At the Park

We've been taking Tommy to the park a lot these days, now that the weather has been really nice and he's more aware of the world around him. He's well acquainted with grass, but he still isn't too sure what to make of it. He usually just sits and tries to keep as little skin from touching it as possible. If he does want to get somewhere by crawling, he'll try to crawl with one hand, which has pretty funny results. He met the sandbox today, and after about 5 mins of staring at it, he decided to dig in and pick up handfuls of sand and let it fall through his fingers. I was pretty amazed he didn't try to stuff it in his mouth. Progress! He also enjoyed the baby swing, and especially loved watching his shadow on the ground below him. We brought some bread to feed the birds and they walked right up to us to eat it. Tommy was fascinated by all the pigeons, ducks, and geese everywhere around him.

- Autumn

Tommy is Crawling!

Today Tommy started crawling. He is just 2 days shy of being 7 months old.

He has been playing with the idea of crawling for a few weeks now. He would take a step with his hand, then backup and sit down. Then he would go back to all fours and take another step. We didn't want to announce he was crawling until he really was.

Well, something clicked today. We think Tommy being naked, but for his diaper, helped. Regardless, out of the blue this morning, he started doing a perfect crawl for three feet at a time. And then again. And again.

Autumn and I were over-joyed. We had already baby-proofed the house, but we did another sweep, just to make sure. We need to start changing our lifestyles a bit, starting today. Doors and closets need to stay closed and latched. We need to be aware of everything that is on the floor at any given time.

Cheers, Tommy!

-Mark

A Peanut's Life, Issue 11

Issue 11 of "A Peanut's Life". Click on the image below to see the full-size version.

Fun with Family

We visited Matt and Cameron twice this past week and had so much fun! It was great to see the interaction between cousins, especially Eliana loving on Tommy and Tommy trying to eat Kirsten's toes. We spent pretty much all day outside in the yard and had a relaxing barbecue both days. We even made s'mores last night! It will be wonderful to see both our families grow up together.

- Autumn

Tommy and My Bambi

When I was a little girl, I had a stuffed Bambi that I took everywhere. And I do mean everywhere. I smuggled him into kindergarten with me and he went with me to McDonald's while I ate my Chicken McNuggets. He slept with me, ate breakfast with me, and drew in coloring books with me. He used to look a lot better, but having been through the washing machine and a childhood has left him a bit battle-scared. Now that Bambi has been entrusted to Tommy's care, I hope he will have as much fun with Tommy as he did with me.

- Autumn

Wet Paint!

This weekend was Mother's Day, but Autumn and I decided to postpone it until next weekend. See, this weekend my parents were out of town for the first time in years. It was a golden opportunity to sneak into their house and do all the odd jobs that needed to get done without them knowing, including painting their bathroom. In truth, Autumn and I spent time with grandma while Tommy did most of the painting. Oh, and Nemo ate plants in the backyard. 9 AM to 10 PM on both Sat and Sun, but it was worth it. Good job Tommy!

Dad was in New Mexico giving his Love Relationships talk at  the "Steeling the Mind" conference by Compass. From what I hear, it is spectacular! Soon, they will have DVDs of the talk available.

The talk was a big success and Mom and Dad are are home safe, which Autumn and I are very thankful for!

Mark

A Peanut's Life, Issue 10

Issue 10 of "A Peanut's Life". Click on the image below to see the full-size version.

This will be the last issue in our 1-per-day run. There will be future issues, but they will be more random and spaced out. Keep an eye out!

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A Peanut's Life, Issue 9

Issue 9 of "A Peanut's Life". Click on the image below to see the full-size version.

A Peanut's Life, Issue 8

Issue 8 of "A Peanut's Life". Click on the image below to see the full-size version.

A Peanut's Life, Issue 7

Issue 7 of "A Peanut's Life". Click on the image below to see the full-size version.

A Peanut's Life, Issue 6

Issue 6 of "A Peanut's Life". Click on the image below to see the full-size version.

A Peanut's Life, Issue 5

Issue 5 of "A Peanut's Life". Click on the image below to see the full-size version.

A Peanut's Life, Issue 4

Issue 4 of "A Peanut's Life". Click on the image below to see the full-size version.

A Peanut's Life, Issue 3

Issue 3 of "A Peanut's Life". Click on the image below to see the full-size version.

A Peanut's Life, Issue 2

"A Peanut's Life" continunes! This is issue 2 of "A Peanut's Life". Click on the image to see the full-size version.

A Peanut's Life!

Introducing, a new mini-series, "A Peanut's Life"!

For a limited time, there will be daily installments of this exciting publication! Tell your friends!

Click on the image to see a larger version.

6 Month Checkup

Tommy had his 6 month checkup today, which was fortunate since he is sick at the moment.  The most amazing thing we found out was that he is in the top 75% for weight (19 lbs.) and the top 97% for height (29 inches). The doctor said he was one of the tallest he had seen for a baby his age. He is his father's son. :)

Now that Tommy has been consistently eating solids, I have started making his food.  I thought it would be a lot harder than it is, and it's actually quite fun.  I have a book, Blender Baby Food, that gives really simple recipes and great tips on baby/toddler nutrition, meal plans, and preparation.  Here's what Tommy has tasted so far:

• bananas


• peas


• squash


• carrots


• green beans


• sweet potato


• pear

Over the next few weeks we'll try blueberries, spinach, and avocado.  Yum!

- Mark & Autumn

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