10 months old!!!

Can you believe that I am already 10 months old? Time sure flies!

My Momma doesn't have much time to write, so we will just let the pictures speak for themselves. Today was really hot, so I got to wear no shirt! Check out my manly muscles!















Well, that is all for now... more will follow, I am sure... my Momma has this terrible habbit of chasing me with the camera.


Oh, and by the way, POST COMMENTS!!!! It is set so you don't have to be a member to post a comment... and the comment board is awfully lonely these days...

...takin' off my pants!!!

Hello again! It has been a few days... my Momma has been busy busy busy with the class work she had to get done. Plus, we were in Frankfurt for a day, and we helped some friends move...

So anyway. What is new? Nothing much. Today I surprised my Momma by taking off my pants by myself after my nap. I mean, seriously, who needs pants these days? Then my Momma put on these ones, I couldn't quite figure out the straps. They stayed on for the rest of the day.

I have also decided that kiwis are some of the best inventions on this planet. They are soooooo yummy!

I was in a very good mood today! I got to go to my Kinderturnen, which is a German baby exercise class. It is so fun to crawl around the obstacle course with the other babies! Sometimes we just all crawl over the top of each other... but most of the time, nobody minds. I learned to climb onto the barriers, so the teacher said that pretty soon I can join the 1-year-olds. They kept having to put me back inside the obstacle course.

I forgot all about this toy. It was hiding at the bottom of my toy basket. It kept me busy for a loooong time! Nothing like a good string with a chicken attached to it.

Uuuuuuhm, what? You said I am being noisy? Wadda ya mean? I am just clanking this metal spoon on my high chair, the floor, and the window!

Well, time for my Momma to get me ready for bed.
Night night!

Eating big-people food!

My Momma lets me eat big-people food once a day now! The first thing she tried was ground-up spaghetti. Ooooooh, was it good... and today I ate left-over cajun rice. Actually, my Momma was going to have it for lunch herself. But when I saw it, I started pounding my tray with my hands, and started yelling "Mmmmmh! Mmmmmh!" the way I always do when I am hungry... so she gave me a spoon-ful. And I liked it! This was a surprise, because it had a decent amount of spices in it, and onions too. But I ate a full baby-bowl of it. And topped it off with a quarter of an apple. Yum!

When I don't feel like eating something, I just pretend I don't know it is there. I become pre-occupied with something on the ground, or I start playing with my hands, or I just close my eyes. The key is not to make visual contact with the unwanted food. The leading theory is that it will just go away by itself when treated in this fashion. I have rejected pumpkin that way several times now, with is unfortunate for my Momma, because she has several pounds of it in the freezer. Thankfully, I am not very particular about most food. The things I don't like are very sensible things not to like. I mean, peas? Come on! Pumpkin? Maybe that's just a phase. I used to like it. Banana? Yuck! I just spit it right back out.

When I do like food, on the other hand, I get very enthusiastic. I open my mouth like a good little birdy, and if my Momma or Dad doesn't keep the spoon coming, I get impatient. I also say "Mmmmmh! Mmmmmmh!" now when I get hungry. If I do this while rubbing my head on my Momma's chest, I want her yummy milk. If I crawl around the room saying "Mmmmmh! Mmmmh!" then I want something else.

That's all for now. This post was really just an excuse for my Momma to post her new favorite picture of me. Now I am stinky, so my Momma needs to give me a new diaper. Talk to you later!

Almost well again...

Sorry that we haven't posted any pictures for a bit... we were all sick!

