Banana Bread and Bumbos!

Looks like mom caught me...BUMBO-handed! Shewas busy making banana bread...mmmm...guess she has eyes in the back of her head!

What a Day

Today was kind of whacked. Okay, so I woke up at 730 this morning - had breakfast with mom and dad - played for a minute - got dressed - grabbed a coffee (mom, not me) and headed to yoga. I'd been sneezing all night and now this morning - but mom decided to take me anyways because I looked and acted fine. I had 40 minutes or so to fall asleep for my ride to yoga and of course, I fell asleep at 942am = exactly 18 minutes before class started. Crap!

Mom pulled into the parking lot and sat in the car while I SNORED away in the backseat until 1033! But I was FREEZING because mom had no gas in the car which meant that she had to turn the sucker off while we sat there and waited for me to wake up. Double crap! Good thing she had me all bundled up in a hoodie and tons of blankets over me. The things we do for our kids...agh :)

We made it to yoga...but only for half the class. Oh well. At least we made it. There was no way we weren't going to go in and enjoy our time with all of our friends - especially since we had just driven all of that way! Okay, back to the sneezing part. So, mom wasn't sure if I wasn't feeling well or what. I've been awful clingy today. In a good mood = but clingy and requiring 24/7 entertainment which can make for one heck of a day.

It looks like another tooth is coming through...but I've been saying that for the past 2 weeks now, so who knows. Maybe it was just a fluke thing today. Maybe I had an itch up my nose and I was trying to sneeze it out. Anyways, we came straight home after yoga, had lunch, steam cleaned the floors and then went down for a nap until 345'ish. Then I played...dad came home around 430'ish...played some more...mom went to ComFit...we all ate dinner...tub time...reading...rocking...nursing...OUT.

Home!

I made it home alive! We were in a blizzard in Iowa...they called for 18 inches of snow...we didn't get that but MAN was it a crazy Christmas! I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED the snow! I wish we had that much back here in Missouri.
I had a great time with the Ruffing-side of the family. I got to hang out with Auntie Erica and give her kisses every day! I got some really fun gifts...a talking Ernie doll, new books, ornaments, a blanket with my name on it!
Mom says she'll post new pics soon so be on the lookout :)

Iowa or Bust!

I thought I'd do one last post before I leave for Iowa. Mom and I have yoga tomorrow...then we will meet dad back at home and have some lunch before hitting the road to grandma and grandpa Gourley's.

We're going to spend the night in KC to break up the trip. Dad said he's going to order takeout from Cheesecake for mom and I! YAY! and YUMMO! Then, we're off again on Thursday morning to another hotel for Christmas.

Me, mom and dad had our Christmas last night. They let me open all of my gifts! What a lucky boy I am! So many toys...not sure which ones to play with first?! I am going to take my new laptop with me on the car ride! I know that for sure!

Merry Christmas everyone! Love, Dylan PS - check me out on my new SIT N' SPIN! Weeeee!

More Pics

Mom wanted me to post some pictures of our house all decorated from the party on Saturday. She says, someday she'll turn this little blog of mine into a book...and wants me to remember everything.

Today was a good day - very low key. Mom and I woke up around 815 this morning and had a nice bowl of cereal and OJ (well, she did, I played with my cheerios). We had coffee, a snack and then played for a little while before it was time for me to go down for my morning nap. I slept from 11 to 1145...and then got up just in time for lunch with daddy :)

After lunch, mom and I played some more...read books...she spun me around on my sit n' spin - which I absolutely LOVE and then we layed down for my afternoon nap. I slept from 3-5pm! And woke up just in time to see daddy come home from work. I love when that happens!

Pictures of My Party!

Here's some pics from last night's big bash! This 1st one if me and mommy. I'm wearing the hat grandma Longley gave me. It says, 'Today I Eat Cake'!

This next one is me getting ready to blow out my candle. Isn't my cake great? It was in the shape of a lion's head and it was all cupcakes! It was so yummy!

I'm playing with my new toys in this one:

What a great day!

Happy Birthday to Me!!!

It's my birthday! Well, it was on Wednesday...but today was my BIG party! And it was so much fun! I'm ONE! Let's see...where do I begin...my girlfriend Grace came with her parents, Matt and Kelly. Then my friend Davis came with his parents, Kristin and Brian. Grandma and grandpa Ruffing were there of course. My friends down the street, Mike and Jackie came...oh and my friends Stephen, Garrett and their parents, Chris and Sara came and my yoga teacher even came! Judy and her husband Fred!

We had a blast! I had a really cool cupcake-cake in the shape of a lion's head. We served that with vanilla ice cream. Dad was the official ice cream scooper while mom was the official cupcake remover. My smash cake was a hit! Mom put it right in front of me and I stuck my little hands right in there! It was decorated as a jungle and although I didn't eat it (any of it)...I had a lot of fun making a mess!
I got so many fun gifts! A sit n' spin, see n' say, blocks, puzzle, clothes, pjs, farm fridge thing, books, mickey mouse, Red Sox sweatshirt, money...what a lucky boy I am!

Mom and dad decorated the house with jungle things. I had streamers hanging from the ceiling with a monkey face, lion face and zebra face. My table was decorated with jungle characters and every one of my friends went home with a goodie bag that was filled with stuff I knew they'd love! I tried to tailor it to each specific person - and I think they were a hit!

It just happened to be one of the coldest nights in Mt. Vernon = but that didn't stop anyone from coming! I was so happy to see everyone and really, felt so loved from all of my friends to drove in from all over to wish me a Happy Birthday! I am a very, lucky, little boy!

I also want to give a shout out to my cousing Coleman. His birthday was yesterday and he also turned one! And his birthday party was today! Happy Birthday cousin Coleman! I can't wait to swap pictures :)

Tomorrow is another big day for me...I'm going to meet Santa for the first time!

Tomorrow is My Birthday!

Tomorrow is the BIG DAY! Can you believe it? I'm going to be ONE! Here are some pics from my time in Mass...enjoy! This 1st one is me and grandma Longley :) Aren't we adorable?
And...this next one is me and Auntie Laura:

So Many New Things!

I am growing up so fast! I'm doing so many new things - day by day! I can't believe it! Mom put me on the floor this morning (on my tummy) and (I didn't crawl) BUT it was the closest she's ever seen me get to crawling! I lifted one knee up and sort of moved to the side. So close!

I can point to mommy and daddy's noses! AND if you ask me to point out an animal's nose in a book...I can do that too!

Can you believe I'm going to be ONE in 2 days??? Crazy! My birthday is this Wednesday but my party is this Saturday. I can't wait! All of my yoga friends are coming! Mom said I could open one gift on Wednesday - well, maybe her and dad will let me open the gifts from them (I'll see if I can't work something out).

Happy Birthday to me!

Where's My Nose?

Mom taught me a new trick yesterday! We worked on, 'Where's mommy's nose?" And now I can point to ANYONE'S nose!!! Even animals in a book! I'm so smart! I haven't figured out how to point to my own nose yet, but I'm working on it.

We have kind of a busy weekend...I have my friend Quinn's birthday today. He's a little boy from my yoga class and he's turning 1! So we have that at 3pm in Springfield. Mom's been wrapping like a mad woman trying to get everything squared away for Christmas, my big birthday and all of the trillion other birthdays around us! She really wanted to take me to see Santa today - this morning - so we'll see if it all works out.

Dad leaves for KC tomorrow for a Chief's game with Uncle Raef. So it's just mommy and me. I think we'll go to church and then we might go to a Christmas show at 6pm with our friends Theresa and Kingston. It sounds like fun :)

Oh, and I have to give a shout out to my friend Kathy in Boston. She sent me my very first NU sweatshirt (Go Huskies!) mama's alma mater! AND she made me an ornament with my name on it. Thanks Kathy! You're the best!

New Things I Can Do

Oh boy, where do I begin. I can do so many new and exciting things. It's amazing how much I have changed over the past 2 weeks since I've been gone. By the way - I had a GREAT time back east with my family. Here is a shout out to my grandma and grandpa Ward, auntie Laura, grandma and grandpa Longley, grandma Anne and grandpa Rody. Love you all!

*I can scoot on the floor
*I can say 'duck' (along with mama and dada, of course)
*I can do 'So....Big....' (you know the game I'm talking about right?)
*I can give KISSES! The best if I do say so myself!
*When mommy and daddy say, "where's the doggy?" I know exactly where to look (at Bailey!)
*And I'm about to get 2 more teeth folks. Holy smokes!

