It’s the Dawsons!

Sorry this posting is a little late….it’s been a busy week-and-a-half!

June 28 was a very special day. Our little 3-month-old was baptised at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in New Berlin–the same church where Homer and I were married last April–in front of about 20 of our family members and friends.

Mommy and Elliott.

Elliott wore a baptismal gown that was first worn by my maternal grandfather–Richard Polaski–back in 1922.  It has since been worn by more than 15 family members including my mother, her siblings, her cousins, my brother, my three cousins and now, Elliott. The gown is beautiful and in perfect condition…although it was so hot in that church that poor little Elliott sweat right through it.

Our family with Deacon John. Poor little Elle was soooo tired.

The baptism took about 20 minutes following Sunday mass. Elliott was so overdue for a nap. We tried to keep her up, but she fell asleep in Homer’s arms during the ceremony.  But, she didn’t cry!  We were so proud.

Deacon John baptising Elliott.Godparents Julie Larsen and Brad Polczynski

It was really great to see  Homer’s family who made the trip down from Minnesota. The exception was Homer’s sister, Molly, who was flying home that day from a study abroad trip to Europe. But she was there in spirit!

The Polczynski family.

The Dawson Family: Mike & Julie Larsen, Monica Dawson & Dennis Dawson

The Dawson Family: Kathy & Dennis Dawson

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…

That’s right. I officially turned the big 3-0 on May 9th.  Every year on my birthday people ask me, “Do you feel a year older?”  The answer is always, “No.” But this year, I can honestly say I do feel older…maybe more mature, more responsible…basically, a mom.

Homer and I had agreed early on that we weren’t going to do anything “big” for my 30th since things are a bit busy these days. Plus, I feel somewhat like a bad mom having more than one drink when my infant daughter is at home.   Homer told me we were going out to dinner at Louise’s in downtown Milwaukee. He’d gotten my parents to come down to babysit.  We’d do it up big for my 31st, he said.

So, the entire day I was planning on a 7:30 dinner with my husband. 

We got dressed up (which these days for me means jeans, heels and lipstick), kissed Elliott goodbye, and headed downtown.

We walked into Louise’s.  Homer told the hostess, “Reservation for Dawson,” and she led us into the back dining room.  Then, I heard it…

SURPRISE!

That’s right!  My wonderful husband planned a surprise birthday party for me!  That sneaky, sneaky and amazing guy…

It was perfect. Around 15 of our closest friends–including my close friends Candi and Robbie from Tennessee and Mark and Leslie from Madison. 

It was truly a surprise. And it was wonderful. It was the first time since having Elliott that I felt like my old self…an improved version…but still like my old self. I loved having my friends there.  That night was more special to me than I can tell you. It was exactly what I needed.

And, like I said, it was a successful surprise.

But, I must admit, there were a few things that made me a bit suspicious that something could be going on….

1. Candi  and Robbie were at our house earlier in the day and she said that they got a babysitter for their daughter that night so the two of them could go to dinner.  Hmmmm….could they be meeting us for dinner?

2. Neither Brad nor Erin called to wish me a happy birthday during the day.  Very unlike them. Could we be meeting them at night?

3. Hair and Body Solutions almost gave it away. (Thankfully I wasn’t bright enough to catch on.) Quick story:  That day I received an envelope in the mail from H&BS with a gift card fora spa pedicure. It said, “To Kari,” but didn’t name the sender anywhere.  So, I called HB&S to find out who very kindly sent it to me.  The receptionist remembered taking the call. It was from a friend of mine, she said.  And then she added, “Oh, is it for the party?”  My reply, “Um, no…but it’s my birthday today so it was probably sent for my birthday.”  End of the story–they had no idea who sent it.  But, Homer did. It was my wonderful friend, Sara.  Homer is still not sure why he just didn’t tell me right away that the card was from Sara….

Anyway, it was a great night. After dinner, the majority of us headed to Centanni, the piano bar where my cousin Chad is the head bartender. We had a blast.

