A Letter to Elliot

Dear Elliot,

Mr. Eller Buddy, how can you be 15 months? You are 27ish pounds of sweet, squishy, strong little boy. Happily, I can still sweep you up in my arms and snuggle you in and pretend you're still a tiny little baby.

Oh how expressive, vocal, determined, and charming you are.

Your favorite word of the moment is "Mum," which sometimes means "Mom, I like you," sometimes "Please read me this book," sometimes "I need a drink of milk," sometimes "Where are you?" and sometimes "I cannot reach that little car." Regardless, you repeat it about every 10 seconds.

You are extremely infatuated with reading books about animals, especially if you can poke at a little furry patch of fluff on each page. You grow quite irate when I tell you that it is no longer your turn to pick a book and I am now reading one for your brothers. There are about 3 books of this type that are your favorites, and you are constantly bringing one over to me, with a very urgent, "Mum!" until I read it to you.

There is a pink highlighter and a brown hair clip on my bedside stand. A sweet ritual each morning is that you will kindly sign "please" to me, and I will give you your "special things" to hold. You bounce on my bed and happily wave them in the air for a few minutes. Sometimes you will just lean back on my chest and clutch them peacefully near and let me give you a good snuggle.. When it is time to go out and get Daddy and the big brothers, I ask politely, and you give them back to me so that I can put them back in their place at the bedside stand.

You absolutely love sweet baked things, and another occasion that brings great ire is if you see your brothers (or anybody nearby) eating something delicious when it appears you have been left out. You are a fairly tidy eater (although you still manage to wear a good bit of chocolate cake all over after indulging in a piece).

You are a sociable, friendly little fellow and don't have trouble going to nursery now for Sundays or Bible study.

You are frequently standing independently now, though not quite taking freestanding steps. I know that walking is close on the horizon!

You now have 5 teeth! Another top tooth popped through recently. You are still empty as far as molars though, so yogurt, cheese, noodles, and other softish food continue to fill the majority of your meals.

I've been working on memorizing this verse for you, though it is still a bit rough.

And I will bring the third part through the fire, Refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them; I will say, "They are My people," And they will say, "The Lord is my God.” Zechariah 13:9

To truly belong to the Lord, and to know His nearness, His mercy, and His worth, that is my great prayer and desire for you.

I love you, sweet son.

Momma