Happy 1st Birthday Eli!

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SWEET BABY BOY!!!!  Oh a year has past and even though I know we are closer to toddler than we are to baby, Elijah Hayes, you will ALWAYS be my baby boy!  Just to close out the year the same way we started it, let's break you down into a few sections...

Nicknames: Eli, Monkey, Binky, Booga Bear, Peanut

Likes: Food!  You are a chunk! waving; giving kisses, biting (not a finer trait of yours!), snuggling, being outside, balls, things that make noise and light up, balloons, your brother...after Ashton was gone for a week and you were reunited you could not stop grinning and reaching for Ashton (sometimes your sister); Tickle Me Elmo (this is a love/hate relationship...you want to see him do his thing, as long as you are in the comfort of mommy's lap; Mommy, Daddy, Mimi, Mo, Grandpa, Molly, Jac, Mark, Cash and Walker; stroller rides; birthday cake

Dislikes: Being told NO!  You know what it means and DO NOT like hearing it; getting into your car seat; getting dressed for bedtime...you squirm!; still do not like people to sit down while holding you...it's like you are saying, you have legs that work so use them!

Milestones: Crawling with your stomach off the ground (I really didnt think this would happen); Pulling up all the time; taking one step around furniture...not close to walking but further than we were before!; waving and saying "buh" (for bye)

Feeding: Taking one bottle, sometimes two a day, but still nursing at night; eating three solid meals and two snacks a day...love stuffed shells, brocolli cheese nuggets, quinoa, eggs, biscuits with Mimi's jelly, frozen banana "ice cream", yogurt melts, puffs, blueberries, red beans and rice, BIRTHDAY CAKE...you went to town at your party!

Sleeping: You usually take two naps a day for anywhere from 30 min- hr for the first one, then usually an hr and a half to 2 hrs in the afternoon.  You go to bed by 8 PM and usually sleep until 6 am which is still amazing for this family

Clothing/Size: You are in 12 month clothing, there are still some 9 months lingering but 12 months fit best.  Still size three diapers.  I am guessing you are probably 22 lbs but will find out on Jul 9 when we go for your year check up

Firsts: As mentioned before you are crawling with your belly off the ground; you also learned to say Mo!; Started with a new nanny (Ms. Tiffany) and you have been wonderful for her

Looking Forward to....Walking around furniture, I think we are still a good two months away AT LEAST before you start walking but hopefully you will start to walk around furniture or with your walking toys soon...I am not looking forward to getting tubes put in your ears in two weeks, but hopefully ear infections will be a thing of the past.

Eli, you are so sweet and wonderful!  You are the happiest little man who makes everyone around you smile.  You have enriched our lives this past year and made life even sweeter than it already was.  Your Daddy, Brother, Sister and I love you to the moon and back.


XOXO!  Happy Birthday sweet boy!

Love,
Mommy

PS: He was wearing his monthly sticker in these last two pictures, he just refused to show it