3!

Elliott is getting so big and with his birthday falling on a Monday, we had a big family party on Saturday, November 3. Aunts, Uncles, cousins and Grandma Ashton all came over for the party. Elliott had so much fun opening all his gifts. Thanks everyone!

 I got a little excited over a dictionary from Aunts Jennie and Cindy. I may love dictionaries and words and was ecstatic for Elliott to get started off properly. Why didn't I think of it?

 We set up our indoor roller coaster that some friends gave us and let Elliott's cousins enjoy the fun. Nigel loved it too!

 Brian and I got Elliott a police set with a car, helicopter, motorcycle and van that have little policemen to drive and a jail and office. It has provided hours and hours or entertainment. 

 What a perfect pose for a snotty-nosed 3-year-old! One of the side effects of being a kid is the leaky faucet on the face. Luckily I think he is still cute.

 Yay for birthdays and big boys!

The best part of birthdays is blowing out the candles!

 Elliott and Nigel enjoying the cake. This is the first year Elliott has actually eaten his cake. He is definitely growing up. 

 Elliott loves his Cars tent! It is the perfect hide-out and space just his size. 

And any toy is 10 times more fun when you play with it in a tent. 

 And eating breakfast while watching a movie is so cool in a tent!

 And one day, the house was quiet and I wasn't sure where Elliott was. I searched every room calling out for him, then I pulled back the flap on his tent and there he was - sleeping with Buzz and Woody! The most exciting part for Mommy came after the 2 hour nap in which Elliott wakes up dry. (He'd fallen asleep wearing underwear and had never napped without a pull-up before!)

 Can you spot the spy peeking out? He is so sneaky!

 The 3-year mark was a milestone in another way. It was time for another visit to the cardiologist at Primary Childrens for an echo cardiogram. His last one was when he was a few months old and it was super hard to get him to lay still long enough to read anything. At his 1-year appt. they just got and EKG which is much easier for wiggly little boys. Since there was no treatment really for his pulmonary hypertension except to grow out of it, we just waited until he was 3 and time for another echo. We practiced for a few days before the appt. I'd make Elliott lie still on his back and use lotion and a wand to show him what would happen so he'd be less scared. That helped a lot as well as the tv on the wall so he could watch cartoons. It took about 30 minutes and Elliott did so well!

 Then we waited another hour before seeing the dr. But Elliott didn't mind as the waiting room was full of toys to play with. Then Dr. Day gave us the best news ever - that Elliott was completely better! No more pulmonary hypertension! The blood flowing through the heart was completely within normal ranges and the walls on the right side of his heart were not thick and bulging anymore. We don't have to worry any longer about his heart. YAY for miracles!! 

Having a 3-year-old is an awesome new adventure and Elliott is learning new things and understanding more each day. If you ask him how old he is, he says, "Tee," and can hold up three fingers. He also keeps telling us that on his next birthday he will be "tor." Now on to potty training and other big boy stuff. Elliott, Mommy and Daddy love you very much! Thanks for coming to our family!