Ellis is 15 Months

Dear Ellis-

I find myself saying things like: "He is so fun," "He is at a great age," and "I just fall more in love with him every day" about you.

You are just a happy soul.  You spread joy to all those around you.  Usually, this is through your many tricks, like rolling it, spinning and spinning, ta-daing, pulling a million funny faces, or flirting.  You are rarely upset and when you are upset it isn't for long.  You just make every day fun and I am often racing home from work because I miss you so much.

I study your face every night when I am rocking you to sleep.  You are just changing too fast and I am still having a hard time accepting the fact that you are a little boy and not my baby anymore.

You are wearing 24 month tops and 18 month pants.  I guess your legs are chasing your upper body.  You still don't love hats and I still am offended by it and am trying to change your mind about it.  

You still are soothed by Miranda Lambert's song "Desperation," but it doesn't work all the time like it used to.  Now to sooth you in the car, I reach back and put my hand on the side of your face.  

You sometimes fight us about your car seat and stand up in it facing the front seat while we are trying to get you buckled in.  You are a rascal.  You throw food on the floor on purpose while eating and laugh when we tell you no.  You also pointed at Daddy and said "Nah, Nah, Nah" one time when he told you no.  (He was pointing and saying "No, No, No!")  You also find it funny to say "Mama" when we tell you to say "Papa".  And chasing Reno is still one of your favorite things.  

Now you can walk, so Reno gets even more nervous when you are coming at him.  You actually have started to keep shoes and socks on which is a good thing with colder weather coming.

You loved Halloween and said pumpkin a lot which actually sounds like "ball ball".  You even screamed that the first five minutes of the Pumpkin Walk up in Logan.  We took you to the Zoo in Logan too and your favorite animal was the fox.  

You are a smart little dude and get into everything including all the things we lock up because you have mastered baby locks.  Your giggle is so cute and you giggle most when Daddy tickles and chases you.

You are addicted to sports and ask me everyday when i get home to turn on football, which is your favorite these days, even though you will watch any sport and yell "ball" at the TV when they are on. I am so excited that you share my love of sports already

Ellis, you have made our lives so much more rich and we are so lucky to have the job of raising and teaching you things.  It melts my heart that you are recognizing when it is time to pray over our food and that you fold your hands, try to close your eyes and say "amen" at the close of our prayers.  It is so fun to see you grow and I look forward to see who you will become.  Love you lots.  Mommy

Fourteen Months

Dear Ellis-

Today somebody asked how old you were, and I responded "fourteen months." They laughed and told me I could just say a year. I guess it may be time to start just saying he's a little over a year. I thought that if I keep calling you the baby months, that you would stay a baby. 

 

People have started to also say that you are looking more and more like a little boy and less like a baby. I have to agree, even though I don't like the fact that you aren't a baby anymore. The old adage, "babies don't keep," plays through my head lots these days as I often find myself studying your little face as I rock you to sleep. I almost feel like I have to breathe in each moment with you because they are flying by and you are changing so quickly. 

 

Your newest thing is walking. You took your first steps on a day I stayed home sick from work. I was so thankful for that. You then waited a little over a week to really get used to it. You are now a walker, mixed with side scooting and a little crawling. You can even get up from sitting down. As your dad texted me one day after you climbed into the clothes dryer, "we are in trouble."  Your new found independence and how you are into everything will give us a few challenges, but it's fun to be apart of this journey where you are learning so much so quicky. 

You love pumpkins and point for us to light up our plastic decorations pumpkins the first thing every day. You try to say pumpkin but it sounds more like "ball ball."  

You are saying more and more things, but many things sound like ball. I hate to say it, but I do look forward to when you can speak more so it's easier to know what you need. You do lots of pointing and gesturing while mumbling and I often find myself thinking, what the heck does this kid need? 

