Happy As Can Be!

Hi friends and family! It's been a few weeks since I have posted an update. It's been really busy and Mommy's camera battery died. Here is the latest around here. First of all, the most WONDERFUL news in our family is that Mommy is going to job-share next year with Finley's Mommy, Heather. Heather has taught Kindergarten for 6 years and she loves teaching. Both Mommies decided that they will miss us too much and they don't want to miss the "firsts" of many stunts up ahead. They started to brainstorm and before long, they came up with a grand plan. Heather will teach on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday morning and Mommy will teach Wednesday afternoon, Thursday and Friday. This will give me more Mommy time and I know she will appreciate getting out of the house a few days too. She said "adult contact" is critical... whatever that means! Here is a picture of Heather, Patrick, and my buddy Finley.

Mommy and Heather have done lots of planning for next year which is great! This means Finley and I can hang out together. He was an early bird, just like me. We both had a crush on our favorite nurse, Stephanie, we both were born one month early, and we both have a flat spot on our heads (more to come on that later). Here we are on the chair together. I am the chunky one smushed between the pillows. This isn't a good camera angle for my physique and Mommy should have pulled up my socks.

Here is a picture of Mommy and Heather in the principal's office. They are troublemakers I think!Onto more important news... me! A few weeks ago, we went to the cities while Daddy went deer hunting in MN. Nope, no deer for him, although Mommy has almost "got a few" just driving on the roads around here. We didn't want to be lonely while Daddy was gone, so we went to the cities and had a lot of fun. Grandma Carla watched me while Mommy and auntie scrapbooked, I played with cousins Lexi and Sam a lot, we went shopping (not my favorite and I pooped a ton just to be a stinker... literally!), and Auntie Stef and Uncle Bruce watched me when Mommy went to the Vikings game with Grandma, Uncle Jim, and Karri (and the Vikings WON!) I also went to Meggen's house to have a playdate with Lauren and Abby. They are two little cuties! I also saw Sara who gave me a huge bag full of stylish clothes from Jack and Sam. The roads on the way home were really icy and Mommy was doing yoga breathing, I think.

Hangin' out with cousins Lexi and Sam

One of my latest tricks I want to share with you includes rolling over. I did this finally at Grandma's house, but haven't done it since. I like to worry my Mommy! I also do push-ups with my arms when I do tummy time. You should see my biceps... ok, some of it is baby fat. I also love hearing my voice so much that I squeal to startle anyone nearby, yell a lot, laugh, and talk jibberish. Daddy and Mommy think they know what I am saying so they make silly noises back.

Attempting a push-up

Now that I am almost six months old, cousin Kristin came to take photos of me and the fam. I didn't want to smile this day and everyone was trying to make me smile by making weird faces and noises. I was just kind of crabby and tired. We did get some great ones for X-mas, luckily. I will post those later in December! You will love them... hint... naked baby on a sled in a Santa hat! Also, I had to see my friend, Dr. Van de Loo and he checked me out and said I was "perfect" as we all know. I had some ouchie shots that made me cry, but I slept like a baby last night. Thanks to the Tylenol! Here are my stats: Weight= 16 pounds, 9 ounces (50% for my age), Height 2' 1" (25% for my age), and head was 25% (exact measurements, I don't remember). Surprisingly, I still don't need a helmet for my flat back of my head. Mommy was certain I would be wearing one soon. She is going to check into it a little more. I think my head looks like my Grandpa Klay's and Charlie Brown's. I wonder if that's a good thing.

Waiting ever so patiently for Dr. Van de Loo

Finally, I have spending a few afternoons at Sara's house. She is the nice lady who will be taking good care of me while Mommy is at work.

Daycare items checklist: Diapers, wipes box/refills, bottles, bottle liners, formula, baby food, rice cereal, pacifiers, Desitin, lotion, blanket, two outfits, onesie, socks, and my enrollment forms!

Just making sure the most important thing is packed!

Continued....Precious Pumpkin Pic.'s

Here I am, just waking up from my nap. I am already smiling away!

