Weekend with my Pooh-Ba

Millie Chopski meeting Monti.  I think Monti is in love!

Elliott had her first meal of rice cereal two weeks ago!  She seemed to like it at first but then decided it tasted too much like breast milk and didn't want Mommy feeding it to her.  (Notice the UVA bib!  We were watching UVA getting KILLED by USC that day.)  We waited several days to try again and made the rice cereal and little bit more like cereal.  She loved it then and now we are full-steam-ahead with solids!  

Elliott wore the little UVA outfit that Daddy got at the bookstore for the USC game.  Unfortunately she wasn't a good luck charm for the Hoos as they were stomped upon by USC.  It was embarrassing for Virginia but the littlest Wahoo fan didn't let it ruin her day!  

Pooh-Ba came to visit for the holiday weekend.  

Elliott loves her Pooh-Ba and really gets excited over "Rupert" her stuffed giraffe.  We named him Rupert after Stewie's teddy bear on "The Family Guy."  She loves Rupert and chews on his ears.  She also has an organic rubber giraffe that Brooke and Brandon gave her that she loves to teethe on.  We named him "Gary."  Both Rupert and Gary were VITAL to our survival during our long trip to Vermont this weekend.  (Can anyone guess what Elliott is going to be for Halloween?  Hint: My diaper bag is giraffe print.)

Planes, trains and automobiles-our journey to Vermont

Elliott and Daddy at the wedding.

At the Equinox Pond, Vermont.  From left to right: (Brooke, Elise, Carolyn, JC (the groom), Lauren (the bride), Meg, Eileen, Courtney and Christa.

Elliott sleeping during the ceremony.  It only lasted that long....She cried the rest of the reception.

The most gorgeous setting for a wedding and reception.  The Equinox Pond, Vermont.  It poured down rain all morning until the ceremony, was sunny and beautiful during the ceremony and then poured during the reception.  Luckily, the reception was indoors!  

This weekend the Wiegard clan and Babbie and Pop traveled to Vermont for my college roommate, Lauren's wedding.  Our journey began in Roanoke as Spence, Elliott and I drove to Charlottesville to meet up with Babbie and Pop and fly out.  So we drove 2 hours to Charlottesville and then flew on a 30-minute flight to Wash-Dulles Airport to connect and then fly for one hour and 1/2 to Albany, NY.  Now I know what you're thinking...Why didn't you fly out of Roanoke?  Well, because it was $200 per ticket cheaper to do so, that's why.  And anyone who has flown with an infant, let me tell you, it is a complete cluster.  We had our checked baggage, her car seat, the snap-n-go stroller (again, the best $50 I ever spent at Wal-mart.), her diaper bag, my carry on, the Baby Bjourn in case she got fussy, our nice camera, and Spencer's brief case.  It took 20 minutes for us to disassemble and get through airport security.  Upon the advice of numerous parent and our pediatrician, I nursed her through the entire first flight.  No screaming babies for us!  The second flight provided a little more tricky and I tried to nurse her through our descent into Albany.  But poor Elliott's ears didn't pop and she screamed while we tried to deboard the plane.  Then we began our 1 hour and 45 minute drive to Dorset, Vermont, the sight of the wedding festivities.  Let me reiterate the traveling we had done:  2 hour drive to Charlottesville, two flights and now an hour and 45 minute drive.  Needless to say we were exhausted when we FINALLY got to our lovely Bed and Breakfast:  The Squire House.

What a sanctuary it was!  Roger and Gay Squire were amazing inn-keepers.  They were so sweet and they even had a little crib all set up for our arrival.  The crib had a pink and green toile bumper pad and bed skirt!  So nice.  The next day Babbie and I and my other college roommate Brooke and her mother, Sherry, hosted a bridal luncheon for Lauren.  Brooke had warned me that Sherry would probably steal my baby for the weekend and right she was!  Sherry became our surrogate grandmother and certainly had the magic touch with baby Elliott!  She held Elliott as much as she could (Hint: Brooke-someone is ready to be a grandmother!  Watch out!)  

Surrogate Grandmother Sherry and Elliott-fussing but soon to fall into a deep sleep!

