Merry Christmas

Elliot posing with his new ku hat from uncle Brian.


How does he know he's getting his picture taken?!?

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1st Snow!!!

10 months old

It is hard to believe that Elliot is already 10 months old.


He is enjoying all kinds of different food and constantly wants whatever we are eating. His standing skills are really improving and he is even walking over 10 feet with the help of certain movable furniture.

He seems to be loving all his abilities to get around. Which means I have to be extra watchful if him especially when it comes to the cat food and the dirt in our plants.

In sleeping news, Elliot has been sleeping through the night for over a week now. Daddy gets the credit for making this happen. I can't believe how awesome an entire nights sleep feels. So wonderful!!! And Elliot seems to be so much more rested as well!

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Old Friends, New Buddies

Elliot & Josiah

Thanksgiving

These are super late to be posted, but I thought I better get them up before Christmas. We went to Kansas for Thanksgiving & Elliot had a fun time hanging with Grandparents, cousins, other family & animals!!!


1st Thanksgiving Meal - This little man wolfed down this plate & then ate a piece of pumpkin pie a few hours later! Yum!!!


Cousins with Great Grandma Andres


Elliot & Kodi really enjoyed playing with one another!


Elliot with Grandma's Kitty


Cousins!

9 months old!!!

This sweet little guy is already 9 months old!


Here are his stats from his doctor visit today:
Height: 27 1/2 inches
Weight: 20 lbs, 2 oz
Head circumference: 46 cm

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Resurrection & Life

It was a very fun project, thanks for sharing!

Forgiveness of Sins

Hanging out in Central Park

We decided to join Brad on a business trip this week in New York! Today was so pretty and Elliot and I enjoyed the afternoon in Central park























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Grandpa & Grammy Lewis visit

Dear Grandpa & Grammy,
Thank you for coming to visit. I had a lot of fun with both of you! Also, thank you for the giraffe and mirror thingy (& their boxes)!!!


See you soon!
Love,
Elliot

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Communion of Saints

Happy Halloween!

From a little birdie



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Holy Catholic Church

It was also Earth Day that Sunday.

Renegade Craft Fair Link

Another "catch up" post:

One of our favorite things to do every September is to go to the Renegade Craft Fair, a place where people come and sell handmade crafts. We don't often buy things, but we love to go to get ideas and inspiration.

This year Elliot made a local vendors blog. He is trying on a kitty hat, which I know is pretty girlie looking, but I couldn't resist. You all know my love for kitties! It looks like my son is following in my foot steps. Sweet little kitty:


http://tartheart.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2010-09-12T21%3A23%3A00-07%3A00&max-results=7

Catching up!

On the MOVE!!!

So while Brad is catching up with his Apostle's Creed drawings, I thought I should take a cue from him and catch up on some videos & pics I've been meaning to share.

Elliot has been trying to crawl since July. I thought back in August he was about to take off, then September came & I thought for sure he would take off. But he seemed to enjoy just getting up on all fours and rocking. At the beginning of October, he finally started scooting and crawling and now is totally on the move. A few days after he began crawling, I found him standing in his crib. Now he is pulling up on all the furniture & of course falling a lot! But he loves his new mobility and is less frustrated! He also is starting to sleep a bit better on his own - Yippee!!!

I'll post some pics & links to videos of Elliot's most recent tricks. I can't get the video to work on blogger, so I'll link you all to our flickr page!

Belly Crawling
October Crawling
September Crawling

Imagine my surprise when I went into Elliot's room and found this!
Standing for the first time! Good thing we moved his crib down when we did!

Friday dates with Elliot

Since I'm staying home with Elliot, obviously we spend a lot of time together. I take him everywhere I go & he usually does a good job while I run errands, go to the grocery store, etc.

However, on Fridays, at some point, I try to do something with him where we just spend time together. No cleaning, cooking, or errand running. Just some one on one time outside of the house. For the last few weeks we've gone to lunch, met daddy at the park for lunch, & several times, we go and hang out by the lake.


As the weather turns colder, I'll have to figure out some creative things to do on our Friday dates, but I'm sure we can find something to do. I really enjoy this time with the little boy because it makes me slow down and just appreciate the time I have to spend with my son. It is so easy, especially for me, to get caught up in my day to day chores & to-do lists and miss this little miracle we've been given

Holy Ghost

This wasn't my favorite image, but I was on a deadline!

