Happy Birthday Eli!

Dear Eli,

I can't believe you are already two! It seems like just yesterday that I held you for the first time ... these two years have really flown by. Your second year of life on earth has been full of adventure and change. This year you have learned to walk, run, climb, shoot a basket, talk, tantrum, drink from a sippy, eat solid food (but you haven't learned to like it yet), sleep in your own bed, sleep through the night (most of the time), kiss and hug, brush your teeth, color, pretend, play with other kids, the alphabet, how to work a dvd player, and countless other amazing things.

This year you faced the challenges with us of saying goodbye to our dogs Dotty and Daisy, our first home, our yard, our family and friends. You bravely put up with a sick pregnant mommy, packing up our house, and a 5 day cross-country drive to move from Surprise, AZ to Pittsfield, MA and took having a new home and room in stride. You've seen a lot of neat things along the way that you probably won't remember, but that I hope have somehow shaped your mind and heart. You surprised us all when you walked right in to nursery for the first time on your first Sunday here in Pittsfield - like you owned the place. You haven't always been comfortable staying in there since, but we are proud of the progress you are making in warming up to other people. It's definitely ok with us that Mom and Dad are your number one friends!

A month ago you became a big brother, and so far have shown potential to be a great one! Though giving up your role as the baby was not your choice, and has been pretty tough at times, you are very loving and sweet towards Owen and like to hold him and play with him. If I don't remember to give you enough love and attention of your own, you are quick to remind me with a tantrum, or a fake "ow!". You are tender-hearted and Dad and I treasure the shower of hugs, kisses, and attention you give us. We can tell that you are super intelligent, and we get a kick out of the "intelectual" activities that you enjoy - watching Planet Earth documentaries, playing with toy animals, testing out your peripheral vision, identifying letters in the alphabet, organizing things (our shoes, my wallet, the bathroom cabinet), reading books, and practicing your sign language- though you also enjoy some good old fashioned rough-housing and hide-and-seek! You still have to be cuddled to sleep most nights (though you let Daddy do it most of the time now), and I still let you nurse a little here and there because it has been so hard for you to give up - especially with a new baby around. I'm not always so patient with you lately, but I treasure the closeness we have shared the past two years, and am so proud of the little boy you are becoming. You bring so much joy to us and to all who know you. Happy Birthday Sweetie!

Love, Mom



Your Celebration

We celebrated your birthday all weekend and made some fun memories. On Saturday we took a train ride from Lenox to Lee and Santa Claus was there! He said hello to you and gave you and Owen a gift bag. You don't quite understand who he is yet, but you enjoyed the freezing train ride. Our good friends the Woodwards came with us, and we went for Pizza at Hot Tomatoes afterwards. Yesterday, your actual birthday, you and I and Owen stayed home from church. It snowed all day and was freezing outside! Owen slept most of the morning so you and I had a lot of one-on-one playtime. We played with your puppets, your alphabet puzzle, and your whales. We also read books and cuddled. You helped me make your cupcakes and sweep the floors. Then just before Dad got home, you fell asleep with Owen on my lap in the rocking chair. You took a 3 1/2 hour nap (because you woke up 3 times in the night)! Then you opened presents - more plastic animals, a fire truck, a shape sorter, the Planet Earth movies and a signing time movie. You also got a Mr. Potato head, 2 felt board kits, and a coloring book from Grandma K (she gave you the whales and birds early when she was here) and a fun book from Aunt Aubrey about a birthday box. The Woodwards and the missionaries (Elder Walkey and Falke) came over and you and Stewart played for a couple of hours. Grandpa Benson also flew in for a business trip and got to our house in time for cake and ice cream. Even though we practiced, you didn't want to blow out your candles or eat your cake. You stuck your finger in one candle and said "ow!" though. Before bed, you got gifts from Grandpa - 2 airplanes, a sweat suit, and some bathtub crayons. It was a super fun day and you went to bed tired!

Your Favorites at Two

Toys: Whales! And other plastic animals; stuffed birds that chirp; matchbox cars, trucks, planes.

Food: You are VERY picky. Right now you love bread with nothing on it, Lindt chocolate balls, and tortillas. Sometimes I can get you to eat cheese, bananas, apples, raisins, or cereal. We stopped buying goldfish crackers because you wanted to live on them.

TV: Super Why, Clifford, Sesame Street
DVDs: Signing Time, Planet Earth documentary (the one with whales and the ocean), Cars, Finding Nemo

Books: You LOVE books and your favorites change often. Anything with birds or trucks is a hit. Current favorites include The Little Engine that Could, Where is My Cat, Are You My Mother, The Eye Book, The Very Quiet Cricket, Tip Tip Dig Dig.

Play: Hide and Seek or chasing games with Dad, Me'am and OhOh (cat and dog puppets), Alphabet Puzzle, Dancing to "the cow song" on the Raffi CD, flying airplanes around and swimming with the whales, playdoh, rocking Owen vigorously in his carseat.

Places: Stewart's house, Whitney Farms petting zoo, our house, Lindt chocolate store at the mall

Best Friends: Mom and Dad, Stewart Woodward, Grandma Kramer

Most used Words: Big, There, Mama, DadaDaddy, Ow!, Nononononono!, yeah!, EAT!, way-o (whale), ah duh and ah gah (all done and all gone), bye bye

Songs: Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam, The Itsy Bitsy Spider, The Whales in the Ocean (a song we made up to the tune of Wheels on the bus), Old MacDonald (you call it E-I).

Stats: 35 1/2 inches tall, 26 pounds, white blonde hair (people often call you tow-head), blue eyes, size 2T shirts and 18 months pants (you are tall and skinny) and size 7-8 shoes.