I couldn' t resist writing a second post today because of some great pictures of ME! We went on a family walk at Irvine Park since it was so nice out again today. Mommy and Daddy brought along my Halloween costume because there were only a few pictures of me dressed up since I got too hot in it yesterday! We had so much fun together and I was just smilin' and laughin' while we were at the park. Mommy was SO excited to capture my adorable little smile on camera. If you haven't seen my first blog I wrote this morning, don't forget to page down a bit! I had fun writing about the past week below. Here are the park pictures from today.

Step One: Mommy puts me against this tree... I get sap all over my costume!

Step Two: More adjustments, away from that sticky tree!

Step Three: I try SO hard to stay upright in this silly costume!

Step Four: Whoops! Saved by Mommy!

Step Five: Mommy thinks hard for a minute.... she starts to put leaves on my head and it's fun!

Step Six: SCORE! I laugh and laugh because it's funny to have things ploppin' on my head!

Step Seven: Liberty joins the fun too!

Step Eight: Daddy gets to have a picture, FINALLY with me. He was the photographer during this ordeal. Great job Daddy!

At last...I flash my famous grin and Mommy just eats it up!

So cute...it's scary!

Happy Halloween! It's been a while since I wrote last so let me think of what's been happening. I am now eating squash,carrots, sweet peas, rice cereal, applesauce, bananas, and prunes. I really like everything I can put in my mouth! My new favorite trick is to stick my tongue out and "motor boat." I do this to talk and also to be silly when I am eating. Mommy says she is going to start wearing goggles when she feeds me. I think Mommy is going to try to figure out her video clip on her camera so she can share this with you soon. I still don't want to roll all the way over although I am very close and I don't mind tummy time anymore. We went on a lot of walks this week because the weather was finally warmer outside.

In preparation for Halloween, we carved pumpkins. We carved four of them and put candles inside. Mommy was hoping she could put me inside of one of the pumpkins, but I was too big around. Mommy carved "Frank" and Daddy carved a pumpkin dog (Liberty), a silly pumpkin and a scary one. He was on a roll since it took Mommy forever to carve Frank. She is a perfectionist I think!

I am helping scoop out the yucky stuff!

Hanging out with Mommy

As you know, I dressed up as a pumpkin for Halloween. I even got to parade at Mommy's school and my girlfriend Megan was there. She was the cutest little pig ever! We then went to the classroom to join the Kindergartners while they played fun games and ate treats. I was so exhausted that I fell asleep in the front carrier. Luckily, Mommy took off my pumpkin costume because I was turning into Pumpkin Soup in it (it was soooooo hot in the classroom!) When I got home, we passed out candy to our neighbors and Grandma came over for dinner.

Here we are at school by a bunch of crazy pumpkins!

My girlfriend Megan... she can't keep her hands off me I am so irresistable!

Hanging out with Daddy... see my rosy cheeks! I finally got to change into my other Halloween shirt...whew!


Going "night night" on Grammy. What a day!

Another exciting new toy in our house is Daddy's John Deere rider. He bought a new one because the rider we had was not the right color (Mommy said that) and he needed a new toy to play with. He took me on a spin around the yard on it and we wore our John Deere gear, which is given to us as gifts from Mommy's family because we are "country folk" and it's kind of a joke among them.

Our new, fun toy! It even has a cupholder (Daddy is excited about this, I think!)

I am already learning how to drive it!

Does this picture make you want to sing... "Green Acres is the place for me, Farm Livin' is the Life for me!"

Some of these pictures are of me dressed up in silly outfits, such as the one of me in my owl hat. Cousin Bennett gave this to me and since I have a big head, it fits just right! The "Macho Man" onesie was given to me from Mommy's friend Sara. All day, Mommy kept singing the "Macho Man" song by The Village People. I know you are singing it in your head right now too!

In closing, I hope you had a great Halloween and don't forget to vote on November 4th! Here is my advice to you (can't we all just get along...)