ch,ch,ch changes...

As first time parents, everything that Eli does is new and exciting, but this lately it's so many different things!  I'm not sure when it happened (overnight really) but our precious little boy is just checking off so many milestones lately.  Everyday is something new.  Here is what has been happening:

• He's been able to roll over for a long time now, but now it's rolling everywhere. There is no laying on his back anymore.  If you lay him down on a blanket, he will roll from one side of the room to the other.  The changing table is quite the adventure now. :)
• He can sit up on his own now, without any help.
• If he is rolling over, he is all about laying on his stomach.  While there, he tries to get moving with his feet kicking like crazy, but so far he has only accomplished some scooting.  But he is one determined little boy.
• He LOVES to be in his walker on our hardwood floors and can go anywhere, I mean ANYWHERE, he wants to.  He can go backwards, forwards, turn circles, back up and reach anything he wants.  He can go in and out of any room and if he could open doors, we'd REALLY be in trouble because I think he would live on our patio.  We are already having to baby proof our house because his little hands try to reach picture frames, outlets, kitchen cabinets, muffin's dog food...you get the point and we've only just begun!
• He can give you "high fives."  He then proceeds to scream with excitement because he is so proud of himself.
• His latest achievement is waving.  He hasn't quite mastered this yet, but he practices all of the time.  As he's falling asleep his little wrist is twisting and his hand is opening and closing.  Before now, it has had a little pageant twist going on, but he finally mastered it today and waved to his daddy from across the room.
• AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST....we have heard those precious words... MaMa & DaDa... He did say MaMa first, BUT he has been all about saying DaDa these past 2 days, which makes Kevin very happy.  Laying in his crib this morning, Kevin & I woke up to the sound of DaDa coming from Eli.  Music to our ears...

...our baby boy is only half a year old and has accomplished so much...I can't imagine what he will be doing when he's a year.  He is such a joy and I cannot imagine our lives without him.  He laughs and squeals and is such a happy baby that he makes it easy being his mommy and daddy. 

Mother's Day

My first mother's day...words cannot even express how full of love my heart has been today.  Some people may think it is silly.  I mean we are mother's everyday so why do we need a specific day dedicated to us?  It's not the gifts that we got (a beautiful diamond necklace to remember my first mother's day) or the "down-time" our husbands gave us.  It's the fact that before now, it was always a time to make sure we told our own mother's "thank you" for all that they do for us. And now, this time, we are being told thank you and beginning a beautiful journey of raising a child.  One that we do not deserve, but that we are trusted with.  It is the most precious, rewarding and difficult thing we will ever do.  The job will never end but continue on for as long as we are allowed on Earth, because my mother is still there for me and I'm almost 30!

I do have to say one more thought that fills my heart though.  I read a status a moment ago of a dear friend and it said she was, "praying for all of the people longing to be a mother because it was a difficult place to be."  That really got me thinking and she is exactly right.  I've been at the place where you decide to try and have a baby, but you are so anxious and want it so badly that you just worry for some reason you can't have a child. Then I've been "there"...so close to being a mother, but losing a precious baby.  All I wanted so badly was to be a "mom."  To have those big, innocent eyes looking up at me, waiting for me to say something, and then giving me the sweetest smile in return.  But it wasn't in God's plan for that to happen at THAT time.  Fortunately, God blessed me and allowed me to be a mother in HIS time though and it was worth the wait and everything Kevin & I went through to get here.  So today, I am more thankful than I have ever been to be a mommy to my precious son, Eli.  And I do wonder about my angel in heaven (whether it was a boy or girl...what they would look like)...But I, too, am praying for anyone longing for this experience and hoping that your prayers are answered.  Just remember, it is in God's time and in HIS hands.  We don't always know why things happen, but we must have faith that there is a reason for everything.