Welcome Home to Me!

I'm back! I will write more tomorrow...but I had a great time in Massachusetts and can't wait to share all of my adventures with you! xoxo Dylan

Just Another Day in Paradise...As Dad Would Say...

Hey ya'll... :) You would think I'd be saying that now = since I just turned 11 months old!!! And I live out in the Midwest...but my southern drawllllll just hasn't kicked in yet...hee, hee.

Anyways, what a crazy week it has been. Not only do mom and I have our day-to-day activities like we do every week = but we have all of this packing to get done for our big trip back east! We leave in 3 days!

So lately, dad has been saying...'Just another day in paradise'...every time mom asks him 'how was work honey?' I just wanted to say, Dad...I love you...and I am so thankful for you. Thank you for working so hard every day and for supporting this family. Mom and I love you and we appreciate ALL that you do for us. I am going to miss you so much when I am gone. Mom is crazy for thinking I could be apart from you for 2 WHOLE weeks...crazy, crazy mom. Just know, that I will be thinking of you every second of the day...but especially when I'm getting ready for bed and when I wake up in the morning. I'm going to miss our 5am chats...our tub time...our cheese puff dinners...and most of all - you reading me a book just before bed and then rocking me to sleep. I love our time together and I can't wait to see you when I get back. I promise to be a good boy (maybe)...okay, no really, I promise (my toes are crossed...does that count?)

Please Don't Touch!

Okay, so, I've been meaning to write this post for a long time now. But haven't, because it's a touchy subject - literally. But I've had it up to HERE with it...so I'm just going to talk about it right now!

Why on earth do strangers think they can touch my face? Or any part of me for that reason?! You can look...but please do not touch! I am a baby...it's flu season...I don't know you...you could have gone the bathroom and not washed your hands for all I know...and now you're touching me? I DON'T THINK SO!

I went for coffee this morning with mom...and some old lady came up to me because she liked my pumpkin hat that I was wearing...total stranger...came right up to me and touched my cheek. That is so rude! Why, why, why do people think they can do this? I have no idea where your hands have been!

And...even for the people who do know me - and constantly touch my face and hands...it's not polite! You should ASK my mom before you hold me/touch me/etc. Where are your manners? Ugh, I have a lot to say about this subject and it's been festering inside of me. I don't go up to you and touch your face? I know I'm cute - but admire me from afar.

Mom has had a hard time saying 'no' or 'don't touch please' b/c she doesn't want to be rude...but I think she's going to have to grow some balls and just do it. Okay, I feel better now that all of that is off my chest!

Busy Weekend

I had a pretty busy weekend. Friday was a mess...in a nutshell. It was just a bad day all around. I was cranky. I wouldn't sleep for mom. And we didn't get our grocery shopping done until 530 at night...which means mom missed her ComFit class :( But, we had a great dinner at home with dad so that made everything better.

Saturday morning we ran errands in Springfield. Picked up some Christmas presents and vowed to never go back to the mall until the holidays were over...it's way to busy in Springfield right now...me, mom and dad had a nice lunch at Ruby Tuesdays and then we headed home. Sunday, mom and dad went Christmas shopping for me - while grandma and grandpa Ruffing babysat. It was a great weekend!

PJs

These are my new pjs - just thought I'd show you how comfy I am at night just before bed :) Did I tell you I can drink out of a big boy cup now? Well, it's not really my cup per say...but it's mom and dad's cup and they let me sip out of it every now and then. Mom thinks I have a hole in my chin though because it just dribbles down the front of me. Teehee hee!

Daddy had the day off today because of Veteran's Day, yay! He came to yoga with me and got to see me do the plank...the fish...the tree pose and so much more! Mom went to WW and then to TJMaxx - lots of errands but we got them ALL done!

That's about it for me. I'm getting pretty tired...think I'm going to eat some cheese puffs = hit the bath tub = and then it's lights out for this baby :)

My To Do List for Today

This is me and mom in front of our house the other day. We were getting ready to go for a nice walk and daddy snapped a photo of us! Mom picked out some pretty mums for fall - they're on the right hand side. You can't see them that well but believe me, they were pretty:)
I can't believe how nice the weather has been out here. It was low 70s all weekend = which means lots of walks for me! We got those corn stalks at our local farmer's market = 2 for $5. Not bad! Now we just need to get ready for Christmas...my favorite holiday!!!
Since we had a busy weekend, I think mom and I are going to take it easy for today. Here's what's on our agenda:

• Breakfast
• Coffee & scone at Keen Bean...yummmm :)
• Walk (if it's nice out)
• Read
• Nap
• Play
• Lunch (I think I'm having sweet potatoes and rice today) Oh, and cheese puffs, of course!
• Address my birthday invites and get ready to send out
• Start packing for Massachusetts (If I don't start now, I know I'll forget something!)
• The View @ 10...mom's new favorite show
• Help mom finish writing her bio for her new article
• Comfit class (for mom! not me)

That's all I can think of right now...I'm sure we'll be adding lots more things to this list as the day goes on. Have a great day everyone!

No Wheels Today

I'm really tired = so just a quick post tonight...had a great time with mom today. Missed dad at lunch though...mom's car needed new tires so we were without wheels today...but that's okay...it was absolutely beautiful out - so we went on an hour walk with a friend and her baby! Headed to the zoo tomorrow and maybe some grocery shopping. See ya later!

H1N1 Shot?

So, yesterday, I got my booster flu shot...AND the first round of H1N1. Mom and I showed up and my pediatrician said she had just gotten a shipment of the vaccine in - each doctor was given 8 vaccines. EIGHT. That's it. So...easy decision right? WRONG. There was a catch...it had mercury in it...but, the doctor said there was so little of it in there - that it was fine. So, I got the shot. Primarily because I am leaving in a few weeks for Massachusetts and I'll be flying.

Mom's been watching me like a hawk - to make sure I'm okay - and I've been showing no signs of weirdness...so that's good. Looks like I took to the shots just fine. I also slept thru the night last night - which I haven't done in a long time - mostly because of my teeth. I have 4...and it looks like I'm about to get 2 more...right next to my top 2 that are already there. That would be a total of 6 teeth in less than 1 month! Whoah nelly! But, they're not in yet...so we'll see.

It's supposed to be beautiful all week. I think we are going to go for a walk today. Mom is getting new tires on her car tomorrow...so I don't think we'll be going grocery shopping. But, I overheard mom and dad saying that they were going to take me to the zoo on Saturday! It's supposed to be 74...whoah! Giraffes here I come! Yay!

Oh, and then I'm going to gram and gramps on Sunday because dad and grandpa are on baby duty. Mom and grandma are going to a concert to see Jewel! (That's mommy's favorite singer OF ALL TIME)...yay! Happy for mom :)

Halloween Picture

Someone wasn't very happy with their costume :( As you can tell, mom dressed me up for storytime at the library and I was less than thrilled. If you look real close, you can see my 2 bottom teeth. Oh well, I'll use this as blackmail when I get older...
It's been a tough couple of nights for me. I am teething like you wouldn't believe and it hurts. What else can I say...mom and dad are trying to make me as comfortable as possible. I'll get thru it :)
I'm scheduled to get my booster shot tomorrow and my 1st round of the H1N1. Hopefully, I'll actually be able to get it. They've already rescheduled my appointment since they didn't have any of the vaccine. The doctor says it wouldn't be a good idea for me to fly if I haven't had at least one of the H1N1 shots and I'm supposed to leave for Massachusetts at the end of this month. I think I'm already having to miss yoga tomorrow for this appointment. Ugh, I hate shots.
Mom got my birthday invitations in yesterday and they are so cute. I can't wait until the big day. She's having my party on the Saturday following my actual birthday (the 19th) from 4-530pm. I really wish my family from Mass. could come and be with me but I'm supposed to be celebrating it with them when I'm out there so that's good. Our theme out here is going to be safari and I think out in Mass. it's going to be Boston Red Sox - of course! What else would it be silly?!

Pop! Pop! Pop! They're Comin' In Like Popcorn!

I have 4 teeth now - just so you know. And they hurt. I have 2 top teeth and 2 bottom teeth. Someday, when mom can get me to open my mouth wide enough, she will take a picture and post it for you.

