Long Post

Warning: It's been two weeks since I posted last so this will be a long post with lots of pictures. Elliott and I have managed to keep ourselves busy even with no dr. or dentist appointments. I have even managed to stay caught up with laundry and dishes and have started to look for ways to keep busy other than surfing random blogs and facebook updates.

Last week we went to my Brother Craig and Sister-in-law Holly's baby shower. They are expecting a little girl around the end of February. It was lots of fun and we are super excited for Emily's arrival! (Craig and Holly rock the tye-dye look and so will Emily now!)

Elliott got to help Craig practice how to wear this baby carrier.

I also offered to dress Elliott up in any of the cute girlie outfits if Holly wanted to see how they would look on Emily, but this headband was as far as they went. I guess they didn't want him to have embarassing pictures later in life.

Holding up this pink bunny outfit makes us glad Elliott is a boy! I think Elliott is cringing away from the pinkness.

The "aunts" prepared a fun shower game that was also very challenging. We had to race each other digging in giant tubs of pink packing peanuts for little baby socks. Who knew that you couldn't distinguish the two textures? It was so hard to feel the socks, you just had to sift around until you spotted a sock floating to the top. It was also entertaining how the peanuts clung to Brian's arm hair! (P.S. yes Brian found more socks than I did.)

Craig and Holly got to keep all the cute socks of course. We are so excited for them!

Here Mona (with the red tub) and Nancy play. Nancy was the grand champion finding nine socks in under a minute. The shower was tons of fun. Thanks Nancy and Eileen for hosting!

Elliott and I have also spent time hanging out at Grandma Ashton's house where there is always someone to play with. His cousin Saffy is finally well enough to play with us and really enjoys little Elliott. She likes to hold him and tell him all about the things around them. She was also happy to tell Elliott that she is going to have a little brother soon that can be Elliott's friend. (That helped ease the disappointment for her that it wasnt a girl.)

Saffy is a great helper and will do anything (except change his diaper) to help.

Here Saffy drew a picture of Elliott while she was practicing her letters on the whiteboard. I think it is a fantastic picture! (p.s. I wrote those words, no Saffy)

Elliott is becoming much more aware of his surroundings. He has started reaching for toys or blankets and grasping them. He likes to kick and stretch and do all things that are so cute in babies. He loves to watch people and be talked to. He is quite loud talking and making his baby sounds. He has started to GIGGLE when tickled, and in general is so happy and cheerful.He doesn't take a binky unless I am putting him to sleep, but he does love to suck on his fist and thumbs.

However half the time that darn oxygen cannula gets in the way and then gets stuck in this position until I take it out and put it back in his nose. If I am not paying attention, he will fuss so I know to check it.

Elliott is the smilingest baby I have ever known. Even when crying out in his crib when he wakes up and is starving, as soon as I say "hey buddy" he is all smiles. It is hard to catch on camera since whenever I hold up the camera he turns all stone faced. But sometimes he can't help but smile.

Here Elliott is decked out in his "go to Costco" outfit. It is mighty chilly for a baby in that warehouse and not just in the produce freezer. But this outfit keeps him nice and toasty in his carseat. Note: this outfit is too warm for Ikea and other more heated stores - baby gets too hot and then gets fussy.

Melinda was filling out her 15 generation pedigree chart to find out where all her ancestors came from and what percentage Swiss and English etc. It looked so fun that I had to try out the new family search website from the church for myself. I then had to purchase my own gigantic pedigree chart and will soon post my ethnicity as well. It was so great to get the family history bug. Then Lorraine, my mother-in-law shared some stories about Jane Walton, one of their ancestors, that were so fascinating. The trick is to see these people as real people with personalities and struggles and stories that bring them to life and make you excited to read about them. Elliott was so sweet to nap in my lap and shared some family history time. The coolest thing was that when I signed in to https://new.familysearch.org Elliott was already listed as my son and my ancestors already filled in. I just had to link Brian's parents and grandparents in and then his side was already filled in too. It is very impressive and you should check it out! You just need your church membership number and confirmation date to begin.

Also, Elliott finished off the last of his Sildenafil on the 21st. We will see his cardiologist again on Feb. 8 to see how his pulmonary hypertension is going. Hopefully it is getting well enough to go off the oxygen. After 12 weeks, Elliott's cheeks have had enough stickers and tape holding the oxygen to his face. His skin has started to blister and is all red and rashy and I feel so terrible trying to find a good spot to stick the oxygen back on. He was so good at swallowing his medicine. Brian even commented that he thought Elliott liked it, it smelled quite tasty - not like cough medicine, but sweet. It is nice not to set the alarm and remember to get up and give him his medicine though.

I think I have caught up to where we are now. Thanks for checking in on us. We love you all!