Little Eli.  The baby.  My baby. Today is the second day of 2013 and I haven't written much about your infant stage in the last months. Probably because you keep me so busy. 

So, let me say a few things about now and a few things to catch up a bit. You are cute and adorable.  At almost 9 months old, your fun and inquisitive little personality is really beginning to show. You are enthusiastic about moving and learning -- especially when it comes to playing with cars and chasing balls and balloons around the floor.  You crawl at lightning speeds.  You became a MUCH happier baby when you learned to crawl. Up until that time, it just seemed like you had a big chip on your shoulder because you were the only person in the house that couldn't move themself from Point A to Point B.  You have been cruising around furniture for about a month now and manipulate your rolling walker all throughout the house with expert turning and navigational skills -- your navigation is especially amazing through doorways in which your big walker has to be turned just right in order for it to squeeze through. 

You are constantly in motion--always go-go-going somewhere or turning around to see what is going on.  You love being involved in whatever is going on and are so happy to sit and eat little bits of whatever we are having for dinner directly off the table in front of you.  You love to EAT. And eat. And eat. I have never seen a kid your size eat so much.  You chew food amazingly well. You also love chewing on your toothbrush (both ends). 

You got your first tooth on November 1st and your second tooth on November 10th (both top front teeth). In about mid-December, the 3rd and 4th teeth came in and currently, you are working on the 5th one, which is adjacent your top two.   

You wake up about every four hours during the night--still.  I remember the girls sleeping through the night around four months.....I guess you must be special.  Each night, I get up with you around 1am and then again around 5am (Daddy takes the 5am on the weekends).  Each time, I walk in, turn on the projector mobile, prop up your bottle and leave the room for you to finish it on your own.  Your father and I anxiously await a time when you sleep through until morning.  

Up until recently, you cried and cried unless I held you or were in the room. The minute I put you down or walked out of the room, you'd cry and scream.  Searching the Internet during nights of insomnia has done me no good in trying to figure out how to curb this. Now, at almost 9 months old, your "separation anxiety" is getting better, but it is much worse than what I remember with your sisters. Only in the last few weeks have there been short instances of you entertaining yourself for 3-5 minutes at a time before you look up to discover I'm not there. And THEN you cry. I suppose I should concentrate on feeling lucky that you love me so much.

Speaking of love, you love your sisters and they both love you. Sonia is the little momma extraordinaire. She carries you around and plays with you a lot. She runs for diapers for you and is the biggest help to me.  Myah is always watching you and reporting to me if you are in danger, such as when you are about to fall off the couch or put something in your mouth that you shouldn't.

Your Dad is so happy to have a boy and you seem to know it because whenever he walks into the room, you stop everything and smile and gaze at him.  It's the cutest thing.  You should also know that I love you and I can't wait to get to know you better in the coming years.  I can't believe that you are here, but I'm so happy you are. 

-Your Mom