Today was your first Thanksgiving. Guess what Mommy and Daddy are thankful for this year? It's not just the turkey and the Cowboy's score, I can promise you that.
We were so excited to finally host the celebration this year. Dada fried a couple of turkeys, and we all made all the other yummy stuff to go with them. You liked everything you tried, but turkey and sweet potatoes the most. You also had a little chunk of pumpkin cheesecake, which you loved. You had a great times playing with Lilz. I'm not sure how, but at some point you guys were poking each others belly buttons. We partied on until your bedtime and then swooped you off for PJs and nursing.
Little turkey and big turkey. Oh, and fried turkey.
Tryptophan is not a myth.
Pumpkin cheesecake. Pumpkin is a vegetable and cheese is dairy. Therefore this must be good for me. Thank goodness!
Going back for seconds.
Serious conversation about visual acuity pales in comparison to playing with your cheeks.
Some of us are wearing black so that we look slimmer after the feast. Some of us are sporting our turkey belly with pride.
These people spoil me.
This is my harem: Lilz, Lissa and Elizabeth.
Lasts night we took you to Thanh Long, a legendary Vietnamese roast crab restaurant. I wasn't sure how you would like the food, and I was a little worried when I realized it was a white tablecloth restaurant, but you just absolutely loved the crab and you slurped down the garlic noodles too. You even had a coconut shrimp! And you behaved so well a lady stopped by our table on the way out to compliment your good baby manners and super cuteness (although clearly she did not look under the white tablecloth at the devastating mess around your highchair).
Crustacean lover.
Even your chewing is seriously cute. At least to your parents. But hey, we find your diapers fascinating, so perhaps we are not the best barometer.
You are up on two feet! Last week you started pulling up on your knees, and about two days later you managed to get up on your feet. Now, of course, you find it vitally important to be on your feet unless you are eating or sleeping. When you cry in the morning to be fed or if you wake in the night and need some attention, you can only be found on your knees or feet, holding on to the crib rails looking for your Big Heads like a convict in a flooding jail. All that's missing is a tin cup to run across the bars and some harmonica music in the background.
If I can only get this machine dialed in correctly, I can control the minds of my BIG HEADS forever....muhahahahahahaha!
Bench presses for my guns!
I will take my Dada down in three...two...one...
You have also gotten very good at getting yourself into a sitting position on your own. I awoke from one of my favorite Mama and baby naps recently to find you sitting next to me on the bed, willing me awake with those big blue eyes (oh, and your fingers up my nose). I think we may have to start napping on the floor soon.
Oh wait, did you need this cushion tie?
Look deep into my eyes, BIG HEADS. You are getting verrrry sleepy. You will fetch the chocolate pudding and a spoon for your first born....
I know there is something I want in here.
I'm air conditioning the whole house! Good thing I have on a sweater!
Dada and I have been working to baby proof the house with a lot of gates and outlet covers and other contraptions that are supposed to keep you safe. I am hoping you get over your fascination with electrical cords very soon. We do need to keep a few things plugged in around this joint.
Must remember to baby proof dishwasher.
And perhaps the oven.
I took you for a nine month weight at Day One, and you are topping out at 19 lbs, 6 1/2 oz (a fact our sore backs already know about). You are still a pretty slim kid, but you have quite an adorable belly, and you are still sporting some delicious rolly baby thighs. I know I will blink my eyes and you will be in high school with size 12 feet, too cool for any hugs from me. In the meantime, I will smother you with kisses and tell you how much I love you all day long. Hopefully it absorbs into your sweet baby soul and you will always know the enormity of the gift that you are in our life.
Not every baby can pull off this ridiculous outfit with confidence.
Although I always look good nekkid.
A few of your favorite things these days:
Talking to the baby in the mirror. I'm sure it's not purposeful (baby genius status notwithstanding), but you frequently look in the mirror across the room, wave at that baby in the reflection and say, "Hiiiiii!"
Bath time. We take a lot more baths now that you smear food on your face, hair and body...I mean eat meals, and on most days we either plop you in a bucket in the sink or get in the big bath tub together. You squeal when you hit the warm water and you love to splash and wiggle and make waves. You don't mind having water on your face one bit, although recently you seem to think bath water = drinking water. I know you never pee in this water that you find so thirst quenching, right T?
Fly me to the tub, Dada
Guess what I am holding on to?
Brushing my toofies. Both of them.
Multi tasking.
Post bath smoooochies.
Why can't I hold on to that wawa?
Hummus! I bought some brand that has a frightening amount of garlic in it, but you think it is the bomb. You suck it off crackers and toast and demand more with the stern look that means, "Give it up Mommy." Electrical cords. Ugh. You can spot them from across the room and you want them in your mouth as soon as humanly possible. Mama wants you to outgrow this obsession yesterday. I spend a lot of time redirecting you and saying, "It's yucky." I'm already sick of hearing myself say, "no, no, no."
Getting a blow dry...Oh wait! A cord!
The Family Jewels. Still endlessly entertaining when you can get your hands on them.
Paper. Ripping up magazines, eating the shopping list, attacking paper bags. If it's made from pulp, sign you up!
Now slowly, slowly remove the magazine papers from the table so that no one will notice what I am doing. Nothing to see here, folks.
