Steps steps steps

You starting taking independent steps today. This is a picture of you and sister pushing a grocery cart outside. At only 9.5 sweet months you're already on your way to walking .. Love you to piece Eli Donald Alexander 

9 sweet sweet months

Yup, you are 9 months old already and so full of life.. Easily temperamental when you are sleepy or tired but overall such a happy happy man. You are always smiling and going with the flow. You always take all your sister bullying with little To no tears. You have mad the two children transition a lot smoother because of your demeanor. You love to walk with a walker. The other day you crawled into the living room and put yourself in the trampoline and started jumping all by yourself. Can't say I know many 9 month olds getting into that much trouble all on their own. 

You have started to take your first steps, still have t quite mastered it yet but you are oh SO close. Your hair is blonde, your eyes are changing to a more greenish color. You are still 24 pounds and 31" tall. You just had an ear infection over the 4th of July and man were you a BEAR. Your temperature went as high as 104 rectally and I had a small panic attack. Your sister never ran fevers on me when she was sick. I was so worried you might have a seizure that you slept in bed so restless and uneasy all night with me and daddy. 

You still remain to be a crappy night sleeper. I have created a total monster . You fall asleep around 9 and wake up about 1-2 in the morning. If I let you cry it out you can go as long as an hour before you give up and fall back asleep. I feel so awful letting you cry for that long. It hurst my gut to see you sad and just wanting some snuggles so of course I cave most of the time. 

You enjoy the outdoors and any you you can get your hands on that Deborah won't steal from you. You LOVE to eat anything mom dad & sister are eating. You also love drinking water straight from a cup. You're not that into sippy cups or bottles. You are still breastfed. You wear size 4&5 diapers and are in 18/24 months clothes. 

You are a total lady killer. You smile most of the time and shut down hard and fast when you're sleepy. You are so opposite of deb, so mellow and relaxed, easygoing and attentive. Your grandma Mary says you have "an old soul" it's like you have been on earth and lived a long life before. You seem to have an ease about everything, like it's been conquered by you in some past life. I often think about how much my mother would have eaten you up, how much love you could have shown her and given to her. I wish she could have met you and you the same. Although you have lots of grandparents I am certain she would have been your favorite if she were around. You bring our family such a calm & go with the flow emotion. I am so grateful to call you mine and watch you grow. Happy 9 months sweet boy!!! 

Eli's first 4th of July

We had our first Fourth of July at the Tilden house this year. Can't say you had the best of times. You and deb BOTH have ear infections and a sinus cold. You're even having a tough time eating because you're so congested. I had to rock you back to sleep this morning instead of breastfeeding, which is totally out of your routine. Breaks my heart to see you in a bad mood, you always have such a mellow and happy demeanor about you but these past two days you have been cranky and Whiney, refusing sleep even MORE than you already do. You go a long stretch from about 9:00-1:00 then you wake up and cry for close to a half hour, fall back asleep and wake up two hours later. Moms almost at her wits end, thinking about trying essential oils to see if it will help your sleeping. This weekend mommy and daddy are going to San fransisco and leaving you and deb . You will be staying with grandpa David and grandma Kathleen while deb is going camping with December  & the kids. You really are such a joy, watching your smile and happiness.. You giggle often at your sister, she truely makes you the happiest. Can't wait to watch you guys grow up together 

8 months old

Wow, eight short short but oh so sweet months have passed already!!! You are such a great baby, never making a peep unless you're hungry or sleepy!! 

Still breastfeeding, mommy never thought we would make it this long, but you love it so so much. You still SUCK at sleeping at night. We put you down about 9-10 pm and you wake like clockwork about 1 to 3 am and cry cry cry sometimes a full hour before going back down. Often I give up and put you in bed with me but you snack on me alllllll morning long and I get no rest. It's exhausting but rewarding. You are such a chunky baby, wearing size 4 diapers and 18-24 months clothe.. You are getting talker so less round but still a chunk. You crawl alllll over the place. You love pulling yourself up and creeping along the furniture . You are chomping at the bit to start walking. You love being outside , usually have to put you in your walker because you want to get into EVERYTHING 

7 months old

My my my boy, you are NOT one for sleeping. You pretty much catnap throughout the day, maybe get an hour out of you if I'm lucky. You like to be nursed to sleep, sometimes rocked if I get lucky. You are currently 23.6 pounds and 30inches tall. You are crawling barely, taking a few forwards movements and then crying when you don't take off as quickly as you'd like to. You grab everything your sister has in her hands. Likewise, she grabs everything in your hands. You two are gonna have a hard time sharing with one another. You are growing up so fast. The time seems to be going by so much more quickly with you than with your sister, perhaps because the days are so fast chasing after the both of you. 

You enjoy being outdoors, watching your sister, laughing when patches barks or when sister laughs, you love raspberry kisses, you like the bathtub or shower , you fall asleep on most car rides. 

You continue to drool but still no teeth yet, wish they would make an appearance already. You wear size 4 diapers, 18-24 months clothes, and size 4 shoes. You are almost as big as your sister. 

You love being carried in a sling or back carry and prefer it over a stroller ride . You enjoy being in the pool with sister and daddy. Your favorite foods are butternut squash, avacado and sweet potatoes. 

6 sweet sweet months

My boy, you have made strides this month. You started to roll on you back to your belly on April 12th.. And on April 26th you started to crawl backwards.. You are seriously soooo ready to be on the move. Such a strong boy you always want to be standing or jumping in your jumper.. I just know you are going to keep me on my toes. 

Your tooth continues to bother you but has still not cut in quite yet.. You're a crappy sleeper, never really take good naps, just catnaps throughout the day. You still don't sleep through the night, that makes mommy sAd. But I won't lie I still

Love the snuggle time and bonding time with just you and I those early mornings with your warm little baby body against my skin.. I love knowing I can comfort you and love on you.. One day you won't want anything to do with me so for now I will take all the time and attention I can get. 

5 months old

You have the sweetest smile I have ever seen, such a happy little baby you are . You still love milk, mommy spends all day and night nursing you.. You found your fett and started rolling over from back to belly. You get on all fours already.. It's

Looking like you will crawl by 6 or 7 months for sure. Your legs are so strong, all day long you love to jump either in your jumper or on someone's lap. You continue to wear 12-18 months clothes and are in size 4 diapers. You're not a good sleeper or napper, unless mommy and sister are napping with you. You love your jumper, tummy time, eating, watching tv (bad mommy) , bath time and the mobile in your crib. 

You hate your car seat, mommy picking your boogers out of your nose, a bottle , and to mommy it seems you hate sleep