Growing Like a Weed

I apologize for the extreme delay in updating. I did manage to get some photos (80+) loaded last weekend ... but adding text was too much for me!

Elliot is EXCELLENT. He's "growing like a weed" and learning new things every day ... sometimes every minute it seems!

He's started on his path to rolling over. He's got the roll to the side down pat and he's even rolled from his tummy to his back! He's also quite eager to always be sitting up ... he's actually sitting in my lap as I type this!

This past month we've gotten him 2 new big plastic-crap toys (didn't want a house full of plastic-crap ... oh, well, live, learn then get Luvs, right?) that he loves spending about 10 minutes each in ... the excer-saucer and a better version of a Bumbo chair. The excer-saucer is today's version of a Johny-Jump-Up and the chair allows Elliot to sit with back support. Both items have a 360 degree tray that has toys affixed to it. I suppose this is helping to develop his reach and grab reflexes ... which he is doing a lot of ... especially with mama and grandma's hair and daddy's beard!

Grandma, as most of you know, is staying home with Elliot. I think the 2 of them are enjoying their days together. She has been wonderful about bringing Elliot over for afternoon feedings most every day and I usually go home for lunch so Elliot is only averaging 1 bottle a day. Some days I think we're silly for caring about this so much, but they're only this little for so long and only once ... so I will breastfeed and co-sleep as long as it's enjoyable for both of us (within reason, of course!).

Elli-bug turns 4 months this coming Wednesday! How exciting! All the huge landmark months and skills that are coming ahead seem so much more within reach now than they did at 1 month of age ... which, of course, they are ... but you know what I mean. I think before 3 months you really are wishing them to grow faster and then when you get to 4 months you realize it's speeding and you kinda want it to slow down a little.

Yesterday Elliot took his pacifier out of his mouth ... dropped it ... picked it back up ... and then put it BACK in his MOUTH! I think it's his new favorite game. He amazes me everyday!

Here are the things Elliot does that melt my heart this month:

He has started to wrap his arms around my neck when I hold him and at least once now he's actually squeezed while doing so ... I know he doesn't know what a hug is yet, but it's pretty cool to even feel like you're getting a hug from your baby! One day this week when I was getting into the backseat to get him out for an afternoon feeding he reached out his hand to me and every day when I come home from work I catch his eye and smile at him real big and say "Hey Baby!" and he just grins back at me ... so happy to see me.

Making the transition to working-mom has been .... well, ... work. I am SOOO blessed to have my mom at home with Elliot, but still you wish you could be with your child all the time. You worry about the stress from working affecting home, and you worry about being great on both fronts because you really can't afford to be anything less with either!

Last weekend we had a in-house photo shoot. I think Elliot enjoyed it ... he and the camera seem to have a love affair going on! I hope you enjoy the results.

So between my two jobs I haven't much time to write out updates ... but I will try to at least get you updated once a month!