entire body is silky smooth except for your knees which are painfully callused from all of your crawling. You silly boy! Soon you'll realize that walking is a much better method of transportation, but until then, I guess you'll have scraped up, bruised knees.

We took a trip to St. George over the weekend and you cried for over two hours both on the way down and the way back.  It was so sad, but more than anything, so annoying to listen to.  You're pretty much incapable of putting yourself to sleep and have to be nursed to sleep, so when we're in the car and I can't nurse you, you don't know what to do.  You sob and sob until you can't sob anymore.  It's so sad. I'm thinking I need to start weaning you, especially because about 80% of your food still comes from me.  I absolutely love breastfeeding you, but mama's gotta cut you off sometime, right?  I guess I haven't yet because it's just easier to keep doing things the way we've been doing them.  I don't want to go through the effort of making you cry yourself to sleep for a week or two until you get that I'm not going to nurse you down anymore.  That, on top of trying to potty train your brother at the same time would be a lot for me to handle at once.  But I know I need to do it.

You continue to be a much better eater than your brother, for which I am grateful. But that doesn't mean that you don't have your own issues.  The first is that you refuse to eat more than a bite of two in your high chair. I put you in there with food three times a day and try to feed you, but you will only eat a little before you start throwing it all on the floor and want to get down.  I have a lot more luck getting you to eat if I chase you around the house with food while you play.  It's totally not ideal, but at least you'll eat more if I do that.

You pretty much can't talk at all. The only word you can say on your own is "dada," but you use it for everything.  You even call me "dada" most of the time!  For awhile there, I thought you were saying it, but now you're back to yelling "dada!" when I walk into the room.with a little glimmer in your eye every time I ask.  It's so funny.  Occasionally we can get you to copy a few words that we say like "juice," "kiss," and "doggie," but for the most part, you're a pretty silent guy.  You have been making more sounds with your tongue lately, so that's good.  You are known for your very effective method of pointing and grunting to get what you want.  You make eye contact with the person that you know can help you and you fuss and grunt until they can't help but understand what you want.  It's hilarious.

You have 8 1/2 teeth and I'm sure more won't be far off.  You have had a really rough time with teething.  Whenever you have a tooth breaking through, you pretty much stop eating all together and just want to nurse.

You are a very dramatic boy.  Whenever Eli takes a toy from you, you look up at me with a big open mouth and give one of those silent screams that takes a few seconds to have any sound.  I know being a younger sibling can be hard sometimes (I'm the second-born too, remember?) but it's not that hard. Your reactions are so over-the-top sometimes that all I can do is laugh.

One thing I want to remember about you at this age is how much you love to dance.  Anytime you hear a beat, you start moving your torso back and forth with a very serious face. The other day, I put you in your car seat and when I started the car, the radio turned on.  A commercial with a man talking was playing.  There was a little beat in the background which I didn't even notice but you immediately starting grooving.  No beat is too insignificant for you to ignore!  You love to shake it!

I love you so much.  Thanks for keeping me on my toes every day and making me laugh! I'm so glad you are mine.

Lots of love,
Mama

14 month Stats:
Weight: 24.8 lbs (59th percentile)
Height:  31 inches (54th percentile)
Head Circumference:  18 3/4 inches (67th percentile)

Eli's 3rd Birthday Party: Mickey Mouse!

I love throwing birthday parties for my babies.  It's a big deal to me that they're growing up and I want to celebrate it!  Eli is obsessed with all things Mickey Mouse, so I thought this theme would be perfect for him. This birthday was the most fun by far because Eli is finally at the age where he really understands what's going on.  We talked about the party for weeks and he was so excited.  He went to the party store with me and while I picked out his decorations.  Of course, he immediately wanted to take them all out of their packages, so I hid them in the trunk of the car and told them that Mickey came and took them because he was the one that was going to decorate for the party.  

When he walked into the house and saw all the decorations, he was thrilled.  He couldn't believe that all of it was for him.

I made a few pairs of Mickey ears for us to wear.  We had a few issues with the ears flopping over here and there, but they were adorable nonetheless.

I loved how colorful everything looked!  So fun!

I found a picture of this cake on Pinterest and thought it was adorable.  It was pretty quick and easy to make, and I absolutely love how it turned out.  I had to use an entire bottle of red food coloring to make Mickey's "pants" that bright red.  

We had a ton of food and it was all killer.  A burger bar, potato salad, pasta salad, chips and guac, fruit salad, peanut butter cup cookies, etc.  I don't even want to admit how much I ate.

Adam made a "toodles" for Eli.  There were 4 "mouseketools" to help him open his presents.  Don't get it? Watch "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" and you will.

Everyone spoiled him like crazy.  He had a ton of presents to open and they were all really thoughtful and fun.  He is going to have a blast playing with all of them.

We blindfolded him for his big present. Drumroll, please ...........................

A bike!  A real big boy bike!  He was thrilled! It has a bell and training wheels and everything.  I have a feeling Eli's going to get a lot of use out in the next few years.

Eli was so excited to blow out his candles.   

I love this kid more than life itself and would do anything for him.  Happy birthday, Eli!