Elliot's first Christmas

What a busy holiday full of travel, friends and family.  Elliot got to have her first visit to Maine and Wisconsin!

We started the holiday by flying to Maine to spend an early Christmas at Cook's Camp.  We had a great weekend with LOTS of talking and snuggling.  Elliot had lots of fun playing with aunts, uncles, and grandparents.  She even got to meet Santa for the first time.

  From Maine we headed to Wisconsin for a second early Christmas!  Elli met her extended Weis and Roanhouse family which was amazing!  She also got to play with her cousins Jordyn and Paige who were clearly IN LOVE!  There was also nots of time hanging out with uncles, aunt Kelly and Grammy.

Elliot was a trooper with all the flying!  She barely fussed and spent most of the time sleeping or chowing down on Avocado!

We made it back to Oregon on Christmas eve in time for Mac to work at 6 am on Christmas.  We were greeted back in Oregon by Grandma and Grandpa Cook with happy dogs and a full refrigerator.  They flew out from Maine to spend more time with us...mostly Elliot!

7 months!

I know I say it every month but you can just see her mind racing with observing the world and learning so many new things!

She is such a good sitter these days.  She has amazing balance, one of her favorite past times is rocking forward and back.  There is still the occasional tip over, see below.  Now that she knows she can sit and look out at the world, she has little patience for laying on her back or belly.  She has rolled but still doesn't do it on a regular basis.  

Although she can't get her legs under her, she has perfected the backwards scoot.  Time to start baby proofing, baby girl is starting to get mobile.

Her pincher grasp is AMAZING!  She wants nothing to do with the spoon these days as usually she can shovel the food into her mouth pretty efficiently herself.  She can even get small bits of slippery avocado which is amazing to watch!

For sleep it has been the month of opposites!  She went 3 nights sleeping 12 hours!  That, of course, didn't last.  It was followed immediately by 3 nights with 2 am dance parties.  Somehow she was as happy and playful as could be from 2-5 am with no desire to sleep...mom and dad were not pleased :)

Elli likes....
-2 am dance parties :(
-Sitting!  She loves being able to see the world
-Rocking back and forth
-Feeding herself, forget the spoon

Elli dislikes...
-Laying on her back, why would she lay down when she can sit?!?!
-Getting her diaper changed

New developments...
-Pincher grasp!  Its amazing what she can pick up these days
-Rocking, dancing and drumming to music
-Her giggle sounds like old mans cough...its really cute
-Backwards scooting
-WAY more vocal!

Elli wasn't in the mood for pictures this rainy morning.  We got in and out as fast as possible :)

Happy Baby!

Angel eye!

I seemed to have tipped over.

Madison...will you be my friend?

mmmm

Our first run without the car seat.  Elliot LOVED it!  So much she fell right asleep.

Helping dad get ready for Thanksgiving!

Walk selfie

Helping mom do laundry

Touring neighborhoods in Seattle for next year.