Nine Months Old

Today my mom's dad, Wayne Hiner, passed away at age 80. He was a sweetheart of a man and will be missed very much in our family. He had cancer which took him very quickly. Fortunately he was able to meet Elliot in August when we visited him in Colorado.

Meanwhile, Elliot is now nine months old. Here are some new tricks he is doing.

He pulls himself up to standing very easily now.

Instead of watching us put the ball down the hole in his piano toy, he can put the ball down the hole all by himself.

He can go from a crawling position to a sitting position.

We put him in his hop & pop bouncy seat toy and he bounces all over the living room.

He likes to take showers in the morning with mama. He really likes the shower spray on his head, but even more he likes to sit on the shower floor and play with his Sesame Street bath toys while mama washes her hair.

He is taking to the bottle very well, although formula causes him to sometimes spit up. It also doesn't make for the easiest clean-up at diaper changing time. He still likes the boob before bed and luckily I still have milk for him then.

He loves Yo Baby! yogurt and would eat this for every meal if we let him.

He is a squirmy worm on his changing table, and poop usually ends up in places it shouldn't.

His favorite games are chasing Abby around the house to steal her bone, and pulling her water dish over on himself, then splashing in the water. These are not Abby's favorite games but she puts up with it because he gives her his teething biscuits.

There is still no sign of his top two teeth. Maybe he will get them for Christmas.

We leave for Colorado on Thursday. Merry Christmas!

Moving... and a Playmate for Elliot

We finally moved. Moving is not our favorite activity, but we are unpacked and are happy to be in our big and bright new space. We are in a family area in South Austin with walking trails, parks and a pond for Abby. Elliot has room to move all over the house, and Abby has lots of places to hide from him. Best of all we have a dishwasher and a garbage disposal. After only a week here, it is safe to say we will never go back to living in an old house without modern conven-
iences!

As if we didn't have enough excitement around here, we will be doubling our fun come mid-June when we have another baby. We might be crazy, as Elliot will be 15 months old when the next one is born. At first I was feeling like I was intruding on Elliot's babyhood by bringing another baby into the family so soon. That might seem crazy, but feeling sick and yucky didn't have me in the best mood. But those feelings passed and now I am excited to have two little tikes running around here. They will be great buddies. Dr. Polon says we are very lucky. I am in the 14th week of this pregnancy and looking forward to the end of morning sickness very soon I hope.

As for Elliot... although he is still very much a boob boy, I have far less milk for him now. My supply went down when I became pregnant, but now that I am heading into the second trimester, it is slowly diminishing. It makes me sad because I am having to wean him much earlier than I had ever wanted. I still have a little milk throughout the day and at bedtime, so he gets the boob for a little longer. Overall I think formula is expensive and inconvenient so I'm glad I was able to breastfeed for this long. Elliot doesn't mind the bottle so much because this morning he gulped down 10 ounces.

He also likes solid foods, and especially likes to whine for ours even if it's a slice of pizza. He has mastered the army crawl and can really cruise. He also likes to do downward dog and cobra yoga poses a lot. He has pulled himself up to standing about 3-4 times. Getting back down is trickier. He says "ma ma ma" especially when he is tired, hurt or sick. He can also say "da da" and "ba ba". But it is all just babble at this point. He also really likes his bouncy chair called a "Hop & Pop".

We are looking forward to going to Ouray next week for Christmas and New Year's. We can't wait to get home to the mountains and see our families. We really miss them, and they really miss Elliot. We will be flying, so Abby is spending the holidays at Dogboys Dog Ranch. We will miss her but we seriously doubt she will miss us. She loves that place.

Giving Thanks

Today is Elliot's first Thanksgiving. It was just the three of us and it felt a little weird not to be with family. But we did have a very nice meal. Since our kitchen is packed for our move next weekend, we went to the Mansion at Judge's Hill here in Austin for a beautiful holiday lunch. Elliot enjoyed garlic mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes with apples and cranberry relish. He didn't really like the sea bass or lamb, but he thought the turkey gravy and ham were tasty. Hard to eat with only two teeth but he managed. I loved the green bean casserole. Like most southern dishes it's not too good for you but very delicious.

We are thankful for a lot this year. A healthy, beautiful boy, family we adore, moving next week to a new home, jobs we enjoy, the means to buy things we need. We are grateful to have so many blessings in our everyday life.

Eight Months Old

Today Elliot had his 8-month well-check. Dr. Hargrave said he is doing great. His weight is up to 19 lbs, 6 oz and he is 28½ inches tall. He is in the 50th-75th percentile for everything. He only had to have one shot today and cried for just a minute. Good news for Elliot… he can start eating baby yogurt and a lot of what we eat mashed into pieces he can handle. He is much more interested in our food now than his bland baby food so this should make him very happy. We are still trying the sippy cup with no luck yet, but Dr. H said to keep trying. He still only has his front two bottom teeth, but Dr. H said his top two are ready to come out any day now.