We caught some icky virus that gave us a head cold and a cough and a sore throat and a fever and a headache, and Mark had an ear-ache too. No fun at all. We all felt pretty miserable. Poor little Mark had one day where he was particularly pathetic. His ears hurt him, and when I put him down, he would crawl in little circles, crying and rubbing his head on the ground. Poor little guy. And in the middle of that, he was teething, too! Aaaarggh.
Funny how every time so far, Mark's teething has coincided with him being sick... the (single, male) doctor claims there is no connection, but the fever and ear-ache part, in my opinion, is connected to teething. Ask any other Mom. Anyway, Mark has 5 teeth now, and one more is trying hard to come in. Now that Mark is feeling better, he is sleeping a lot during the day and the night, this round of being sick seems to have really worn him out. He took 3 naps today! He is also fussier than usual, doubtless from the discomfort of teething. He constantly wants to be physically connected with one of us. He clings like a little monkey!

Anyway, here are a few pictures from this weekend. Mark's friend MacKenzie had her Birthday party. We had fun! Ben tied a helium balloon to the back of Mark's pants... he was easy to locate!

Mark was still a little small to climb on most of the kiddie-gym, but he sure tried! The slide was a new experience... he mostly tried crawling UP it.

Silly Dad! Why is he rubbing the balloon on Mark's head?

This was right after the party. Mark is always glad to come home, and yells "ah! ah! ah!" all the way up the stairs.

That's all for now. I'll post more in a few days, it's getting harder to take pictures of the little guy because he is always on the move!

Happy Easter!

This has been a busy weekend!
On Saturday, my Momma and Dad drove to Belgium to buy antique furniture! That was pretty boring. They drove and drove, and then they walked around sheds looking at furniture, and they wouldn't let me crawl on that wonderfully enticing dirty floor! They did find two wardrobes, a bed frame (for the guest room) and a mirror. Then we all got back into the boring old van and drove and drove back home. My Momma was pretty excited about the furniture, and my Dad was excited that he got to eat Belgian waffles in Belgium.

On Friday, my Dad didn't have to work, so he and my Momma took me on a hike in the hills above Heidelberg! That was fun. The weather was wonderful, and the hike was quite scenic. Actually, to be honest, I slept most of the way up. My Dad carried me in the Mayan wrap.

At the top, we ate a picknick. I got to taste leaves and dirt, too. And I stole my Momma's apple. Yum! Nope, I am not one bit messy. Oh. That stuff on my cheeks? I'm saving that for later!

Here, my Dad is taking a nap. He is all exhausted from carrying the heavy backpack on his back, and me on his front. My Momma carried a backpack, too, but it was much lighter.

Hello there, Momma! If Dad won't smile for the picture, at least I will....

My Dad took this picture. My Momma looks like a kid in this one, but really, she is quite old!

Well, here is the view from the top of the hill. You could see Heidelberg and the castle! I am trying to sound excited, but really, the grass and dirt were more exciting for me... and the puppy dog that was there!

Today we went to church, and now we are lounging around the house, relaxing.
Happy Easter, everyone!

About ME!

Hi everyone, I thought those of you who live far away might like to know a little more about what I can do now, and what I like! So enjoy reading... my Momma will add some pictures later today.


What I can do:
I have mastered the speed-crawl, and will crawl back and forth across even the biggest room (the youth room at chapel!) REALLY quickly. I love exploring my home, and now that the living room/dining room area is completely safe (my Momma moved the cat food to the back room, and all the plants onto the balcony), I get free range of it! I no longer scoot on my belly, but crawl, slapping my little hands onto the floor because I like the noise it makes! Often I also make little excited breathing noises while I crawl if I am crawling towards something that interests me. I can crawl under things, and right over the top of things, including pillows, people's legs, and the kitty. Even though my Momma sweeps and vacuums every other day, the tops of my feet and the knees of my pants get really grey by the end of the day.

My Momma mentioned before that I can pull up on things. I do that now while holding on with just one hand, and I can get back down by myself. I let go now, too, and stand for a second or two. It still surprises me when that happens, and then I fall on my diaper-padded back end. I will walk around the whole periphery of the room, holding on to things, and I fish on any surfaces I can get my hands onto.

