Dearest, loyal blog viewers/elliot fans,
Over Spring Break, we loaded up our trusty vintage camping trailer and headed to Rocky Point, Mexico for some much needed beach time! Although we were worried slightly about being over-run by bikini clad, drunk college kids, we were pleasantly surprised by the peaceful-ness on our side of the beach. We joined our friends, Jaime, Clay and their little Tula and made a cozy campsite. Here is elliot enjoying our favorite new treat...mango on a stick!
Elliot was unfazed by the beach and waves as if he had been there before. He crawled right in to the ocean and would have kept going if daddy hadn't scooped him up!
We were amazed by the amount of growth that had happened since we were last there. HUGE hotels and condos everywhere! Sweet little Rocky Point has moved aside to make way for big tourist money! Sad on some levels, but still a beautiful place to relax.
Elliot and daddy getting ready to go to the beach (evidence of huge hotels behind jason!)
Play, play, play! So much fun. We can't wait to go back!
What a horrible blogger I am! So sorry to those of you who are devoted "elliot blog fans"! Once again time gets away from us and here we are almost 2 months later. Elliot is growing fabulously, as usual. He is crawling all over the place in between pulling to stand on everything! He is busy and thus, we are too. He is truly a joy to be around, has a fantastic sense of humor, and he loves eveything, it seems. He's just happy to be hare and we're so glad he is!
This is his latest favorite toy...a cupcake with feet? huh?
A sweet moment...
Little-baby-apple-face. Too cute.
Happy New Year! Again, it's amazing how time flies with a little one! Elliot amazes us everyday with how much he is growing, learning, understanding, and smiling, as usual. He has his first "real" cold right now and still manages to smile although he seems to have forgotten how to sleep! We had a great weekend in Pinetop with our dear friends Jaime, Clay and their little Tula. Jaime had the brilliant idea of putting the kiddos in the laundry basket to create a baby safe sled. Clay pulled them around the front yard with a rope tied to the basket...hilarious!
Here they are in an inflatable rubber duck bathtub. This is definitely blackmail material later... 
Jaime and I strapped the kids in their Ergo's and we all went on a walk while the babies slept. It was suuny and cold and snowy and quiet...Perfect.
Just had to get out the camera...another adorable moment!
We spent a belated Christmas with Jason's mom and Paul or Grandmarie and Hoppa, as Elliot knows them... Minutes before this picture, Elliot was tugging away at Hoppa's beard...santa?
We spent a family day at the cabin in the snow. I went sledding for the first time in forever...I had forgotten how it makes you feel so weightless and free. Even though there was plenty of snow it was 70 degrees. Only in Arizona!
Elliot got to taste his first snow and decided it was delicious. The cousins had a blast finding the "freshest" snow to offer Elliot. 
Happy Holidays everyone! We had so much fun celebrating Elliot's first Christmas with the entire family. It was a busy day but worth it so that we could see all of our family in one day. Elliot was a trooper, napping on the go, happy while awake, and loving each new present and all the glorious wrapping paper! We started the day with breakfast and stockings at my parents house with Jenny, Gawain and the kiddos. We traveled from there to my Grandma Richardson's house where we spent hours laughing and enjoying our large beautiful family. The wooden car he is enjoying in the picture above was a gift from Great Auntie Peggy! Then it was back to my mom and dad's for a nap for Elliot and Ailsa, and then over to Mary and Gavin's for a visit and present exchange. THEN, our final destination was my Grandma Barber's house for a traditional english Christmas dinner and dessert. It was a full day, but memorable!
The best present by far was this little gift under our tree!
Tillie got a new beanbag and was so excited to share it with "her" Elliot. She just knew he would love it and she was right! He snuggled right in and munched on some wrapping paper.
Oh, the joy! This was the photo that we gave as gifts to the family. Those dimples, that smile...
Elliot is crazy about our christmas tree...so sparkly, just like him. Now that he is almost (one day shy) 7 months, he is exploring his bigness. He is starting to get on his hands and knees and desperately wants to scoot across the floor to reach his toys, Coby, or whatever else he sees. He is eating like a little champ and I am having so much fun making his food and coming up with new combinations of yummy food to try. Elliot's latest favorite is banana-pear muesli. He now weighs 19 lbs and has the cheeks to prove it! I am happily spending my days doing lots of nothing besides enjoying my time with Elliot and Jason. I head back to school on January 15th.
Whew! What a month! Sorry we've been "off the radar" lately. I finished my 3rd semester of nursing school, which was a true test of my comittment, but I did it. Finals are over and now it's smooth sailing in to 4th semester and "almost" the end.
We were able to squeeze in a jaunt to Sabino Canyon (elliot's first). We had a great time with perfect weather and a yummy picnic lunch. Elliot dipped his toes in the running water...
......posed with the mountains
........stopped for a snack
.......and hung with dad
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! We are extremely thankful this year for many things. Mostly we are thankful for our incredible, beautiful, sparkly little boy who brings us so much joy everyday! We are thankful for the incredible amount of love and support we receive from our loving family and amazing friends! This year we are thankful for our new president-elect whose ideas inspire us once again to hope for change. We are thankful to have each other and to always have just what we need. Above is a pic of our little milagro holding his favorite milagro pillow handmade for him by dear friends Jen and Julie.
The last couple of weeks Elliot has discovered swinging! He loves it! Jason hung his swing (a hand me down from the Bosco's, thanks guys!) in the back yard. The days here have been gorgeous and he loves to just hang in the swing and listen to the wind chimes.
Here he is with his ever-present dimply smile that lights up the room and our hearts!
Elliot has also discovered that he can sit up all by himself (with pillows behind him and dad's hand to soften the fall). He seems to feel very proud as he sits up tall and plays with his toys.
Jason had to work on Thanksgiving (boo!) So Elliot and I went up to the station to visit while they were making their feast. Elliot loved all the attention from the guys but still doesn't realize how cool it is that his dad is a firefighter!