Halloween was kind of a bust yesterday. It was fun, don't get me wrong. I LOVED helping mom and dad pass out all the candy. We had to turn our lights off because we ran out! That's never happened to us...and this is our 3rd year here. I loved seeing all of the neighborhood kids in their costumes. Oh, and mom was on the phone with auntie Laura so I got to say hi to her to. Hi auntie!

I say it was a bust because I went trick or treating - to 2 houses...the 1st one was great! I picked out some candy and the next house - well there was no one there! My friends Mike and Jackie gave me some Halloween socks and a Halloween hat in the shape of a pumpkin. It was really cute. Mom put me in my lion costume and I was pissed about that. We came home because I was getting tired and well, that was that.

Oh, and I'm getting my booster shot this Wednesday. What a week...mom and dad are trying to get me the 1st round of the H1N1 but it hasn't been available to my age group yet. K, time for dinner. Talk to you later :)

My 1st Halloween Party!

I had a blast today! My very 1st Halloween party was today at Itsy Bitsy Yoga. Mom and I brought cupcakes - homemade of course - funfetti vanilla with chocolate frosting and colored sprinkles. Mmmm. Here's the deal with my costume (s)...yes, that's plural.

Okay, so I have 2 grandmas, well 3 actually. Anyways, grandma Ruffing gave me a skeleton costume and grandma Longley gave me a lion costume. Since I love both of them equally - I decided to wear one costume today and one costume on Saturday. Since I have to bend in yoga, I decided to wear the onesie skeleton costume (sorry grandma Longley) today...and I'm going to wear the lion on Saturday. Oh, and I'm going to wear my lion costume on Friday too - for storytime at Barnes & Noble. So, grandma Longley, if you're reading this = you'll see that the pictures I'm going to post later on...have me in my skeleton costume. But don't worry - I'm going to post me in my lion costume as well!!!

I just got a BIG package in the mail today too! Grandma Longley sent me a Frankenstein candy bucket, with a Halloween teddy bear, a new book and some cheerios! Thanks gram! I can't wait to try those cheerios for the first time! And the book...it's so friggin' cool. It's a cheerio book?! When you open it up, you're supposed to 'fill in' the missing cheerios with actual cheerios! It's so neat! You're always sending me the coolest things!

Let's see, what else...it's been such a crazy week I don't know what I've blogged about and what I haven't?! Mom and I are staying home ALL DAY tomorrow, thank God! We're just going to veg...read books...love...eat breakfast and lunch...sleep...play...maybe scrapbook...hug...kiss...and love some more. Oh, and then when daddy gets home, we are going to the picture lady's house to pick out my pictures I just had done. And then on Friday, I think we are going to storytime at B&N and I'm going to see Iyush and Tohbee and Davis...can't wait! Saturday, mom and dad are going birthday party shopping...so much going on!

Footsies!

I am wearing my brand new, first-time-ever, one of a kind, super duper, pimpin', one piece pajamas with FOOTSIES! My very first pair! Yay! They are so friggin' cute. I have to admit, my thunder thighs have made the legs a tight squeeze - but that's okay...mom says I look cute. I keep trying to pull at my toes = but I can't get to them. Hmm.

Mom is going crazy over planning my 1st birthday. Geeze mom, it's still like 2 months away! Her and dad are going to check out some party supply stores this weekend while gram and gramps watch me. Happy shopping!

I seem to be a bit better about the separation thing (see last post). I'm still not 100% over the whole 'putting me down' thing - but I've gotten better since daddy came home. Guess I must've missed him or something. Ha, ha...I DID miss you dad!

K, gotta go, time for bed.

What happened?

Am I going thru separation anxiety? I won't even let mommy put me down...to do anything! I don't even want to take a bath...and I LOVE bathtime. What's going on with me? I have no fever. I'm not hot. My pneumonia is gone. I'm full. What gives?
Mom can't wait for dad to get home...she says I'm a handfull! How do single moms do it?! Any who, mom and I had a lot of fun today. This is what our day looked like:

It was sunny and maybe low 60's out. We went to story time at Barnes & Noble...and I met up with Iyush and his mom Tsheten! They are my friends from IBY! Yay! We made Halloween bags...marched in a parade (around the store)...got our pictures taken...and caught up. It was so much fun!
Then mom and I went home and went for a walk. It was way too nice out not to take advantage of the beautiful weather. I watched mom make a new recipe. She made tomato vegetable bisque...and it came out pretty good. Tomorrow she's going to make daddy some sweet potato fries...yum:) Oh, and we did another load of laundry and another load of dishes! Geeze!
Can't wait to see dad tomorrow...love you daddy!
PS - Thank you Erin for posting a comment! I never know if any one is reading my blog :(

Look at all we did today!

The cold, windy day in Mt. Vernon didn't hold mom and I back today! Look at all the things we did...
*grocery shopping
*Kohls stop to use up giftcard (got a new set of pjs and a Thanksgiving onesie)
*designed and ordered my 1st birthday invites!
*developed pictures
*blogged
*helped mom submit her 1st article for the Monett Times (Yep, she's got a writing gig!)
*had a babysitter come over so mom could go to Combat Fitness
*played
*read a million books
*talked to daddy like a gazillion times on the phone
*confirmed plans with my Itsy Bitsy yoga friends to meet up for storytime tomorrow :)
*watched mom pick up the house
*took a bath
*load of laundry
*load of dishes
*prepped Halloween costume

and probably more but I'm too tired to think of anything else!

Bye dad :(

Dad leaves today :( He's headed to Chicago for a few days for work...damn it. I'm gonna miss him. But, he said he was going to bring me back a shirt or something. So, it looks like it'll be me and mom for the next few days. She wants to take me to some kind of Halloween story time at Barnes & Noble on Saturday. If I'm feeling up to it...I may comply.
It's raining out here today. A good day to stay inside and sleep. I started coughing and sneezing a lot last night. Mom has a cold - so I'm guessing I probably got it too. On top of this pneumonia - can't a baby get a break?
Mom went to her ComFit class again last night - and she can barely sit down today. I think she likes the challenge though because she's gone twice this week and tells dad she'll go again. Go mom!
Oh, I have to give a shout out to my grandpa. Grandpa Ruffing's birthday was this week. Happy birthday grandpa! I love you!

Doc Appt

Just got back from the doc's...lookin' good. No fever now for a few days and doc says I am on the mend. Great news :) I have to keep taking my antibiotics until Friday and stay fever-free until Saturday - then I'm in the clear.

Was scheduled to get my booster and H1N1 shots next week - they've been moved to the following week now since I have pneumonia.

Going down for a nap. Talk later, xoxo Dylan

More Updates

Here's some more updates for you guys: feeling good today. No temp. at all. Going to see the doc tomorrow. However, I was up a lot last night so mom and dad look pretty worn out today - as well as me. I have 2 bottom teeth and it looks like I am about to get 2 top teeth as well. Here is an idea of what kind of night it was for the Ruffing family...

3am...all laying in bed, wide awake, reading a book, with Jimmy Fallon on TV, mom says, "You know when you get so tired, you feel like you're going to throw up?"

Dad, "Yep. I know. You know how you start to think about tomorrow and what your day is going to be like, and you start to have a panic attack?"

Mom & dad - both rolling laughing...at least we were all in a good mood last night :)

Negative

Just a quick note: flu swab came back NEGATIVE! Temperature went back down and I'm smiling a lot. I'll keep you all posted.

Update

Thanks for all the well wishes today everyone. I'm feeling good right now. It was kind of a long night for all of us. I had a hard time falling asleep, but finally closed my eyes around 9pm while daddy was holding me. We sat like that together for the next 1 1/2 or so and then I woke up and layed with mommy. I woke up again at 1130, 230 and then slept until 945 this morning. My temp. was 97.7 when mom took it at 10 today. That's a lot better than it was last night (101.2).
Now we're just waiting for a call back from the dr's office today to find out the results of my flu swab. I'm sure I'll have to go in at some point to get checked out and make sure everything is okay. But I am SMILING today and babbling...so things are lookin' up :)

Pneumonia

Rough night. ER until 630 this morning. I have pneumonia. Supposed to get the results back on the flu test in 24 hrs. Hope I feel better soon. How the HECK did this happen...

