Zoo and Art Day

We have had a fun month of outings, the weather is perfect and David has been pretty cooperative. We went to the zoo and for the first time he acknowledged that the animals were there and slightly impressive.

I also spent a morning preparing an "art day" for Daivd. I got paints and posterboard set up, the cd player set up outside, and Davy dressed in old clothes. Perfect-the budding Picasso sat down and painted...for 15 seconds which was long enough for me to snap the picture. Apparently squirrels beat painting in entertainment value.

Also thanks Marci for sending us an air filter. Davy thought a box full of packing peanuts beats painting and squirrels. He insisted I drop a cupful of them slowly onto his face--we did this for 30 minutes.

One final shot of a staticy boy who takes his sliding seriously.

Cold Weather and Cleaning

Davy continues to help with the house work. He puts away the silverware (dirty or clean), helps me sweeps the floor (demands the broom), and puts the laundry in. We might have to start paying this kid an allowance! Here is a quick video of him doing his chores.

Stephen started taking Davy on his morning run, and now Davy runs to the stroller when he wakes up. It is getting colder so Davy goes encased in wool.

It is finally cooling off and we can once again go outside without sweating to death. As soon as David wakes up he makes a dash for the door and lets me know it is time to go outside. We have spent a lot of time at the park.

We have also spent some time at the Missouri Botanical Gardens. Their childrens' garden is fantastic--basically a maze of different games and activities. David ran around shrieking with delight.

I have also obtained video proof that I clean the house occasionally. This is one of his favorite post-meal activities.

Walking Man

Last week David's walking was limited between the couch and the ottomon. This week he walks everywhere we go--in fact he is now too cool for the cart at the grocery store, and too cool to sit in the stroller--now he has to push. It is amazing to see this little verticle man strolling through the house. He has also found that because I am not holding his hand, I do not always follow him like an oversized shadow. He gets between me and the counter and pushes until I back away, then he continues to push as hard as he can until I reach his desired destination. Then he goes back to playing, it is my job to watch him complete tasks, give an occasional cheer or acknowledgment of talent, and occasionally poke him with things.

Also updated the cooking blog!

New Group Blog

I really want your recipes. In exchange I will share some of mine. This should be pretty casual and pretty easy--If you don't have time to write out the recipe, even just a link and review will be fun.

You can find the new blog at

http://www.cookingshmooking.blogspot.com

I have added one of our current favorite recipes that uses our food processor!

Disclaimer: I cook only through necessity, and extreme hunger is usually the extra ingredient that makes my meals tasty.

New Apartment

Quick video of our new apartment!





One more quick video giving an update on the Davster. He demands to be walked around the house and yard everyday. He is getting a lot steadier each day. I went out today and bought him new shoes, he wore through his little leather ones. I had to go to three different stores before I found shoes that fit. I guess he has unusually fat feet--two of the clerks let me know.

Davy plays this game a lot...and is extremely frustrated if he cannot get the towel/blanket/pillow to cover his head completely. He then throws himself around yelling with delight. He currently has a big bruise on his forhead from playing this game then crawling straight into the wall.

We went to a downtown water/sculpture park last weekend. David allows us to hold his hands while he walks, but he is very insistent that he leads. We had a good time swimming a little and walking a lot.


Crazy head sculpture-

Hello!

Just a little hello from David and his bed-head.

June

Yikes! These past two months have gone by really fast. Davy has picked up some new skills (including high fives, clapping, and "the point") and turned One! We had a very low key celebration which did not end up being the Kodak moment I envisioned. Below are two videos of that slightly traumatic event. Unfortunately I am kind of an idiot and can only post them sideways.

Here is one more video to show we are not completely inept parents.

We have also moved to a new apartment. Davy was especially helpful in reassembling the furniture.



We are loving the extra room and are feeling settled in.

He's a maniac!

Gone are the days where I could accomplish something while Davy happily played on the floor.  He is a man on the move and he is very busy.  Here is a basic outline of his day. 

First:  Flush the toilet. 

Next: Play in the Ovaltine

Then: Pull out the toilet paper

Become enraged when not allowed to flush the toilet:

Be cute at the park:

Repeat.  (Not pictured)  Taking turns fake laughing.  Putting gross things in his mouth and then offer them to an adult.  Patting everything.

Happy Easter!

