Elliott

Here he is, moments old... he made me work for it, but it was miles easier than Kiddo #1!

I've been awful lately! And so much cool stuff has been going on here. But what I realized I've been the most awful about it not posting much about Elliott.



Oh, Elliott! He is such a delight! He loves the world and gives out enormous doses of adoration and hugs and sweetness and joy all day long. For instance, when the daycare moms come to drop off and pick up, he SPRINTS to the door to jump in their arms with hugs. He is ready with an I Love You and an adorable comment about what ever we are doing just about anytime. He is just a bundle of love and happiness.

Until he isn't.

And then he really, really isn't.

Lately I am starting to understand that the same part of him that makes him such a ray sunshine has an equal and opposite "dark" side. He is so sensitive to the joys in life.... but he is also over sensitive to the hurts. He generally can express this verbally. For instance, if he has made some kind of mess or is refusing to do a non-preferred activity (say, putting on his shoes and socks without assistance) and one of us raises our voice at him... forget it. He's a mess. He either out and out hollers or he because sullen. With Scott, he will refuse to look at him and won't speak to him. With me it's usually loud screams and cries of protests usually including "YOU HURT MY FEELINGS!!!!"

He has a really hard time with "Baby" Brendan. Brenny is only 18 months old but he weighs about the same as Elliott and is, I'm pretty sure, a lot stronger. He has figured out that Elliott is the one to target when he wants to climb on, take toys from or otherwise bother another kid. And boy does Elliott holler! I feel simultaneously sorry for and frustrated with Elliott's problem with Bren. He really needs to toughen up and figure out how to deal with him... but at the same time, Brendan really is too young to understand sharing and waiting for a turn and that stuff. So Elliott is left being grabbed and hit and sat upon (really... he can't get up when Bren decides to sit on him!)

So, now that he is coming up on 4, I'm becoming more and more aware of how much we still baby Elliott. He really, really loves his mama and prefers to stick with me if possible. It's probably too early to worry about the cling factor on the first day of Kindergarten (still 17 months away!) but I have created a bit of a monster with this whole staying-at-home thing. If we could afford it, I would send him to preschool part time next year so he could get used to the idea, but obviously, the main idea of me doing daycare was to be home with the kids.

There have been many posts about the joys and concerns Tommy brings to me, so here is the nod to Elliott. Gotta love him.