Eating at Shane's Rib Shack

Elliott ate at his cousin Kellie's Shane's for the first time today. He loved it! He had some barbeque, green beans, and a rib, but then he gobbled down a whole side of mac-n-cheese!! In this video he was laughing and being silly with the girl who works behind the counter. I think it's safe to say that he looooves Shane's!

Straw Sippy!

A while back (maybe 2 months ago?), I got Elliott two new sippy cups. These were different than the 'normal' sippy cups because they had a straw. They are no-spill, and the straw flips down and hides away if I wanted to carry the sippy in Elliott's diaper bag. Awesome! Well... what they don't tell you is that the cups are no-spill because the straw has an anti-leak system in them that allows liquid to only pass through when a biting + sucking action occurs. Do you know how hard it is to get a baby to bite THEN suck on a straw?? Let me tell you--it's not easy! I gave Elliott the new sippy at every mealtime, but eventually it just became another object for him to throw on the ground when he was bored. (Not with me, of course... with the food...)

I have jokingly given him the no-spill straw sippy a handful of times over the past two months and each time he would toss it aside. I have friends whose babies, all born the same month as Elliott, have tried the bite and suck sippy cups--some have mastered them and some haven't. I really didn't think it was too big of a deal. We have already packed every single bottle away so there is no going back as far as that is concerned, and he drinks wonderfully from a 'normal' sippy. He even drinks well from a normal straw. (Which, oddly enough, he loves to chew on while he drinks...)

Today I was in the kitchen and wanted to give Elliott some water, and the first sippy cup I put my hands on was a no-spill straw sippy. "Uh oh", I though. "I'm just going to waste this water and then end up having to go get a normal sippy."

I handed him the cup. Much to my surprise, Elliott started gulping water! YAY! I looked down and he was drinking from the bite and suck straw sippy cup like a pro! I clapped and made a big deal... and of course he looked at me like I was crazy.

I don't have any plans on switching him to all straw sippy cups any time soon, but it is nice to know that he can drink from them if need be. These are what his no-spill straw sippy cups look like:
(today he was drinking from the green and yellow one, but he also has the all orange one)

A long video of Elliott's slow walk

Since Elliott started walking more and more I thought I would film a little bit of it. You have to realllly love Elliott to watch this whole video, especially more than once! It's long, but it gives you an idea of how he is progressing with his walk.

90% walk, 10% crawl

This video was taken on my phone, so it's a bit dark. Sorry!



Elliott has flipped a switch today. He has spent 90% of the day walking and only about 10% crawling! He looks so cute wobbling across the livingroom and kitchen. And he thinks that he is pretty funny, too. He talks and laughs and is soooo proud when he can walk over to me without holding on to anything!! Ohhhh I love him so much!

tooth #12

Elliott has all four molars! The last one to come in was the top right. They are all so small right now, but very sharp!!

tooth #11

The blood blister wasn't there when I checked today, (I've been checking daily) but his molar is!!
I'm not really sure if it bled when it popped as I thought it would. Since Elliott just started walking more than a few steps without holding on to anything (yay), he has had a few falls (socks+hardwoods=ouchie) which ended in a bloody mouth. Not sure if one had anything to do with the other.  :/
So, his current tooth count is: 5 on top (the four middle ones and the left molar), and 6 on the bottom (4 middle ones and a molar on each side).

tooth #10

Elliott's lower right molar came in today. There are still no signs that his blood blister is going away, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will be gone soon and not cause him any pain.

tooth #9

It's here! His lower left molar came in!!

Blood Blister

Poor baby!


At the pediatrician's office yesterday Dr. Davis was looking to see if Elliott had any new teeth and she found a blood blister on his gums!  :(  She said it is completely normal, and that sometimes when teeth start to come through, a little bleeding happens under the gums and forms a small blood blister or bruise. Isn't that just about the saddest thing you've ever heard? His tooth hasn't come through yet, and I'm wondering what will happen once it does. I'm curious to see if the blister will pop and bleed in his mouth or if I'll even know that it's gone. I guess we'll see!

12 month appointment

Weight: 21lbs 13oz
Height: 31in
Head Circumference: 47cm

From December 2010

Elliott could NOT sit still at this appointment! He walked all around the room (holding on to the furniture) and when he had to sit on the table, he wanted to do anything BUT sit! He tried standing, and then found that the paper beneath him made crinkle noises, so of course he wanted to destroy it. I was so proud of him when Dr. Davis checked his ears, mouth, nose, eyes, and breathing --  he was super still! I couldn't have asked him to behave any better!


He got three shots at this visit. He was very still for the nurse, but as soon as she got the first needle in his right leg, his eyes welled up with tears and his jaw dropped open, his face turned bright red and as soon as he could catch his breath he let out the saddest little (loud) cry I've ever heard. (ok, probably not ever...) The nurse gave him two shots in his left leg and then I got to pick him up from the table. He only cried for about 90 seconds, and the nurse joked that she went from being his best friend to his worst enemy. Good thing he probably won't remember even getting shots next time he goes in for an appointment (15 month well visit).

Birthday Doughnut

Elliott and I went to Krispy Kreme on his birthday for a Mommy-Son birthday doughnut. He was so serious about it, but we both had so much fun! Everyone there told him 'Happy Birthday' and made a big deal about him turning 1! (You'll see two customers in the video that stop and talk to us and tell him 'Happy Birthday'.) I think this is going to become a yearly tradition for us :)
[ps This is a LONG video, but I didn't want to edit any of it out!]