The Denison girls at the Bridal Luncheon:  From left to right: Courtney, Christa, Lauren (the bride!), Meg, Carolyn and Brooke.

It is always tough when you are away from home and your baby is out of her routine.  Well, Elliott also decided to begin teething this weekend.  Fabulous.  Spencer had thought she had an ear infection because she was getting severely fussy at night and grabbing at her ear and screaming.  So I took her to the doctor the day before we left just to be sure we weren't dealing with an infection.  Come to find out that when babies teethe, it is worse at night, they scream bloody murder and grab at their faces, especially their ears.  Our poor little girl is deep into teething.  So Elliott, whose ears weren't done popping and was teething was having none of this variation in routine and in a new place.  She hated the rehearsal dinner and cried through most of it.  Even though we FINALLY got a cute white bow in her hair and she looked adorable, you can see the look on her face below that will just illustrate her discomfort.  Spence and I took turns walking around trying to settle her down.  (Side note:  I have now nursed in just about every location possible:  hotel bars, airports, rental cars, hotel bathrooms, and flying at 28,00o feet.  I am the master nurser!)

But Elliott is a champ.  She slept through the night all three nights and we had to wake her up this morning at 6:30a to leave to begin our long journey back 1 hour and 45 minutes to Albany, on two flights and then 2 hours back to Roanoke.  She was a trooper and hardly complained the entire trip back.  She was so happy to be home (so were Mommy and Daddy) and to see all her furry brothers and sisters.  No official sightings of any pearly whites yet but man, they have to be on their way!  We'll keep you posted!  To the Bride and Groom-it was worth the trip.  We had a wonderful time and would do it again in a heart beat.  We wouldn't have missed this fabulous weekend for the world and were so honored to be a part of it all.  We can't wait to tell Elliott about everything she got to experience in Vermont!  

Previous photos and blogs!

Please look for the previously posted photos on older blogs.  I finally figured out how to post them so that you can click on the photo and see them larger!  See the archived blogs for the older photos of Elliott and such!  Thanks!

More Baptism Photos

Uncle Pierce and Elliott

The fancy monogramed cake!

        Elliott finally asleep! 

Franklin Family 

(From Left to Right: Brodie, Tripp, Jean, Thea, G.G., Courtney, Spencer, Elliott, Babbie, Mary Quinn, Pop)

Wiegard Family

(From Left to Right: Ariel, Pierce, Pooh Ba, Ya Ya, Courtney, Spencer, Elliott, Max, Rebecca, Millie)

G. G. holding Elliott with kisses from Mary Quinn

Courtney, Michaux and Lauren

Elliott's baptism

Elliott became an official "child of God" this past weekend. Spence and I traveled up to Waynesboro to have Elliott baptised in the same church where I was baptised. She even donned the same christening gown that has been worn by most every member of my father's side of the family (including ol' Humes himself). Our home  church in Roanoke (Church of the Holy Spirit) does not do traditional baptisms but rather a more informal infant dedication.

We awoke in Waynesboro on Sunday to a gorgeous August day and dressed Elliott in a beautiful purple smocked outfit. We didn't dare dress her in the ancient, wilting but beautiful christening gown. (Thank you Babbie for sewing up the hundred tiny little holes the night before.) As you can guess from the previous blog entries that we had a distinct fear of poop ruining this sacred gown!

We made it to the church with a relatively happy child only to have her start fussing as soon as the first hymn was done. All of Elliott's immediate family members including the Wiegards (Ya-Ya, Pooh Ba, Pierce, his girlfriend Ariel, Max, Rebecca and cousin Millie), the Franklins (Pop, Babbie, Tripp, Jean, Brodie, Mary Quinn and sister-cousin Thea, and G.G.), Waynesboro "family" (Randy McGann, Sarah Leech, and Judge and Peggy Ricketts), Roanoke "family" (Stan and Michaux Chopski and Elliott's best friend, Millie) and finally Elliott's God Parents (Whit and Lauren Ellerman). She had quite the crowd and we packed our tiny Lutheran church.

