Uh-Oh!

Felix is now 11 months old! Only one month shy from a year and such a great big boy! He's really active now, so much so that it was impossible to get his normal "month" picture this month. He immediately tries to roll on his stomach when you put him on his back, which makes diaper changes especially challenging. :o) Felix still loves to use his push-walker, and he's getting better about balancing himself when standing up. His record is about a minute without falling. He's also learned that dropping things is fun! He's learned to say "uh-oh" when he does. For a while, it was just "uh-uh", but he's figured out the "oh" now.

We spent a nice time up in Green Bay this past weekend. Nick's friend from high school got married, and while he was at the reception, Felix and I got to visit with lots of family. 

Felix: 11 mos

Into June

We had a nice end of the month, going to our first family Brewers game (extended family included - Grandma and Grandpa, Aunt Cassie and Jeff). Being in a party suite spoiled us all, I think. :o) Alas, the Crew lost, but it didn't ruin the day.

We also redid the landscaping along the front foundation of our house. Out with the old, overgrown arborvitae bushes, in with lovely shade plants (ferns, astilbes, hostas, sweet woodruff and dwarf goatsbeard), and larger focus bushes - a viburnum and an azalea. It should look very nice when they grow into the space. But for now, it's nice just to have the big bushes gone.

Nothing new on the Felix front. He's still being Felix. :o)

Felix: 10 mos

Cruisin' = Bumps + Bruisin'

As expected, Felix's newfound mobility is resulting in his first boo-boos.  Last night, he crawled up to the landing of the stairs, then decided to go back down - head first.  Thank goodness we have carpet there, because it still left a little mark.  This morning, he was reaching for the coffee table, misjudged, and hit his cheek on the edge of the leg.  No cuts, but there was clearly a line where he bumped.  Poor little guy.  But I'm not going to put him in bubble wrap or pad everything in sight, because he'll never learn to be resilient, or that there are limitations to what he can do, if I do.

He is making strides (groan-worthy pun intended) in learning to walk.  We have a couple of push walkers at home.  I was a little nervous about letting him use them so soon, but they're really great, actually.  They're teaching him to have better body control and balance.  They don't have locking wheels, but he's managed to become stable enough that he pulls himself up on them no problem.  And he's started walking with them.  I was afraid that if it rolled too far out in front of him, he'd fall flat on his face.  The few times it's gotten away from him, he's just fallen on his knees.  He pushed one this morning about five feet before he ran into an object.  I was pretty impressed that he's getting the walking motion down.  He's so fast on four limbs and getting into everything, I think two will be doubly challenging!

Felix: 10 mos

Happy Friday!

Things are going well for us.  Felix is EVERYWHERE and pulling up on anything he can get his hands on (furniture, toys, me...).  He's just starting to cruise a bit. 

He's determined that if Mama's eating it, he wants it, too, even if he's got his own meal.  On Monday, Nick and I were going to eat scones leftover from the weekend.  We didn't have enough to make a normal serving, let alone any for Felix.  So, I made him some applesauce oatmeal.  He refused the oatmeal and got very angry, seeing those tasty scones on Mama's plate.  I caved (argh) and gave him two scone halves (these are the tiny treat scones from Target), and the corners of a few others.  Then he happily ate the oatmeal.  I've learned my lesson on this one - always have ripe bananas on hand, because that's the only food I've found he's okay having when I'm eating something else.

Nick took out the bushes in front of our house, so it looks a little bare and brand-new out there.  I've got some great ideas for easy, pretty replacements, but we've got to get the area cleaned up first.  Note to all: landscaping stones are EVIL.

Hope you have a nice weekend!  It's going to get hot here in a hurry.

Felix: 10 mos

10 Months!

Felix is now 10 months old.  He's all over the place now, trying to pull up on things that can hold his weight, and many more things that can't.  We've learned to be vigilant and that bumps and bruises are likely to happen.  We've had a rough stretch of nights (good-bad-good-bad), so we're cautiously optimistic that he's finally about to cut his first tooth.  We can't feel or see anything yet, so it might be a while still.  His nighttime crankiness is getting old, though.

Since I have had even less time and initiative than usual to get pictures up here, I might as well make the most of this opportunity.  Enjoy!

Felix: 10 mos

Happy Mother's Day!

While the weather was less than cooperative Saturday, I ended up having a very nice birthday.  Mom and Dad came down, Cassie came over, we gals went shopping, and we all ate out for dinner.  Mother's Day was much nicer out, so we grilled out for lunch and sat around on the deck.  Cassie made fabulous desserts.  Mmmm.  Felix has added cake, kiwi, strawberries, and custard to his foods-tried list.  We hope you had a great weekend, too!

Felix: 9 mos

On the Move

We wanted to keep you updated on a few developments.  Felix had an initial evaluation with the Birth to 3 program on Friday, and I received a call saying that his development is on track and no further evaluation is needed.  That's a relief.  (He was initially referred to the program because of a low problem solving skills score on a questionnaire at his 9-month check up.  9 months?  Problem solving?  Argh!)

Felix is now crawling!  Properly, I should say, with hands and knees.  He just figured it out Sunday, and started reaching for things to pull himself up on.  He's still a little slow, and when he gets frustrated, goes back to the worm, but we'll be chasing him soon.  His new favorite objects are power cables.  Uh-oh.  I'm trying to give him an opportunity to discover what he can and cannot pull up on.  If I make everything stable, like laundry baskets, etc., he'll get the wrong impression that everything is okay and he'll hurt himself.  I just sit near him and let him try, but "rescue" him before he topples over.

Nick bought a new lawn mower, so he's also happy.

Felix: 9 mos