Eli: 8 Years Old

Dear Eli,

You're getting baptized soon! That makes me feel OLD! I can't hardly believe I've been a mom for eight whole years. It's gone by so fast but at the same time, I can hardly remember life without you. Being a mom has made me happier than I ever imagined. My whole life is dedicated to making sure all of your physical, emotional, and spiritual needs are met. I try my hardest every single day and I hope I'm doing a good job. Sometimes I feel completely overwhelmed by the responsibility and I worry I'm not doing enough.

You're doing great in school. The thing I'm most impressed with is how well you're reading. You love to read for fun and will spend hours every week just sitting on the couch with a book. The books you like to read are pretty disgusting, mostly the "Captain Underpants" and "Dogman" series, which are full of potty humor. But I honestly don't mind too much because whatever gets you reading is fine with me!

We just took a trip to Boston together, which was one of my favorite memories with you to date. It was heaven spending a few days with just the two of us. I can tell that it made you feel so special to have me to yourself. We took a red eye on the way there are I was a little nervous about how you'd do on the airplane all night, but it actually went better than expected. You were a champ! I let you stay up super late watching movies on the screen in front of you, and you finally fell asleep on my lap at like 1:00 am and slept until we landed at 5:00 am. We picked up the rental car, drove to my friend Aubrey's house, and crashed there for a few hours.

You were the ring-bearer at my friend Jourdan's wedding, and you couldn't have been cuter walking the ring up the aisle. My favorite thing about the whole event though was your dancing at her wedding reception. I've never seen you dance in your entire life but once she took you onto the dance floor, you went to town! You were spinning, jumping, dancing in the middle of the circle, and showing off for everyone. I was floored. I couldn't stop laughing and cheering for you! When we were walking back to the car at the end of the night, I asked you why I'd never seen you dance before. You replied, "I just don't like showing off." Ha ha, too cute! :)

While we were in Boston, I learned how slowly you move. You were always 5 strides behind me wherever we went. I felt like I had to drag you everywhere. I also learned that you're an extremely anxious traveler, just like your dad. You were constantly worried that we were going to miss our flight, not get back to our parking meter in time, or get to places when we needed to be. It was hilarious to to realize how similar you two are.

We've been spending a lot of time at Lagoon this summer. You love going and I don't mind taking you because you and your brothers are usually really good for me there. Those season passes were so expensive that want to feel like we're getting our money's worth, dang it! You're such a big talker and always tell me that you're going to go on the big rides but when it comes down to it, you're too scared. Hopefully next summer I can convince you to try some new rides.

You're an emotional kid but usually keep it bottled up inside. You don't say much and don't have very strong positive reactions to anything. Like if something fun or exciting happens, I'll have to ask you whether you liked it. Like when we were in Boston, I couldn't really tell if you were having fun or whether it meant anything to you. But then you said some things weeks later that made me realize it was the highlight of your life. Ha ha.

You still loooooooove to snuggle. You beg me to climb up into your bunk bed with you and tickle your back while we talk. We always do "Rose and Thorn" where you tell me the best part of your day and the worst part of your day. This is when you open up to me the most, so I always try to make it a priority to do it so that I can hear about what's going on inside that mysterious head of yours.

Eli, you're a great kid. I feel so lucky to be your mom. I can't wait to see how you do in 3rd grade this upcoming school year and watch all you accomplish. Thanks for being such a great big brother and example to your brothers.

Love you lots,
Mama

8 Year Stats:
Height: 51 inches (69th percentile)
Weight: 60 lbs, 6 oz (62nd percentile)

Moses: 13 Months Old

Dear Moses,

Time keeps slipping away and you're growing up right before my eyes. You are starting to slim down. Don't get me wrong, you're still squishy with lots of rolls and knuckle dimples, but you seem to be getting longer and your face is looking a lot older to me lately. Quite a few people have actually commented to me lately how you're looking older all of a sudden. Every time someone tells me that, I get a lump in my throat and tears sting behind my eyes. I can hardly stand it! My last baby is losing his babyhood!!!

You've started resisting your afternoon nap the past few weeks. I lay you down every day but you probably only fall asleep about half the time. I've tried putting you down later and earlier but nothing is really helping. I can't quite figure out what the magic formula is to get you to fall asleep. If you don't take two naps, you're super crabby in the late afternoon and evening which makes it nearly impossible to get anything done. I try my hardest to make dinner and keep the house clean, but if it means that you're screaming the whole time, I'd rather hold you. Your dad comes home to a messy house and cereal for dinner a lot more often than I'd like to admit, but I can only do so much.

You mastered crawling a few months ago and are now getting good at walking along furniture. You love walking around the couch, coffee table, bar stools, kitchen table and chairs, bathtub, etc. A few days ago, you stood all on your own in the middle of the family room! Daddy was holding your hands and he let go after you were stable. You held yourself up proudly for a few seconds before you sat back down. It was so cute but at the same time, I wanted to knock you down because I'm nowhere near ready for you to walk! The past few days, I've seen you attempt to stand up from the middle of the floor without holding on to anything. You haven't figured it out yet, but I'm sure it won't be long before you do.

You were sick this month with a fever, a few sores on your lip, a teeny tiny rash on your hands, feet, and knees, and a horrible appetite. I took you to the pediatrician because I suspected it was hand foot and mouth disease, even though you already had it a few months ago.  He diagnosed you with something called gingivostomatitis and told me you weren't contagious anymore because the fever was gone. I took you to the gym daycare two days later and was totally embarrassed when the employees called me during my workout to tell me that I needed to come pick you up because they were positive you had hand foot and mouth. I felt terrible but had only taken you because you seemed like you were doing better and because your pediatrician had said you didn't have it. But they ended up being right because now skin is peeling off of your hands and feet, a classic sign of hand foot and mouth. Oopsies! I felt terrible!

You've been incredibly fussy the past few days and I can't figure out why. You're definitely not sick, so either you're just going through a phase or you're teething. I'm in Boston right now with Eli for my friend Jourdan's wedding and I'm afraid you're not going to nurse when I get home. I definitely want to nurse you until you're at least 18 months. It'll probably be fine, but it's still a little scary to see what you do when I get home. This is the first time I've ever left you and I miss you like crazy! I know that grandma Janie and daddy are taking good care of you while I'm away though.

You have been doing this funny little tongue trill/roll lately whenever you get excited about something, especially when you see fans. I can never quite replicate it. I don't know why you do it. Maybe you're speaking the wrong language. Your true tongue is Spanish and you wish you could be rolling your R's all day long. Ha ha.

You have eight teeth now, four on top and four on bottom. You're developing a little gap in between two of your teeth on the bottom and it's pretty adorable. You teeth seem to be getting bigger every day and it makes me sad because it makes you look older. Ahhh, why can't I slow time down?!

You are the biggest wuss! Any kind of thrill whatsoever freaks you out. If daddy even raises you up into the air, you can't handle it. I'm not talking throwing you up in the air, but just raising you up above his head. Swinging you too fast on a swing results in some pretty hilarious faces too. None of our other boys have been like this at all. You don't like thrills, and you know what? That's okay! Maybe someday.....

Mo, you're the sweetest little guy, full of spunk and personality. I feel so blessed to spend my days (and lots of nights!) with you. You're my ray of sunshine. Keep being rad.

Love,
Mama

13 Month Stats:
Height: 30 3/4 inches (70th percentile)
Weight: 23.6 lbs (82nd percentile)