My super talented cousin Julie was in town and I managed to snag her in the midst of her world travels (seriously, one day she’s in Elgin, next in Port Au Prince Haiti, no joke) to shoot Eli’s first birthday photos. I’m SO excited to show them to you after Eli’s birthday party on Sunday. Until then, here’s a sneak peak:
Thanks Jules! You are seriously AWESOME!
-Linds
So I’m considering having my son audition to be the next frankenstein. We’ve been practicing, check out his skills:
I’m just kidding, no auditions 
I told my sister that he’d be walking by the time she got back from her vacation in Punta Cana. I was right!
Now excuse me while I go grab my running shoes to keep up with this kid.
-Linds
My son cleans up his toys in his room…
The view behind his chair…
…Either that or this is what the early signs of a hoarder looks like :/ I suggest if you are ever at my house and find yourself short a phone, watch, sock, cup or even a pair of goggles, looking behind his chair before reporting it missing. I’m just sayin’.
Oh, and Happy father’s day to all you “true” dads out there. You know who you are.
-Linds
The last few days Eli has really done a lot of “walking” (meaning 3-4 solo steps, without help.) Its funny to watch because he clearly has no clue he’s doing it, it just happens. I’m waiting for that “lightbulb” to go off in his little noggin when he’ll realize what those 2 little things attached to the bottom of his legs will allow him to do 
Here are a couple of video clips of him teetering on his feet all by himself. Daddy lured him away from his toy chest by holding my highly coveted headband in his mouth. That got him movin’! Ha ha! Sneaky, sneaky sir (the remote was unavailable). The second video, Eli has it in his mouth. Weirdos 
Here’s the second short clip
How come when an adult walks while drunk I get annoyed, but when a baby walks like he’s 3 sheets to the wind I can’t stop grinning?? Does it GET any CUTER than the drunken baby swagger?!? I think not.
Ok, the baby sleeps, back to studying 
-Linds
Sorry for the lack of posts these days. I’ve been preoccupied with cooking (weird!) and studying for my medsurg certification that’s, gulp, this week 
I DID complete a sewing project on my to-do list although it’s an incredibly boring yet very functional and very needed project. Yay me for FINALLY sewing some black-out fabric to the backs of his white and incredibly bright curtains in his room. This allowed me to take down my ghetto green blanket precariously pinned behind said white-bright curtains, and therefor be able to open and close them to let sunshine in! It was an all or nothing deal with the pinning of the blanket so it was constantly dark in his room and not really a very inspiring place to play
Sigh. I needed that. Now back to the time sucking task of studying for my big test this week. Groan. I’d rather get in First-birthday-party planning mode. Waah!
-Linds
Handmade tie-dyed onesie compliments of our swimming buddy Nick and his momma Jacque.
Ahhhhh! I can’t believe how quickly this year has flown by! Now I’m feeling pressured to plan and organize his first birthday party. I think I’ve settled on June 23rd, so mark your calendars until this momma can get her butt in gear and send out invites.
Well this little guy…ahem, BIG boy, is really starting to look so grown up! I am taking pictures regularly of him hamming it up and baring all his teeth and if it wasn’t for him looking bald with his platinum blonde hair, he’d look like a toddler! I can’t get over it.
Stands solo.
Size: Still my string bean. I feel like he’s getting taller so he’s consistently in 12m clothes but he has such a tiny waist that 9 month pants fit the best, except he looks like he’s ready for a flood :/ So I end up putting him in 12m pants and rolling the waist band and we get along fine. Not sure how much he weighs, we’ll find out next month at his well visit.
Likes: Eating! Speed crawling from one side of the room to the other as fast as he can, figuring out new ways to outsmart momma by getting past the baby gait, climbing, sniffing his blankie (mom, maybe this is a hereditary trait seeing as how this is the 3rd generation to be “sniffers”..?), puffed cereal and cheerios, playing with mommy’s belly button (** see video below), wrestling with daddy, pulling stuff out of drawers and giving kisses.
Dislikes: Still despises being changed (diaper and clothes) and having his face and hands cleaned after feeding himself. He doesn’t like wearing his sun glasses, or when people eat in front of him and don’t share.
Feeding: Still going strong in the nursing department but eats full meals regularly as well. He continues to eat anything I give him but is particularly fond of those foods that he can pick up and eat on his own. Interestingly, I’ve noticed he consistently eats with his left hand. I know you can’t tell hand preference until they are 2ish but I watch for it each meal and he always grabs food with his left (after grabbing a fistful of “reserve” in his right for safe keeping of course.) We’ll see if this changes when we introduce silverware 
Sleeping: He sleeps 12-13 hours at night. We are up for the day at 8am after going to bed around 7pm (this time fluctuates to 8pm if he takes a super long nap in the afternoon or we have evening plans) He now naps from 10a-12p every day and usually about 1 hr at 3pm (although this nap doesn’t come as easily.)
Milestones: Nothing really new in this department. As far as I can tell no more teeth have sprouted (the back of his mouth is hard to see) and he’s just mainly mastered his previous skills. I have seen him take a few steps while pushing his hamper bucket along the floor, but no solo steps yet.
Eli popped the lenses out so we had to get a pic
A new game Eli likes to play is make-momma-gag-by-sticking-my-finger-in-her-belly button. Ick. I can’t stand my belly button being touched. It seriously makes me want to hurl. (Just thinking about it is making me nauseous, bleh!) So naturally when I gagged, Eli found it hysterical. Here’s a short video of him getting a kick out of my misery:
I still love him though
-Linds
