Happy Birthday Baby!

How does a baby transition from this...

to this in the span of a year?

 

Forget the miracle of birth, it's what a baby is capable of learning in the first year of life that just blows me away! For almost all of Elliot's life, our family has been in "transition". Gregory went to Oklahoma before Elliot could sit up, we moved him to a different state before he could roll over and now he is climbing onto the dishwasher and kitchen counter.

 And yet, he is definitely the happiest, most content person I know. I think all three of my children are stunningly beautiful and amazing - but it's only been with Elliot that strangers stop us everywhere we go to comment on him. Yes, his dimples are ridiculously cute. But I feel it is more his engaging personality that makes people stop and want to talk to him. One of Elliot's favorite activities is riding around in the grocery store cart, yelling and waving and smiling at people. 

I am less of a numbers/timeline mother with Elliot (I can't really remember how much he has weighed at each and every check-up) as I was with the other two. I don't worry about when he will hit his milestones. I am just enjoying the baby stage while it lasts. I know too well what is in store for us when Elliot starts to walk, talk and defy his parents! 

 Maybe part of the reason I am so infatuated with the baby stage this time around is that these feelings balance the high amount of anxiety I felt about being pregnant with our third baby. I was so nervous about how we were going to manage, the timing just seemed all wrong. And now I see what a joy and light Elliot brings to our family - that it was so silly of me to "question" anything about it! 

 So Happy Birthday baby Elliot (as of last Friday), we love you dearly!

(Even if you are crying and resisting bedtime right now!)

Enjoying his birthday dessert of strawberry shortcake.