Dear Eli: Month Eight

Oh, Eli.

These days when I am asked to describe you I say, "he's... nuts." Indeed, you are my wild child. You have no fear at all. We are constantly testing you to see if you will even show the slightest hesitation when you are about to fall face first off the bed (or patio) and usually you are laughing your head off, and just going for it. It makes me wonder a lot about your future. Your little personality seems so clear to me, and yet I wonder what role we, your parents, play in it by constantly saying that you are going to be a total maniac. I keep saying that I should have called you "Dennis" after Dennis the Menace. Nothing is off limits to you. We are in that delightful stage where you are sprint-crawling for every electric cord or toilet in the house. (What is it with babies and those little bolt covers on toilet bases?) Things that Grayson never even noticed are instantly on your radar. We are so clearly going to have to baby proof this house, and soon.

This month you have learned how to crawl. You started off with a "Spidey-hands" technique, where you dragged your body everywhere with your sticky little paws. Now you are a crawling expert and you love to crawl as fast as possible toward the exact thing I wish you hadn't noticed. Earlier this week you crawled over to a table and then pulled yourself up to standing. Gray said, "Eli's standing up!" which totally surprised me. I had no idea you could do that! Your favorite new activity this month is the manic crawling-around-the-bed thing you do when we are trying to get your jammies on. It is like trying to put clothes on a badger- impossible. You love to body slam and wrestle with Grayson as well. Today I came out of the bedroom and you had crawled over and on top of Gray, who was just laying on the floor. He started squealing "ELI!" and I had to pull you off of him, laughing all the while. Poor Gray has no idea what he's in for with you!

You will repeat "Mama" and sometimes will sign "more." I thought you had some issues with feeding yourself until I realized you just didn't like the puffs that Gray so adored. Once I put some Cheerios on your tray you were off and running. You were sick for the first time this month as well. In true Luxner boy fashion, you got sick right before your Dada and I were about to leave the country. (So what was supposed to be a relaxing vacation was actually kind of nerve wracking- thanks.) My favorite thing that you have learned this month is how to kiss with a "mwah!" type of sound. That one never gets old.

You are not the champion sleeper your brother is- you still take shorter naps and wake up during the night once in a while. It's just one of the many, many ways you are different from him. I can't believe that you two came from me- how is that possible, given the one million ways that you differ? One thing is the same though: how fiercely and completely that I love you both. How did I live for so long without knowing you? And oh, Eli, I'm so glad I do.

Love,
Mama

PS- It's 11:00 PM as I write this and you just woke up with your epic screaming. Eli, GO BACK TO SLEEP! Love, Mama