17 months-eli style

Eli is my "typical second born/middle child". He's a go-getter. no fear. determined. and a rough player. He wants to wrestle, he'll bite you/hit/grab/scratch your eyes out if he is playing and excited or just plain mad. He is stubborn and makes a lot of situations a lot more difficult than they need to be. These are just facts-I'm not complaining. I appreciate his little personality- I hope he uses all his might to accomplish great things. He is funny and so much fun. He makes me laugh all the time. My favorite is that he's such a cuddle bug-tucks his little arms in underneath him when you pick him up. He loves to get hugs from Daddy when he gets home from work. He copies and picks up things from James SO quickly. Some of the newest things are following him to the toilet and "learning to go on the toilet" Although he hasn't mastered this yet, we have made a lot of progress. Up until a couple weeks ago he would scream at me if I put him on there, and now he'll come tell me every so often that he pooped (grabs at his diaper). His newest accomplishment/challenge is climbing up into his car seat all by himself. He has to work so hard at it..but he gets it and is so proud. love it.

 

Here is what else he's been up to this month:

*Great sleeper. But has moved to one nap most days. He has been sleeping a little later in the morning though, so that has been great. The boys don't scamper into our room until 6:50-7am these days! Sleeping in!

*Has decided he's not too fond of sitting still long enough to eat. We have to buckle him into the highchair (he would prefer to sit on the bar stool like James) and he screams and refuses to eat for a couple minutes and then realizes that his mom is going to win the battle and decides to eat his food. Once he decides to give in then he eats great!
-Couple of things he loves lately: popcorn, chocolate, carrots, "special dad pancakes", tomatoes, grapes, pickles (these are very useful when you need him to take a bite!)





















*Signing/communicating really well, but no words yet! We've decided he's just taking the easy way. No need to use extra energy to form words when he has figured out his own way to communicate. And he is not shy about letting you know what he wants. He is a loud little guy. He understands 95% of what we say and he's very social. So I haven't been too worried about his lack of words. It's just so different from James who was talking at 12 months!
-Signs: more, please, all done, airplane (hands above head), where (hands behind him), waves hi and bye, makes fish mouth
-sounds: car (rrrrmmmm), cow (mmmm), sheep(aaaa),
-sometimes words/only I could understand: momma, dad, night, k, hi



James reading to Eli

*Loves to get the step up stool to reach things-light switch, anything on the counter, in the silverware drawer, in the pantry. Such a climber. He'll climb on the counter, dresser. Out of his crib! We are debating if we need to switch him over to a big bed (we did for James at this age, but he wasn't climbing)

*Likes to read certain books and only for a little while. But he will bring them to me to read. Also he has really enjoyed puzzles lately. He really likes a shape one that we have.

*Loves to play "North Dakota" which entails sitting under a blanket. (grandma linda's game!)

*Loves to be outside- plays with the bugs, in the dirt/sand/playdoh/shaving cream, ride in his car and most recently the bike (has a push handle for me)



first train, for both boys, at the zoo. they both loved it.

*Likes to provoke James a little bit. He knows that James doesn't like it when he screams. So right after nap when they are eating snack Eli will look at James and yell. Then James says, "No" and Eli does it right back to him. It can go back and forth with James crying and Eli screaming. One of my least favorite things of the day.
*Hates to brush his teeth. Rather..hates me brushing his teeth. I give him his toothbrush to let him start out, but then when it's my turn to finish. He will scream and wiggle and shut his mouth. I'm not sure if it's a control thing or he has my sensory issue with the brushing sound/feeling. But it is also one of my least favorite battles.

We have had a great summer and are looking forward to the fall and holidays. James birthday is coming up and Jenna, Mike's sister will be in town. We will be going up to North Dakota in October to see Grandma Scheffert, a thanksgiving tradition, but we are going early this year because of where I'll be in my pregnancy at Thanksgiving. I know this fall will go by so fast and we are excited/anxious for this Christmas, as we'll have another reason to celebrate..Samuel will be here! The boys love to see my belly. James gives Sam kisses and love pats. The other morning in bed when James had come in to tell me to get out, I had rolled over and he said, "ouch you are smashing my sam" It was funny..I guess he's heard that a couple times :) I know it's been awhile since I've posted..I have still had to take naps off and on. I'll try to blog more with all the events coming up. Thanks for stopping by!