Dear Eli,

Tomorrow you'll be twenty months old. Since you're not very skilled at math yet I'll point out to you that you'll be two years old in just four months. That seems pretty unfathomable to me, weren't you just my tiny baby? Of course in some ways I'd swear you're two already, you certainly throw tantrums like a bona fide toddler. There are times when you're down there on the floor screaming for no reason I can identify that make me want to scream too. I don't, but only because I don't want the neighbors to call the cops. You're pretty skilled at going from 0-60 in about five seconds with these tantrums. My secret hope is that since you've entered the terrible twos early next year will be a lot smoother.

One of the ways that you still seem very much a baby is that you're just not talking. Lots of babbling going on and it is occasionally starting to resemble words but nothing like what a lot of other kids your age are doing. Mommy's other secret hope is that when I look back on months twenty one and twenty two I'll be able to identify them as the months you really started communicating.

That's you in May, Eli. Look how little hair you had!
Now you have a serious coif. I adore your little curls which seem to be getting curlier every day. If you'd just learn to tolerate hair washing...
You're still really into sports, and you're pretty impressive for being not quite two. You can throw a ball the whole way across the living room and we've taught you how to a pretty good touchdown impression complete with arms waving in the air. On several occasions I've found you napping with a ball in your arms. Daddy and I figure you'll be a Steelers QB by the time your 22. Don't let us down like your Uncle Roethlisberger continually does my love.
You're a champion climber these days kiddo and your favorite target is the rocking chair. We had to put the rocking chair next to the entertainment center to keep you from opening and closing the door a million times till I want to tie your hands behind your back. But now that solution doesn't seem as brilliant. Last night while I was making dinner you climbed up onto the arm of the chair, held onto the top of the entertainment center and got stuck three times. The last time I momentarily thought about leaving you there. Luckily for you I'm fairly opposed to child cruelty.
You've acquired your very first friend and seem to be pretty crazy about him. Everything that Seany does Eli's sure to do.

If someone asked me to describe you in one word right now I'd have to say hilarious. You crack up your daddy and I on a daily basis. You are so naughty! You're into everything all the time and we can't turn our backs for a second.
And you've become pretty adept at looking innocent when caught doing something you shouldn't be doing.
It's hard to stay mad at you when your face is as cute as it is. And when you can be so very sweet. You like to sit next to me on the couch and eat your snack when I get home from work. You're always so happy to see me and sometimes you'll just turn around and give me a kiss for no particular reason except maybe you love mommy half as much as she loves you.