Video: Horsey ride with Grandma

11 1/2 months old

This has been a nice week with Matthew and Thomas. We have been around town doing errands and enjoying time at Borders, and I voted (early). It only took 35 minutes and I can say that I voted in the 2008 elections! We will see later today how the other Floridians vote this time. Hope the elections goes better than 2004! How can it not (knock on wood frantically)?

The weather has been beautiful and our stroller rides in the morning are lovely. The weather has been hovering around 65, but this morning it dipped down to 50! I think Mom and Dad are bringing the weather down with them! One of the ducks on the lake has a brood of nine ducklings, and they are so fuzzy and cute! They huddle up to their mother and she steps protectively between them and us when we get too close. Thomas takes to shouting, "Duh! Duh!" when we get in the vicinity, which is very exciting! He also says "Duh!" when he's near his rubber duckies or there's a picture of a duck in a book we're reading, so I like to say, "yes, Thomas, duck!" and point it out, just to be sure he's getting the right idea. This morning he gave me a huge grin when I did that and kept patting the book and saying, "Duh! Duh! Duh!" as if he really got it for the first time. We will see if he does, because a few days ago he pointed straight at Chloe and said "Duh!"

Here is a picture of Thomas very absorbed in pushing buttons on the flash for Matthew's camera. Matthew said, "I really wanted fill flash for that shot but ... d'oh!" (He lightened it up in Photoshop.) He's still so excited by buttons. Thomas, not Matthew, although sometimes, judging by the sheer numbers of remote controls we own, I wonder .... ha ha! I've covered up power buttons for the TV, computer and backup power for the DVR so that prevents a lot of hassle. He did find a new, fun button, though. He discovered that by pushing my belly button it makes me giggle. Thomas really likes it! He'll sit and push my belly button (or around my belly button) for minutes on end.

Thomas is gaining in coordination these days. He lets go while standing a little bit more often these days, can sit down without holding onto things, and has fun pushing around the ottoman while standing up. Yesterday he even took a staggering step without support on his way to something. And now when he plays with Old MacDonald's tractor, he has enough coordination to place Old MacDonald into a spot on the tractor so that he triggers the noises. Matthew says he seems to like "Uh-oh, I can't drive!" the best.

This week has been a trying one for Thomas. He is not sleeping well and seems to be in a lot of teething pain. He is biting much less, but when he does it is with such force that it leaves welts! There are also little tooth marks running along one whole top rail of his crib, poor guy. He is also starting to shriek loudly. If you are holding him during a shriek, your ears ring and hearing dims! At our safety training sessions at work they call it "temporary threshhold shift" and they caution that too many of these can lead to permanent hearing loss! I hope that he outgrows this quickly! I guess the only thing to do now is ignore him when he makes the noise and reward him when he's quiet. It really sets the hair on edge, though.

Well, Mom and Dad have made it to Gainesville and are now visiting Utaka and Shauna. It sounds like they are having a wonderful time, decorating the place for a Halloween party and going out to eat. Later today they will drive down to Orlando! Can't wait!

Video: Thomas and Matthew at the Pool

11 1/4 months old

We are happy to welcome back Matthew after he spent a few days in Las Vegas for an airline pilots' union meeting. He stayed at the new Planet Hollywood, and at first they put him in a room that hadn't been made up, so they upgraded him to a fancy suite with a great view of the Strip: Paris, the Bellagio and its fountains, and his hotel's rooftop pool. He had some great food and got to eat at the Spice Café buffet for breakfast! I remember that Michelle and I ate there when we were in Las Vegas a few years ago, and it was heavenly: mind-bogglingly huge and full of yummy things to eat. He didn't have any time for sightseeing or show-watching, unfortunately for him!

