Rated R

Several days ago Michael and I were scrolling through some old videos of Eli, marveling at the ability of parents to utterly forget what their children were like just a mere 4 or 6 months earlier, when we noticed that we couldn't play the "Eli eats his toes, June 1, 2008" video. Eli happens to be in his bathtub naked during the video and I am worried that YouTube took it down because of the nudity. And I can't decide whether I am outraged at YouTube for being so ridiculous about a naked baby or sickened by the thought that YouTube has those kinds of rules because of creepy people out there searching for such videos....

Walking, standing, being naked and being in Seattle

Eli is walking more and more these days. He can sometimes take two steps at a time, sometimes four! Today while I was cooking dinner, he stood by the refrigerator and played with the magnets, and he wasn't holding onto anything! He is very anxious to be able to walk around by himself -- he practices every day and he get frustrated when he falls down. Not long now!

For several weeks now, Michael and I have instituted family time in the living room. Most of the time Eli is naked, which he loves! He and pulls himself up on the couch and laughs and laughs as he crawls all over Mama and Daddy. It is very fun and very cute.

This past weekend we were in Seattle visiting Daphne, Will, Perry and Noe. Pete and Makie and their new baby, Sophia, came also. It was a fun-filled weekend with the kids. Eli loved to "draw" on their easel, ride on their green tractor, push their walker and climb up their stairs. What he didn't like to do was sleep. We aren't sure what was going on but he kept waking up and one night he just cried from 4 to 6 a.m. Ugh! I think he just wanted to keep playing with Perry and Noe :)

Eli giggles!

Eli actually giggled today -- a full "ha, ha, ha." Usually he just goes "ha" and leaves it at that. I was lying on my back on the living room floor and lifting him up in the air so he could fly. He liked it a lot and smiled when I did it, which made me laugh and when I put him back on my belly, he shook because of my laughing. That's when he giggled. It was so GREAT!

We also used some upside-down Tupperware as drums and banged on them. He seemed to like it, except he kept trying to put the Tupperware in his mouth. So I guess you could say he didn't totally understand the drum concept.

It has been ridiculously hot here. On Friday, it reached 99 degrees -- a new record. I had food poisoning or the stomach flu and had to stay home from work. That night, Eli and I slept in the guest room with the air conditioning, and it was really nice to sleep together. He would wake up and lean over to nurse and then fall right back to sleep. It was very sweet.

He is back in his crib tonight because it cooled off. But the heat has allowed us to bring him outside in just a diaper and he loves it. Michael is totally right about Eli loving to be naked. We sat outside for dinner tonight and Eli sat on Michael's lap in just his diaper. He was very content.

Michael also took Eli to Bush Park today and played with him in the grass. Eli loves to watch Wally fetch the ball. When the dogs come close, Eli even reaches out and tried to grab them now. He had gotten ahold of Zula's fur the past couple of times.