I spent most of the beginning of church in the back singing the "ABC" song to try to get her to stop fussing. Then wonderful Pastor Pence summoned me (in front of the entire church) back into the sanctuary for the sermon which incidentally, happened to be all about me. How embarrassing. Pastor Pence recalled when I was baptised (he wasn't there then but he did confirm me at age 13.) and related the special day of my daughter's baptism to mine and how everything had come full-circle. It was actually quite inspiring and very thoughtful and it meant so much that Elliott got to become a child of God in the same exact spot as her mother.

Elliott was STILL fussing when we got to the official baptism part. Spence and I took a stripped-down naked child (still in her pampers) up to the baptismal font along with her God Parents. We renounced the Devil and promised to teach our baby the ten commandments and take her to church. We then placed our naked child into a large silver basin of holy water. She actually stopped crying for this until Pastor ceremonially poured water over her head three times. Oh she really screamed for that. Elliott was next wrapped in a towel and we raced to the back of the church to get her into the christening gown. What I didn't realize at the time was that there is a little slip that went under the gown that had to go on prior to the actual gown and both of them are really long and impossible to get over the head of a flailing, screaming infant.

Meanwhile as we are flustering and trying to dress Elliott, the music had stopped and the church is silent, awaiting our return with Elliott. Only the slip made it on before we raced back into the sanctuary to finish the ceremony. Elliott was anointed with oil by the sign of the cross, we lit a beautiful candle and WHEW, we were done! We took our applause as Pastor introduced Elliott to the congregation and wouldn't you believe it, Elliott FELL ASLEEP. After all that, she was exhausted.

We had a small, brief reception at the church before heading to my parent's garden for a lavish champagne brunch. It was tradition when my brother and I were baptised that my Franklin grandparents had a champagne brunch so naturally I followed suit. We had chicken salad, shrimp and grits, ham biscuits, tomato and goat cheese tarts, fruit salad and the most beautiful cake ever. (A mini wedding cake!) You had your choice of champagne or mimosas, lemonade or raspberry tea. Babbie had tables with pink linens and hydrangea and lily flower arrangements. Needless to say, it was amazing and so incredibly special and Elliott had no idea that all the fuss was about her.

But Mommy and Daddy will remember it always as the day Elliott entered God's family. We are forever blessed.

Talk about eating crow......

Mommy loves to dress me in silly outfits.

Elliott in her silly hat.

Mommy holding cousin Millie Wiegard.

Jean and Thea and Courtney and Elliott-loving the Bjourns.

Yes, yes yes, all we ever blog about are Elliott's bowel movements. But really, they seem to consume our lives these days.

I really have to be careful when I make fun of Spencer because karma has a funny way of smacking you back down to reality....

Yesterday evening was beautiful: Sunny and 80 degrees. Spencer came home from work at a decent hour and the poor neglected dogs were begging to be walked. Elliott really loves the Baby Bjourn so I strapped her snugly to my chest, we hooked all three dogs to their leashes and off we went. Incidentally I had to deliver a letter to the owner of a very nice restaurant down the street (Tony Pope's Bistro-which is fabulous if you haven't eaten there!) so we decided to kill two birds with one stone. I had Elliott happily on my chest and McKinley on leash with the important letter in the other hand. Spencer had a very excited Monti and Milla. (Our little 3-legged dog is the WORST on the leash. It is hard for him to walk at a nice pace so he tends to run as fast as he can to keep up.)

Right off the bat we exit our home to find a nice neighbor walking her very well-behaved Labrador. You would have thought our dogs had never seen another canine in their lives. Monti and Milla started howling, screaming, pulling, basically creating the noisiest scene ever. The lady didn't even look up but very quickly crossed the street to avoid our obviously rabid dogs. We finally get the dogs calmed down enough to start our walk. The poor Wiegard dogs have been badly neglected since Elliott's arrival and I hate to admit that we have been really bad about taking them out for long walks. So when they do finally get their leashes on, they try to run and sniff every smell they can. They basically take us for walks.

