Happy Halloween!

8 Months!

Thomas turned 8 months last week. He's becoming such a big boy, both in size and in what he can do: crawling everywhere, pulling up to stand, using furniture to walk, climbing stairs, feeding himself...we can't believe how fast these 8 months have gone and how much he's changed!

Weekend Thomas pics

We put Thomas in his halloween costume and went to the garden center for a few pictures and a few gourds and mums for me. 

It looks like he's waving in this picture, but it was purely an accident!

Once again, he was fascinated with the hay. Don't you love the spikes down his back!?

Jenn bought this beret for herself just for fun. She tried it on Thomas. Dad and Ed were not amused! I think he looks ready for the theater: a mini Shakespeare? Maybe there's more than sports (and Sportscenter) in his future...

Bathtime mohawk!

We made this fleece panda rug/blanket this weekend after seeing a sample in the local quilt shop. It's being donated to the Fox Point Church bazaar, but we had to let Thomas try it out first!

Grammy, Grandpa and Aunt Jenn come to visit

The headline says it all--we had visitors this past weekend! Thomas was spoiled and adored to his heart's content. :)

with Grammy and Grandpa

Checking out a pale pumpkin with Aunt Jenn (more halloween costume pics later)

Reading stories with Grammy

All bundled up for a walk in the park with Grandpa

Applesauce!

 Mom and I made a bushel's worth of applesauce this weekend (before Jenn arrived, or she would have helped). We now have a freezer full of homemade applesauce. Yum! 

Lots of apples!

Hard at work!

Dad kept Thomas entertained by dragging him around the house in a box, and...

...climbing the stairs. Thomas got halfway up by himself and he was very proud!

A photo to show future girlfriends

My grandma got the outfit in the photos below for Thomas. The dragon onesie and matching socks are very cute; the coordinating bright green hat and pants are a little much. As you can see in the second and third pictures, Thomas found a better use for the hat!

A few firsts for the week: he's started feeding himself toast, puffies, and yogurt melts. He's also started to think that he can stand on his own and lets go of whatever is helping to support him. It always results in a wipe out! And finally, tonight he made his first foray up the stairs (!). He went up one and then backed down to floor level. He's a little daredevil with absolutely no fear!

Visiting the Pumpkin Patch

We took advantage of the beautiful weather on Sunday and visited a pumpkin patch. Ed suggested that we were doing so more for my benefit than for Thomas. I'm not arguing that--I love everything about fall, including pumpkin patches! 

We picked out a big family pumpkin to carve.

Cute close-up. 

Trying out the back carrier--it worked great! 

Investigating a mini pumpkin--more Thomas' size!

Even though neither of them is looking at the camera, I thought this was a cute picture. Thomas was fascinated by the hay bales and couldn't take his eyes (or keep his fingers) off of them. 

Anywhere and Everywhere

Thomas is using his newfound pulling up skills to scale every piece of furniture in our house. He's starting to learn how to fall now, as well, which is much less painful than a full-on wipeout. He's also a big fan of standing up in his crib in the middle of the night and then crying until one of us comes to get him. We, obviously, are not fans of that. 

This might be my new favorite picture. Just over the last day or two, he's experimenting with letting go with one hand. He's also tried to bend over and pick up a toy/remote/pacifier from the ground, but that usually causes him to tip over. 

Here's a video of Thomas in action.

In the crib

On the futon

On the coffee table (computers! remote controls! water glasses!)

Getting up close and personal with his favorite show, Sportscenter. He'll stand here for 15 minutes if we let him. 

He's also using these newfound skills to gain access to areas that he's had trouble reaching in the past, like our DVD shelf, with an assist from the bumbo (above), and the lower shelf of our coffee table (below). 

And just for fun, a video of Thomas and Ed playing a game Ed calls "Tilt-a-Whirl." Fortunately it doesn't end like the ride does for so many people!

Thomas in action

I'm back from four days in Houston for a quilt show (during which Ed performed the single dad role admirably!) and posting some pictures from last week. 

I love this picture--he had pulled himself up to stand, holding the coffee table, but then his feet started to slip. Uh oh! 

Toast for breakfast...yum!

I can almost reach!

Bathtime in the big tub. We stayed with the little sink tub as long as we could because it's so much easier than bending over the big tub. But when Thomas started causing tsunamis in the kitchen, we moved to the big tub. Next up, bath toys! 

Goodbye, Lake Mattoon

Last weekend marked the end of our weekends at Mattoon for 2009. And frankly, between the water and air temperature, we didn't mind! We spent most of Saturday watching football, as it was cold, gray and damp outside, and cooking one more delicious dinner. Sunday was warmer and sunnier, so we did one last ski/barefoot run and then packed up for the year. 

Last dinner at the lake

Thomas has figured out how to pull off his sunglasses. 

When boating and ski gear includes hats, gloves and fleece vests, it's too cold to be in the water. But when it's your last chance to ski until next May...thank goodness for full body wetsuits! 

Tucker was the bravest of us all, barefooting with bare legs. No one else bared any flesh. He couldn't feel his feet by the time he was done! 

Thomas on the move

Here are three (longish) videos of Thomas on the move...he's into everything! He also has one dagger-like tooth poking through on the bottom, with #2 (also on the bottom) close behind. 

Thomas has just started pulling himself up on the couch, particularly if there's a remote control or a cup in sight that he can go after. He's discovered this pulling up skill this weekend and loves it--he gets to his feet using mine or Ed's belly for support, using his car seat, the couch, the bumbo...anything that will give him a little height!

More fun in the Johnny Jump-up!


Thomas is still scooting on his belly, but you'll see in this video how fast he truly is! I thought it was cute at the end when he got up close to the camera, too.