You are a character and know when you have an audience. You will roll it for people still and you love to spin and spin. It's really funny when you fake sneeze or cough after somebody else does. You also have been quite funny this week when you are asked to say Papa. You respond rebelliously with Mama instead and get a sneaky looking grin on your face. 

Your hair is hilarious these days. There is a lot of it in the back and not so much in the front and on the sides. Your double cowlick also makes for awesome bedhead every morning. I feel like it's getting time to cut it, but I am really entertained by it so I don't quite want to get it cut just yet. 

You are still my favorite little person and I fall more and more in love with you each and every day. 

This Chorus from Taylor Swift's song"Never Grow Up" rings true these days:

"Oh darling, don't you ever grow up

Don't you ever grow up, just stay this little

Oh darling, don't you ever grow up

Don't you ever grow up, it could stay this simple

No one's ever burned you, nothing's ever left you scarred

And even though you want to, just try to never grow up."

Just stay small a little while longer. 

Love you,

Mom 

Ellis is thirteen months

Hi folks. Life is just moving along here. It's hard to believe that September is over half gone ready. Time flies when you are having fun. 

The school year is going great. My students are fun and the feeling at my school is amazing. Great things are happening and I'm loving it. 

There isn't a whole lot of news around here. The biggest news is that our new desk should show up on our doorstep any day now.  I think I have said this before but you know you have truly made it to adulthood when you get excited about furniture. It will be nice to organize a bit and to have a place to create cards and also a space to write. I am planning on participating in national novel writing month in November and it will come in handy. 

I also say this often: Ellis is at a fun age. I am laughing at him lots these days he is a silly goober. Sure, he is into everything and a bit of work, but he is so worth any of the hard stuff(even his not sleeping through the night!).

Without further adieu, here is his 13 month letter, even though I have started to just say he is one:

Dear Ellis, 

Just thinking about you makes me smile. That little smile of yours is contagious and I feel so lucky to have you around. You make each day more adventurous and always help me to focus on the good in life. In a world that often seems cruel and cold, you're cute little laugh, smile and attitude help me to see the good and to feel better. Not matter how hard the day has been, when I come home from work to you, I am instantly happy and smiling. Thanks so much for being so fun and for loving me so much. 

Today at work, a co-worker mentioned how he missed out on this age when his kids were young and that he would have liked to be around for all the stuff I see challenging like getting up in the middle  of the night and diaper changing. I thought about that a lot as I was putting you back to bed tonight(I say back because you fell asleep in the car on the way home from Papa's birthday celebration. You must have woke up not knowing where you were because you were a bit upset.).  I realized that sometimes I complain a bit about taking care of you and forget to cherish each and every moment with you. I studied your face extra close tonight and rubbed your soft blonde hair and held your feet as you fell back to sleep. 

As I studied your face, I noticed that you are a little masterpiece full of amazing heritage. You have my nose, which is the Koehne nose I got from my dad. You have the same gap in your front gap that I have which comes from my mom's side of the family. You have a lot of great aunts who have the exact teeth. You have your dad's forehead and chin which he got from your Papa. You have my hands which are my moms hands(I think of her each time I look at my own hands closely. Maybe one day, you will see all these parts of you and think of this great heritage and remember all the special people in your life.)

You are into everything. You have figured out a few of our child locks on cupboards. You don't quite walk on your own yet, but you are walking assisted either by somebody leading you or around the couch or coffee table. You have figured out how to get on the couch and often come up to have a quick cuddle. I love that you are more into cuddling, seeing it hasn't been your thing in the past. 

You love to be outside and even when in our house will sometimes hold yourself up standing to look and see what is happening outside through the window. You still chase Reno all over and love all animals. You recently decided that reno's food tastes good and that his kenel is comfortable. 

 

You still love all people and try to get strangers attention while out and about. You love food and will eat pretty much anything we give you. You have discovered that cow's milk is tasty and drink it out of a sippy cup. You also say, "Ahhhh!" after each gulp. Daddy taught you that trick. 

