may one

Eli and I this time last year. 

look at his chubby little legs.

and this one with Mike...

how do they grow so fast??

may 1st. 

next month is June. 

52 more days.

I think I can I think I can.

So far my blood pressure is cooperating but the swelling is starting. 

Not too bad yet.

Mike took Eli to visit "wau-wau" and "papa" on Wednesday.

Eli stayed up north for a few days until I could get there Friday.

Then Friday to Sunday Eli and I stayed at "mi-mi" and "big papas"s house.

Eli had himself a good time, and he still talks about all his adventures.

wau-wau let him drink his milk from his cereal... one of his newest fascinations.

milk is ok. 

milk from a bowl. FANtastic.

Popsicles,

a buffet for dinner at wau-wau's kitchen,

Crayons,

the girl next door.

(any one else notice how dorky those pants look with his white nikes?? 

Napoleon Dynamite?)

At mimi and big papa's we saw the blimp,

and ventured out to the new Hartville Hardware.

(which was NOT a good idea on a rainy saturday afternoon.)

Eli got some new tractors and a john deere truck, which have not left his side since Saturday.

How interesting can it be to move a car back and forth on a table and watch the wheels?

This boy can do it for hours.

And what's funny is Mike totally gets it, being a former (or current?) matchbox lover. 

Eli's favorite things to talk about... 

the dogs at wau-wau and papas house. 

Big papa's boat. (GRAY boat)

Ginger.

that the swing at mimi's house broke.

markie burps.

and blowing bubbles with Gracie.

He also tells me he needs to "see Ginger", and asks where "mi-mi" go?

I cried on my way back to Columbus for the first time in awhile because now Eli is starting to get it too. The missing people part. 

Well, probably not really, but it IS heartbreaking to watch him say bye to people.

hugs, kisses, hi-fives, more kisses. and he says bye in such a sad little pathetic way.

it's really fun to see his little brain going and now he can (kind of) tell me what he's thinking about. remembering about.

he definitely had fun visiting family and seeing other people and things besides what's in our 4 walls here in our house.

 I guess we need to get out more? :)

Here he is at Lowe's last night checking out the front-loader options.

Lots more pics to follow tomorrow, but this mama needs to get to bed before it's time to go back to work again! 

Hoping I can actually do a post a day this whole month...