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.