Elliot ;->

                                     Seven months old.

   The last two mornings, I have heard something that definitely sounded like Elliot was awake and making noise. Upon hearing the sound, I smiled. But then my smiles turned upside down, when my brain reminded my heart, that the grand kids are again with their mom. It's not that I don't think they should spend time with their mom. It's just that it meant the sound I had heard, couldn't actually be Elliot. And I couldn't go get him and rejoice over the way he beams at me.
   Yes, he beams at me. The beam does include a smile on his lips. And in his eyes. And all over his whole face. The boy sometimes literally beams with happiness. It's total awesomeness! Especially when what he's beaming at, is you!
   Byron had met Cyndi and brought them back here on Thursday, Feb. 16th. I am so glad he did. Because it turned out that that was right when Elliot was ready to do a huge burst in his developing. And I got to witness all of it! :-D

    The evening they arrived, I had sat him on the floor to see if he was sitting up on his own yet. Nope. Not even a half minute later he had toppled over. But before he left here on Sunday, he had progressed to sitting upright on his own for a good twenty five minutes. My bet is that he could last a lot longer. But usually by twenty minutes, he had had enough with sitting such and fallen over so he could do other things.

    One 'other thing' was to wrestle his teddy bear. A friend Byron had attended school with, had dropped off gifts for both of his kids, during the last time they weren't here. Something about the teddy bear just screamed 'Elliot' at me, so I told Byron so. Man was I right. From the moment we gave it to him, he delighted in it! Sometimes he'd chew on a leg. Sometimes he'd fling it about. But often he would wrestle it. Literally! He'd roll over on top of it, pinning it's front legs down and then giggle with glee. So comical. So endearing. Amazingly awesome to both watch and listen to. "He's ONLY seven months old!" I stated, "How could he have already learned how to do that?" I questioned.

    The answer seems to be, that our Elliot is 'pure boy'. Something he's just ingrained with.
    Another example of that, came the afternoon and evening 'our' Kate visited. (Who by the way, seems to have been dubbed Analyse's BBF to the max!!! So-o cute!) Kate was sitting on the blue couch, holding and playing with Elliot. He soon made it clear he wanted down. Okay. But no, he didn't want sat on the floor. So she had him holding on to two of her fingers, standing between her legs. That's what he wanted! He started using his lips to sort of make a raspberry sound. And he kept going. And going. And going! And occasionally he'd lean way forward, then after a bit, way back. And usually before he leaned way back, his sounds would change and it literally sounded as though he was shifting gears! We all commented about it. And laughed. He looked around, beamed, chuckled, and went at it even harder. It was so-o-o comical! And cute! This went on for over fifteen solid minutes! Brian commented that he was afraid he was going to hyperventilate. ;-p But Elliot was having ever so much fun, as were those of us watching him, and attempting to converse with one another over the top of his sound effects. ;-b (And that wasn't the only time he did his revving engine noise and actions.)
    That's another thing, Elliot is definitely a "B" boy ("B" standing for our last name). He can and does play quietly and contently for quite some time. But once he decides it's time to make noise, he only seems to know how to switch on the 'loud' volume controls. How that much volume, can come out of that size body, is quite the question! He also switches instantly to that volume setting when he's mad or crying. Mercy! Especially at 3 am. Shudder!
    I previously told you about how accurate of a roller Elliot is. At the beginning of this last visit, I was curious to see if he was crawling yet. Nope. But by the time he left, he was 'army style' crawling at amazing speeds! I dare you to grab that thing he just spotted before he gets a hold of it! Chuckle. And he's really really close to out and out crawling too. He'd get up in formation, rock back and forth with vengeance, but right when we were sure he was going to take off crawling, he'd drop down and army style it again. One of these times, he's going to surprise even himself and out and out crawl. ;-p
    Or just start walking. He loved it when I would let him stand against the edge of a couch, while I was sitting beside him on the floor. He'd bounce. He'd dance. He'd stretch to see what he could reach. All usually without falling. Occasionally though, his legs would give out and down he'd go in a huge hurry, giving no prior warning. The 'loud' button would then be hit!
    Several times, while laying on the floor, he tried pulling himself up by grabbing a hold of the side of the couch. Won't be long till he accomplishes it! We have this lidded, round, five gallon pail, that the guys use in the living room as a moveable cup, TV remotes holder. Elliot almost accomplished pulling himself up to standing by grabbing the rim of that. He got ninety percent of the way there several times. Notice was served to not leave things on it unattended!
    When he is sitting playing for periods of time, he can bend himself in half and stretch to reach things. Even when his legs are spread a huge distance apart, causing the grown men in the room to cringe at the feat. "That won't last long", they comment. :-p. The wonder part to me, is how he calmly sits straight up again. One time he almost got himself sitting up after army style crawling. So-o-o close...
    Elliot also has quite the throwing arm on him! Mercy! How he can throw a rubber ducky clear across the living room, at his age and size, is beyond me. But throw it he can! Even his teddy bear, which is heavier and bulkier, went almost the whole distance at times. "Beware of flying objects".
     Grandpa 'Honey' (one of Elliot's great grandpa's) was shaking his head (with it's teary eyes) and marveling how much Elliot reminded him of a young Brandon. In looks. In build. In abilities. "No denying his family ties", he kept commenting.
    When Elliot arrived, we were told that they thought he was teething. It definitely felt like a tooth was coming up out of the bottom gum. "Or is it two?". It was two! Adorable little side by side white teeth, in the middle of the front of his lower gums. Before he left, he'd started drooling and spitting again. "Are you getting more teeth?" I questioned. My finger felt two more bumps on the outside of the upper gum. But it also came out bearing marks of those two bottom teeth. Yikes! He laughed.
   He's been gone two days and I'm really missing him! One of the perils of grand parenthood.
   Just a reminder, I do not do these postings about my grand children's developing, as a form of bragging. The reason I do them is two fold. One, to share with my friends what's going on in my life. And two, so that I can document their life's and print it off to give to them later in life, perhaps shortly before their weddings?
    One last picture....

    My Mr. Elliot, what a blessing you are!!!  I LOVE you!