Waving. You reach out and "wave" at everyone who gives you a smile (usually accompanied by a high pitched joyful warble). While it is super duper cute, that sweet baby call and outstretched baby arm is a magnet for strangers, some of whom must be coated in cooties of varying grossness. Those are the ones that feel compelled to touch your outstretched hand. Don't these fools know about baby etiquette? No touching of the one thing babies stick in their mouths 867 times a day folks. Especially during piggie flu season. I may be getting less and less discreet about wiping your hands off after these encounters. Either that, or I may fashion you a plastic hamster bubble to roam around in.
Two of Mama's most common views of her little guy these days:
Happy Thanksgiving! (Not everyone can pull off a turkey on their butt, you know!)
Almost nine months old little guy! Yikes! You are no longer a little baby. Your new size 12 months fleece-super-warm-and-delicious-for-the-winter-footie-jammies arrived in the mail today, and I looked at them disappointed because they were so big. Figured by the time they fit it would be warm out. But just for kicks I tried one pair on you and uh.....let's just say they aren't loose and also do a fine job accentuating that sexy baby gut.
Several hundred dollars worth of baby proofing gear is on the way here, since you'd be a gold medal winner in Olympic crawling, and anything you can get your hands on to eat is fair game, little of it actually food. I'm feeling a little guilty about all the bruises dotting your arms and legs, but I guess learning to move around independently is a little hazardous, especially if your normally decisive Mama cannot pick a baby gate to save her life.
The following images are either an abomination of parenting skills or endearing and funny. I can't decide which...
I know he seems drunk, but really, the bottle was rinsed and clean.
Usually we just let him gnaw on the crust (or the "handle" as Dada calls it), but seriously, the entertainment is worth the bad parenting award, right?
Giving this pizza thing the stink eye.
Showing this pizza who the boss is.
Oh.. My... Gosh!!! I LOVE IT!
Mama conveniently swiped the pizza to finish eating her dinner and Dada was, alas, left with the sauce stained baby to clean up.
Today was Mama and Dada's 4th wedding anniversary. Seems so long ago that we were married in some ways, although I have so many vivid memories of the day. Dada and I were just saying that when we were at Uncle Jeff and Aunt Jenny's wedding we felt so many emotions remembering what our wedding was like, and watching someone else go through it all. It's one of those things you just can't really get inside until you are doing it...
Not unlike having a baby. You plan, you imagine, you have an inkling....but really, when you came out of me and they put you on my chest and I heard you crying and stared at that little, red, outraged face....the wash of love and awe that enveloped me cannot be described. I will never forget it.
Just like I will never forget standing under the sun on a Saturday afternoon, saying my vows to your Daddy. So Happy Anniversary to us! And you, little Trip, are the best present ever. Life is so different with you here, but overflowing with giggles, snuggles, wonder and bliss. Our cup runneth over.
Oh, I am a bad mommy, but the happy arm flapping gets me every time (and it was just a few tastes, I swear).
Yesterday was a sunny, warm, summer-in-San Francisco-in-November type of day. We met Lily and her Big Heads at Ocean Beach for a little sand eating party.
Lilz shared her baby boobies with you.
You shared your cold germs with her.
I'm a big boy. I eat sand off a plate.
I made all gone! (click on pic to see my two toofies)
I'm going to barf soon.
And guess how much sand is in my diaper right now?
You did a lot of crawling in the wet sand, so as soon as we got home, I stripped us naked and started the bath running. I decided I needed a quick drink of water before we got in, so we ran out to the kitchen and I filled a glass. Of course you needed a sip, and so I obliged you with a drink of ice water. One can imagine that the icy water might trigger a certain reaction in a naked baby. Too bad for Mommy that I was holding you when that reaction took place. A geyser of warm baby pee ran down my belly, legs, feet and the kitchen floor about 1.2 seconds after you had that refreshing sip of cold water. Good thing we were on our way into the tub, little guy.
Your first Halloween! This is seriously exciting for Mommy, who loves dressing up and candy more than just about anything. Also for Daddy, who still likes Halloween despite almost dying as a child in a mummy costume fashioned by Gran and Nancy that didn't exactly breathe in the Texas heat.
I am proud to say that I somehow found time to hand sew your costume, and even if your cousin Sam has better Elvis hair than you do, you have the lip curl perfected. You were up most of last night (poor Dada stayed up with you while Mama was at work) and riding on almost no nap, but the glitter cape and gold flares perked you right up (well, duh!).
One reason I can't sleep: I know how to pull up now! Emergency crib lowering has commensed.
Another reason I can't sleep: New milestone! Crawling (it ain't graceful, but I get where I need to go).
For Ween festivities (read: to show off that our kid's costume is cooler than your kid's costume) we trekked over to Belvedere Street, a mecca of candy, decorations, toddler raves and lets be honest, a lot of whining and crying from overstimulated nose pickers. You let Mama eat your four pieces of candy. Mama let you stay up till 9:30. Should you ever wish to trade Halloween candy for favors in the future, my door is always open. Just sayin.
Look over there! A Princess Lea!
And look over there! Another Princess Lea!
It's no Graceland, I'll tell you that.
Dada, WHAT is going on around here?
Toddler Rave! (Next year, T. I promise!)
I call this stroller my "Lisa Marie."
Why are my Big Heads wearing those slick shades?
And do you know where I can get a pair?
Chillin with Dada at the Mitchiners post-Ween chili fest.
Thanks for the ball Lilz, but I think I'll just enjoy the envelope.
This Itsy Bitsy Spider is my cougar, and she can walk now!
Lilz loves on Trip (listen to my overprotective Dada in the background!).