You love to throw balls around and get excited about sports. 

You wave goodbye and recently have started to give kisses. You always tell dad it is time to go to work by waving after I get back home from work. 

I sometimes spoil you while changing your diaper by letting you watch the kid show "Chika."  My sister probably won't like that but changing the diaper of a kid who wiggles is like trying to train a worm to sit; the distraction is sometimes needed. Otherwise, we try to limit your screen time. 

You still love books and can often be found reading one yourself quietly somewhere in the house. 

You think it's funny to both bite mommy or pull daddy's chest hair. 

Your giggle is so cute. 

I could go on for hours and pages about you but it's getting late. You are so special to me and I am so glad you are a part of our family. I love you so much and can't even remember life without you.  You are my bugs, bugaboo, small fry, little rascal and I wouldn't want to be doing anything differently these days. I love being your mom and am looking forward to watching you grow more and more. 

Love you kiddo, 

Mommy

Throwback Thursday

I find it only appropriate on my first day back at work to reflect on the awesomeness that was my summer. It was hard to go back to work today, but it helped ease the pain a bit to remember how awesome my summer truly was, so take a trip down memory lane with me:

There was some swinging. 

Some introducing Ellis to trains. 

And to mascots. 

Some hiking. 

Some playing with "cousins"

Some fish to be caught 

Heads to be bumped

Uncles to meet

Baseball to watch

Rainbows to enjoy

Great-Grandmas to charm

First swims to take

Great-uncles to play with

Grandpas to win over

Farms to be explored

Hands to hold

Books to read 

Sailing across bays 

Motorcycles to grunt and drool over

Traditions to see

Dreams to ignite

Silliness with cousins

Dinos to discover

And cake to be smashed!!!

Summer always flies by but it also is always very full. I am truly blessed to do the work I do and to be able to have the time to play and make amazing memories. Sure I mourn summer's passing but I will cherish every little memory that was made!!!

One Year of Parenthood.

Who would have thought that this little guy....

Would turn into this little guy?

Who also would have thought that I could be so much in love with you?

Parenthood is not easy!  Just sayin'.  It is a lot of being tired, giving up me time-free time, and just plain work.  But, parenthood is also this amazing wonderful miracle filled with moments of awe, love, being proud, laughter and a whole gamut of other emotions.  Parenthood has been the best thing that possibly could have ever happened to me and I feel so blessed to be called Mommy.  This kid has taught me a whole lot in the past year.  He is a character and I love him so much.

Here are the top then things Ellis has taught me:
1.  Sleep is not really necessary.  You can live without it, but you may be a little more cranky than when you actually do get more sleep.
2.  You should love everybody no matter what.  Ellis just has this way of loving people.  He gives everybody a chance and doesn't discriminate.  He also goes for every chance to make new friends, no matter where he is.  I too need to love people better.
3.  Playing is important.  Ellis knows how to make anything a toy and exciting.  Boxes, brooms, basters, toys, anything really.
4.  Outside is a great place.  There are wonders all around in nature.  The wind moving leaves, the sunshine, and animals are all exciting.
5.  Sometimes you just need a mommy moment.  Ellis will check in these days by climbing up to me or pulling on my pants.  He then needs to come up for a quick visit until it is off to play again.  Checking in with mom is important.  I plan on calling my mom and skyping with her much more often.
6.  Food rocks.  You should try everything at least once.  How blessed I am to have so many choices as to what to eat each day.
7.  Always be up for an adventure.  Whenever we ask Ellis if he wants to go, he lifts up his arms to be picked up and taken away.  He doesn't care what the adventure is, but he knows it's good to be going.  I love that he is an easy traveler and that he isn't bothered by much.
8.  Sometimes you just have to be sad, but then you need to get over it quickly.  Ellis feels all emotions and lets you know how he feels.  Today, when he got a few shots, he cried and cried, but after a few minutes, he was fine and over it.  Life isn't always easy and there will be hard times.  In the moment, embrace those hard times but get right back up and forget about the hard and move on.
9.  Poop isn't a big deal.  Clean up fast and get on with life.  There are a lot of analogies that can go with that.  The biggest one is that when you fall, get back on the airplane(Ellis' favorite toy) or get back on your feet.  Keep trying and don't be afraid to fall again.
10.  Life is to be enjoyed.  Ellis is smiling about 98% of the time.  Life is good and is to be enjoyed.  So get to it and enjoy today!

