Pacifier Substitute

Don't have a pacifier?


Just use a Lego man!

(He actually crawled all over the floor like this.)

Trip to Florida

Isaac and I went down to visit with the Grandparents, Uncle A, and Great Aunt Janice and Uncle Fred. Isaac had lots of fun exploring a different house. His favorite game was pull all the magazines off the coffee table (we did this multiple times a day). He got into everything he could think of--including diving naked into our suitcases (thank you Grandmommy for that one). He even figured out how to climb up onto a serving cart.

Climbing on Granddaddy and showing off those teethers.

Playing with Grandmommy and that very funny Great Aunt Janice.

The new trick

Isaac is really getting the hang of this pulling up thing--so much so that he didn't want to sit down for his bath! Daddy had to bathe him standing up. He's so tickled with himself. (Thank you Daddy for the well placed hand ;-)

Up to the Feet

Isaac has been working very hard on trying to get up on his feet. He has done it with help, and he has sort of done it on his own. But last night, he really got it! I went in to get him out of his crib, and he pulled up onto his knees (like he normally does), then he got his feet under him and stood up! (He didn't stand up straight; he held onto the crib railing and stuck his buns out behind him.) In the picture below, I put him on his feet, but that is pretty much what it looked like in the crib (minus the laundry basket of course).

Um, a bath?

Isaac was playing in the office with Paul, so I'm not sure exactly how this came about. Paul called me in the room to show me how Isaac had been happily playing in his bathtub for awhile (we haven't used this tub for several months). He does like his baths, but this seems a little extreme... :-)

Climbing

One of Isaac's favorite games is climbing through the side table. I think initially he did it just for the short cut, but now he seems to do it just because he wants to climb on something. Here's the progression...







I like the "dismount"--it's pretty much just a head first free-fall onto the floor.

Playing with Jack

This boy loves being outside, which works out terrifically well since my four-legged boy loves playing outside too. Throwing the ball for Jack also entertains Isaac--hence killing two birds with one stone. However, this also leads to my greatest parenting challenge...how to keep the dog toys out of the baby's mouth (and, unfortunately, vise versa). Jack is finally learning that just because a toy squeaks, it doesn't mean it's his. (That one took a long time to learn. Every time one of Isaac's toys squeaked, Jack would come running.) Poor Jack is used to having all of his toys around on the floor wherever he wants them, but now that Isaac is mobile, I have to put them up or the next thing I know they are in Isaac's mouth. (I don't think I can count how many times I've pulled a rawhide out of Isaac's mouth.) And I have often walked into a room and caught Jack chewing on Isaac's toys (he destroyed a rubber ducky)--probably out of desperation since all his toys are up on furniture where he can't reach them. I have to put them up high; because now, not only does Isaac go after Jack's toys, but Jack will bring his toys to Isaac so he can chew on them!! I'm hoping that this is a good sign and that they will be great friends (even if it means I have to keep a vigilant toy patrol).


Isaac thinking "If I could just get this into my mouth..."



Excited because Daddy is about to throw the ball...

And excited because Jack is bringing the ball back.

Playing with Jack's ball (Jack's not so sure about it).

Chewing on Jack's ball (Yuck!!)

The boys checking out the neighborhood

The Crib: for sleep or play?

I went in to get Isaac at 2:00 this morning (yes, he still gets up in the middle of the night most nights, unfortunately) and he was sitting up in his crib! He's been able to sit for several months, but he's never sat up himself. I wonder if he cheated and got up on his knees and then fell onto his buns. It seems like he's figuring out so much recently. I feel like I'm going to walk into his room one morning soon and he will have climbed out of his crib, walked over to his dresser and gotten himself dressed. He's growing so fast! Here are some of the pictures of him on his knees.

Swimsuit Pose

Is there any question why I call this his swimsuit pose? He started doing this when he was rolling around across the floor. He would stop mid-roll and prop himself on one elbow. He's developed it into an art form. I think he's practicing for the 2009 swimsuit calendar :-).

He pulled up!!!

Oh, we are so excited!!! I went in to get the boy from his nap, and he was up on his knees hanging on to the side of the crib! He's really starting to get this whole pulling up thing. I can't believe that he'll be walking soon. I know you all told me, but I guess on some level I just didn't believe it would go by this fast. It's so exciting and yet, it's sort of sad. He's not a baby-baby anymore. Unfortunately, I do not have a picture of him pulling up; maybe next time. So here is a random picture for your viewing pleasure :-).

On the Move

This boy has gotten mobile! He is crawling around all over the place. (Well, if you can call it crawling officially. He stays on his belly and moves his legs up beside him.) He does not like to sit still. And today, for the first time, he pulled up on a chair and got his knees under him!! He can stand up pretty well with someone holding him, so maybe we'll be pulling up soon.

He likes to use his arms to pull himself around and lets his legs drag on the slippery floor.

The boy crawling around on the floor.

Getting the buns up in the air. (He does it sometimes.)

He loves playing with the door stop. It bounces very nicely.

More lovely faces!

Wearing Dinner

We have finally gotten going with the whole "eating process". (And let me tell you, it is a process.) At this point his favorite food is probably sweet potatos. He can't stand green veggies (we've tried sweet peas and green beans and he's having none of it). He's finally enjoying eating, and he's quit making that "this is disgusting" face every time we put something in his mouth. Now when we sit him down to eat, he will happily open his mouth (unless you stick some of that yucking green stuff in his mouth...then you wouldn't believe the face!). I believe the top picture is squash and the bottom two are carrots (some of his other favorites). The boy likes his orange veggies.