Looking Back on 2011---Eli Douglas

I know it has been WAY too long since I last updated this blog.  Whenever I think about updating I get overwhelmed with how much I need to catch up on...I get filled with guilt...and then I just say, "Forget It!" 
But...now its a new year.  Time to start over and do a better job recording the simple happenings of our lives so one day I don't look back with regrets.  So lets just wrap up some favorites happenings of 2011...

Starting with Eli Douglas...
This kid has grown more than I can even believe in the last 12 months.  Just last year he was pulling himself up to things and just starting to get around.  And now...I can hardly keep this kids' pace.  He is into everything and at times looking for trouble.  Eli had his first birthday in March and started walking around that same time. 

He has been a slower talker than his brother was, but don't think for a minute that we don't know what he is saying despite his lack of words.  Between signing, grunting, pointing and the few words that he knows he is very clear with what he NEEDS!  Or maybe it is because he is so LOUD!  He is learning new words every day...some new words he has picked up in the last 2 months..."Nana", "Poop" (always a good one), "Toot" (another essential in a little boys world), "up", "Woof", "ME!", "Ah!" (which stands for his pacifier, a drink of water/milk, or anything he would like to put in his mouth)...and I am sure there are others that I just can't remember.

Eli had a rough couple of months back in the fall with getting his blood drawn.  At his 1 year well baby check-up they found his iron was low so we started a Multi-Vitamin with iron.  Then they asked to re-draw the levels in a month or two.  So they checked it again in the summer and found that the iron levels were still low.  So he started taking "Ferrous Sulfate" (straight iron...I mean you can smell metal when you open the bottle).  But in the meantime we found out that he had abnormally low neutraphils.  Whick is part of the white blood cell count.  They did not know why this was since he is a very healthy boy...which required him to come back for blood drawns once a month monitoring the levels.  Talk about a moms worst nightmare...taking her 18 month old to get poked...watching him bawl and cry using one word he knows very well..."Momma" when there was nothing I could do.  After months of blood draws and about $200-$300 worth of lab costs and co-pays his levels have ever so slowly improved.  For now we are just going to watch it.

But I am not sure he will ever be happy about going to the Dr.  In fact...after one blood draw he was so angry that he ripped the bandaid off before the blood could cloth that blood went everywhere...the nurse said, "Wow, Eli it looks like a Murder scene in here!"  And it did, blood everywheres!  That is one strong boy!  Took 3-4 of us to hold him down each time!

Other adventures this summer...
My nephew Nikolas came and stayed with us for 2 weeks this summer.  The boys loved a playmate and we enjoyed playing outside in the warmer weather.

Spooner Family Trip to Chicago to see a Red Sox vs White Sox baseball game.  Eli enjoyed his first major league game and train ride.  He also enjoyed time with his aunts and uncles and cousins.  We walked the Magnificent Mile, saw Millenial Park and Navy Pier, ate great Chicago Style pizza, and SHOPPED!  We even celebrated Chelsea Irons birthday (Uncle Jamie's girlfriend).

(Popcorn and baseball..yumminess)

(I love the train...no carseats!)

(He enjoyed riding the luggage cart too)

(Eli and cousin Lillia at church together in the windy city)

Eli also decided in about October, Halloween time that he was tired of wearing his diaper.  He started taking off his diaper and going into the bathroom when he needed to perform his duty.  I decided that we can better jump on board and start potty training this kid.  He has done VERY well and we are so proud of him.  At times he will show up missing and it never fails...if we go into the bathroom there he is...standing up...on the stool...aiming...shooting...and firing.  Saying "PEE, PEE" and pointing at the potty.  He does not wake up dry yet, so he still uses a diaper at bedtime.  And #2 is still difficult and a work in progress, but otherwise he does very well.


Speaking of Halloween...Eli loved being "Smee" from Peter Pan and Captain Hook this year.  He even wore the glasses the whole time we were "trick o treating".  He had a great time with all of the candy and playing out his part with his brother who was Peter Pan.

Eli and I have had some great moments together since Carter started school in September.  Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday it is just he and I from 8:30am until 11am.  We both enjoy the one-on-one time together. 

Eli is a very special little boy.  He LOVES to help and will help with any project whether you want him to or not.  HE LOVES HELPING and says, "ME" to let you know that he can do the task at hand by himself!



This boy can kiss.  Eli loves to give away his kisses.  Maybe its because his dad is always telling him to give kisses or maybe its because he has the cutes most FULL nice lips..either way he melts are hearts when he shares his kisses.  Just beware...he kisses the Dog on the lips...kisses the TV...kisses legs...chairs...heads...and of course lips.  Maybe we should call him "Loose Lips"?! 

(just look at those lips...who wouldn't want a kiss from this little man!?)

He had a great Christmas.  Loved talking with "Twinkle" the elf on the shelf.  Sometimes he liked opening gifts and othertimes he could have cared less.  He loved having Nana and Pepa back in town from Romania especially when Pepa let him play on his iPad.

He also loved meeting and "helping" his new cousin Ari Hale Spooner.  He loved having a "BABY!" around and wanted more than his share of turns to hold him.

As for Santa...he was NOT interested.  He was terrified and watched from a safe distance.

(look at those curls...never had a hair cut and almost 2 years old...NO just a CURL-HOCK!)

Some of his favorite gifts this year...His brother "drill" from uncle Jon.  He must have drilled everything in the house on Christmas Day.  His remote controlled car...beanbag...police car that makes noise and his Hot Wheels cars!

Eli keeps us on our toes...but is a pure joy to have in our family.  He is getting to be a big boy right before our eyes and I wish I could just say, "slow down!".  BUt he is learning and growing so much and turning into his own little strong-willed bossy self!  You can see this when the dog or Carter gets into trouble and he goes up to her and says, "NO, NO Woof, Woof..." all the while shaking his pointer finger back and forth.  Oh melt my heart Mr. Eli!