Welcome, tooth #2

It's official - tooth #2 has emerged. Dad noticed it when we were eating lunch today. Why is dad always the one to notice them? Any who, I'm not surprised it's there. Last night was terrible. Let's just call it what it is = the night from hell. There, I said it. It took mom and dad over 2 HOURS to get me to bed...and it got so bad, mom had a meltdown and told dad to leave - with me in the car - so she could have some peace and quite! Geeze! So...dad and I went for a ride and came back about 15 minutes later...I was asleep, dad was tired and mom was relieved.
So, like I said, I'm glad the tooth has broken thru. It is right next to my 1st tooth. So now I have 2 bottom teeth and they are pearly white. Mom said they are the most beautiful 2 teeth she has ever seen. We all think the next 2 are going to be my top ones. They are busting at the seams...
I think it's kinda funny that I have 2 teeth but am showing absolutely no interest in crawling. I guess it just goes to show ya that every baby does things at their own pace. I hear that my cousin Coleman, who is only 2 days younger than me, is crawling all over the place, but has no teeth. Funny how every baby is so different?
It was cold out here today. Not as cold as Mass. though. I heard it was snowing there. It was probably 50's here today, raining a little bit, and windy. I woke up around 6 this morning and dad got me back to sleep around 7 and I didn't wake up again until almost 10. Yikes! Once we got dressed and had some breakfast - we grabbed some coffee and headed to Joplin for some groceries. How is it, that 2 1/2 people...can rack up a grocery bill EVERY WEEK for around $200? We eat ourselves out of house and home every time...we barely eat out...maybe once a week...I just don't get it? Mom clips as many coupons as she can...but most of them have nothing to do with what we buy. I'd love to know how much other people spend out there...are we crazy? We make a list, sometimes we even bring a calculator and still...the bill is high. Hmm.
Grandma and grandpa are coming over for lunch tomorrow and we are going to celebrate both of their birthdays AND their anniversary. I have 2 special cards for them and some yummy cupcakes. Can't wait to see them :)
Nighty night. Hopefully I fall asleep in the next 30 minutes or so...

10 Months Old Today

I'm 10 months old today so I thought I'd catch you up on what's been going on in my life. Monday was a holiday so dad had the day off. We drove to Tulsa, Oklahoma (only about 2 hrs. away) and had a great lunch at the Cheesecake Factory. Mom and dad hadn't been there in ages...after that we went to the mall which was like 2 feet away from the restaurant and walked around for a few hours. I ended up getting a new winter coat = actually, my first winter coat ever. It's really cute. It's blue, red and yellow (I know, you'll be able to find me any where) and it's super puffy, with a hood. It was originally $30 but rang up on sale for $20 and then we got another 15% off! What a steal!
I'm definitely going to need this coat when I fly back to Massachusetts. It was snowing there today. And by the time November rolls around - who knows what the weather will be like. I can't believe I'll be leaving in just over a month.
Tuesday we just hung out at home because it was freezing outside and raining, I think. Wednesday we had yoga. It was at a new time, 930-1030, and I think it worked out better than last week's 1130-1230. Umm, Thursday I was supposed to go to story time at the library but I slept thru it...I was still napping when 10am rolled around. And Friday, I had coffee with Melissa and Owen and I was supposed to go to a play date with a bunch of new friends for the first time from 9-11 but I fell asleep just after 9 and didn't wake up until 1130! So...we missed that date. Oh well, oh, and mom wanted to go to boot camp for the first time tonight and she missed that too because we both fell asleep until 530 on-the-dot. What can I say...we both like to sleep when we want to. And, tomorrow we are going grocery shopping and we are getting together with grandma and grandpa at some point. It's been a busy week but a good one.
I still have one tooth but another one has started to pop thru right next to it. Just a little bit though...so I'm not sure if I can really say that I have 2 teeth. I haven't been real cranky - just hard to get down at night.

Miss You Dad!

Well, I'm EXHAUSTED! I went to Apple Butter Makin' Days today for 4 hours! And I am pooped! It turned out to be a nice day though - so that was a plus. Mom didn't spend nearly as much money as she thought she would...dad will be happy!
Aunt Erica and grandma came with us and then grandma, daddy and Nick met up with us at lunch so we could all visit. We went back home to have some cake for Nick's birthday. It was a fun day - but I'm ready for bed!
Mom and I are flying solo tonight. Dad left for Kansas City today...his friend Raef has season tickets to the KC Chiefs...so he invited dad to go and watch the game. But he'll be back tomorrow night just in time for my bath :) I miss him already. But I know he's having fun with the guys!

Oh, what a day...what a day...

Where do I begin...I slept like crap last night which means...mom slept like crap too. I woke up at 645am...which means, mom AND dad woke up too...before I knew it, I was in the car and on my way to Springfield for mom's doc appt. We were there at 830 bright and early...mom got her flu shot...and we headed home. Thankfully, I fell asleep in the car.
We got home, read, played, ate, went for a one hour walk and then back in the car it was again...back to Springfield for my doc appt. Doc was running late and I was getting cranky...mom went to change my diaper in the exam room and I pooped all over the table...put my hands and feet in it...oh yeah...then the doctor walked in...and stepped on my wipes container that I'd tossed on the floor...and then mom picked me up (with no diaper on) so the doc could change the paper on the table...problem was - there was no more paper. So, she had to leave the room, get keys, open the cupboard, grab more paper, etc. and by then...I'd already peed on mom.
Whoops.
Make a long story short...when we got home - I puked up all of my cheese puffs...and mom couldn't wait for dad to get home. Agh...what a day.

Welcome Cousin Nash Michael!

Well, it's official! My cousin Nash was born today at 810pm...weighed in around 8 lbs., 15 oz. and 20.5 inches. Mom and baby are doing great! Aunt Stacie says he has lots of dark hair! I can't wait to meet him!
It was rainy here in the Ozarks. It rained so hard last night, the house shook. It woke dad up! Mom and I ran a ton of errands today...we had to mail some things off at the post office...a birthday present for my friend Mason...and we had to return my Halloween costume that grandma Longley bought me because it was too big...so mom is exchanging it for a smaller size. It's really cute - I'm going to be a lion.
I checked out 2 books at the library today for the very first time. I've already read each book twice since I brought them home. I also went to the grocery store with mom and picked up some salad. Oh, and we took a nap together this afternoon; from 430-6pm...it was NICE :)
Mom and I both have dr's appts. tomorrow. Mom's is at 815 in the morning! And mine is not until 230...after yoga...I have a little bit of a diaper rash - not too bad...but it keeps coming and going, so mom wants to have it checked out. I only have about 2-3 bumps...but you can never bee too safe!
I feel so thankful that I haven't gotten sick! Except for that one time when I was a few weeks old...it seems like everyone my age is getting sick around me...but I've been lucky not to catch anything! Hopefully it stays that way...but with the cold weather coming...I'm sure it's inevitable. But I just got a new winter hat and mittens so they should protect me when I go outside.
I haven't gotten the 'curse of the audiologist' yet...what's that you're wondering? Oh, well that's when an audiologist's kid gets an ear infection...and gets one so many times that eventually, he needs tubes...it seems like every one that dad has ever worked with - has had to get them...thank god I haven't had an ear infection yet...and I hope I NEVER get one.
Tomorrow is going to be a busy day so I better go.

Say Cheese!

Wow, today was a very busy day for me. I woke up at 8...had breakfast, got my pictures taken (!) and did way better than mom and dad thought I would, for not having had a nap! Then, I fell asleep in the car on the way home from pictures...so mom and dad decided to skip eating lunch at home and just kept on driving to Springfield. I woke up when we got there and we all ate at 'Nearly Famous'. It's this cute little deli in the Brentwood Center across from the mall. Mom had a grilled cheese and tomato with tomato soup and dad had a roast beef sandwich with chips. And me? I had chicken with peas and rice. MMM!!!
Then we went to the mall. Mom had to exchange a shirt. I had to get a new winter hat and some mittens (our late night walks around the neighborhood are getting colder each time!) and we bought a Superman shirt for dad's friend's son, Mason, who just turned 4 this weekend. Let's see...then dad got a new battery for his watch and mom got her wedding ring cleaned...then we went to Dillards because dad wanted to look for some new thermals...he didn't find any - so we'll have to go again another time...(he's very PICKY about his clothes). After that, we went to Sephora so mom could help dad find some body scrub with salacylic acid in it to clean his pores out. Check! We got that! We found a nice, lemony smelling one by PTR...I'll let you know how his skin looks after a few washes...
Mom was craving something sweet...so she decided to use some of her weekly WW points to get Coldstone...then it was off to mom's dr.'s appointment...then home! We didn't get back until after 5! Then it was dinnertime...playtime...bathtime...and bedtime! Today just FLEW BY.
I can't tell you how excited I am to see what these pictures look like of me...I am a NATURAL in front of the camera. I wore 3 different outfits...the first one was tan courds...with a button down shirt and a newspaper boy hat...2nd out fit was tan courds...white shirt...green sweater...3rd and final outfit was a full-on...RED SOX outfit! Woohoo! R-E-P-R-E-S-E-N-T-E-N'!!!! (That's supposed to sound slang'ish...)
Okay, that's it - that was my day and I'm tired of typing now...so I'll talk to you later! Oh, PS...I clapped for the first time yesterday!

