Elliott in Asheville, NC

Elliott and I had the pleasure of joining Courtney at a Veterinary continuing education seminar in Asheville, NC.  As you can see above, Elliott bundled-up for the cold October weather in the Great Smokey Mountains.  

When we went to Asheville two years ago, we took full advantage of the nightlife, the culture and the beautiful fall scenery the city had to offer.   This time, we traveled in the dark and we spent most of our stay in the hotel.  My, how life has changed.  

Lessons learned during the trip: 

Lesson One: It is much easier to entertain Elliott at home with her dogs, toys and the other distractions our house has to offer.  Confined to a hotel room for two full days, we were limited to the toys we could fit in a small bag and Daddy's slapstick dance routine to break the monotony. When Elliott napped, I sat in silence, in the dark, perfectly still ... as the tag-line for the movie Alien said "in space, no one can hear you scream"... but in a hotel room with a sleeping baby, she can hear you blink.        

I mean really, how cute is this hat.  She spent most of the weekend sitting in the middle of the bed while Daddy did his best to make her laugh.  My efforts met with only marginal success. 

Lesson Two:  When we travel with Elliott, She goes to bed at 7:00 and Courtney goes to bed at 8:30, which leaves me sitting alone in the dark, again.    

Lesson Three: Carrots are messy, really freakin' messy. See what I mean? She is getting better at eating solids, but the Carrots end up on everything. 
Everyone loved watching me walk Elliott around the hotel. They particularly enjoyed watching Elliott checking my email on my Blackberry.  She is an excellent helper, I bill her time at $100.00 per hour. 

The Cat Whisperer

One of the biggest myths about cats is that they will jump in your baby's crib and suffocate them.  As a vet, I frequently get asked about this.  No, no, they won't jump in the crib, in fact, most cats are scared of the moving, breathing object inside the large, crate-resembling object.  I knew that my three dogs would instantly love her, protect her and fight to be next to her.  Little did I know that it would be one of my cats that would be the one to fall madly in love with Elliott the most.

Afton, the kitty pictured, was my first "child."  She was adopted from a "no-kill" shelter in Montgomery County when I first got into vet school.  She was there through it all: exams, new boyfriend and eventual husband, Spencer, new pets (McKinley, Milla, Jackson and finally Monti) and she has been my rock.  I should have known that she would be the one to love my first human baby the most.  

Now you can clearly see that every time the baby is awake, my dilute tortoise shell feline is right beside her.  If I'm nursing the baby in the glider, Afton is on the arm, waiting to be petted.  Elliott is often lulled to sleep by Afton's ridiculously loud purrs.  Regardless if the dogs are around, Afton will get right next to Elliott on her quilt in the middle of the sun room.  If I bring Elliott into our bedroom, Afton sprints into the room to see where she's going to be.  It is amazing and so wonderful to see this interaction between baby and cat as a mother and as a veterinarian.    

It is true that animals can sense things about babies and infants and now I am a true believer.  I always had a vision that the dogs would be sleeping on the floor beside the crib (and they do on occasion) but my cat?  It warms my heart and reaffirms why I love being a medical caregiver of such wonderful creatures.  

And don't be surprised if Elliott's first word is "kitty."  You can see why I think so.....

6 months! All the Glory!

Elliott began starting to sit up at 5 and 1/2 months.  We could sit behind her and she would attempt to balance on her bottom.  Then one evening during bath time, she sat up in her infant tub.  All by herself...It was miraculous and you'd better believe that I cried my eyes out.  Here was my big girl, sitting up, no longer in the tub hammock, no longer leaning back against the foam edge support.  She was sitting up!  And all those little bath toys that had been just floating aimlessly around her, hoping to be noticed were finally getting the attention they deserved!  Elliott finally discovered the traditional yellow rubber ducky (that incidentally has a sensor on the bottom that will tell you if the water is too hot!  How clever is that?).  Once Elliott could sit up on her own in that marvelous plastic blue tub it was like an entirely new world opened up for her.  She began splishing and splashing like crazy!  Water began flying up at me and I will tell you that it was one of the most memorable moments of my new time as a mommy.  I savored every moment while she launched water at me.  Bath time will never be the same.

Now just because they can sit up doesn't mean that you can relax....See the above photo.  Everything and I mean EVERYTHING goes in their mouths.  Including pumpkins at the pumpkin patch.  And although she has pretty good balance, she still falls backwards, forwards and even side-to-side.  

People always told me that once your baby can sit, it really does open up your world and they were right!  Elliott can now sit up and play, she can sit comfortable in her high chair, and also go from an infant seat to a convertible seat.  And ours is cow print!  How appropriate!  Now Spencer laughed his head off when he saw his daughter in the outfit above.  He began humming the theme song from "Super Mario Brothers."  "Courtney!  She is Mario!" He yelled at me.  "No she's not!  This is adorable and not PINK for once."  "Courtney, if you put her in a green shirt, she'd be Luigi!"