The next part of the walk was really uneventful. Elliott was all smiles in the Bjourn and the dogs were getting their exercise. We rounded the corner and Tony Pope's Bistro was in sight! (Keep in mind that I am still in my nice clothes that I had worn to work and in flip-flops.) Then I hear that all familiar rumble from my darling child and she pooped. Great, I thought, at least she'll feel better and I'll just change her when we get back. So we keep walking up to the restaurant when I feel something plop onto my naked foot. Yes, Elliott's BM had escaped her diaper and made it's way onto my shirt, down my pants and onto my sandals and bare feet. Mortified I realize that we are blocks from home, in the middle of public and I have Elliott's poop ALL OVER ME. Suddenly the front door to Tony Pope's opens and out walks Tony. I have the letter I need to give him in my hand (luckily the letter was spared my fate). Knowing this is my opportunity to hand deliver it, (I'm sure that my face is blood-red from embarrassment) I speak to Tony with my back turned away so hopefully he doesn't see that I am head-to-toe in feces. "Here Mr. Pope, is your letter," I say. "Sorry I can't stay to chat but we have to get back to the house!" Tony smiled and took the letter and quickly walked away.

"Oh my God, do you think he noticed?" I asked Spencer, my cheeks burning. Meanwhile, the dogs are still freaking out about being outside. There was nothing I could do except walk home 4 blocks with poop in my shoes and soaking through my clothes. Spencer never said a word but I know he was thinking...hahahaha, you deserve it after laughing so hard at me the other day. We finally made it home and I peeled Elliott out of the Bjourn. Miraculously the Bjourn was unscathed! I stripped Elliott down, wiped her off and placed her in the crib on a disposable pad while I started her bath. By the time I came back to the nursery she had pooped again, all over herself and the pad.

All we can do is laugh at these wonderful moments and know that one of these days we'll get our revenge when we tell these tales at her rehearsal dinner.

4-month doctor visit

Elliott and her namesake, Marion Arlene Leavitt (G.G.)

Strawberry Shortcake!

Elliott in the gazebo!

Elliott lounging by the pool at Babbie and Pop's house.

Elliott and her "aunt" Melinda Kacer.

Elliott had her 4-month visit with Dr. Craft today.  She woke up all smiles and giggles in the best mood and I just dreaded the four intramuscular vaccines that were looming ahead.  Elliott weighed in at 14 pounds and 5 ounces (60%) and 25.5 inches (90%).  So our girl is a long, lean machine!  Dr. Craft was very pleased with her weight gain and length.  He was impressed with her head control (take that tummy time!) and with her chattiness for her age.  But what had him most impressed was that she is sleeping 11 hours a night.  "That is quite atypical for a breast fed baby at this age...but atypical in a good way!" he told me.  I beamed with pride.  So all that eating well, staying hydrated, and crazy pumping has paid off!  And then poor Dr. Craft ruined everything when he flipped her over onto her stomach to see how she responded to tummy time. And she did as she always does: she screamed bloody murder.  

For those of you who don't know what tummy time is, let me explain:  Since the discovery of SIDS, it has been recommended that babies be put on their backs to sleep.  In order for them to not have flat skulls and to work on their neck muscles, the American Pediatrics Association recommends at least 15 minutes of tummy time a day for infants.  What they don't warn you about is how much babies actually LOATHE tummy time.  Most babies scream, cry, fuss and fester while on their stomachs.  Elliott is no exception.  In fact, I am the only person who is the bad guy and makes her do it.  Supposedly the trick is to pat their behinds really hard in an attempt to distract them.  (It doesn't work; Elliott still screams.)  I didn't have the heart to confess to Dr. C that I was really bad about making her do it.  Instead we make her sit up and we hold her on our hips to make her use her neck muscles.  

Then it was vaccine time.  While we waited for the nurse to come in with the four horse needles, Elliott fell asleep on my shoulders.  (Okay now I should take a cue from how the peds do it.  I think I should make my technicians give the vaccines to my veterinary patients and then I wouldn't be the bad guy.  That could really work for me.....)  She got the dreaded four needles in her quads and shrieked and it was horrible but I have to say that my heart always swells with love when I can comfort my terrified infant.  She was fine in about 10 minutes and we were on our way.  Next visit, 6-months and we are on to solids!  Wa hoo!