I can climb stairs. I really don't understand why my Momma wasn't happy about this great new skill. She squelched my efforts by installing a gate at the bottom of the stairs. Sometimes she lets me climb them, with her spotting me from behind. But there is no way to block access to the two steps in the living room, so I play on them all the time. I know how to get down feet first, and sometimes I even do it. I did roll off of the living room step a few days ago, and got a fat lip in the process. My Momma felt terrible, but I am just so darn QUICK!


Hmmm. I can sit, but I don't do it very often. Usually, sitting is the accidental transitional phase between standing and crawling (As in, I was standing, fell down, and then I crawl away). Sometimes I sit myself up, to look at a book, or to play with my ball-ramp.

I can feed myself some foods. Apple slices, noodles, cheerios, red pepper, cucumber, and dried bread heels are the most common ones. Kitty hair, kitty food, and paper have been tried on occasion, but again, for some inexplicable reason, my Momma won't let me eat those if she catches me.

I understand quite a few baby signs, but only do a few. I shake my head "no," wave "hello" or "bye," I ask for "apple" and sometimes use the "give me" sign. I continue to say "Gkeeh!" to the kitty, and have learned that he will come to my high chair and lick my hands if I say "Gkeeh!" and hold my hand down to him. Oh yeah. And I stick my tonge out on command. Don't forget that one!
My general opinion of baby signs is that they are way too quiet. Making loud happy noises is SOOO much fun! The stair well echoes, so I yell "Ah! Ah! Ah!" all the way down or up the stairs. I also carry on LOUD conversations with myself, the kitty, or my Momma or Dad at home, in the car, or in the street car.

I give my Momma kisses. This is done by placing my open mouth on her face or arm, and then after pulling away, clicking my tongue. The result is a wet spot on my Momma's cheek or forehead or nose, but she seems to be delighted. Sometimes we play the kissing game, where she gives me a kiss on the cheek, and then I give her a kiss on the cheek. I still sometimes bonk my head on hers if I get a little too exuberant...

I put myself to sleep for my naps. My Momma usually reads me a book, and then sings to me, and puts me down. I hardly ever cry before naps anymore. Now that I can get back down after pulling myself up on the crib, it is SO much easier to go to sleep! I still sometimes fall asleep sitting up in my crib, or squish myself into a corner, so my Momma or Dad check on me abut 5 minutes after I stop talking. I have also started sleeping longer at night without waking up. I go to bed at about 8pm, and don't wake up until 4 for my first breakfast. Sometimes I still wake up at 1 out of habit, but my Dad picks me up, pats my back, and puts me back in my crib, and I just roll onto my side and fall back asleep. After my 4am breakfast, I go back to sleep until 7 or 8. I take one or two naps during the day. I always take the nap at 11am-12:30, but sometimes I skip my afternoon nap.

What I like:
I love playing. During the day, I sometimes keep myself busy for an hour or more at a time. I have figured out that certain toys do certain things, so e.g. I will push the button on my keys for the voice to say "lets go!" or I will put the little ball into the hole on top of the ramp to see it roll down (I do that again and again). I love reading books, or having someone read to me. The toys that I still need help with, e.g. the jack in the box, I bring to someone to do it for me. I know that the two baskets in the living room have my toys in them, and I love taking them out and putting them back in.
I really love it when my Dad rough-houses with me, and all the other fun stuff he plays with me. Half of those threaten to give my Momma a heart attack, but that is a sacrifice I am willing to make. I love my Dad!
I like playing "hide the toy" with my Momma, and I really like the sneaky shark game (my Momma hides behind a pillow and sneaks up to me, making shark-movie-music, then she pounces on me and nibbles and tickles me!). Going swimming in the bath tub is fun, too. Sometimes my Momma gets in with me, which is nice, but it kinda limits my wiggling space.

I love driving in the car, and in the street car, and I make sure that everyone knows this by making lots of happy, LOUD noise.

I love other children. I always try to make contact with them by crowing at them, and waving my hands. Sometimes they just ignore me. Others greet me right back. That is fun!

