Dear Eliot: Fourteen Months

Dear Eliot,

Today you are fourteen months old! This second year with you seems to be going by even more quickly than the first. I try to hold on to every day, phase, and moment with you. It is easy to become lost in our day-to-day routines; I forget where we are in the month and week sometime, but I love all of our time together.

This month, you experienced some extremes in weather. You had your first real snow and then we enjoyed some beautiful spring temperatures. This winter has been so mild that I thought we might make it through without a snow, but I was hoping that maybe you could have just one good snow. Well, it happened! I read some places that we got up to eight inches, but it seemed more like four to six. Something like that. You didn't like the cold snow at first until we made snowballs for you. Then you thought it was awesome and also liked helping your dad with the snow shovel.

Just a few days later, the weather turned warm again and we have continued to enjoy our tri-weekly bike rides, walks, and almost daily trips to the park. You are so funny at the park. You just want to gather sticks, run around, and watch people play basketball. One day at the park, you sadly lost one of your shoes. I don't mean that it simply fell off and we couldn't find it, but you kicked it off of a bridge and into the creek! We tried to get it, but it floated away. It was your first pair of good sneakers and your first Chucks. At least we still have the other one and a new pair is coming in the mail.

You are definitely an expert walker (and runner) now. You don't even do "T-Rex" arms anymore--you completely have your balance. You do fancy foot work too, such as walking backwards and you think it is funny to walk on your tippy toes and heels.  You've also started to climb things more too. You climb up on the chair, on the couch, and on your toys. Fortunately, you know how to get down too. You can even get off of our bed without any help (but I always watch you). I can't believe how strong  you are.  You move the rabbit's cage just for fun.  Your dad has some weights out that he uses and you can lift the five pound weight.  That always worries me a bit.

Your vocabulary is slowly growing as well.  You say mom, dad, dog, good dog, cat, kitty, duck, ball, that, and baba.  The cutest of all, though, is that you say "aw" while petting the animals.  You are such a big animal-lover!  About a week ago, we went to a store with stuffed animals by the cash register.  I told you that I'd buy you one if you could correctly identify an animal.  You pointed to a big, yellow duck, saying, "Duck!  Duck!"  You hadn't really said duck before (just "quack, quack"), so I was very surprised.  Needless to say, you got the duck.

Cognitively, you are developing too.  You love to play with and organize shapes.  You like to pull all of your blocks out and clean them up again.  You place circle and square blocks into their correct holes.  Sometimes I show you a few blocks with pictures of animals on them and ask you where a certain animal is.  We have been going over elephant, dog, cat, and cow.  Most of the time, you get it right and choose the right block.  We are working on your creative side as well.  You love to color with crayons and when we hold you up to write with chalk on the kitchen chalk board.  This summer, I am sure you will be coloring the sidewalks with chalk.  I love watching you explore and create.

It is also interesting to see you make connections.  You generally make the right animal noises for many of your toys, including dinosaurs, monkeys, cows, ducks, lions, tigers, and sheep--and I'm sure there is more that I am forgetting.  Also, you understand what things are "used" for.  You take our keys to the front door and reach for the door knob with them.  You point the remote control at the TV.  You try to "fix" things with your screw driver.  When your dad lifts weights, you mimic him with the same motion with your toys.  You pretend to talk on the phone.  You think putting lids on containers is the funniest thing ever.  You are absolutely adamant about your right to use the swiffer to sweep the floor and also wipe the floor with paper towels.  The list goes on and on, but I can tell that you get things.  You understand more than I realize so I keep trying to work with you on things even when I don't think I'm making progress or you're too young.  You surprise me every day.

And, of course, your favorite thing in the world is still balls.

Eliot, you have been with us for a year and two months.  Even now, your dad and I find ourselves gushing, "He is so precious."  We hold ourselves back from poking and kissing you in your sleep.  When you were born, your dad said that he was afraid he would grind his teeth down because he grits them when he sees something cute.  He still grits his teeth out of love, Baby.  You are the most amazing blessing our life.  We are crazy about you.  Maybe that is why we still have you sleep in our bed.