I Love My Tooth

Life is so much different with a tooth! It really is! I spend most of my day gnawing on my fingers...I can now chomp on my cheese puffs with my one tooth and I can flash a grin at mom and dad with my pearly, white one :)
Any who, not much on the agenda today...breakfast, nap, groceries, play, nap, walk, dinner, bed. Oh, and we might go to a pumpkin patch today if it's not too cold out. Dad said he'd take me on a hay ride.
And...I'm waiting to hear from Aunt Stacie to see if I have another cousin yet! She was due yesterday...but baby Nash has yet to be born? So, maybe today? I can't wait to meet him!

Things Mommy Told Me Today...

Things that mommy told me today:

• she loves me
• she thinks I smell good
• I'm a good boy
• I'm cute
• I have a new tooth
• I'm the best eater she's ever met
• I look like both her and daddy
• I did a good job in yoga today
• She loves to cuddle with me
• Thank you for taking a 2 hour nap. Mommy needed that.
• I'm the best helper in the kitchen
• I have a cute smile
• My eyes are blue just like hers
• Daddy loves me and misses me when he's at work
• I can't have any more cheese puffs until I finish my lunch
• I'm the best thing that ever happened to her

My First Tooth!

You're NEVER going to believe this folks...I popped my FIRST tooth today!!! We were all sitting at the dinner table...when I was eating a cheese puff and daddy said, "wow, his gums look swollen." So mom stuck her finger in my mouth and voila! There was a tooth! It's my bottom right one - the front one! Wow!
I can't believe how fast I'm growing...and neither can mom and dad! Congratulations to me!!!

So Long to Mondays...

This is one of my last Mondays with dad :( He's going back to a regular 5 day tour at work...but the good news is, he'll be home at 4 now! Instead of 6...which is way too late...and to celebrate, mom is getting a massage today since it's one of the last times she'll have someone nearby to watch me for an hour or so while she has some 'mommy time'. She is looking forward to it! Her shoulders/back have been bothering her.
I think we're going to buy some paint today for our master bathroom...right now, there's an icky yellow in there...so we need to fix that up right away. Our new bedroom furniture is being delivered this Friday, so mom wants to get the house ready!
I heard mom and dad say they might take me to the park today or on a walk if it's not too cold outside. It's pretty chilly out there right now. Not much else to say...hope you all have a great Monday!

Winna, Winna, Chicken Dinna!!!

Man, I'm really slackin' on my posts lately, huh? Sorry 'bout that. I guess I've been a bit busy lately. Huh? Oh well, okay, so where'd I leave off? Oh yeah, so Thursday we made it to story time...finally! I met some other kids (none my age though) :( and it was a pretty good time. It was cute because the librarian-lady had all of our names up on the bulletin board with stickers next to our attendance. Mine had none! Poor me! Mom felt so bad...but really, I was asleep the last two times so what's a mom to do?
Any who, Friday we had a quick cup of coffee with Melissa and Owen - and then mom and I were off to Joplin for groceries. I slept the way there and the way back...and mom said I was a VERY good boy in the store :) She's always clipping coupons and trying to save money when we go grocery shopping but somehow...our bill always comes up high! It's usually between $160-190'ish...doesn't that seem steep? And that's EVERY week folks! And that's for 3 people? I don't get it...
Friday night was really fun...dad came home from work and mom made a yummy salad for her and dad. Since they both had WW points left, we went to Sonic and got some ice cream...I fell asleep on the way home and so when we pulled in the driveway - all mom had to do was put me in bed and nurse me for a minute or two. That's it! She was able to go back out into the living room with dad and hang out. It was so quite though, they didn't know what to do with themselves!
I woke up at 8am this morning and we all ate breakfast. Then we went to Keen Bean and had coffee...then I took an hour nap...and mom steam cleaned the floors while dad mowed the lawn. When I woke up, we all ate lunch and then went to Lowe's to pick out paint colors for our master bath. I pretty much missed my afternoon nap...so come dinnertime...I was getting very sleepy. We went out to dinner with friends tonight to a place called 'The Blackbird'. It's this little dive in Aurora but man, do they have good food! We had a great time...just laughing...telling stories...and watching me eat and play with my toys.
I tried chicken for the first time last night and I LOVED IT! Guess I'm not going to be a vegetarian like my mom! Anyways, tonight was my 2nd night eating chicken so yah, everyone watched me down my entire jar of babyfood. I fell asleep on the way home...woke up when we pulled in the driveway...mom and dad gave me a quick bath, nursed me and off to bed I went! I need a good night's sleep tonight...I'm head to grandma and grandpa's tomorrow :)

JBF Event - No Jogging Stroller :(

So today we went to the JBF (Just Between Friends) event in Springfield. Mom and I were able to go before the 'public' did because she was a first time mom...so we got there at 10am and we were impressed but not that impressed. Our whole reason for going was to look for a jogging stroller - but since the volunteers get to browse first...mom wasn't sure what would be left.
It was pretty crazy = how much stuff was packed in there at Remmington's. There were tons of people and everything you could possibly think of for babies/toddlers/kids, etc. However, if you can imagine, hundreds of women, either pregnant or strolling their little ones...all eyeing the same toy/hat/book...and there only being one of that item...well...you get the picture. It was crazy; absolutely crazy.
With that being said, we'd go again next year, but only if we were looking for something specific like we were this year. We only spent $2.67 (on spoons and a book) and left without a stroller:(
There were a few left but they were either a.) too worn out and overpriced b.) new and overpriced or c.) could've bought the same exact thing in the store brand new for cheaper
Oh well...we'll keep looking.
Mom had it set up perfectly. Leave the house at 9, grab coffee and a scone, head to the JBF event, grab a quick lunch, yoga at 1230 and then home. BUT, as you know, things don't always go as planned. Since I woke up twice last night (once at 130am and again at 430am) I slept in until 845 this morning. Mom didn't even brush her teeth or shower before we left the house (she's going to be so mad I just told you all this). We grabbed the coffee and the scone but I never fell asleep for my morning nap in the car. Probably because it was too soon from when I woke up. We did the JBF thing - skipped the lunch thing - ran to the mall to grab a few Bath & Body things...and still no nap for me...mom got me back in the car and I fell asleep...finally. So, no yoga today. We headed home instead so that I could nap. We got home just in time to see dad before he left for work after lunch and then mom and I hung out until I went back to sleep at 430.
Anywho, it was a busy day but a good day. The only thing we have planned for tomorrow is coffee and paper at Keen Bean and then storytime at the library if I'm still awake. (This will be the 3rd week that the library has been doing its reading library and every time we've tried to go, I've fallen asleep in the car!) Oops!
PS - that's me in the picture up there...playing with my new, orange plate!

9 Month Checkup Went Well!

I had my 9 month checkup yesterday and it went really well. I weighed in at 21 lbs., 8 oz. (mom thought I'd be 23 or so...and dad thought I'd be 22...looks like dad was closer!) It was funny because right after I weighed in...a little boy weighed in right after me and he was older than me...maybe 12 months +? He could make a cow sound so he was a little bit older...anyways...he weighed in at 21 lbs., 4 oz...lol...I was heavier than him! Ha, ha...I'm not sure what these old folks are feeding me but it's sure doing the job!

