Dear Elliot ...

{on me: dress - T J Maxx, belt - Target, shoes - Aldo

on E: onesie - Old Navy, romper - thrift, shoes - Pedipeds}

Parker took our photos a few days ago and this is what happened! Little E sat on the step and posed like a pro while I perched on the top. So incredibly funny and cute. Wish we'd managed a prettier background minus the pool, noodles, lawn mower, etc. But "you get what you get and you don't throw a fit". Right moms? Just taking some of my own advice here. 

Since Elliot's hair cut, he's looking more like a little Dutch boy and this romper definitely suits his new European vibe. Here's the hair cut first. 

And our vintage garb. 

{matching owies on our legs}

Dear Elliot -

You're 21 months old (!), though I feel like you're surely 2 already with those smarty pants ways of yours. Definitely an enormous amount of personality for a mere 21 months. I've noticed that you've grown out of your mamma infatuation a bit and you don't cling to my neck as tightly as you once did. But that's okay, little one, because I feel your adoration when I walk through the door after leaving you for a little while or when I scoop you up for a song and a prayer before bed time. You still like to play with my hair (thank goodness, cause that's one of my favorites!) and while before you preferred to twirl it around at the nape of my neck, now you tend to take it with both hands on either side and pull my hair forward into my face, attempting to cover me up a bit. You always seem satisfied with the results cause then you lean in to me with a smile to give me a kiss. Perhaps you wish your mom looked more like a hairy gorilla, which wouldn't surprise me really since you love to hang from the monkey bars and definitely have a knack for swinging back and forth like a little ape (lifting your toes high off the ground in a very fancy gymnastic move - quite impressive). I'm pretty sure you'll be heading to the olympics one day if you keep up those mad skills. 

You've become quite a fabulous singer and have suddenly picked up all the songs we've been listening to for a while now, singing along with us happily (and loudly) in the car. Some of your favorites are - Kung Fu Fighting (with sound effects), Drift Away by Kid Rock (though Kidz Bop version - thrilling), and You Are My Sunshine. You seem to have some mad rhythm in your little bod too, just like Monty (must be the Puerto Rican/African mash-up ;). You also have a thing for hugging your cousins which is pretty funny. You enjoy giving them a good tickle too, which they don't always mind, but when you pull out the big guns and tromp over for a bear hug, well, that's when their eyes start to get big and the smiles begin to turn serious. See ... you tend to hug so hard that the little ones lose their balance and you both end up on the floor. Funny for us - not so much for them. At least your intentions are good. But along with those tenders moments you have just about perfected the scowling face. Your brows like a good furrow every once in a while and I don't mind so much cause at this stage of the game, I've dealt with many a grumpy 2 year old and your scowl doesn't quite put you in those leagues yet. You're like the ferocious cub to the lion king I once had ... still dangerous but no comparison. 

You love to swim in the lake for hours, hop around the boat like you own it, keep everyone's attention while you share stories and show off, and eat your favorite summer time food - corn on the cob. You always insist that you sit on my hip while I vacuum, an event that has now become even more labor-some as you're not exactly a small chap (I even made it to the chiropractor a few times on account of those floor cleanings). You like to watch movies in our bed with your brothers, tucked under the duvet just like them all 3 in a row. In fact, if your brothers are doing it, you're pretty much going to insist on doing it too. 

Next week we have you all to ourselves. Your big bros are heading to Orlando, and while I have a feeling that you'll be a humongous fan of Disney World, you're just going to have to wait on those adventures and instead spend a sweet little week with your daddy and me. We look forward to it! 

Thank you for being the funniest, most loving, most adorable and awe inspiring 1 year old that we have had the pleasure of parenting. You're so stinking awesome!