9/18/14

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