Davy is crawling like a crazy man.  We were so excited for this milestone hoping that he could entertain himself for more time on the floor.  He can.  He can also: 

• Open the kitchen cupboards and pull everything out
• Touch every gross thing in the bathroom--including the toilet brush which he would just love to stick into his mouth (gag). 
• He can crawl to the drain during bathtime and pull the plug ending his bath anytime he pleases.  
• Try to climb into the fireplace at least four times a day
• Search for Stephen's shoes, pull out the insoles and lick them. 
•  Attempt to pull anything with with an electrical cord while looking over his shoulder to see if I am watching.  (Then he smiles impishly and pulls.)

We have had a great time at the park lately and go their once or twice a day. 

On...Off!

Davy has started to play games with us. We love to hear him crack up.

Spring! (alternatively titled: Not quite as super cold!)

This week we have spent  a lot of time in the park.  It is amazing to go outside without turning into an ice zombie.  Davy and I have pulled out the jogging stroller again and have gone on some runs through the park to the play area.  He loves to be in the stoller and he loves to swing!

He is turning into such a little man.  We got him a push toy which he refuses to push but likes to sit on.  He has no desire to crawl but scoots rolls and slides everywhere.  He has developed a new stealth method of moving while he is sitting up.  Sometimes I look up and he has managed to make it across the carpet, however I haven't caught him in the act and don't know how he does it. 

This is my favorite picture.  He looks exactly like an old man smoking a stoagie in bed.  Don't worry--it's a cracker. 

Black eyes and Messes

At least once a week I am asked if I am old enough to have a baby, or if David is really my child.  Usually this is merely irritating but, this week David fell against a couch and got a blackeye.  As we strolled through the grocery store I felt the leers of other shoppers as they thought, "hmph-underage and abusive".

It is finally getting warmer here (yay for mid 40's!) but for a while we had to get pretty bundled up for our walks. 

David's activity level has gone way up.  He is now into everything and wants to do whatever I am doing.   I am no longer allowed to talk on the phone or work in the kitchen without his "assistance".  The bottom two pantry shelves are now his.

My favorite moment this week was when the cashier gave him a balloon at Trader Joe's.  He stared at it the whole way home.  However, when he discovered it was impossible to keep a balloon within his grasp he became very agitated.  Every time the balloon floated back up to the ceiling his face crumpled and his hand shot up in frustration.  Eventually the balloon had to be taken away so he could calm down. 

8 months old!

David has a deep fear of and facination with the vaccuum.  I am not allowed to use it unless I am holding him on my hip.  When he is safely perched in the crook of my arm he likes to watch it roar back and forth and has a limitless attention span for that activity.  However, his fascinated stare makes him go curiously limp so that he loses all power to hold on to me.  This means that vaccuuming is also a weight lifting activity as I hold the "no bones" boy in one arm and roll the vaccuum with the other.  My favorite part is that when the vaccuum is turned off (even temporarily), he is perfectly able to hold on and his balance is restored.

Good news is that he now tolerates the carrier--however, I am too short to use it.  Davy's head ends up hitting my nose so only Stephen can wear it.

He has a new carpenter's bench that he loves to play with...however some of the fun phrases are a little peculiar, "I see a circle, a circle red and round,  I'm going to POUND IT DOWN!" Yikes!

What should you do if your baby is cold and you are too lazy to change his clothes?

Sock-boy! 

Indoctrinating him young...

Christmas Break

We had a lovely time visiting in Scottsdale for Christmas.  After three weeks of shirtsleeves it was hard to step off the plane in St. Louis to snow.  David was very interested in the cousins Jason and Madeleine--he watched them constantly and is now sad that the cast of the show has been reduced back to Stephen and me.   Here he is with Jason who is a very busy boy. 

Jason with Grandpa's glasses (my favorite Christmas pic)

David has started to chat with us while he plays or rides in the car. His new little noises make a nice change from his ooohh sound, which usually signals displeasure and increases in frequency and volume if his demands are not met. If we manage to preform the intricate nightly ritual correctly David chats himself to sleep.  He makes a pretty good sidekick during the day and it has been fun to see him learn new skills every day. 

We miss the calming influence of the backyard chimes. 

He is a pretty cheerful little boy and is happy to be back at his post by the window, watching the snow and the neighbors.