Doc said I look good - growing great, etc. Mom and dad said I wouldn't have to get any shots but I ended up having to get ONE...the flu shot...it really hurt :( I have to go back next month to get the booster and the H1N1...I still have no idea what the heck that one is...but I trust that I have to get it anyways...so many shots for such a little boy...
Let's see...what else has been going on...we made it to the fall festival on Sunday. We were supposed to go on Saturday but it was raining cats and dogs out here so we ended up going to the outlets in Branson with grandma and it's a good thing we did because Coach was having a HUGE sale! Mom got a super cute bag and wallet :) Yay mom!

Any who, we spent the day in Branson and then on Sunday we went to Cider Days and got a big pumpkin with our names on it. We had to wait FOREVER for it...but it was worth it...I'll post a picture later. Mom said she has to dress me up real cute and put me right next to the pumpkin before we can post any pictures. But for now...here's a new one for ya :) (Oh, that's me and mom at yoga by the way. I'm playing with these really cool toys that Judy, my yoga teacher brought).

Busy, Busy as a Bee!

Tomorrow I'm going to Cider Days with mommy, daddy and grandma! It's official - it feels like fall! I LOVE fall fests...well...I've actually never been to any - but mommy says I'm going to love them just like she does :)
I had a good day today. Woke up around 730...ate breakfast...took my medicine...pooped...got dressed...played trucks with Owen while mommy and Melissa had coffee...got in the car...headed to Joplin to get groceries...fell asleep for my morning nap...did the grocery thing and made mom carry me halfway thru the trip...fell asleep on the way home...went out to lunch at Maggie Mae's in Miller with mommy, Melissa and Owen...went home and fell asleep with mom for an afternoon nap from 4-615!!! I guess we both needed a nap.
Dad came home and we all had dinner...I took a bath...read some books with dad...and jumped in my horse...now I guess it's time for bed!

Happy 9 Months to Me!

I'm 9 months old today! Whoah, it's been a long ride getting here...and how did I celebrate my 9 months on this earth today? I threw up on mom...4 times :( She was getting me ready for yoga and she had just put this super cute outfit on herself...and I should mention that we'd just had breakfast (nanners for me)...she layed me down on the changing table and I started to gag. She sat me upright immediately and I leaned over and vomited...full blown...4 separate times. Poor me. Poor mom.
She threw me in the tub. I flipped out. Arched my back and screamed the whole time. She picked me up out of the tub and tried to put a diaper on me but I was having none of that so she wrapped me up in my hoodie towel and held me tight...just rocking me and singing to me. I fell right asleep :) I woke up 45 minutes later and we were off to Springfield. I was feeling much better!
Yoga was great today. I learned some new moves and I got to see Grace. I miss Quinn and Davis though...don't think I'll ever see Quinn again = him and his mom seem to have fallen off the face of the earth...I'm sad because I really liked playing with Quinn...but Davis should be moving up to big boy yoga any time now!
I'm excited for this weekend. Mom and dad are taking me to Cider Days in Springfield. They go every year and they told me they'd buy me a pumpkin with my name on it to put in front of our fireplace for Halloween. I can't wait!

Yum! Cheese Puffs!

Hey everyone! Hope you're all having a GREAT day :) I had quite a weekend...ran errands with mom and dad...slept in the car to and fro...went to church on Sunday...lots of walks with mom and dad...we got caught in the rain for one of them! Eek!

Mom gave me a cheese puff for the first time the other day. Check out my self-feeding skills...pretty good aye?

Damn those things are good! Mom bought me zesty tomato and cheesy cheese...yummo.

So I got a great big box of clothes from grandma Longley the other day. Man, does she have good taste! I got 2 pairs of pants...like a million long-sleeved onesies...pjs and a Thanksgiving outfit for when I fly back to see her! Oh, and my favorite gift of all...was my new lovey. It's this cute, little handmade stuffed thing and it has my name on it. I'll have dad take a picture of me with it and we'll post it for you to see.

It's a rainy day here in the Ozarks, so mom and I are just loungin' around. We've got yoga tomorrow and we have to pick up Bailey's birthday cake. Other than that, same old, same old routine!

I'm too Sexy for my Shirt

I almost got my shirt off the other day. Almost is the 'key' word. Take a look at this video and tell me what you think:

Bye Bye Dylan...Bye Bye! I Can Wave Bye Bye!

I didn't wake up until 9am today folks - yep - slept thru my morning coffee date with Melissa and Owen - oops! So today was a HUGE day for me...guess what???? I waved BYE-BYE for the first time today!
Mom and I were in the grocery store and she kept waving her hand and saying 'bye bye Dylan, bye bye'! And I waved back! Mom flipped out in the store and started clapping and kissing me and shouting 'oh my god! oh my god'! I think she was excited!!!
Now I'm home...and I haven't done it once for dad! He's starting to think that I never did it? Mom...you should've gotten it on camera for proof!
I also got a big box in the mail today. It was filled with lots of fun fall clothes from grandma Longley! Thanks grandma :) I can't wait to do a photo shoot with mom and dad so we can send you some pictures of me in everything. Oh, and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my new stuffed animal...it has my name on it :) Thanks gram = love you.

Fantasy Football

I finally got my computer back (it was running kind of slow so mom dropped it off at the repair shop). I've been a busy boy since the last time I blogged. Let's see...I went to big boy yoga yesterday for the first time. It was so much fun! I did a few new poses...the plank...the fish...and I went swinging in the blanket. But best of all, I got to see Grace again :) All of the other babies were crawling = maybe I'll start to crawl too?
Although...mom's not in any hurry to have me scootin' around. She saw all the other moms running after their kids and was happy she didn't have to do that with me. So, if I skip the crawling stage all together, she's okay with it. Oh mom...you're too funny.
I was supposed to start storytime today at the library here in town but I fell asleep! I woke up at 7am...pooped my pants so bad around 730, that mom had to put me in the tub! She layed me down to feed me and I fell right to sleep and slept until 1015! Yowsers! Guess I was TIRED!
Storytime was at 10...so I missed it. Oh well. We'll try and go next week. We went for a long walk when I woke up though. That was nice. It was pretty out today. Not too hot but warm with a nice breeze. We walked for about a half hour and mom picked up the newspaper. She's into her crossword puzzles again these days. In all of her life...she's only finished ONE in its entirety! Keep chippin' away at 'em mom!
Tomorrow we're having coffee with Melissa and Owen and then mom and I are going grocery shopping. I'm not sure what we're doing this weekend...I think there's a fall festival thing going on at Wickman's Garden that mom wants to go to. They have some mums for sale or something and pumpkins...a hay ride...etc. and I think she's going to drag dad there too.
Football started tonight...dad's all excited since he's doing that fantasy football thing. He's on the phone with Uncle Dave all-the-time-now!
WW is still going good for mom and dad. It's pretty easy they say - once you get in a routine and everything. Dad's lost a few pounds and I'm not sure how much mom has lost. We'll have to do a weight check and get back to you. Overall, we all feel very happy, healthy and lucky!
Time for bed!

Go Confidently In the Direction of Your Dreams

You know, after reading some other people's blogs out there, I realize that I'm not such a bad sleeper after all. I read about these other babies who sleep 5 hours here and 6 hours there and then they're up at 6 am for the day and never take naps...heck, I go to sleep anywhere between 7-9pm and I don't wake up until 845 in the morning...(I nurse throughout the night...but mom and I both do it with our eyes closed so neither one of us has to get up). I guess I am a good sleeper? Mom has it good I think? I always go down for a nap in the morning, one in the early afternoon and then a long one in the early evening. I knew I was a good boy!
So, mom had an epiphany today...while she was running around like crazy tonight trying to get ready for a tag sale tomorrow and not having time to even eat her dinner...she's decided that she's going to be more confident in her decision making when it comes to me. Yes, that's right, you heard me. She's a good mom and always has been but she sometimes lacks confidence in the decisions she makes surrounding what we do from day to day. Well, not anymore. Mom has decided that she is a woman 'here me roar'...lol...(okay, I put that in there for giggles). I've never questioned mom's ability to parent me but she's always second guessing herself. Is that normal for first time parents? Maybe...but if she doesn't gain the confidence we both need...than who will? Go ahead mom...make those decisions and feel good about 'em!
Screw waiting for the new year to make resolutions - mom and I have decided that we are no longer going to spend our days pleasing others. We are going to hang out, play and enjoy every moment together - whether we are at home or running errands. I love you mom :)

Moving Up to Big Boy Yoga

I know it's been a few days since I've blogged but I haven't had much to say. Mom and I stayed home yesterday and today - so we haven't had anything too exciting to share. But...tomorrow is my last day of baby yoga...I'm moving to 'big boy' yoga next week and I'll be reunited with Quinn and Grace! I wasn't supposed to move up in levels yet but there's a reading program at the library here in town which starts next Thursday and mom really wants me to go = so = we had to move to the Wednesday yoga class which happens to be 'big boy' yoga. Phew...that was a long explanation!

