one more thing.......

Make that 7 posts. But I couldn't resist.....today is our 4 year anniversary! Who is that young couple?!

A Million Posts....

I'm making up for a week of no blogging by posting a million times on one day (okay, maybe just 6 times, but that's a lot). I've been storing up all these events and pictures, waiting for time to sit down and post them. It has been a super busy week, as we are getting ready for vacation and I'm at the end of my semester of classes. So there's been a lot to do other than blog. Anyway, I hope all these posts and pictures make up for my absence. Enjoy!!!!

A new summer 'do

On the 85 degree Saturday this past weekend, I was drying and straightening my long, thick hair and got so hot that I decided I was going to cut it all off. I scheduled an appointment for Monday and got 11 inches cut off. How's that for spontaneous? I LOVE it...it feels so good to have it all gone. I donated it to Locks of Love, so I hope it can help someone who needs it.

More Pictures...Faces and Sunglasses

Summer means lots of opportunities to take fun pictures, so here are more. The top three show more of Mr. Mister's many expressions. The third one shows his new scowl face a little bit, but I hope to get a full scowl on camera some day. The last picture is of Mr. Mister with Daddy in the big pool, sporting the sunglasses (which only stayed on long enough to snap the picture...you can see his right hand in position to take them off!).

Pool Pictures

Mr. Mister loves the pool. Here are some pictures of him in the baby pool at my parents' house. The last picture is Mr. Mister with Cousin A, who is 6 months older. You'd never guess by looking at them that they are cousins!

Discoveries

Mr. Mister is making new discoveries every day. In the past couple weeks he has found out how to open cabinets, drawers, and the lazy susan and how to take things out of those places, including lids to the pots and pans, spices, q-tips, rolls of toilet paper, etc. Today he found the steps. I was wondering when that would happen. He stood up holding onto the bottom step, looking up in awe of the possible adventures that exist in this fun new place. He's also "cruising," an official term to describe how babies walk from furniture to furniture, holding on as they go. All of this to say that I can't take my eyes off of him for a minute anymore. It is fun to watch him learn so many new things, but it sure gets tiring!

Welcome, Baby Addie!

My college roommate just had her first baby on June 17, a little girl named Addie...7 pounds 3 ounces and 19 inches long. Congratulations!!

The Best Laid Plans

In honor of the hot, humid weather today, I decided to take Mr. Mister to our neighborhood pool. I thought it would be fun to cool off and to get outside before the predicted storms came through. This was a great idea when I thought of it, but by the time I got his bathing suit on, put sunscreen all over him, gathered toys and towels and sunglasses and keys and everything else we might have needed, the skies were getting dark. I was not going to miss out on the pool after all this work, though, so I put Mr. Mister in the stroller anyway and walked quickly. We spent at least 3 minutes in the pool until the thunder started rumbling. So I put him back in the stroller and walked quickly back home. I ended up giving him a bath instead. He splashed around and played with his toys and I wondered if he really knew the difference between the bathtub and the pool.

The Many Faces of Mr. Mister

These are some signature faces that Mr. Mister makes. The smile charms everyone, but I think the one that makes everyone laugh is the last one. It comes with a "hoo, hoo" sound that never gets old. This face shows excitement about something he sees or recognition of someone he loves.

More and Mama

A while back, when Mr. Mister started squawking and screaming when he wanted more food, I began to teach him the sign for more so he could ask without screaming. Over and over I would show him the sign, tapping the tips of my fingers together. (I'm sure most of you know the sign, but if you don't, you'll have to look it up or just pretend, because it's too hard to describe). After I would do the sign, I would put his hands together to sign more. Then I would give him more food. In the meantime, he learned to clap. So now he thinks that the sign for more is the same as clapping. So when he wants more food, he starts clapping. It's adorable. I'll be fixing his food and I hear clap, clap, clap, behind me and there he is with a huge smile on his face. I love it.

He is also starting to say mama more often and I think he is learning that it means me. He said it a while ago, but more like he was stringing syllables together. Now, he says it when he's looking at me or when I'm not paying attention to him. I LOVE it. It melts my heart every time and I feel like giving him whatever he wants when he says it! (I know, that will have to change.)

Oops

I made a unexpected trip to Urgent Care a couple days ago when I sliced my finger with a knife. I was trying to cut a mold of Mr. Mister's footprint to fit in a frame when the knife slipped. I knew as I was cutting it that if my husband were home, he would yell at me for how I was doing it. But I thought I would show him that I am perfectly capable of using a knife. But I guess I'm not because I made quite a gash in my thumb. Since Mr. Mister had just laid down for a nap and Daddy was still at work, I had to call a friend to come stay at the house with Mr. Mister. I was in and out of the Urgent Care pretty quickly, but I have two stitches to show for it. I think I learned my lesson.

Steak and Potatoes

Someone in the grocery store joked one day that Mr. Mister must be eating steak and potatoes. (sidenote: People so easily take the liberty to make comments about his chubbiness...sometimes I wonder what they would say if I returned the comment.) Anyway, the thought of steak and potatoes seemed so far off....we were just getting through pureed chicken and vegetables. But the other night when went to my sister and her new husband's apartment for dinner, they served steak and mashed potatoes. Since Mr. Mister was not a big fan of the pureed pasta dish I brought him, I decided to give it a try. The pediatrician assured me the other night at his checkup that he is quite capable of eating a wider variety of finger food. He really is good at chewing, but I've been so afraid of him choking that I've stuck to mostly cereal and bread. So I stepped out of the box and went straight for the good stuff. It didn't surprise me at all that he loved it and it gave me the freedom to try more things as finger food instead of pureeing everything. So I am now gladly seeing the light at the end of the pureeing tunnel. I love making his food because I know it's so good for him and more cost effective, but I will be glad to pack away the food processor for a while.

9 Months and counting...

Life has been busy around here. We had a fun Memorial Day weekend in Pittsburgh with Grandma and Grandpa T and family. We drove home Monday and packed up again to leave Friday for Columbus for the wedding of two of our good friends. It was beautiful and a lot of fun. We got a babysitter there for Mr. Mister so we could enjoy the evening. Daddy actually officiated the wedding (with an ordained pastor) and did an excellent job.

Mr. Mister had his 9 month check up on Monday evening. He weighed in at 23 pounds, 12 ounces, down to the 90th percentile for his weight! His head is still in the 98th percentile and his length continues to lag behind at the 50th percentile (28 1/2 inches). But he's definitely slimming down as he bounces, crawls, stands, etc.

He's had a couple spills and injuries as he discovers how to move around and stand up. He had a bruise and bump on his head and a cut on his finger when we took him in for his checkup the other night. I was afraid they would be suspicious, but I guess pediatricians know that those things happen when babies are discovering the world.

The other funny thing about his appointment was that he got his Hepatitis B immunization (only 1 shot this time!) and didn't even cry! He whimpered a little when the nurse poked him, but stopped, much to our surprise, before full out crying. What a tough little guy. He also won over the doctor, putting on a show of all his tricks and even giving her a big hug when she picked him up. He's always the entertainer.

It's hard to believe that his first birthday is just around the corner!!