I like classical music (thank you to my aunt Hanna, who gave me some CDs!), but my Dad's loud rock that he sometimes plays in the car makes me cry every time. I am sure that will change, eventually...

I love animals, and would really like it if we had more at home. Instead we go visit the ducks by the river, and go to the park to see the goats. The kitty is nice enough, but he doesn't offer much variety.

Just like my uncle Brian did when he was little, I love gnawing on the dry heel of bread. And I prove that I am my Momma's son by eating a whole half of an avocado in one sitting! I like carrots, and pumpkin, and ground chicken, beef or turkey. I like feeding myself noodles and cheerios.I really like my millet and milk baby cereal, and will even eat peas if they are hidden in there. I LOVE apples, and will stay quiet eating pieces of apple for about 20-30 minutes in my high chair. Every afternoon, I get to eat half an apple.
Foods I don't like: banana (yuck!), peas (gross, they make me gag), apples sauce (why settle for apple sauce when you can have apples?), lemon (no idea why my parents gave me that lemon wedge to try), and whoever invented those baby vitamin D drops should be fired.

Well, folks, that is all for now. I've been dictating all this to my Momma, and now I would rather play with her. I am indicating this by climbing her as she types.

I love my Dad!!!!

My Dad is so much fun! While my Momma spends bunches of time teaching me colors and animals and trying to teach me the baby signs for "eat" "drink" "yes" "no" "please" "thank you" "hello" and "bye," my Dad tought me to stick out my tongue on command! Uh! Uh! I am going to be a manly man!

Hi!

Hello there! My silly Momma decided to put me in the kitty's playpen... I guess she got tired of constantly having to pull me off of the stairs! Yep, yep. I like climbing. Just you watch! It's stairs today, and Mount Everest tomorrow!

Uh, yeah. My toy basket is completely empty. It was hard work! Now will you help me put my toys back inside?

Uhm, heheh. Lalala. Don't look at me... keep writing your paper, Momma. I'm not getting myself into any trouble at all.

Nope, none. Do you see this face? Purely angelic. No mischief at all. Not me!

Uh! Uh! (*grunt*) This thing is tricky! My Momma can do it, now I want to do it myself! Stop laughing at me, kitty! I am trying to make this ball go into the hole, and slide down the slide!

Ok. Time-out. I'll just chew on the ball for a little while. Get it all nice and slippery.

Maybe if I look at my Momma with these BIG GOOGLY ANIME EYES she will show me how to do it again?
Oh! Look! It worked!

Going to the Zoo!

My Momma took me to the Zoo! We had a grand old time together with Stephanie and her daugher McKenzie. Stephanie took these pictures... thank you!!!!!


Here I am looking at the elephants. They are sooooooooo big!

After seeing the elephants, I got to watch McKenzie feed the ducks. All those ducks, and all that quacking! I got really excited!
This is the old grampa monkey. When we walked by, he tapped the window to get my attention. What a strange animal! Not quite as strange as the old great-grampa monkey.... he didn't harldy have any hair!


I also got to see the lions. One of the males was roaring, and that scared me. But I didn't cry, I just almost did. Then my Momma showed me how to roar back, and then it was fun.

Here we are in the petting zoo. When we went in there, all the goats came running towards us! They licked my hands, and even my face, until my Momma pushed them away a bit. No idea why she minded. It was fun grabbing their fur. One of the babies ate a cracker out of McKenzie's stroller. The goat in this picture is pregnant with twins!

Here I am befriending two of the goats. My Momma is holding my hand, because I kept trying to grab the goats' wet noses. I wonder why she didn't want me to?

Play -Eat -Sleep -Play

Why hello there! Welcome to the newest edition of ME! This is my toy basket...

...and it is great fun to fish in it! I toppled into it a few times before I learned to bend my knees when I go fishing... which resulted in me being stuck, head first, legs sticking out kicking. Thankfully, my Momma rescued me each time.