On the home front, Thomas is still happily waving bye-bye/hello. He's started to do it a lot more often in the house, and selectively waves hi/bye to people he doesn't know who wave at him, even when I wave. Sometimes it takes about thirty seconds (well after we're gone) for his arm to start waving, which is very cute to see. This morning he waved at me when I was giving him toast for breakfast. And he waved at Chloe. And at the ducklings in the pond. Not only did he wave at them, but when he saw them, he said, "Duh! Duh?" And Matthew said, "yes! Duck!" And Tom said, "Duh!" and looked at them intently. Yesterday Matthew pointed at Chloe and said, "Cat!" and Thomas replied "Ca!" Nowadays we're noticing more and more when he seems to be trying to repeat what we say, or when his sounds correspond with the object he's looking at. It's very exciting to see the very beginnings of language development!
Oh. Thomas has found the DVDs. He really seems to delight in pulling them all off the shelf and making a big mess. Someone told me once that the way to prevent toddlers from pulling them down is to cram as many DVDs onto the shelf as possible -- really wedge them into place and they'll be safe. Unfortunately, I can't seem to get them to go in tight enough. He's getting pretty strong! At first it was just a few tapes, but now two whole shelves end up on the floor. Right now I'm hoping it's a phase, so after he's done playing, we sing the clean-up song and he sits on my knee while I put them back on the shelf. I'm hoping he gets to the place where he can help me put them back on the shelf, kind of like he "helps" clean up his toys: I give him a few toys one at a time and ask him to put them into the box, and he tosses them in.

Oh, I finally officially joined the Conway Mom's Group for stay-at-home moms! On Friday we went to the park and Thomas enjoyed climbing up the slide and looking at the other babies. Yesterday Thomas had his first playdate with four other boys in the neighborhood. We went to their house and the other boys (who are 18 months to 3 years) played with the mountains of toys and each other. Thomas clutched my shirt the first half-hour we were there, and gradually started playing with a truck with lots of buttons. He cried a few times, especially when the noise and activity became a little too much, I think. All in all, though, I thought it went very well, and the other moms and boys are very nice and friendly. I'm so happy to have finally done it, and look forward to getting to know them all better and getting Thomas used to other kids!

Video: Autumn Leaves

Video: Thomas waving bye-bye

11 months old

Thomas and I went to Wisconsin this week to visit Mom and Dad. What a great time we had! Mom and Dad really enjoyed Thomas, the leaves were at the peak of their color, the air was a gorgeous 70, and Thomas got to play with Dominic! We went to Legacy Chocolate where I stocked up on truffles (don't tell Matthew-- "Chocolate? What chocolate, Matthew?"), visited the cute country store Grain Bin where they were unfortunately out of their famous cinnamon buns, and went to Acoustic Café where we met John, Alayne, Michelle, and Dominic for lunch. It was a big, noisy table and so nice to see everyone again!

This week Thomas waved bye-bye! He did a proper bye-bye wave on the third try, which was in Wisconsin, after three months of me waving his arm for him. After that, Mom and Dad reinforced it by waving to him throughout the day. I was so excited! To see three months of practice suddenly gel! I knew he really got it when he started waving to me while nursing in the dark. Now he waves to Paul and Judy in Pat the Bunny, to me in the rearview mirror, and to who knows what when he's standing, staring off into the distance with a thoughtful expression. It's almost like it's his first word -- in sign language. After this weekend, I've seen a lot more signs of language acquisition, perhaps because I'm seeing him with new eyes. When I say, "Where's your ball, Thomas?" he'll stop what he's doing and crawl around looking for it! He also seems to understand the process of "bath" and he's been so much more cooperative during the diaper-changing process (knock on wood, long may it continue). For the past few diaper changes, he (after a few false starts) lies on his back without twisting or crawling away and even puts one leg down so I can fasten the diaper on that side! I'm praying that this is the New Deal!



I think I have the hang of his new eating habit. The trick is to give him milk and then eat food in front of him an hour or two later. I have been offering him food before milk, halfway through milk, after milk, and every half hour after that, but he is only interested in food when there's someone else eating AND an hour or two after milk. He turns his face away with his nose in the air otherwise. Today he ate an eighth of a pear, some toast, and for dinner a potato-carrot-cauliflower-seaweed mash. I was giving him food off my plate because he ate everything off his! His appetite also seems to come in waves ... every couple of days, he'll eat a lot (for him).


Well, Matthew is finished with his Mexico--Toledo trip, but now he's in Las Vegas with his pilot union until late Sunday. I'm jealous because I am remembering what a good time Michelle and I had, back in the day before children. Oh well, we'll get back there someday. He's staying at the Planet Hollywood which is right next to Paris and its delicious boulangeries! Yum yum! Can't wait until we see him again. And can't wait until Mom and Dad come down! Only a couple of weeks to go!

