christmas

Christmas was lots of fun. I helped open some of my gifts but then I got really distracted because I got a new book from my aunt. I love books so this kept me busy for awhile. Then I played with this new thing with blocks and letters all over it that grandpa gave me. It is really cool. I have since discovered that it has wheels so I push it all over the living room. Mama and dada said that last year all I did was stare at the Christmas tree. This year was much more fun.

Love, Elijah

walking

I have decided that walking is the best way to get around. A couple days before Christmas I just started walking a few steps here and there. Then by Christmas I was walking all over the place. On Christmas Eve I hit my head into the coffee table four times because I kept falling over. But since then I have been much better at it. I learned that I should fall onto my bottom instead of falling foward, so that is what I do. I walk all over the house and mama and dada are still surprised when they see me walking into the room.

Love, Elijah

christmas eve nap

This is me and dada on Christmas Eve. I was so tired that I just fell asleep sitting next to dada on the couch. Then he fell asleep too. Mama made me wear my Christmas socks. She thinks they are cute.

Love, Elijah

merry christmas!

Would someone please tell mama that I don't like to wear hats?

Merry Christmas!

Love, Elijah

mama loves me

santa

Mama took me to see santa yesterday. The first time I saw him I was scared so then we went and ate some lunch and came back. It wasn't any better cuz he was still very scary.

Last year I was only two months old when I saw santa and obviously I had no idea how scary he is. This year not only did I know exactly how scary santa is, but I was also able to appropriately communicate my fright. Mama responded by taking pictures. She is The Meanest Mama in the World. Santa told mama that next year I would be two and I would be very happy to see him. I am not so sure about that.

Love, Elijah

new ways to play

I am learning that there are new ways to play. I have discovered that it is fun to open drawers, pull things out, close the drawer, open the drawer, put things back in, then close the drawer again. I used to only take things out of drawers. Now I like to put things back in and then close the drawer. The other day I found mama's swimsuits in her dresser drawer so I pulled them out and put them back in a few times. I got mad because sometimes they wouldn't go in all the way and then the drawer didn't close right so mama had to help me. I have also learned that it is fun to put my toys up on the table or the couch or the stool to play with. I used to only take them down, now I put them up. This has opened up lots of new ways for me to play and I am having lots of fun.

Love, Elijah

pa

My pa came to visit and we celebrated his birthday. It was really cool because I got to eat chocolate cake. It was really yummy. I had lots of fun with my pa.

Love, Elijah

changes

I have changed sooooo much in the last few weeks. These are the things I am doing:

I cut tooth number seven.

I have taken my first steps, three or four at a time.

I stand up without holding onto anything.

I can say E-I-E-I-O, although the O is the hardest part so most of the time I just leave it off.

I make the sign "more" when I want more of something, or sometimes I just make the sign when I want anything.

I like to read my books to myself (I tell stories about what is going on to myself.)

I like to chatter to everyone about what is going on. I have lots to say.

I like to point at things. I use my whole hand to point, I think that is better than using just one finger. It gets the point across much better. (haha, the point.)

I have gained a whole pound and a quarter in just a month! This is because I eat and eat and eat like crazy.

I only take one (long) nap a day.

I only need num-nums maybe once during the day. But I still like my num-nums at night and in the morning.

I have lots going on!

Love, Elijah

i can stand up

I am getting very good at standing up. Mostly I do it when I am holding something and I forget that I am supposed to be holding on. Then when I realize it I quick stick out my hand to hang on. Sometimes I stand up for as much as ten seconds. Usually I am pretty steady on my feet. Every so often I might take a step, but I am not too interested in walking yet. One of these days I am going to take off walking all over the house!

Love, Elijah

in the car

I don't mind riding in the car. My favorite thing to do in the car is read my books. I also like to eat my o's in the car. Sometimes I fall asleep in the car. I can't help it because my seat is very comfy. Dada lets me drive sometimes but we don't get very far.

Love, Elijah

turkey day

For Thanksgiving I got to eat turkey but I wasn't very fond of it. My favorite part was the sweet potato. I also liked the stuffing. I managed to get my food all over my face and clothes. Hope you all had a good Thanksgiving.

Love, Elijah

zig the dog

This is my dog Zig. She died last night. Dada has had Zig since before he married mama. She was a very good dog and we loved her very much. I loved to hang out at the back door and look at her. I loved it when she came over and sniffed me. One of the first times I laughed was when she sneezed. I liked to watch her roll around in the grass and then shake herself off and grunt. She was very funny.

Zig will be very missed by all of us.

Love, Elijah

peekaboo

I get very confused when I play peekaboo. I know that I am supposed to cover something, but I can't remember if it is my ears or my eyes. So usually I just cover my ears. It still works because whoever I am playing peekaboo with will cover their eyes and I can't see them, and that's the whole point of peekaboo, right?

Love, Elijah

one year old

Here are some more pictures mama took of me for when I turned one year old.

Love, Elijah

haircut

I recently had a haircut. It's a good thing because my hair was constantly in my eyes. Here are before and after pictures. This was not my first haircut, but it took off more hair than my other haircuts. Mama cut the front and the top and the sides by my ears. The back is nice and curly so we left it alone. My hair looks extra curly when it is wet. I am going to make my hair grow extra slow so that mama does not have to cut my hair again for awhile. I was tired of her coming after me with the scissors.

Love, Elijah

keyboard

I am determined to use the computer. I just want to press all of the buttons. The keyboard is fascinating. I love to bang on it because it makes great noises. I just have to figure out how to pull out the keyboard drawer and I will be all set.

Love, Elijah

the backdoor

The backdoor is one of my favorite places in the house. I love to stand at the backdoor and look outside. I love to bang on the door also, it is great fun. The best part about the backdoor is that Zig comes over to say hello. I get really excited when I see her because I have lots of things to tell her. And she has lots of things to tell me. I tell her all about the things that go on inside the house because she is no longer allowed inside the house. She tells me all about the things that happen outside. One day when I am big I am going to learn how to open the door all by myself and go outside to see her whenever I want to, which is all the time. In this picture it is raining like crazy. I do not yet understand rain, it is very strange stuff.

Love, Elijah

my carseat

Now that I am one-year-old I am allowed to face forward in my carseat. This is much better than facing backward because there is so much more to see. Mama and dada were going to leave me facing backward for awhile but I insisted on facing forward. I never knew how much mama and dada could see while they were in the car. It is very fascinating. It is also easier for mama to give me oatios and this of course is fabulous because I love oatios.

Now that I can face forward I am very helpful with other things like deciding where we should go. I love to help dada with the map.

Love, Elijah