*This post is from August...I just never got around to posting it.*
Wow, I can't believe it's been six months since I last posted. But I'm pretty sure I warned you about how bad I am at follow-through for this kind of thing...sorry about that! Here is a quick recap of what's been going on:
Summer was a lot of fun. Eli and I spent a lot of time in the water, either at the neighborhood pool or his plastic pool in the backyard. He loves the water and is quite happy splashing around and playing with the water hose. He really loves being outside and has started doing this thing that is really cute (most of the time). When he wants to go outside and play with the dogs he will bring Kyle or me a pair of our shoes, try to put them on our feet, point to the door, and say "bow wow wow". It's hard to resist.
Eli took his first plane ride this summer when we flew to Houston for my cousin Alyssa's high school graduation. The flight down went really well. He didn't cry at all and did not seem to be bothered by the pressure change. The flight home was a little more stressful, but it was all my fault. Somehow, I ended up on the plane without any water to make his bottle. We had to wait for the stewardess to finish her safety spiel before we could get any water, and by then Eli was an unhappy camper. I was lucky, however, to be seated next to a very understanding grandmother who tried to help me entertain him. There are some very kind people out there. But after some of these experiences, I am making a point to go out of my way to be helpful to other mothers. I encourage you to do the same! Open the door for that woman with the 30 lb toddler on her hip. Offer to push her stroller in the line to the ticket counter. If you ride a bus or subway, please let that woman sit down. She probably hasn't sat down all day. Ok, I'm off that soapbox!
I guess the biggest news is that Eli turned 1 year old! It's so strange to look back and think about how much he has changed but also how much Kyle and I have changed, too. It's really fun watching his little personality develop. The weather was nice on his birthday, so we were able to have a party out on the back porch. I decided to have a sock monkey themed birthday because monkeys have always been a favorite of his. I wasn't sure if he was going to like the cake because he really doesn't seem to have that much of a sweet tooth yet. But, he dug right in!
I also took my first trip without Eli this summer. In August, I went to Wimberley, TX to spend the weekend with some girlfriends from grad school. We had a great time eating, shopping, and just catching up. Love those girls! My sweet husband did an awesome job taking care of Eli from Thursday to Monday, and it was nice to be able to get away without having to worry about anything.
Right before I started back to work in August, Eli started walking! I was so excited that it happened over the summer while I was home! Kyle bribed him into walking by teaching him to play golf. I joke that it was redneck baby golf because the club was a wooden backscratcher and the ball was a plastic bale of hay from his tractor set. But hey...whatever works! Everyone warned us about the walking stage and how stressful it is. But I have to say, I love this stage. Eli is happy with his new independence and it is pretty stinkin' cute. We can tell him to go change diaper or put on pajamas and he will toddle off into his bedroom on his own. I agree with Kyle that Eli is getting more fun every day!
And I know Eli is the main attraction, but Kyle and I are doing fine as well. I started my third year as a speech therapist in the schools. While going back to work after the summer was hard, I'm excited about my students this year and I'm looking forward to trying some new activities to make speech fun and drill home those good speech skills. Kyle had a rough summer. It seemed like everything he owned was broken at one point or another. It was something new every day. And it was hot...and DRY. But he perserveres and does a great job. And somehow, God always comes through and Kyle's crop ends up looking pretty darn good!
Here are some pictures (because that is the fun part, right?)