I think we're getting lunch with my friends Davis and Kristin tomorrow. We're going to mom's favorite restaurant in Springfield...Tea Bar & Bites! Woohoo! 3 cheese quiche here I (whoops...I mean mom) come!

Did I tell you? Dad's up in the attic right now...trying to get everything together for our tag sale this weekend. We're teaming up with our friends Mike and Jackie to try and unload some of this extra baggage we have here in our house. Mike and Jackie are moving to St. Louis so they've so graciously agreed to let us throw some of our 'junk' in with their sale! It's from 7-noon this Saturday if anyone reading this lives in the Mt. Vernon area!

I'm still standing up like a pro. I can do it without mom and dad holding me now. I just can't believe it. It feels so cool to be able to see things from a different perspective/angle. Now, if I could just get that crawling thing down...I've shown no interest in this what-so-ever...mom puts me on my tummy and I either roll over...play...or cry.

I talked to grandma Longley tonight and she's going to buy me my first Halloween costume. Dad and I picked out a few of our favorites on the website she told us about but she's going to pick the final one and send it to me as a surprise. I can't wait! Oh, and I talked to grandma Anne and asked her if she could get me some new, fall clothes and she said yes! So I should be getting some cute things soon. Thank you to both grandmas!

What a Great Weekend!

What a great weekend! I saw grandma and grandpa yesterday. They babysat me while mom and dad when mini-golfing for their anniversary. (Dad whooped mom's butt by the way)...mom was all talk when she said she could beat dad at golf...oh well, maybe next time mom!
We had our friends over last night and had some good laughs :) They're always so fun to hang out with. They get a kick out of watching me jump in my horse.
I woke up this morning in a great mood and mom and dad took me for a walk. It was so nice outside. Finally not too hot! We all went to church and then mom went to get a pedicure with her friends and dad and I hung out for a few hours. We took a nap for an hour! Which I know dad really appreciated because he was pretty hungover this morning! Poor dad! He's out mowing the lawn right now - trying to get all of his stuff done around the house before his big fantasy football draft tonight. It starts at 630 and mom and I know...we have to find something to do. Thank GOD this thing only happens one season a year. Ugh!
Not much planned for tomorrow. I think mom and dad might drive me to Springfield so I can see some of mom's former coworkers. Other than that - just hanging out around the house! Maybe do some scrapbooking in my babybooks. Later!

Standing?

I am officially standing now! And I can stand all by myself. Mom let go of me today and I held myself up by putting my hands on the ottoman. I'm also starting to practice waving. I haven't officially waved...but when mom waves to me, I kind of move my fingers around...
I'm still only eating solids at dinner. What gives? Mom tried to give me breakfast and lunch and I didn't want either. Maybe I'm just a milk baby? Lord knows I'm eating enough because I'm well over 20 pounds! Hmmm, mom and dad will have to ask the doctor about this one at my next check up. Which by the way is like = next month! I just turned 8 months not too long ago and now my 9 month checkup is just around the corner. Where does the time go?
Update on my sleeping: I'm still in bed with mom and dad. Of course, I love it but they on the other hand, would like to have their bed back :( We just don't believe in the cry-it-out method. I wish there was another way...it's just hard because there's so many different opinions about this. I think if mom and dad could bare to listen to me cry = they might try it out = but they're sissies when it comes me crying. Some articles that mom has read, say that I'm being manipulative - but how could that be? I'm only 8 months old? I don't even know what that word means? Agh, I just don't know anymore. Other days, mom seems to be okay with it all, and just kisses my head at night while I'm snuggled up to her tummy, tucked under her chin and curled above her knees. I won't be little for long, but it would be nice to be able to put myself to sleep some times...if anyone out there has had experience with this...send me a note!

Up Again Last Night - Sorry Dad

I was up again last night - once at midnight and again at 430...what's going on? At least I'm in a good mood when I wake up, right? I keep telling mom and dad I just wanna talk...but they insist that I go back to bed. I finally went back to sleep (with daddy's help) about an hour later. I woke up at 745 this morning. I usually don't get up until 830/845! Don't tell me I'm going to make this a habit :(

I haven't been eating a lot of solid foods lately. I wonder if that's a teething thing? I'm still nursing a lot but I didn't eat breakfast today and I only had a few bites of my lunch. Maybe I'm saving room for carrots at dinner...

I've been working on standing up. I'm doing a really good job at it. Mom and dad can't believe I can do it. They think I'm going to skip the whole crawling thing and just go straight into walking. We shall see...right now I'm having too much fun keeping them guessing.

No to Sleep!

Well, today has been kind of a stressful day. I woke up last night around 230am and didn't/wouldn't go back to sleep for over an hour. Mom and dad took turns with me but all I wanted to do was babble :) Dad read somewhere that this happens when babies are going thru a growth spurt; it's part of our makeup...all I know is that I wanted to talk and mom and dad weren't having it. So, I finally went back down around 330/4ish and didn't wake up again until 845 this morning.
It's now 1pm and I haven't napped once. Mom says this is a recipe for disaster. I'd have to agree since I'm screaming at the top of my lungs right now. We played this morning and then went for a beautiful, 30 minute walk - to try and 'tire' me out...but that didn't work. So, we went to get coffee and I fell asleep in the car (yay!) but then when mom opened the door to get out - I woke up (no!) and well, here I am.
Dad came home for lunch a little while ago and we had a nice lunch. I had a banana/oatmeal/peach blend and it was yummy. Now I'm playing in my exersaucer and mom is watching me. She can't decide if she should try and get me to fall asleep here at home or if she should put me in the car and drive me around for a bit. Agh...it's been a long day already and it's only the afternoon. Cross you fingers that I get a nap in.

Random Stuff

I got a new toy yesterday! And man...they aren't cheap?! $50...for a Fisher-Price toy...geeze...good thing mom and dad are still covering my expenses. But boy do I love that thing. I'll post a pic later.

Anywho, I was supposed to go on the boat yesterday but we were all so dog-gone tired that we decided to hang around the house. Mom and dad cleaned both bathrooms and I hung out with Bailey. (Who thought that'd be more fun than boating????) Not me! Oh well, maybe next time.

We ended up going to the mall to look for new sneakers for mom. She's doing her running thing again and WW is still going strong for both mom and dad...so she needs a good, comfy new pair of shoes. We found some - $100 though! Ouch! So we when we got home, we scoured eBay and found a pair - the same pair - and won the bid for $55! Half the price! Not much on the agenda for today. It's a beautiful day out - so I think we'll take a walk. Mom will go for a run...and I think she wants to get her hair cut. And dad and I will probably watch ESPN. Take a look at my video clip (above). I'm pretty darn cute if I must say so myself :)

Missouri State Fair & Other Cool Things...

I went to the Missouri State Fair today for the first time! It was kind of lame to be honest with you...not much there but a bunch of animals. Don't get me wrong - I love animals, but give me some shopping booths or something!? Here's a pic of me and my dad chillin':
Anywho, I've been rolling over a lot. Well, from my tummy to my back and only to one side; but that still counts, right? Take a look at me in action :)

Hmmm...what else has been going on in my life. Oh, I got a yoga certificate the other day. I am an official yogi! Woohoo! I'm still workin' on those teeth of mine! Mom thought one may have come thru today because she saw a little bit of blood on my gums...but nope - there's nothing there but gums, gums and more gums. Dad thinks I may have bitten down on one of my toys too hard or something. I got a cut on one of my toes - but no one knows how it got there. I went to the fair in one piece and came back with a cut...go figure.

I'm supposed to go boating tomorrow with my friends, Mike and Jackie - but I am so dog-gone tired from the fair and driving 2 1/2 hours each way to Sedalia...that I just might not go! We'll see how I feel in the morning. Nighty night everyone :)

Up on my Own 2 Feet!

