20 months

Eli is so sweet, funny, determined, independent, strong willed, curious, smart, and active! He loves to hold his cousin, ayla. We are excited to see what he thinks of Sam!

What he's been up to:

 

*Sleeping! Last time I wrote we had gotten bunkbeds for the boys and it was not a smooth transition, to say the least. It took aboout 3-4 weeks before we saw any progress, but now I can say we are sleeping through the night again! I will admit getting them to sleep is still not my favorite part of the night. Eli wants to climb up with James and play/talk, or James wants to lean over the bed and talk/entice Eli to come up. So we have to watch on the monitor and tell them 3-10 times to lay down. Some nights are better than others, but once Eli is asleep it's better. James will sit in the top bunk and read for up to 2 hours! We have adjusted the light to go off at 9:15 now (rather than 10) and turn back on at 7:15 (rather than 7). Since it was going so well with them staying in bed til 7am we thought, "why not try 15 minutes more?!" Last night was the first night we switched it and they were in our room at 7. I can't complain because 7am is still pretty good..but hopefully we can get it to 7:15! :)
He is taking one nap about an hour each day, but there are some days he wants to take his a little earlier than I would like him to!

*Eating: I swear Eli is a bottomless pit. The only reason he quits eating is because he is ready to run around and not sit any longer. If you offer him food though he is always willing to take it. He is a very good eat and not at all picky. He'll climb up in my lap and want to eat any/all of what I'm eating too. He is sitting on the stool, like James. He is getting better, but there are still some nights we have to put him in the highchair because he isn't staying on it or wanting to stand up.

*Talking! I have been waiting and waiting for this day. He is so funny and I just want to be able to hear all he has going on in his head. He has been able to understand for awhile now, but no words. As of lately he is saying, "mom, dad, bird, bell, uh oh, hide, mower, hot, cheese" His uh oh is the cutest thing because he basically does the tone of voice rather than the word, but it's always the same. He says it a lot because if there is something out of place or something he doesn't think is quite right he lets me know! He likes things to be just so. I wonder where he gets that from?! Whenever I say, "Dad's home" both boys say, "Hide" and cover their eyes or go hide from Dad. They think it's the funniest thing.

*Loves to play with James and copy him. They play so well together. James loves to play with Eli as well. Some of his favorite things are to jump on the trampoline, help James make "leaf piles" with the blankets and pillows, read, do puzzles, play/climb on the bunkbed, push the mower, playdoh, anything James suggests!

*Eli knows where Sam is if you ask him. But I am so excited/nervous for the day he arrives. Both my boys are very much mommy's boys. We've had a couple times of practice when I'm babysitting or holding my niece and Eli gets a little jealous. Eli also, as part of his OCD, loves to make sure his cousin, Ayla, has her blanket, her socks, or anything else she might need and if she doesn't he wants says, "uh oh" and makes me fix it. He has tried to pick her up a couple times and loves to give hugs and kisses. I think the boys will welcome Sam, but there will for sure be a question of "when is he going home?" I am so excited to add to our family and watch the 3 boys interact.