It’s the Dawsons!

In celebration of Homer’s very first Father’s Day, Elliott and I took him to the Milwaukee County Zoo (one of our very favorite date spots before we were married.) We bought a zoo pass this year–$125 for a year, good for four people per trip, and parking is included–not a bad deal.  We figured it would be a fun and easy outing for us and for Grandma Sue and Grandpa Gar whenever they’re watching her.

The day was overcast, which was great since I hate having Elly in the direct sun. Still, we bought her the most adorable little sun hat.  She sported the hat at least half of the day while riding with Dad in the Baby Bjorn.

Elliott sports her brand new sun hat at the zoo.

Dad and Elle checking out the flamingos.

Elle is the same size as a baby gorilla!

Daddy and Elle in front of the camels.

Dad, Elle and Sophie pose in front of the real-life Sophies!

Look at this cute kid.

It was naptime for our sleepy girl.

 Homer and I stayed for about another hour visiting the animals while Elliott slept in her stroller. I loved being there with him on Father’s Day. I love that he is the father of my daughter and am so proud to be his wife.  We couldn’t ask for a better man in our lives.

Say goodbye to size newborn clothes and diapers….our baby is quickly growing!  That’s right, at about two-and-a-half months, our little Elle weighs a whopping 11 pounds and is 24 inches long!  Woo!  AND she’s moved into size 1 diapers and 0-3 month clothes!

Elliott Dawson, 11 weeks

We took Elliott to the doctor for her 2-month appointment (a few weeks late) last week.  She’s measuring in the 50th percentile for weight and head circumference and 95th percentile for length!  What that basically means is that all of her pants fit her long legs, but are HUGE in the waist!

Elliott and Dr. Dominski share a pouty face.

And, of course, she had to get her shots during this visit.  She howled during the pokes, but was back to her smiley self just a few minutes later. As expected, it was probably much more difficult for me then it was for her.   We’ll be back for more shots in a month and a half.

Getting comforted post-shots from Dad.

The great news is that she is a healthy, happy baby. She can now hold her head up on her own, but is still a bit wobbly. I think we’ll hold off a week or two before introducing her to the jumperoo or Bumbo.  She has discovered her hands, and as a result, they are always in her mouth. But this is a good thing, we’re told.  She’s also started recognizing objects in front of her face and is starting to grab at them.  Her new favorite object is her squeaky giraffe named Sophie. (I’m sure you’ll see Sophie in plenty of photos!)

Elliott loves Sophie.

Elliott is also sleeping through the night (8-9 hours) on a regular basis in the crib in her room. Yee-hah!  She usually goes to bed around 7, wakes at 11 to eat, and then sleeps through until about 5:30am.   Last night she even went from 8:30pm to 5:30am without a wakeup!  Yay baby!

I hope we can continue this routine when I go back to work next week…

She was born a Brewers fan!  And our lucky little girl got to meet some of the players…and the Klement’s Racing Sausages… at just nine weeks old!

Grandpa Gar is a member of the West Allis-West Milwaukee Old Timers Baseball Association and each year the organization hosts a breakfast with some of the Brewers players.  Most people just got autographs, but we had connections! 

Elliott and Mom meet the Famous Klement's Racing Sausages!

Brewers pitcher Mitch Stetter holding Elliott.

Elliott with Brewers pitcher Mark DiFelice. She was very content sitting with them!

Elliott with Brewers FSN TV commentator and former Major Leaguer Davey Nelson.

Where has the time gone?  Our little peanut is now two-and-a-half months old!  I just looked at the clock and it reads 7:11pm–10 weeks ago to the minute Elliott came into our lives.  The tiny bundle we brought home from the hospital is now a smiling, giggling ball of love. 

Elliott Dawson, 9 weeks

Elliott could be the happiest baby ever. She is constantly smiling and is probably the most content when she’s laying on her back on her activity mat or sitting in her bouncer chair.  The mat is great. It has a mirror for her to gaze into and three dangling animals, which are now her best friends. Al the octopus gets all of her affection, while Morty the Moose is her punching bag.  And then there is poor Freddie the Fish.  No love for Freddie.  We noticed Elliott favors all of the animals that hang on her left side…..we’re wondering if this could mean our little girl is a lefty.  We’ll see….

Elliott on her activity mat checking out her friends Al and Morty.

The bouncer chair is a new addition. We’ve had it from the start, but until recently, Elliott was too light to sit on it.  But now….ooh man…you turn on the little vibrating seat and she is as happy as a clam.  We used to put Elliott in the swing during the day, but we’re trying to cut back a little with that. She fell asleep regularly in it, and we don’t want her to get used to that.

Elliott loves her bouncer chair.

This week is a big one for Elliott. She is making the transition from her bassinet in our room to her big girl crib in her bedroom. I’ve had her napping in the crib during the week to make the overnight transition a bit smoother. It’s taken her a little longer to fall asleep, but it’s getting better.  We have a white noise machine going, as well as her mobile overhead.   It’s funny to see that little body in her big bed. I know I’m going to have a tough time when she’s not sleeping in her bassinet next to me.

Elliott's first nap in her big girl crib. June 1, 2009

Last week we had another Elliott success story. She took a bath without screaming. I won’t go as far as to say she was smiling, but she wasn’t screaming, which was huge.  What changed?  For one, we tried Johnson’s Bedtime Bath soap, which supposedly calms babies. Two, we used this frog washcloth that I received for a shower gift.  According to its directions, you put the dry frog over the baby to keep her warm, and then when it becomes wet with warm water, the baby adapts. I must admit, I was a naysayer when it came to the frog. I’ve since changed my tune. All expectant mothers I know will be receiving a frog washcloth from me. (Of course, you could probably just use a regular washcloth for this, but what fun is there in that?)

Elliott's first non-screaming bath. We credit the adorable frog washcloth.

So, it’s been a busy month. In the next few weeks, we hope Elliott can hold her head up by herself (she’s getting close) and sleep completely through the night.

Parents are sure right when they say they grow up so fast…