Okay teeth...when are you coming?! I almost didn't go to Anastasia's going away party today because I was so fussy. Anywho - I had a great time with my friends. It was good to see everybody and of course, my girlfriend Grace was there so I was on Cloud 9!
I fell asleep pretty quickly on the way home from Springfield. Mom and I ate lunch when we got back and then played for a long time. It took mom over an hour to eat her lunch because I was so fussy - crying on and off - but she managed to finish it! Then I fell asleep from 330-6! Just in time to see daddy when he came home from work.
Mom went for a run and dad and I played before dinner. I had sweet potatoes and a mum-mum. Man, am I full! I've got a date with my exersaucer and then it's off to bed for me. Tomorrow is grocery shopping with mom and we have a coffee date with our friends Melissa and Owen in the morning.
Happy Anniversary to my grandpa and grandma Longley today! I miss you guys and love you!
Goodnight :)
PS - Pictures to come...from the party today...oh, and I stood up with dad's help on my own 2 feet for the 1st time today! A picture to come of that too!!!

Relaxin' At Home

Today was a pretty lax day. I woke up around 6 again (what's going on?!) and dad took me so that mom could sleep for another hour before dad left for work. I tossed and turned a lot last night, so mom didn't get much sleep. I stayed up until 830 and then fell asleep on mom for a half hour or so. Mom got to read her book for a bit - that was good - it was nice for both of us to relax.
We went and grabbed some coffee and just hung out together for a bit. Then it was back home to make lunch for dad. Mom was able to get a quick run in while dad watched me over his lunch break. She even stretched and showered before he left! Woohoo! This was mom's 4th day of running! Good job mom!
Mom and dad are doing their WW thing right now - they're trying to shed some pounds and tighten up their tummies. They're doing a good job! This Saturday will be 1 week...and so far, it's been pretty easy. I'll keep you posted :)
Tomorrow is Anastasia's going away party. I wrapped her gift today and filled out a card for her. Mom and have to make brownies tomorrow morning. I'm so excited to see my friends. It'll be kind of a busy day for us. We'll have to leave the house around 9 to be at Kristin's for 10 and then it's P-A-R-T-Y time!
Oh, and mom did get roses today! They were beautiful. She got 3 long stem roses from dad in this gorgeous bouquet and she also got a huge bouquet from her mom and sister. The florist delivered it to Keen Bean where mom and I were hanging out! Cool huh? It was a great day all around. Happy Anniversary mom and dad. I love you!

Happy Annivesary Mom and Dad!

I had a fun time with mom today. We met a friend for coffee at Keen Bean and then came home and played in my room for a long time. Dad came home for lunch and I fell asleep on mom while she was watching Deal or No Deal. When I woke up, we played some more and then headed to Walmart in Aurora to pick up a few things. She had to get a scrapbook for Anastasia - her going away party is this Thursday at Kristen's house and mom found the perfect book! I'm so sad that Tracy and Anastasia are leaving but I'm also excited for them. I'm looking forward to seeing all of my Itsy Bitsy Yoga friends in 2 days :)
Tomorrow is mom and dad's 3 year wedding anniversary. I can't believe it's been 3 years (it'll be 9 years in April that they've been together)...whoah! They just exchanged cards tonight (dad always likes to do things early) and I think mom is going to get some roses tomorrow. Actually, I know she will because I heard her tell dad "you can get one for each year honey". Oh mom...lol. I think they're going to take me to the fair this weekend to celebrate. I know they'd like to catch a movie and grab some dinner - but that can wait.
I'm not sure what we're doing tomorrow. We have absolutely NO plans. That's a change; we usually have something going on. I do know that mom wants to clean my room; like dust and stuff and go thru my clothes, etc. It's kind of hard to clean with me though = I don't like to sit still for too long. The fridge needs to be cleaned out too but who knows, we may get to it, we might not.

8 Months Old Today!

I am 8 months old today! Whoah! And to celebrate my 8 month 'oldness' today...mom and dad bought me a chair that attaches to our table! Look! That's me and my dad eating breakfast :) You can tell I really like my new chair - look at my huge smile. I think I'm even attempting to wave in this picture?
I'm a part of the family meals now! Goodbye BUMBO! Ha, ha...just kidding...I'll still use the bumbo from time to time but mom says I've officially graduated to 'big boy chair' world.
I'm still doing the whole 'teething' thing. I was in a great mood yesterday and then all of a sudden - BAM! I was outta control! Mom gave me a bath, then some Tylenol to take the edge off and then nursed me and I fell asleep. When is this tooth gonna pop thru? Oh, and I got 5 new shirts yesterday! I had to buy 12 month old ones because I am growing up to be sooooo big! Mom gets those free $10 coupons in the mail from JCP and she just strolls on in and gets $10 worth of free stuff every time! If you get those in the mail...you should definitely be using them! And then...on top of that...you get a receipt when you make your purchase to take like a 2 second survey on line and at the end = you get a 15% off coupon for your next purchase! Can't beat it folks! And right now, all summer clothes are like 75% off...so like I said...I got 5 new shirts for FREE! Talk about a STEAL!

I'm A Great Napper!

I've had a very busy day already and it's only 1 o'clock! I woke up around 8 and mom and I ate breakfast then left the house around 9. Mom grabbed some coffee and with that, we were off to Joplin. Mom offered to wait at grandma and grandpa's house from 10-12 today since their bedroom furniture was being delivered and they were at work (someone had to be there to sign off). Why is it, that they give you such a huge time frame...no number to contact the movers...and then they show up like 10 minutes before 12??? Frustrating!!! I was tired, cranky and hungry...and I won't EVEN tell you what kind of mood my mom was in.
We were supposed to get groceries but by the time mom got me in the car...I fell asleep and she was way too tired to even attempt Walmart...I think it's been a bad day for mom. She thought I was sleeping but I could hear her crying in the car. Mom, it's okay. Tomorrow is a new day and everything will be okay. I think she gets stressed out sometimes and I know her back/neck has been bothering her lately. I think she just needs some rest and TLC. Huh, when, right?
Anywho, I've had 2 great naps today so I'm super happy and can't wait to see dad when he comes home from work. He is my new best friend :)

Tired, Tired, Tired

I am so tired. Yesterday, I drove to Joplin with mom to help grandma line her kitchen cabinets. It took us an hour to get there...much longer than I thought it would - so I'm kind of sick of being in the car. Grandma just had leg surgery so I wanted to help her around the house as much as I could. But now I'm really tired.
I slept on dad's chest again last night; for 2 solid hours. Mom was pretty knocked out - she took some cold medicine because she's still not feeling well. She got a cold somehow and it just won't go away. I think we're all just kind of run-down. Mom is still trying to decide if we're going to go to yoga today. It would be more time in the car...more time out and about...and I'm just not sure if I'm up to it. But it is my routine after all.
Mom still isn't sleeping well. She's up around 2'ish every night. Poor mom. I hope she starts to get some rest. I can tell that she's pretty worn out.
Other than that - not much else going on. I'm getting my 8 month pictures done on Monday...and I think mom and dad are going to pose for 1 or 2 of those pictures since their 3 year anniversary is just around the corner. Looking forward to it!

Vegging Out This Weekend

Let's see...where do I begin...I haven't blogged in a few days but believe me...I'm still teething. I had a busy weekend so I thought I'd catch you all up today. Saturday I went grocery shopping with mom and dad. We stayed home all day and just caught up around the house. Mom cleaned her closet and worked on my baby books...dad went thru his old kid stuff and boxed that up to put in the attic. That was probably my favorite part of the weekend. (Probably because I scored some great books and daddy's old, plastic cash register!)
It was nice to just stay home and veg, ya know? I feel like we've been running all over the place lately. I didn't sleep well the past few nights so I needed to take it easy. Sunday, we ended up staying in a hotel in Joplin so that we could be there for gram and gramps early the next day to help them move in to their new house! Yay! They're finally here! I'm so happy!
Mom and dad took me swimming at the hotel - it was so much fun! I really am a good swimmer. I kicked and splashed and laughed. I wish we had a pool (hint, hint dad). Anywho = I'm going to Grace's house today...that's my girlfriend if you don't remember...mom has a drs appointment so Grace and I are going to play while mommy goes to that. Hopefully, I won't get too upset when mom leaves. She doesn't leave me with other people very often - but this is good practice. And I've known Grace now for more than half of my life - so I'll be fine :)