Quick & Dead

This is probably the image I was most proud of when I completed it. I thought the concept was strong, but in the end it was tactless. A wise pastor declined to put it on the order of worship. Could you imagine what visitors would have thought?

Ascended & Sitteth

So, I took a few months off of the Apostle's Creed series. I kept drawing them, but I've just become more lax about my commitment to posting them. Thanks for your patience!

Sleep Strike

Elliot has been a pretty "easy" and happy baby. He usually goes to bed without too much fuss and is happy as long as he has been fed & pottied. So the last 9 days have been somewhat of a shock to me. About a week ago Elliot decided he would not sleep. He woke up from his morning nap at 10am and refused to sleep until 10 that evening. In the afternoon, I noticed he had a slight fever & cold and thought, "Oh, he's getting sick. That is why he is so uncomfortable." But I thought babies sleep more when they are not feeling well. I tried everything to get him to sleep - walked him around in the stroller, got him out and about, carried him around in the Ergo, everything I could think of, I tried. Every time he would be almost asleep, he would wake himself up. It was a stressful day, but little did I know that is how the rest of the week would look.

Luckily, Brad & I were both able to take care of him over the weekend. With his cold and never ending desire to stay awake, neither of us got much sleep. Brad ended up finding the only way to settle him down was to lay down with him and physically just hold him on his back. Then it would take around an hour to get him to sleep. Elliot is learning to both crawl & stand and seems like he cannot shut his mind off. As soon as he is laid down, even when almost asleep, he is rolling over to practice, practice, practice.

A couple of days ago I totally lost it! I was a crying mess. I was so tired & worn out and felt like a total failure. My house was a mess, I hadn't been able to cook in a few days, I hadn't left the house in a couple days & I had a baby that wouldn't sleep. This last week has taught me a lot. No matter how much I have planned, I need to learn to be more flexible and forgiving of those around me and myself. My number one priority and the reason I am staying home is to be with Elliot. I think I have put a lot of my self worth in having a clean house, a happy baby - on being a good wife & mother. Sometimes I think this has not made me a whole lot of fun to be around. I'm trying to relax and know that my value is not in the things I do or what I can check off my list, but it is hard at times.

So our new approach with Elliot is to just stop what we are doing when it is time for naps or night and lay down with him for a little bit. This seems to be working and he is settling down faster each time. This is also allowing me some much needed rest. I thought the whole sleep when the baby sleep thing ended when they were no longer newborns, but am finding I was getting a lot less sleep now than when Elliot was born. I'm amazed at how quickly he changes. I think I have something figured out and he is on to the next thing. I'm sure this is the way it is with children - constantly changing and growing, I just wish I could keep up sometimes.

Wisconsin Trip

A month ago we took our first family vacation with the 3 of us! We left for 4 days and drove about 5 hours north of Chicago to Door County Wisconsin, which is the Peninsula that sticks out into Lake Michigan with Green Bay on one side & the Lake on the other. We had a really lovely time & got some much needed rest & relaxation.


On the way up north we figured in several stops to allow Elliot a break from the car, especially since he is not very used to being in his car seat at all, let alone for hours at a time! We drove through Milwaukee, stopped at the delicious Alterra Coffee right near the lake, and saw the Art Museum by Calatrava. Another stop along the way was Two Rivers to visit the Hamilton Wood Type Museum.


We stayed in a hotel right by the lake & basically just spent time together. The weather was in the high 60s, which in our opinions is perfect. One afternoon we went out on Lake Michigan on a sailboat & now have the itch to take some sailing lessons - maybe next summer. Overall it was a great trip & fun to visit a new state!

8 Months

7 Months

This post is about 10 days late, but these picture was taken when Elliot turned 7 months. Stay tuned for pictures from our trip to Wisconsin!

Pizza fan

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Yummy carrots

Another food success! I hope this little guy continues to like food this much!


I have really enjoyed making his baby food and seeing his reactions. Today I put a raspberry in his oatmeal and that did not go over well - just a bit sour!

I already am imagining our little family all cooking together. I can't wait to teach him how to cook!

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Cucumber avocado anyone?

This is my favorite so far!!!


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Starting Solids

Enjoying rice cereal & the Bumbo chair

Distracted by the Ceiling Fan

Playing with his Food