Video: Thomas "walking" the ottoman

10 3/4 months old

We are very well this week. Matthew managed to sneak home for the weekend, using his recently-gained jumpseat privilages. He called from Detroit to tell me he was going to be back in Orlando in 3 hours! What an exciting surprise that was! It felt like my birthday and Christmas rolled into one! He was home about 36 hours which, unfortunately for him, happened to coincide exactly with a nonsleeping teething/growth spurt phase of Thomas'. It was such a relief to have him there for support, even though it was purely by accident! He also helped me get some food into Thomas, because wouldn't you know it, just as I report the return of his appetite, it leaves again!
Matthew came back to witness Thomas' new game: pushing things off the bed. He no longer does the headlong lemming-drop over the side of the bed, thank goodness, but he does crawl to the edge, peek over, push any objects near him off, then peek over the edge again to inspect the consequences. Sometimes he sits a little too near the edge and needs to be caught falling over himself, but usually if he does go off the bed these days it is intentional.

He also loves to push buttons these days, especially if they glow. This means that computer power buttons, power strips, DVD buttons, remote controls and computer keyboards need to be protected from his curious fingers. We do, however, make a game out of turning on and off the lights and pushing the button that opens and closes the garage door. He seems pretty delighted when he manages to flip the light switch, but he hasn't had any luck yet with the garage door. This will come in time, I'm sure!
After a few weeks of effort, our no-biting campaign seems to be having an effect. Hooray! And gee, it only took a few weeks of saying firmly "No, Tommy, we do not bite" to get through! Now I suppose we should put an end to the take-off-Mommy's-glasses game, which is not quite so cute now that Mommy has a new pair of glasses that are easily-smudgeable! The triumphant, playful grin that he gets when he pulls them off is just priceless.

Well, next week I will have photos from Wisconsin! I'm going to be visiting at the end of this week, and then Mom and Dad will be coming to Orlando by November to stay the winter again! So exciting!

Video: Thomas and Chloe

10 1/2 months old

Matthew left yesterday for his trip that goes between Toledo and Mexico. While he was here with us in Orlando, he worked very hard, trimming trees, mowing the lawn, shimming and sealing the base of the toilet again, changing diapers, entertaining Thomas, and somehow getting him to eat! Thomas' appetite has increased dramatically, to my astonishment. And now he is actually eating, and napping well, and waking up happy! It's so great! Next on the agenda: eating well in the highchair and tackling the 5:00am wakeup!

After a long absence, Thomas' "mamamamamama" is back. He is also blowing raspberries again ... without showing tongue! I can't figure out how he does it! It's a "mystery raspberry." Matthew can do it, though, and sometimes they have "raspberry conversations" --- Thomas will quietly raspberry, then Matthew will reply in kind, and then Thomas, and then Matthew answers back.... it's very cute!

These days we are taking a stroller ride every day in the morning around our neighborhood. Thomas always enjoys hanging onto the bar and staring at everything -- and not always at what I think is interesting, i.e. cats, dogs, squirrels, planes, ducks, .... Sometimes I'll spend a whole minute trying to point out something like a duck on the sidewalk in front of him while his gaze is fixed on who knows what in the opposite direction! It's great to get out of the house during a pleasant part of the day when it's not too hot and there aren't many people or cars about, and it soothes Thomas when he's getting too tired. I also take him once every day or two or three out and about around town. Sometimes the grocery store, sometimes to Borders, sometimes to Nursery Rhyme Time at the library. I don't know if he enjoys it as much as I do, but it saves my sanity!

On Saturday we babysat our friend Ava's children, five-year-Coe and her 16-month-old girl Kaeya. It was only for a few hours, but was it an experience! I think I would have been a lot more nervous babysitting them if I hadn't had such recent experience with five-year-old Katie in New Zealand! Thank you, Katie! They were good kids, and it was like looking into the future to see what Thomas would be able to do: toddling, communicating, getting up onto the couch by himself, giving toys to people ... and it was like looking into an alternate universe to see what life would be like if he had a different temperament. Kaeya waited so calmly and patiently for me to be done with diaper changes/getting her into the car seat/shopping! Wow! Where were the wiggles, the struggles, the shrieks? It was amazing, and I was a little jealous of Ava! But, we are who we are, and that is that!