Happy Birthday Eli!!

He was my most difficult pregnancy (and I have difficult pregnancies).  I was on i.v.'s with medication being pumped through my thigh 24/7 for the first four months.  He didn't start sleeping through the night until four months ago, even still his body alarm clock is usually set for before 5:30 a.m.  And his one nap a day were at the longest 1 1/2 hours.  And if he did take an afternoon nap he would wake up the grumpiest kid ever until it was time for bed again.  He cried the most of all my babies and many times I felt he wasn't a happy baby.   He finds random markers and will draw on anything but paper (i.e. walls, carpet, upholstered and leather furniture, etc.).   

But, all things considering, I would do it all again in a heart beat.  Because nobody gives a better hug than Eli.  His tender touch is to die for and melts me everytime.   Because when we walk through Target his song of choice to sing is "We Will Rock You".  And because when he gets excited he wrinkles his nose and brings his shoulders up.  Because he will sit still while Ruby reads him stories.  Because when Gib is at school Eli will look at pictures of him and say over and over again, "Hi Gubby.  Hi Gubby.  Hi Gubby."  Because when it's nap time all he needs is his paso and Bear and he'll roll over and go right to sleep.   Because he already knows how to chew gum and looks so cute doing it.  Because when he gets hurt he has to tell you every detail of what happened as he points to everything and everyone involved.  Because he'll run around the house with Charlie being his Super Hero sidekick using a dish towel as a cape.  Because my kids absolutely adore him, booger nose and all.  And because our family would not be complete without him.  How grateful I am that Eli has been a part of our family for two years now.  He adds so much and brings so much joy to all of us.  Now, if I could just figure out how to stop him from growing and keep him this way forever.