My Momma and Dad put this playpen in the living room specially for the kitty to sleep in. Yeah. Those big meanies. When he is in there, I can't get at him! Grrrrr....

...that doesn't keep me from shreeking at the kitty: "Gkeeh!" and trying to reach in to pull his ears.... my Dad is very jealous that my first word is not "Dada" ...I have been saying "Gkeeh!" consistently now for a while. I say "Dadadadada" and "Mamamamama" but mostly just because I like the sound of it.

Sometimes when my Dad is at work, and my Momma needs to take a shower (pew!) she puts ME in the kitty's play pen. Weird, isn't she?

I played and played and played... time for a nap! Maybe my Momma will take a nap too?

Climbing!!!!

So this whole standing thing is really fun! I like it so much that my Momma has to give me my bath while I stand up... none of that silly lying down nonsense!

My Momma has been pretty busy lately with her graduate class... sheesh! All that reading and writing papers... but I was a good boy and let her work.

Oh yeah. And I used the time to learn to climb onto the stairs in front of the fireplace. You can imagine, my Momma was delighted. So delighted that she took away all the plants and decorations that were on the upper step! Boy was she surprised when I did it the first time! She went into the kitchen while I was peacefully playing on the livingroom floor, and came back to see me crawling along the length of the first step, following the kitty! So far I have managed not to fall off.

I am liking this whole "having teeth" part of life. These things are great! I can gnaw on dried breadcrusts, I can gnaw on the kitty's paws, and I can even leave my mark on the furniture now!

Alright, my Momma is talking about putting me down for my nap now. Gotta go!

8-month check-up

Today Mark had his 8-month check-up (a little late), and was pronounced, yet again, a big, healthy, happy boy. He "delighted" the waiting room with a long monologue of LOUD "Eidileidileidileidileidi! Bvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv (rasberry)! Bwabwabwabwabwa! Yayayahhh! Hahahaaah!" ...it made people laugh.

He is now 30.5 inches (77.5cm)"tall", and weighs 20.5lbs (9560g) - this means that he grew quite a bit in length, but has only gained about a lb in 2 months. I was a tiny bit worried at this. But the doctor said that this was nothing to worry about, since Mark is such an active baby, and because he did grow in length, if not in weight.

Please admire Mark's 3 teeth, 2 on the bottom, 1 on the top! The 4th one (top middle) broke out of the gum last night. And yes, that is my soggy sock Mark was just chewing on...


That's it for now, folks, cuz I gotta get back to writing my paper!

...back after a wonderful month in the USA!

So this last month has been full of amazing and fun experiences!
My Momma and Dad took me to the USA, where we spent a wonderful time with family and friends. Thank you to everybody who opened their home to us... and we look forward to seeing all of you again!



My Dad got to perform the honor of letting my little bare feet touch American Soil for the first time... my comment: chilly!



This month has brought a lot of changes: on Feb 17th, I got my first tooth, followed a few days later by my second tooth (both on the bottom in the middle). The third tooth is poking through on one corner on the top. Don't put your finger in my mouth! I will BITE!



I am better at sitting, but still not interested in STAYING sitting. During the last week of Febuary, I became interested in pulling myself up on things. I wasn't very good at it then, but by the time I was back here in Germany, I was really good at it! (Which forced my Momma and Dad to spend all of Saturday babyproofing the house!) I pull up on the couch, the stairs, my crib, the bed, legs, or pretty much anything I can find. Now I can even walk along the length of the couch while holding on for balance. The only problem is that I have not yet figured out how to get down by myself. This is especially frustrating when I am in my crib, and really just want to sleep... but I will learn soon.

Feeding myself crackers and toasted oats (kind of like unsweetened cherios) is one of my new skills too. I like offering other people my food, but so far my Momma and my Dad were the only takers.




Well, that's it for now... but there will be more pictures soon!