Here she is in the tub!  She finally has enough hair for a mo hawk!  (Or when dry, for the Donald Trump.)

Elliott in the high chair.  These bibs are great because they cover the shoulder area as well.  And when pureed carrots are involved, you need all the coverage you can get!

Elliott, Millie and Peyton.  The original three gals who once donned infant seats.  We mommies laughed at which baby would sleep through lunch and now long gone are those days.  Millie is crawling, Peyton is on her way and Elliott is rolling!  Soon we'll be chasing after them and wishing they were asleep in their infant seats.

So again, we are here at 6 months and I can't believe it.  My little darling is making new sounds, raspberrying (especially while mommy is feeding me), and rolling around on the ground like crazy.  I never thought that we'd get to this point but wow, now it seems like a flash.  Pretty soon she'll be driving!

Vacationing in the Highlands

Spencer, Elliott and I enjoyed a relaxing week at my parents house in Highland County.  The weather was wonderfully cool and perfect to introduce Elliott to her first fall season.  We slept in everyday.  Okay, let me clarify:  Sleeping in is waking up when Elliott decides it's time which is usually around 7am.  However, we cannot complain because she is sleeping almost 12 hours a night!  

The house backs up to the Jackson River so we were serenaded by the sounds of the running waters.  Elliott loves the outdoors so the deck was the perfect place to sit and relax.

While Daddy fished, (and he caught lots of little brook and rainbow trout.  Unfortunately none were large enough for us to enjoy as a meal.  But Spencer's getting pretty good at fly fishing so I guess we'd better learn the ancient art of cleaning fish.....) I put Elliott in the Baby Bjourn and we walked in the river.  She was mesmerized by the sights and sounds of the little waterfalls and running streams.  

She really is becoming such a little girl and morphing out of her infant hood. It is really so bittersweet in that she is developing her skills more every day but she is no longer the tiny little infant.  She can almost sit up by herself (no Mommy-assistance needed in her infant bathtub anymore!  Now she can sit up and splash like crazy!  She especially loves to splash Mommy!) and she is squirming while on her tummy!  Almost like she's ready to crawl.  Then it's all over!

I introduced Elliott to the texture of leaves while we were in Vermont for Lauren's wedding.  She has been fascinated with them ever since.  Once she hit 5-months she really began reaching and grabbing so the leaf thing has really developed.  Spencer and I can't wait until Elliott is splashing around in the Jackson River with her rubber river boots on with her Franklin cousins.  There is even a designated room for the grandchildren complete with bunk beds and a carpeted loft area for when they are old enough to play up there safely.  We are truly blessed to have this getaway and we cannot wait to enjoy it more!  Thank you Babbie and Pop for the wonderful week and the opportunity to enjoy the gorgeous Highlands.  

But, being way out in the middle of nowhere definitely has it's drawbacks.  I swore that after dealing with clients who call in and ask about the most minute things, that I wouldn't be one of those parents who harasses the pediatrician with every little bump and bruise.  While staying out in Highland, I officially became one of "those" mothers.  I had heard that breast fed babies do have this magic "switch" where they go from multiple poopy diapers to one every few days but didn't think it would happen until we were full into food.  Well it had been three days since Elliott had relieved herself in that way so I was beginning to panic.  Was she impacted?  What would we do way out here?  Do I have to give her a suppository?  (I write that cringing because I can distinctly remember being constipated as a child and having one of my parents perform that horrendous act to me.  I can only pray that I can avoid this with my children.  Giving enemas to animals is one thing, humans-a completely different undertaking.)  I made a few frantic phone calls to friends of infants who all suggested mixing pears or pear juice to her rice cereal.  So we headed to the ONLY grocery store in Bath County.  Let me tell you, it was slim pickin's.  And wouldn't you know, no baby food at all!  A fully stocked walk-in beer cooler but no baby food?  Where are we, Wasila Alaska?  So I bit the bullet, swallowed my pride and made the call to Dr. Craft's office.  Keep in mind that we got horrible cell phone service out there so I was walking outside trying to find a spot where the nurse could actually hear me.  I could tell she was annoyed (great, another mom obsessing with her baby's bowel movements.) "Is she breast or bottle fed?" she asked, obviously annoyed.  "Breast, but it's been three days!  She's not impacted is she?"  "It is perfectly normal for a breast fed baby at 6 months to go several days without a bowel movement.  If she isn't uncomfortable, don't worry about it."  As soon as she said the words, don't worry about it, out of my daughter came the worst thing I have ever smelt.  And I have smelt some horrible things, remember, I'm a vet.  "Okay, never mind, she just pooped." I told the nurse.  I think I heard her snort or groan or actually heard her eyes roll over the phone.  Seriously, are our child's bowel movements really going to rule our lives?