December 30

Elliott started crawling the week of Christmas. All of a sudden, he just lunged forward and took off. He moved slowly at first, but now that he's moving he always wants to be on the floor, mobile. He's really screaching now too. The screaching has replaced the ooh ooh ooh sounds. He's found his voice I guess! Something else that is new is that Elliott is reaching he arm up in the air and moving his fingers. He'll raise his arm up at the lights, at the tree, at someone who walks in the room. Maybe it's a form of waving bye bye? Maybe it's the first step to pointing? Not sure, but it's new, cute and he does it a lot these days.

Elliott had a very nice first Christmas. I was able to take off work the week of Christmas and was so lucky to spend the time with Elliott. We had such a great time finishing up our shopping, taking naps, playing together, and reading books and cooking! It snowed on Elliotts first Christmas too, his first snow. He went to Christmas mass on Christmas eve with his mommy, daddy, grammy, and great-great uncle John. He was really good in church but was very interested in the little girls sitting next to us. I would say he was actually flerting with those girls! He was tilting his head and smiling at them, reaching out to them. It didnt help that they were smiling and waving at him too. He is such a cute baby that it's hard for people to not smile at him. I was in Barnes and Noble before Christmas with him and one woman walked by and stopped to look at him and said to me 'what a beautiful baby.' And he is. After mass Elliott spent Christmas eve dinner with his Grammy, Grandpa, Great-Great Uncle John and his mommy and daddy. On Christmas morning his grandparents came over for beakfast and he gave his Christmas gifts to his grandparents: a picture frame with one of his 6 month photos and a package of diapers! His grandmothers were opening the diapers and they were surprised to see that the diapers were for a newborn, but when mommy confirmed the diapers were for a new baby everyone screamed in excitement! Yes, Elliott is going to be a big brother in August 2010.

Elliott received so many wonderful gifts from his grandparents, santa, his aunts and uncles and cousins. He is so blessed to have so many people who love him and made his first Christmas so special. Thanks to all his loved ones who made his first Christmas so memorable.