Elara at 11 months

Dear Elara,

It must be hard to be the 3rd child. I don't update about you as much as I did with the other kids. I feel like time is slipping through my fingers as you grow. I feel so sleep deprived I'm not going to remember these special moments with you, but I want you to know that each day with you is so special! I won't ever forget how sweet you are, or your beautiful smile. You make our family so much better. You are standing all the time and walk along any furniture you can. If there isn't something to hold on to though you prefer to sit back down on your cute little bum and then crawl wherever you want. You have mastered crawling and made it an art! It is so fun seeing you go wherever you want. You get into EVERYTHING. I knew this day was coming, but it always is a shock when it happens. You get into every trash can in the house and dump everything you can out. Old food, papers, you name it, it is dumped. Your favorite thing to dig for in the trash cans are Dad's old diet coke cans. You try to drink the dregs. You will take any soda can, but your favorite are the diet cokes weirdly enough. You seek those out specifically. You finally got into the toilet water and even have played in Eden's old pee in her tiny potty. Needless to say it's time to get rid of that thing!

You totally made me feel special about 2 weeks ago when you finally started saying Mama. Dad heard it first and I of course wouldn't believe it until I heard it myself. You weren't feeling great if I remember and I was in the bathroom and you crawled to me saying it. It totally made the last 11 months worth how hard they have been kid! Ok ok each month was worth it, but man it melts your mama's heart to hear you say you need me! Your reflux is finally doing so much better! We doubled your medicine and it seems to have done the trick for now. You still have a bad day here and there, but nothing like before. You seem like a different child at night time now. You still get up at least once, usually twice for Mom to feed you. And you still get these weird bubbles around 10 sometimes, but really you aren't screaming in pain anymore! I have felt so helpless when you would cry and cry in pain and I had nothing I could do to make it better. I was so tired and so sad for you. Now that you sleep better you are even better in the day. When you were really in pain and not sleeping well you were still pleasant during the day, but it seems like you are happier now. You explore everything.

You take 2 naps a day. Sometimes only one like today... I have a feeling you will be like Eden and will give up naps earlier. I blame myself for not giving you a better schedule. Elara, you are a sweet sweet girl. Kael loves taking care of you. Eden loves playing dolls with her sister. Dad is smitten by you. You have us all wrapped around your fingers!

You say Dada, Mama, and Baba for baby.

You love to drink out of your straw sippy cup, and eat anything in front of you. You now have 7 teeth that show. More are coming I'm sure. I love you so much sweet baby girl! You are such a joy and we love having you brighten each and every day by being in our family!

Love you always and forever,
Mom