Dear Eliot: Thirteen Months

Dear Eliot,

I hardly know what to say about your age now without confusing people.  Thirteen months?  A year and a month? It is a mouthful!  You're growing into such a big boy already!

This month's most notable change is your new-found ability to walk.  Exactly one week after your first birthday, you started walking.  We had been working very hard on trying to help you gain your confidence since you had caught onto our tricks, and we were able to get you to walk around carrying your Tigger doll.  The next day, I was looking through some mail at the dining room table (and you were standing by the couch in the living room) when all of the sudden you walked straight up to me and stared as if it to demand that I make you a sandwich.

Within a few days, you were walking and then running everywhere.  By the next week, you had learned how to stand straight up from the ground on your own.  A big part of this was out of necessity so that you could pick up your basketball.  If it were up to you, Eliot, I'm certain that you would spend all day dunking on your basketball goal.  You even try to dribble by squatting and bouncing the ball on the floor.

Since you have learned to walk and stand up, you also enjoy looking at the world up-side-down and doing yoga poses.  You often want to be on your own exploring, even when we go shopping.  I love letting you run all around where you want to go.  I took you in the front yard to play while your dad did yard work.  You took off running right into the street!  That isn't safe, little boy.  We walked up and down the road together.  You wait for me, OK?

This month, we headed down to Chesapeake to celebrate your birthday with my side of the family.  Your dad and I took you to the zoo to see the animals.  Then we had a family dinner complete with a basketball cake made by your Nana!

Eliot, you are the sweetest little boy.  You are so affectionate.  Now that you can walk, you come up to us and wrap your arms around our necks to give such tight, tight hugs.  You cuddle up with your stuffed animals on the floor and carry your baby blanket around the house.  You have so much love to give.

I love how much of a little boy you are becoming these days.  You love digging in the dirt and prefer playing with mulch at the park to the swings.  I think it is so fun to watch you make your cars go "vroom" and your dinosaurs growl.  And, of course, your absolutely favorite toys are still balls.  In fact, whenever we go to the grocery store and you see produce, you begin to chant, "Ball!  Ball!  Ball!"  If we are watching a movie or reading a book with a ball in it, you slide down from the couch to find your own ball to play with instead.

You absolutely love to read books to us and point out all of the animals.  Your favorite books are ones by Eric Carle, and I think you really like Go, Dog. Go too, which was one of my favorites growing up as well.  You let us read to you too and turn the pages.  This is one way to get you to settle down when we need to get ready for naptime.  I hold these times with you so dear.  I love when you bring me a book to read and then read the book to me after I finish.

I worry for you sometimes, Eliot.  I worry for that precious heart of yours that loves to share and play and give.  I hope that no one ever crushes your spirits, but I know that is bound to happen at some point.  And it makes me mad.  Things won't always be fair, but you be better than that.  I'll be here to encourage you.  And you'll come out all the better because of it.

Eliot, I couldn't be more proud of every tiny thing you do, whether you raise your eyebrow curiously or pet the cat softly or run around the yard.  To me, everything you do is perfect.  I love you so very much--even on the days that I have to give you two baths because you're so dirty.