Eli is 11 months old!!!

Oh, Eli, you are a crazy one! I cannot believe you're almost a year old! I love how you are beginning to copy all kinds of noises and attempting to say words. I had forgotten how cute those sounds were:) Now for 10 fun things about you...and 10 not-so-fun things!!

Fun Things about Eli...
1. You can do crafts with us now. More like, I'm doing them TO you, but today we used yours and your brothers' footprints to make ghosts for Halloween decorations. You flashed your gigantic full-face smile when we painted your foot and put it on the paper. Justus thought that was hilarious that you were doing the craft with us.
2. You make cute little noises to be like your brothers. The other day, you were making a car noise (vrmmmmmmmmmm) with a car while I was changing your diaper.
3. You love to eat. It seems like that's all you do some days! You weigh 20 lbs. if not more, which is more than your brothers weighed at this age. (You have almost caught up to Titus.) My favorite thing about feeding you? You will eat just about anything I put in front of you. Daddy and I LOVE that.
4. You do this funny laugh where you throw your head back and open your mouth wide and go "AAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA." It's so fake, but you totally do it to make us all laugh. We love seeing your personality blossom.
5. You are a great sleeper. Sometimes, you take short naps during the day and are NOT happy when you wake up (usually because you were WOKEN up by your brothers!!), but when it comes to nighttime sleep, you are a piece of cake!!
6. You can climb up to the top of the slide now! (Maybe this should go on the Not-so-Fun list!!) We have a Fisher Price/Little Tykes slide on the porch, and you have finally conquered climbing up all the way. Now, if we can just get you back down safely everytime...
7. You're getting better at sitting still while getting your nails cut! You are usually sick of it after one or two hands, though. I guess we will have to establish a FINGER nail cutting day and a TOE nail cutting day. Justus and Titus are getting pretty good at entertaining you, too:)
8. You love water. The three of you have always been good at drinking tons of water, and I am very thankful:)
9. You have a TOOTH!!! Haha...we have very slow teethers in this family, that's for sure!! You're almost a year old, and you have one little tiny tooth down there.
10. You can stand for a few seconds without holding onto anything. You even took a step the other day, but Daddy said it didn't count since it was kind of an accident.

NOT-So-Fun Things about Eli...
1. You have a temper!!! Oh my goodness, do you have a temper! You already throw temper tantrums...laying yourself flat out on the floor and screaming. You usually hit your face on the floor, which makes you more mad, and then it just gets worse and worse! Don't worry....I don't have any problem smiling and laughing about it, knowing you will grow out of the temper tantrum phase. I AM praying for you, though, because I cannot imagine what that temper will turn into when you're able to talk and storm off mad!!
2. You still don't like to have your diaper changed. You twist and scream and yell until it's over almost every time. I don't know what to do for you, buddy! Use the toilet then!!
3. You insist on standing in the bathtub or sink when you're getting bathed. Water EVERYWHERE, and of course, more screaming when we make you sit to get your hair washed.
4. You are in the home-wrecking phase. Your favorite place to wreck...the kitchen pantry. Lucky for you, your brothers leave it open often!!
5. You are a back-archer/twister/wriggler when being put in your car seat. Most of the time, I can distract you by putting a toy in my mouth and growling at you. (You and your brothers think that is hilarious.) Sometimes, though, I literally have to climb into the car and hold you down with one arm while buckling you in...not very fun for either of us!
6. That's all I can think of for the Not-so-fun list!!

We love you so much, Eli, and are thankful for another month!!!