But, a few martinis and shots later, it was time to return home to Elliott by midnight.  Ah, life changes when you have a baby….

But what a great birthday. THANK YOU to everyone (especially Homer) who helped make it so special for me.

So over the first few weeks, we were very excited to get more videos up on the site, but came to realize that babies as small as Elliott just don’t do a whole lot yet.  Well, all that has changed over the past few weeks.  She’s suddenly smiling and “talking” and reacting to us a lot more.  Not much in life is more rewarding than seeing that little smile from your child.

Elle seems to be the happiest on her changing table.  As soon as that diaper is clean and she’s redressed, she’ll just smile and coo away at us.  This video is a compilation of a few different changing table chat sessions.

I noted above that she seems to be happiest on the changing table, because this morning we fully set up her “Oceans of Wonder” activity mat and she’s loving the fish and octopus that hang above her.  Enjoy her having fun…

Time flies when you’re having fun, working on a lot less sleep and learning how to be a parent!  We’ve had quite the first month with our little girl.  Neither of us can believe it’s been one month since Elliott arrived and brightened our lives.  We survived Kari’s post-partum health issues, 10″ of snow on our first day home from the hospital (look for a Homer blog post about that in the future), Homer’s return to work and that whole first time parent thing…and we love it.

Elliott is a true blessing and everyone who gets to meet her is uplifted by the cute little faces she makes and her all-around adorableness.  She’s starting to coo, reacts to her Mom and Dad, breaks out the occasional smile and is determined to hold her head up without any help from us.  Elle will have many firsts in her life, but managed to include Dad on three big ones.  Who’s the first person she spit up, peed and pooped on?  You guessed it - good old Dad.  Mom has been stuck with boring firsts like her first smile and first giggle…

While we already miss that tiny little cuddle bug who came home with us one month ago, we are in love with the girl who is starting to show bits and pieces of her personality, growing so quickly and sleeping more than 2 1/2 hours at a time!  Here’s to the first month of a wonderful life!

Many of you have asked us about the origin of our little girl’s name–Elliott Dorothy Dawson.  Here is where it came from….

A few years ago, I caught an episode of the tv sitcom “Scrubs” on NBC. There is a character on the show named “Elliot” played by actress Sarah Chalke.  I really liked the name.

Now, I can’t say I’ve watched “Scrubs” since then, but the name stuck with me.  A few months before Homer and I got married, we had a late night if-we-ever-have-kids-what-would-we-name-them conversation.  I threw out the name “Elliott.”  Homer said he loved it.  We also decided that we liked the shortened version of “Elle.”

A year-and-a-half later when we found out I was pregnant, I brought up the name “Elliott” again. That was that.  It was decided from the get-go that Elliott was her name.  (And it wasn’t easy keeping that a secret for nine months!) We had a boy’s name ready too…but you’re going to have to wait until I have a boy to learn that one!

One minor detail–our Elliott has two t’s at the end of her name, instead of just one. 

Her middle name “Dorothy” is my late grandma’s name. She passed away in June of 2003.  She and I were always very close and she holds a very special place in my heart. She would have loved Elliott and been so proud of her. I look forward to the day when I can tell Elliott all about Grandma Dot.

Friends and family have asked what we want them to call our girl.  I prefer Elliott, Homer likes Elle…Elly is OK too (but only when she is little.) 

So, there you go….

We had a very nice Easter weekend here at the Dawson household.  Grandma Monica, Aunt Julie and Aunt Molly came to visit from Minnesota and all got to meet Elliott for the first time.  They were all appropriately smitten! 

Grandma Sue and Grandpa Gary had the family over for a very nice Easter meal Sunday.  It wasn’t warm enough for any Easter dresses, but Elle did have a pair of bunny ears to wear.  The vote is still out over whether or not this was the first documented case of child abuse…

Enjoy some pictures of our Easter blessing!