This past weekend we had a special treat when Grandee and Hoppa came to visit for five days. We loved having them here. They took Elliot for walks, to the park to swing, fed him, changed him, loved on him and played with him. He was thankfully over his cold by the time they arrived so he was his usual self during their visit. Drew often tells me that he misses his parents and wishes we could see them more, so it was really nice to have them here.

Drew and I were spoiled because Deedee cooked for us the entire time, and she and David both helped us pack. They must have packed half our house. Yes, we are finally moving… hooray! We found a house in a family neighborhood in Southwest Austin, and move December 2nd. We are happy to be leaving our campus house behind. Now we welcome the quiet burbs with room to move around. Our new place is within walking distance to parks, swimming pools, walking trails and a pond for Abby to swim. We couldn’t be moving at a better time because Elliot is just learning to crawl. It’s just a matter of time before he really takes off, and our new place is much more baby friendly.

We have no big plans for Thanksgiving. Our families were just here, and since our kitchen is mostly packed up we will try to find a Thanksgiving buffet at a downtown hotel. Not too homey for Elliot’s first turkey day, but it will be convenient and give us the holiday weekend to move boxes over to our new place. The real fun will be in about five weeks when we go to Ouray for Christmas. We are really looking forward to getting home to the mountains, snow and family. We can’t wait.

New things for Elliot these past few weeks:

• He is creeping quickly and gets up on his hands & knees to rock… crawling is coming very soon
• Talking a lot and very loud but no consonant sounds yet
• Likes to take Abby’s bone away from her
• After not wanting the binkie for many months, he’s into it again now
• Shy around new faces
• Laughs at puppets and talking stuffed animals
• Grins very big and gets really excited when dad comes home from work
• Has a designer wardrobe now thanks to YaYa and Buzza

First Cold

Elliot is discovering that life has its ups and downs. Last week we tried Gymboree for the third time. This time instead of crying less he cried more - pretty much through the entire class. Because Drew and I don't want to torture our kid, or all the other babies who laugh when we play the parachute game, we've decided to take a break from Gymboree for a few months. We're not sure what about it he doesn't like, but crying probably means he isn't enjoying it!

Elliot also had his first cold this week. No fun at all! Poor baby had to forego Halloween and instead withstand nose drops, steam baths, Vicks VapoRub, and his least favorite - the suction bulb. He's on the upswing though and will hopefully be better by next week.

In happier news, Drew and I are thrilled because we got a new bed! Our old bed was a 10-year-old burned-out mattress set that was totally uncomfortable and hardly worth its weight in bedsprings. Our new set is a roomy king size that is firm and fluffy in all the right places. We love it. Elliot and I took a nap on it this afternoon and it was heavenly.

Last weekend Mom and John came for a visit. Unfortunately Elliot and I were under the weather, but it was really great to see them. Elliot was happy to give them lots of snuggles. Nana could not help but stock Elliot's wardrobe while she was here. She also cooked and cared for us like she always does. It was soooo appreciated and we were very sad to see them go.

Today we made a nostalgic discovery. We saw a sign for The Spicy Pickle sandwich shop near campus and wondered if it was the same Spicy Pickle that we loved in Denver. It is! Keep Austin Weird is the local slogan which means Support Local Businesses, but I have to say it was a nice little surprise to see our fave sandwich shop in Denver open up down here in Austin. Even though it's not a homegrown joint, it really is better than local favorite Thundercloud Subs in my opinion. And those pickles are spicy... yum!

Gymboree Class

Today Elliot is 7 months old. Since he's such a big boy--and because the only people he sees all day are mom, dad and Stacey--we enrolled him in Gymboree baby class. He had his first class on Friday. He was teething, tired and a little scared, so he cried a few times during some of the songs and activities. Even so, it will be good for him to get out of his routine, so we'll be going once a week and hope he will decide he likes it after a few more classes.

We had a fun weekend. We went to Whole Foods, one of Elliot's favorite places. We've been going on Saturday mornings now that it's cooler because Dad & Mom can get lattes. We also went to the Austin Fire Dept's Fire Station Festival in our neighbor- hood on Sunday.

Elliot's gotten a few new toys lately. Some make noise and talk, but he is equally entertained by rattles and blocks because he has figured out how to shake them or bang them together. He also likes board books, especially sing-song rhyming books. He has a lot of patience for them and likes Dad to read him the same stories over and over again after his tub just before bedtime.

Some have asked how many photos and videos we have taken of Elliot. We take at least one a day, but usually more. As of today we have 2,813 photos and 141 mini videos of Elliot on our dinosaur of a home computer. It is becoming overloaded and causing lots of trouble so we are looking into a new home computer in the spring. By then we will certainly have even more photos and videos. Yes, we are THOSE parents.

Halloween is coming up. Elliot is going to be a dragon, a lion or a scarecrow. He has three cute hand-me- down costumes. We might have to find reasons for him to wear each one. Halloween is Nana's birthday and she and Uncle John will be visiting us for Elliot's first trick-or- treat. We are looking forward to having a nice dose of family visits in the next few months. After my mom and John, Drew's parents will be here in early November for his birthday. Then we will be in Colorado for nearly two weeks for Christmas and the New Year. Elliot can't wait to go for a sleigh ride in the snow.