Ellis' Big One Year Letter:

Dear Ellis:
Twelve months, 365 days, countless breaths and blinks you have been living.  Having you here with me makes my life 1000 times more exciting and more full of joy.  You have taught me so much about love and living.  Thanks for that.  Thanks for loving me even though I am still figuring out how to do this mothering stuff.  Even when I screw up or have to see you go through something hard, you still love me and want me around.

You are becoming quite a character.  You are talking more and have a vocabulary of quite a few words including:  Mom, Dada, Papa, Mama, Reno, Ball, Bottle, Bum, Grandma, and Grandpa.  You understand a whole lot of words and can get various toys when I ask you to go get them.

You still love to play catch, even though you are pretty busy and have to go do something else in the middle of a game. You also will throw various balls and then chase them around the place. You love to play the piano and love anybody who will take you to play one.  You love all dogs and get very excited around them.  It is hard for you not to pounce on them when I remind you to be "soft."

You love books and to be read to.  Your favorite books are Say Boo!, I Spy, and an animal sound book.  You know that sheep say "Bah" and that goats say "Mah!" You would listen to the same book all day long, if somebody would read to you that long.

Recently, you have discovered how to get into Reno's cage and how to get to his food.  We are in trouble.  You are into everything.  Cupboards are your favorite but you can only get into the kitchen drawers these days thanks to our childproofing attempts.

You continue to mainly get around by crawling but you can pull yourself up to standing.  You are getting braver and travel across the coffee table and couch and you have even let go a few times and gone one handed a lot.  I'm sure you will be running soon.

You think it's funny to be chased and when you crawl away from me at church or the post office, you turn around and wave goodbye to me.  You love when daddy comes at you saying "tickle, tickle," or when I say: "I'm gonna get you."  Your laugh and squeal are my favorite sounds these days.

You still love music and dance all the time.  You love the music at church and even have started to conduct when we are singing there.  Daddy taught you how to do this.  You had us in stitches laughing at you do so last week and dancing to the opening hymn.  What a hoot!  You also have great rhythm and like to drum on all kinds of surfaces.  I think a drum is in your future.

You love motorcycles.  I pointed them out to you on our trip in Wisconsin and ever since then, you notice them a lot.  Even today, you sat in the grass and grunted at each one that passed by, while we visited with some friends.  You make a funny face while you grunt too.

You love food and haven't found anything that you don't like just yet.  You want anything that daddy or I are eating and especially love ice cream still.  You know how to drink out of a straw and a sippie cup.  When you are finished you sign all done.  You also find it funny to throw your food on the floor for Reno.

You love lights and fans still.  You have recently learned how to turn the light switches on and off.

You still have a few nick-names.  I still call you bugs or bugaboo.  I also have started calling you "The Tornado of Terror," because you are into everything and make messes while playing.  You do know how to put your toys back in the box even though you seem to dump the box right out when you put the toys back in.  I also call you "Small Fry."

I sure do love you, kiddo.  I am trying to remember your face as you are growing much too fast, but it seems to change so quickly that I can't seem to cement it in my mind.  I hate that you won't always be my little baby, but I guess I can move forward and love having you as my little boy.  Always remember that you are so wanted and loved.  You make my life more full and I feel so lucky to have the responsibility to help raise you into a fine young man.

Happy First Birthday and here's to many more that we will spend together.

Love you!
Mommy