A weekend or so ago you had a BIG play day with MANY of Daddy's cousins' kids. David and Angie have 5 children, Jenny and Dan have 2, and Amy has 2 twin baby girls on the way due in January. We took to the road early to get to Ohio in time to play. Sarah, Jenny's daughter, was waiting so patiently for you to arrive. She liked giving you hugs and helping you play with toys.
The next day you attended Amy's shower with me. As she opened presents you tried to lick the terrazzo floor. Hey it was cool and your mouth was probably on fire with those 6 teeth bustin' their way through. Mommy was not having it and every time you got close to touchin' your tongue I put you back onto your blanket... over and over and over again. You munched on a couple of grapes and strawberries and were passed around for holding.
After the shower we went back to Ruthie's and all of the kids and semi kids and adults played with lots of toys and you were right in the middle of it all having a grand time! Ahhhh how nice it was to look over and say to myself, "Ah! that's my boy!"
I love this picture of you and the kids all sitting on the back porch at Great Aunt Ruthies'. They were all so concerned with what you were doing when Mommy would tell them that I was about to take the picture they would all look down at you. So Mommy told them that if they looked down the middle of my lens really carefully that they could see my eyeball. You can't of course but hey! ya gotta do what ya gotta do to get 7 kids to look at you.
On the ride home Daddy and Mommy figured out that we were not far from Anderson, Indiana. In Anderson is a Rax, a restaurant that had a place in Columbus while we were little. Daddy and Mommy had enjoyed it so much and then they pretty much disappeared from the Midwest. We drove 12 miles out of our way to find it in downtown Anderson and closed. Rax isn't even open on the weekends anymore. What!?! We took a couple of photos of the menu and us looking sad and continued on home. You didn't miss a beat snorin' in the back.
It was nice seeing everyone and we are so happy you are with us now.
I just can't believe what you've been up to. You started crawling about 5-6 weeks ago and now have 6 teeth making an appearance, which is amazing in itself because you are just 7 months today. Last week I am cleaning dishes in the kitchen while I hear from the bedroom Daddy's astonished voice, "Mommy! Mommy! Come here! Quick! You've got to see this!" Well, Daddy had you in the pack'n'play and you had decided to pull yourself up and over the side to try and crawl out onto Daddy's lap! So dangerous!
Therefore, immediately, after I marveled at your he-man strength and took a couple of shots, Mommy moved that pack'n'play down to the bottom level.
You were clearly unsure about this development and rolled around and smooshed your face against the nylon mesh sides making' your mug all Picassoesque. You know, is your lip your brow or is it the corner of your nose kind of thing.
In a couple of days you acclimated to this change after raging around in your baby cage but have now transferred your pull-up skills to Daddy's feet and other objects. In trying to creep your way over the top of your toy basket to retrieve your Glockenspiel your fat belly became stuck halfway over and I had to rescue you. You couldn't go forward or backward! Your efforts were so concentrated when I came behind you and put my hands on your waist to help you out I startled you. Being persistent, you went right back at it all over again.
Your new semi-standing position is helping you bring to light new worlds to lick, bite and screech at. Mommy has to keep an eye on that taffy tongue brush that seems to want to paint the dirtiest or most dangerous of surfaces such as: terrazzo floors, Daddy's tires, electric cords, my camera lens, cart handles, any paper you can get your hands on or your stroller wheels.
So happy to see you grow up, so sad to know there is a day you will start your own life and throw ole Mommy to the curb.
Who would have thought that Fall is your season! You love the crinklin' leaves and the squirrels and chipmonks outside of the living room window. You sit in your bouncy seat and hop hop hop while you watch outside the window. You don't seem to mind the chill in the air or a warm stocking cap on your head. You are extra cuddly in a warm hoodie and little jeans. Our friend Mason used to point out that you were so tiny your pants were square; as wide as you were tall... now you've stretched out and your pants are little rectangles.
Above are a couple of you playing in the leaves and walking around the yard with Grandpa Tim.
It was time to give J another visit! We drove over in the afternoon this past Thursday the notion of fall lingering on the trees and in the double wagon pumpkin truck we were stuck behind for 10 minutes.
We arrived and Tommy and Uriah jumped to see us. Tommy grabbed you immediately and wanted to give you big warm hugs. You seemed to like it at first but then I think you weren't too certain about the level of tight his hugs can entail.
We played on the floor, danced a little, read a book and ate some pizza. The boys showed us their new kitty cats, Manfred and Big Manfred and J gave you lots of cuddles. Mommy and J had a good conversation about the past 7 months and how proud we are that we've developed such a good relationship and how much love we have for you, my little Peep Peep. We aren't sure if the boys understand their connection to you just yet but J says when she tells them Mommy is coming over Tommy will ask her, "is she bringin' that baby too?"
While playing you gave a big smile and J discovered ANOTHER tooth pushin' through on the bottom next to your first two! That makes three teeth coming in at one time! Your top two have been giving you quite a hassle and a couple of times you let out some pretty mighty shrieks.
J and Mommy tried to get a photo of the three of you boys together but we could not get you all to cooperate in the same frame. (Sorry JMom, we tried!)
The next day we were to go to Ohio for Daddy's cousin Amy's baby shower, she is having twin girls in January, so we left around 4:30.
Mommy looks for another visit in a few weeks. I'm grateful for the connection and I know someday it will be as important to you.
Dear Henry, 
