Tiger in the grass

Mommy would like to take this post to tell a few things about me for posterity:

1. I still cry every time Daddy sneezes - even if he tries to be very quiet and I'm distracted.

2. I love to walk around the house and yard for as long as Mommy will let me hold on to her fingers for balance.

3. I learned how to crawl last week and have become very adept at getting anywhere I'd like to. I still army crawl most of the time, but they've seen me do a true crawl.

4. I take 3 naps a day usually, and have for the last few months. One nap 2 hours after I wake up, another nap 2-3 hours after I wake up from the first one, and usually a third 20 minute power nap in the late afternoon to make it through until bedtime. I go to bed between 7:30 and 8:30 and I wake up between 6:00 and 7:00.

5. One of my most endearing noises for Mommy is when I'm sitting on her lap after nursing and she's burping me and I smack my lips. Those milkshakes are just so good I can't HELP but smack.

6. My favorite toys are mommy's silicone baster, her whisks, her silicone garlic peeler, any type of shoe (i'm not sure why but these always get promply taken away), plastic bags (also promptly taken away), and Mommy and Daddy's Nalgene water bottles. Notice the trend here that my favorite toys aren't really toys at all.

7. I got sick for the first time in my young life at the end of June. After 2 weeks of runny nose/cough I was finally diagnosed with both ears infected and a sinus infection. I just kicked that last week and woke up yesterday with more runny nose and today with a cough. Maybe I can get Mommy to take me to the doctor sooner this time....

8. I have TEETH! Right at the 8 month mark my two bottom middle teeth broke through.

9. I've very ticklish under my arms and on my thighs.

10. I threw up for the first time 2 weeks ago. You'd think any sane adult would know that the food combination Mommy came up with for lunch that day wouldn't stay in any person's stomach long (oatmeal, hard-boiled egg yolk, mango, peas, and TOFU!) After ridding my intestines of all items and a bath, I felt much better.

11. Momma dropped me for the first time 2 days ago. She lets me play on the couch sometimes after she changes my diaper and USUALLY she watches me good so I don't roll off, but it was a critical moment on Wipe Out and she was distracted and off I went right onto the floor - she felt bad as well she should.

12. Grass and leaves are of INFINITE interest to me as seen below. I love to look, crunch, hold, step on, and put in my mouth.

13. My favorite foods are: everything except green beans, tofu (see #10 above), and rutabaga (face it, some of you adults won't even eat those 3 things). I'm a very good eater and usually eat two solid food meals at some point each day. Mommy continues to make almost all of my food. She even grinds the oats to make my oatmeal. She says it's fun...it must be an adult thing.
14. Mommy still works 10 hours a week at Bomgar Corporation and Daddy still works 40 hours a week at Dent Air Conditioning (he likes to tease mommy about her 4-day weekends).
15. I have never taken a pacifier or sucked my thumb or fingers for anything long enough to be considered a habit. The only comfort item I have is my burp cloth which I like to sleep with up by my face.

16. I love to play piano. After I get through eating Mommy pushes my highchair (handily on wheels) over to the piano and I love to bang around on it for a few minutes.
17. Mommy and Daddy are currently putting their bodies through nightly punishment to the tune of P90X. I never get to see it b/c I'm in bed, but from what I can hear it sounds like a torture chamber. It's a 90-day program and they're on day 17 and have only missed 1 day. I must say I'm very proud of them. Mommy spends a good portion of her day preparing the food for the nutrition part of it so kuddos to her keeping up with that AND taking care of me (maybe that's why I got dropped (see #11) - she just needed some time to relax.
18. I love to swing. Mommy bought me a swing just for me but it hasn't been put up yet. I can't WAIT until I can just swing and swing and swing.
19. The biggest temptations for me that are no-nos (but I love them SO much) are: 1. The open dishwasher - i LOVE to play with the utensils. 2. The computer cord (as mommy types I'm trying to pry it out from between her feet where she's trying to keep it safe). 3. The trash can - it's almost magnetic for me. 4. The oven - again, the moment it opens I do my best to get there before she closes it. 5. Any type of paper - and I do mean any - mail, notebooks, newspaper, anything I can get my chompers on.
20. Cole continues to be one of the biggest blessings Thomas and I could've ever asked for. We continue to be so thankful for a healthy, happy, delightful son. God has been good to us.