There's new pictures and even VIDEO for you all to enjoy now! :)

Elliot is doing GREAT! He's HUGE! He's in the 97th percentile for height and weight ... and my back feels every percent of that! He's 16lbs 2.5oz and 25.5" tall.

He has started to push his feet against my hands in order to crawl during tummy time. You can just feel how much this kid wants to move. He also loves sitting up. We bought him one of those infant chairs (like a bumbo, but not one of those) so that he can sit up. The chairs are designed to start with 3 and 4 month olds ... but when your baby is so big and wears 6 month clothing ... you kinda think he can do the "big kid" stuff ... SOOO ... even though he's got great head control and really strong neck muscles I don't let him sit in the chair for too long.

He's also got some top front teeth that are working on growing ... I think we'll see them by the end of 4 months if not sooner! He's discovered his hands and LOVES trying to suck on them. It's already quite obvious that he's going to be a righty ... but I was saying that when he was in the womb.

Elliot is working on extending out his day feedings from every 2 hours to somewhere between 2.5 to 3.5 hours ... makes things a little unpredictable when you're out and about, but it's also kinda nice! He's definitely got longer awake and sleep cycles now. It's really interesting all the little changes that babies go through in such a short amount of time. We've been co-sleeping from the beginning, and I can tell you that really helps a mama get her sleep ... especially a breastfeeding one! Elliot used to be on a bedtime schedule of between 12 - 2, but we have been successful with moving that window to 10 - 12! Usually we'll go to sleep at 11. He used to have to be rocked to sleep BEFORE we went into the bedroom for the night, but, happily, now I can go lay down with him while he's still awake and he'll eventually fall asleep without any fussing. Have I mentioned how lucky I am??

I swear Elliot actually said a word the other day ... I don't know what it was, but it was about four "coos" strung together. It was pretty wild because it came out like he was really talking to me ... usually the coos are monosyllabic. He's quite vocal with his coos and man does he love to smile and laugh! You'll see some of that on the videos.

I'm enjoying motherhood more and more the further away we get from my medical issues! No surprise there, huh? ;) I am completely healed up at this point, and SOOO happy for it. I go back to work this Friday 1/16, but I am ready for it. Especially since it's a 3-day weekend! Haha! I even took off the following Friday so that I have a 3-day week following my 1st day back ... and then another 3-day weekend. I figure, if you can ease into it, why not?

Maternity leave ...

I now know why most women get at least 6 weeks off for maternity leave ... it took me 6 weeks and 1 day to start feeling like I knew what I was doing!

So, in light of that, I feel that EVERY woman should get at least 12 weeks off so that she can spend the first 6 figuring it out and then the last 6 enjoying it! Luckily I have 4 weeks and some change left. I go back to work on 1/16/09.

Hope you enjoy the newest pictures! Elliot enjoyed meeting Santa Claus ... well, he at least didn't mind meeting Santa.