Buzz & YaYa's Visit

Elliot had quite a good time this week with his Buzz and YaYa who were visiting from Craig, Colorado. It's safe to say they fell head over heels for the little guy. My dad and Lyn are the "technically capable" of all our parents (no offense to Nana & Papa or Grandee & Hoppa -- they know it's true). YaYa took hours of video and Buzz was clicking away with his long lens digital camera all week. They promised to make some DVDs of all the action and send them to us.

Anyone who knows my dad knows he is a joker and loves to make people laugh. His humorous charm even works on his 10-week-old grandson. Elliot thought he was a hoot. In this series of photos, my dad was whispering in his ear and Elliot thought it was hilarious. YaYa was very good at snuggling Elliot and he fell asleep on her shoulder when he was overtired and no one else could settle him to sleep. They have the touch. It will be far too long until our next visit, but luckily we have a web cam and so do Buzz and YaYa, so Elliot will get to see and hear them as much as he wants.

Buzz and YaYa gave Elliot all kinds of goodies: new clothes including "Give Peas a Chance" jumper and pea pod cap, a bee toy that lights up and plays music, a Baby Tad frog, and the most important addition to his wardrobe so far... BabyGap sunglasses. Now he's stylin just like his grandparents.

Two Months & Tipping the Scales

Elliot had his two-month pediatrician appointment today with Dr. Hargrave. He is healthy and thriving to the weight of 13 pounds, 4 ounces... up nearly two pounds since his last well check! (He was 11 lbs 5 oz at his one-month well check.) His new weight puts him in the 75th-90th percentile for his age. His length is now 22 3/4 inches, up from 22 inches since last month. Both his length and head circumference have him in the 50th percentile for his age.

He also had to have his first round of four shots today -- two in each leg. Drew and I held his little hands and smoothed his head while he cried. The nurse was very quick. After the last shot, I scooped him up and he stopped crying immediately. Thank goodness because since he never really cries, it breaks my heart when he does. He was both hungry and tired so he immediately ate on the boob for 20 minutes before falling asleep for a long, well-deserved nap in his car seat and the ride home.

The top picture here is at the doctor's office today. If that's not the sight of a tired baby boy, I don't know what is. Last night we took the bottom one. He just recently started sucking his thumb, when he can find it. It's very cute and sucking seems to really comfort him.

Also big news... in just the last few days, Elliot has learned to fall asleep on his own. He falls asleep in his bassinet usually without any fuss. We put him down when he is sleepy but awake, and he drifts off within 15-30 minutes on his own. What a breakthrough. It's a big sign that he is growing. Dr. Hargrave said it will be soon that he sleeps for long stretches through the night now that he knows how to comfort himself to sleep. He still loves his swing, but now it's more for playtime than sleepytime... he likes to look at himself in the mirror above and smile at the birdies going around above his head.

Cat's First Mother's Day

I had a great first Mother's Day. I told Drew, I feel like I'm now a member of "the club". My mom gave me a pendant with Elliot's birthstone which is aquamarine. I woke up to breakfast in bed thanks to Drew. He gave me a very funny card, a favorite picture of Elliot and some little pearl earrings. Very sweet. Then I went for a nice long sweaty run... by myself. No jogging stroller, no dog. Just me and my iPod. It was really great. We went to dinner last night at a favorite Tex-Mex place and then Elliot slept from 9:30-12:30, 1-5, and 5:30-7. That is a really great night for him and us! It was nice to get so much sleep. Elliot and I felt so good this morning we went for a 1-1/2 hour walk in the jogging stroller.

Elliot has been smiling more often. Sometimes we catch it with a photo. Usually he's too quick for that. Just this week he started looking at his hand and batting at things above his head. It's as if one day he figured out that those little things at the end of his arms are his and he can move them where he wants them to go. It was funny to watch him make that little discovery.

Buzz and YaYa (my dad and stepmom) come this week for a weeklong visit. They are very excited to meet their first grandbaby. It should be a lot of fun, and we are really looking forward to having them here.

Blue Eyes

Here are some pictures of Elliot this week. His eyes are turning a bright and shiny deep blue color. The jury is still out on whether he'll have my olive skin or Drew's ruddy complexion. His hair is still kind of a reddish brown.

This week he also discovered somebody in the baby mirror on his play gym. He's been awake a lot more during the day but sometimes settles in for a nice long nap. Last night he was awake every 2-1/2 hours, but some nights he sleeps 4-1/2 before he wakes up to eat. He sleeps better on the days he gets a good long nap, so that's what we're trying to give him.

Right now he likes to ride in the car and the carriage, go to Whole Foods and be outside. He is starting to smile more often this week, but we can never catch it with a picture. We're working on it though.

Bath Time

Elliot is now 7-1/2 weeks old. He really likes bath time, especially in the morning. We tried giving him his bath at night as part of a "wind down" ritual for sleep, but it always seemed to wind him up, so now we do it in the mornings. He would probably love for us to leave him in the tub all day. The other thing I did this week was bring him in the shower with me. He liked that a lot. He likes the shower spray on his head and back. I have to be especially careful though because he's so slippery when he's soaped up.

Drew also took these photos of him in the baby sling. He likes for me to wear him around sometimes, especially in the early evening when I'm just doing things around the house. He looks like a little sausage stuffed in there!

Elliot is growing. Sometimes when I pick him up in the mornings, it seems that he's grown overnight! Still not smiling a whole lot, but we have managed to get a few out of him here and there. He is starting to outgrow that fussy time at night. Some nights he has it and some nights he's asleep at 9pm. His baby acne is pretty much gone as of this week, and his eyes are turning very blue. We bought some portable speakers for our iPod so now we can play the rain noise all night right next to our bed which is very soothing for all of us, especially the little man.

Coos and Smiles

Here are some pictures of Elliot from this past week. This week he started to make cooing sounds, and Drew wonders what his little speaking voice will sound like. He is most smiley in the morning, but still not a big smiler yet. His mommy got a jogging stroller this week, a hand-me-down from a friend that will be perfect for our morning runs when he gets a little bigger. Right now he still loves his play gym, his colorful mobile above his changing table, and his papasan swing.

Elliot had one night of sleeping 7 hours straight, but we haven't seen that again. He likes to fall asleep in the stroller, sling and car seat, but has not yet learned the art of falling asleep on his own in his bassinet. We either have to put him in it when he's already asleep, or let him fall asleep in his swing. Sunday we tried to do the bassinet for his nap, and he ended up being awake from 10:30am until 3:30pm. But as soon as I put him next to me on the bed he was out like a light. I guess 6-1/2 weeks is too early for his little brain to learn to sleep on its own. Right now he likes to fall asleep on us, which is usually still very sweet and endearing, except at 3am!