Our Wishes for Sweet Baby Eli

1.  Be active.  Play outside.  Get dirty and build immunity.  Run in the sun and splash around in the rain.  Swim in Tia Adriana's pool.  No digital toys.

2.  I hope I can control your sugar intake.  I don't want you to be hyper and out of control more than what a normal little boy should be.

3.  I hope you can be potty trained right around the time you're walking.

4.  Be a Chargers/Texans/Rockets/Mavs/Padres/Astros fan.  Go to tons of games with daddy.

5.  Please don't have James' allergies.  I want to get you a dog someday and I'd like to keep my house carpeted.

6.  Be nice.  Attitude is everything.

7.  Don't get up to use the bathroom in the middle of a meal.  It's gross.

8.  If you're anything like your father was, you'll have a ton of girls craving for your attention.  I'm OK with that.  Just pick the right one.

9.  Go to college.  Learn something.  Perfect your craft.  Even if you become a basket weaver, do it with all your might.

10.  Music is extremely important to mommy and daddy.  But it doesn't have to be to you.  You can do whatever you want - just grow your talents.  And use them for His glory.

11.  Mommy and daddy got through their entire lives without throwing a temper tantrum.  Let's see if we can do the same with you.

12.  You'll mess up.  You'll fall down.  What really counts is how you get yourself up and try again.

13.  Have a heart for Jesus.  Go to church.  Make Him a priority, not a burden.  Love Him with all your heart.  Realize that He is all you will ever need.


Love,
Mommy & Daddy

More Learning Moments (in no particular order), Part II

1.  Babies 'R Us is not overpriced.  Everyone told me it was.  But they offer GREAT rewards, they have a price match guarantee, and they carry almost everything.

2.  I need a bigger car.  This little hybrid I've been blessed with isn't going to be around much longer than the next year if I ever want to make a full grocery trip ever again....and no, I will never cave to a mini van.

3.  If you plan on going back to work, get some help for that first month or so (if you can). I was so so so incredibly lucky that my mom came back to take care of E for the first month I went back to work.  She would put him to bed and feed him in the middle of the night so that I could rest and be ready for work the next day. It was glorious.

4.  People WILL yank your baby out of your arms. Just be prepared.

5.  Always trust your mommy/daddy instinct.

6.  Always carry Ziploc bags in your diaper bag!  I always have a ton and they're handy for everything, but my favorite use for them is for diaper changes in public places. I stick the dirty diaper in there, zip it closed, throw away, and spare everybody in the bathroom from smelling E's poopies. :)

7.  Your friends will change.  In many ways.  You'll find that those you were closest to will distance themselves.  And you'll find that those you weren't that close to will come closer.  And it's all OK - priorities change.  It just happens.  You make time for the things you want to make time for.  My only advice is this: don't wish for your pre-baby life. Because it's never going to come back. Embrace your new life and your new challenges.  You'll see that life is still so so so great - just in new ways!

8.  Be ready for developmental leaps. They can be pretty difficult. Download the "Wonder Weeks" app.  It's AWESOME.  Maybe Eli is the most normal baby of all time, but the minute he went off his schedule or started acting weird was the minute my app went off w/an alert for a current leap. Leaps make your kid act strange. They get fussy and suuuuuper clingy. And I enjoy every minute of it. I'll hold Eli until the birds come home. If that's what he needs to deal with a new brain pattern, then so be it.

8.  The first time you take baby to Sabbath/Sunday school will be one of the greatest days of your life.  Seeing your baby fully engaged in the hand motions, the songs, and the stories of Jesus will make you want to cry.  Babies are aware of so much more than we think they are.  If church is in your life, start them off young. It's SO worth it.

9.  You WILL bounce back.  It will be difficult at the beginning, but I promise - you'll be back.  Don't compare yourself to the other lady at church who looks better than you or to the woman sitting next to you at the pediatrician's office who you feel doesn't look as good as you.  Every woman is different. You may bounce back in 5 minutes!  It took me about 7 or 8 weeks to just start feeling like myself again, emotionally.  And 15 weeks later I'm barely starting to squeeze into the rest of my pre-baby clothes.  It's the price we women pay to live out the most beautiful time in our lives!

10.  Be present.  Dedicate your undivided attention to your kid. It's pretty easy to be on your phone during a feeding or while he falls asleep for the night on your shoulder...but I encourage you to put away your technology and spend uninterrupted time with your kid. Pray while s/he sleeps.  It took James and me a while to get used to this. But your kid grows up SO fast, the last thing you'll want to do is miss out on tender moments. Hold that baby as long as you can! Because one day you're going to put him down and never pick him up ever again....