My baby Elliot - not so much anymore!

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elliot turned 9 months old yesterday. he seems so much older than 9 months! he's walking in his walker, climbing up the stairs and generally just trying to grow up. dan and i were quite shocked, when at 6 months he started pulling up and standing. sunday he followed emily claire all the way up the stairs. he's done things our other two babies never did, like hurling himself out of his crib and his exersaucer. i guess it's true, every baby is different!

i think he's just so ready to be a big boy so he can play with the other two. but i wish he was a little behind developmentally. i don't want to give birth again, so i need him to stay a baby for a little longer! :) he's a very sweet boy, always smiling & he's a happy boy too. he will pull your hair/face towards his and slap a slobbery, open mouth kiss (yuck!) right on you! he also loves to be hugged. sometimes he'll put his cheek to yours, it's very sweet. he's so much a part of our family now, i can't remember times without him. dan and i joke all the time how much he's had the shaft compared to the other two. the other two had their pictures professionally taken when they were babies; not elliot!! we could never get ourselves together to take him. sad, i know. but i've made up for it by taking candid shots. but he did have a birth announcement, thanks to www.magnoliaalley.com (sorry, i could not help the shameless plug!)

also, i've totally weaned him. yea!! actually, he weaned himself shortly after Christmas. he would refuse to nurse. he just did not want it anymore. i was happy, but a tiny bit sad! i know what you are thinking, i WANTED him to drink bottles...but i can't describe the feeling of nursing rejection! :) he's totally happy with his bottle though. when he sees us making it up he gets just as excited as he did when he was ready to nurse. for almost a month i pumped, but man, that was for the birds. so he's totally on formula now. i think i have enough similac coupons to get him through until he's on whole milk. :)

it'll be okay, and i'll be okay. but i will say this time around nursing a baby was the absolute hardest. if i would have had thrush twice with emily like i had with elliot, there would be no way any other children would have been breastfed. maybe God did that on purpose! :) and also, just so you know, i have thrush AGAIN and he's not even being nursed!! how in the heck does that happen?!? maybe it will be on it way when my milk dries up. but in the mean time i'm having no fun with it! i was sorta okay with it as long as i was nursing, but puh-lease! he's weaned!! so, anyway, needless to say i am glad the whole having milk is almost over. i'm looking forward to selling my pump! know anyone who needs a good one?

so anyway. my baby is growing up!