The Update on Elliot:

• He is much more vocal now and likes to yell loudly, but no babbling words like mama or dada yet
  
• Laughs out loud at puppets and stuffed animals when dad makes them talk
• Is shy and prefers mom and dad to strangers
• Creeps on his tummy toward things he wants
• Watches Moose & Zee music videos on Noggin.com while he sits on mama's lap at her desk
• Working on cutting two more teeth but nothing yet
  
• Can pull all the stars off his stacking toy
• Knows to shake his rattle up and down to make the noise
• Loves to swing at the park and look at other kids
• Laughs at Abby when she retrieves her toys during fetch
• Likes to grab and hold objects with his monkey feet
• Likes to bite and chew the sippy cup but hasn't figured out that he can drink the juice so it runs down his chest
• Flaps his arms up and down when he gets really excited, especially during tubby time
  

Learning to Swing

Six Months Old

It's hard to believe that in the spring we had a tiny baby so new he could barely control anything except his eyes. Now we are heading into fall and Elliot has more than doubled his size, giggles, rolls over, pulls on our dog's ears, plays with toys and is even starting to get teeth.

First of all, Elliot had his six-month appointment this week. He is 18 pounds, 2 ounces. He measures 27-3/8 inches long. He's in the 50-75th percentile for his weight and head circum- ference, and 75-90th percentile for his height. He still has his chubby legs though thank goodness--we love to snack on them.

We thought Elliot had a cold last week, but it subsided quickly and soonafter little white spots started to appear in his bottom gums. Teeth will come in handy later when he starts eating food with texture. For now he's happy with his baby food. He eats: rice cereal, sweet potatoes, winter squash, carrots, peaches, bananas, apples, blueberries, rapsberries and pears. Sweet potatoes and bananas seem to be his favorite. Baby food can add up, so mom bought a book so she can make her own. We'll see how that goes.

Last weekend was ACL (Austin City Limits Music Festival... see link to the right) and we had friends in town from Denver and Los Angeles. JB and Michelle Bissell stayed with us. It was great to see old friends--we miss the crew back in Denver. The Clancey brothers (Bo, Gunnar and Ty) were also here with their posse from L.A. Bo helped our son teeth on his Corona bottle at a bar on Sixth Street. See video in the link below. Elliot and Cat skipped the concerts since he needs to nap a few times a day, but they got to see our friends and show them some of Austin. The concerts were great. It's amazing that ACL has become such a big event and it's only five years old. Come on down next year!

New milestones for Elliot:

• Getting his two bottom teeth.
• Growing more hair, but still has that very defined widow's peak.
• Laughs hysterically at his Baby Einstein puppet.
• Rolling back to front and front to back like a pro.
• Can hold two toys at once.
• Eating like a champ.
• Does raspberries.
• Can sit up in the grocery cart.
  
• Poops his Fuzzi Bunz every time he sits in his Bumbo seat to eat.
  
• Still has the bluest eyes and chunkiest thighs.

Here's the video link:
Elliot's big day at ACL

Sweet Potato Pie

Just this week Elliot decided he really likes sweet potatoes. In fact, even though he isn't much of a crybaby, real tears are shed when we have to pause during suppertime to warm up more sweet potatoes or make more cereal. I know you shouldn't laugh at a crying baby, but it's hard not to when he does this. I mean, the rolls on his legs will tell you that he is not getting enough to eat and is indeed starving.

Opening Day

BBQ and beer are in the air this Labor Day weekend; football season is upon us. To celebrate this big occasion, we took Elliot to his first-ever tailgate for our national champs - a very imporant day in Elliot's life as a Longhorn fan. Drew could not have been prouder to show him off.

Elliot is changing almost daily now that he is 5-1/2 months old. It is such fun to see him doing everyday things with such gusto - things we take for granted because they are so simple and mundane. To him they are big discoveries. He can roll around from his tummy to his back and vice versa. Now that he can flip, he likes to do it at bedtime. Last night we peeked in and found him sleeping on his tummy, something he has never done.

At about 5 months he stopped eating his dreamfeed and now sleeps from about 7:30pm until 7am, although we usually hear him stirring in his crib around 6:30am. Also we think he's starting to cut a tooth. We don't feel it yet, but he's been fussy sometimes with a runny nose. I give him a little Tylenol and it helps him feel better. In the past few weeks he went to his first pool party and seemed to really like feeling weightless in the water. Our black Lab Abby is now on his radar. He used to see her but didn't react to her, and now he likes to watch her with a curious look on his face. Abby likes to lick his toes but that's about it. Also we have a new nanny as of the last few weeks. Her name is Stacey and Elliot seems to really like her. He still sees Juli when mom and dad have date night.

Elliot outgrew his size small Fuzzi Bunz diapers. Now he's in the size mediums. We figure he is just about 20 pounds right now at less than six months--what a chunk!

This weekend is our 6th wedding anniversary. A lot has changed in six years. We sure love being parents, and Elliot has made this anniversary our best one yet. We have a lot to celebrate.