Things I want to remember forever:

Dearest Eli – my cute little son,

You are 2 years and 3 months old now and I have to say that time if flying by much too quickly.  You are definitely into your “2’s” now, and all the personality quirks that apply to that.  However, even as challenging, frustrating and difficult this stage you’re in might be, it is also my absolute favorite.  You are so amazingly sweet (when you want to be) and it just melts my heart.  I know you won’t be this happy to cuddle with your mommy forever so I cherish it now. 

*Almost every morning now I wake to hear you in the monitor talking to us, yourself, or your toys. 

*Today you woke saying “Mommy, get up please.  I love you.”  Oh my goodness, how I wish I could bottle that up!  I was also late to work because you wanted to come back to our bed and hug me with Daddy beside you too.  I wore my fuzzy robe and you kept rubbing my arm saying “Mommy, you’re so soft.  I want to hold you closer.”

*You are very set in your bedtime ritual which goes as follows: bath, book, you (and only you!) turn on your humidifier, brush teeth, you say your night-night prayers while sitting on mommy’s lap, a couple songs and then do “kiss, hug and bug-in-a-rug” – which is how we tuck you into bed with your blanket and all 5 of your stuffed animals (and one baby doll) - Lamby, Jasper, Mongle, Big Monkey and Baby.  Every toy has to kiss you good-night too and you giggle and laugh.

*You begin EVERY SINGLE prayer with “Dear Jesus, Thank you for the cross.”  I don’t know where you picked that up, but I am so proud of you and it humbles me every time I hear you say it.  With faith like a child….

* You choose the songs you want sung to you.  You have a few memorized and can actually sing the whole song accurately: You are my sunshine and Jesus loves me are your favorites, and always have been.  We’ve sung those to you since you were born.  Right now, you really like hearing the books of the Bible songs too.

You’re also hysterically funny.  You brighten every day with laughter. 

*When your dad and I try to spell something so you don’t understand, you spell the word back to us! (or you at least try to spell it… sometimes it just comes out a big jumble.)

*One of your favorite games is to clomp around the house in anyone else’s shoes that are far too big for you.  Yesterday, you told us that you were “JoJo the clown”.  I had no idea where you came up with that until Gramma said it was a video you’d been watching.

I could go on and on… You amaze us every day.  We can’t believe how blessed we are to have you.  It terrifies me that I will blink and that little baby voice of yours will be gone and all of these memories will long be stored away.  I try to capture pictures and videos, but they just don’t do you justice.  Stop growing, Son, and stay how you are now.  Mommy’s going to miss it. 

You are smart, You are special and You are loved!!