Father's Day -- 9 months

Daddy's first father's day today. You and I got up early and went to get da da a balloon and coffee and some new socks. You love balloons, so were happy to hold it in the store and at home.

You continue to amaze and delight us. Some of your new tricks:

--You love to pull up on everything and lately have been letting go to balance for 5-10 seconds before plopping back down on your bottom. When you stand up by yourself you get very excited and make a little screech.

--You know how to get our attention and sometimes if you want me to look at you you'll yell a little bit until I look at you and say hello and your whole face lights up, like you are so happy that I payed attention.

--You are grinding your teeth together a lot lately, I guess just trying to figure out what those new things are in your mouth.

--You do not like to be spoon fed. I swear your first words will be "DO IT MYSELF!!" You like to feed yourself, but aren't very interested in lots of different foods. You currently like: Cheerios, cheese, goldfish crackers, rice krispies, small pieces of chicken, toast (but not with applesauce on it), pizza crust, ice cream (ha ha), and pieces of waffle. You do NOT like anything with a slimy or cold texture, like bananas, peaches, mango, etc. You touch it and immediately stick out your tongue, like "ewwww that feels yucky." I just keep offering it and assume sometime you'll like it. You love cheerios and are constantly finding old ones on the floor and pick those up happily to munch. :)

--You are starting to protest vehemently when we stop doing something you like, or start doing something you hate. For instance, if we're out in the garage looking at the chickens (yep, they're still in the garage) and then go inside, you will SCREAM and cry in protest, almost like you're hurt. If I go back out in the garage you instantly stop and start laughing at the chickens. If we stay inside it usually only takes a minute and you'll calm down and be distracted by something else. It's funny. Also you HATE having your diaper changed and getting dressed. I just have to hold you down and say "I'm sorry you're mad, but mama has to change you/dress you." You hate it.

--I now put you to bed in your room on a mattress on your floor and lie with you, nurse you, talk to you and pat your back until you're asleep. It usually takes about 20 minutes. You go to sleep around 8:30 or 9 now. Then when you wake up, usually around 12:30am, dad brings you into bed with us and you go right back to sleep. It's great. You are sleeping much better now, and many nights a week you only wake up once or twice, then are wide awake around 6:30am. Last night, though, you were a squirmy guy and kept squirming and crawling in your sleep. You'd just fall back asleep once you squirmed your head into my armpit. Nothing else I'd rather have next to me!! :)

--Dad calls you Thor "jack around" Umlauf because you are always goofing around, playing while nursing, goofing with the dishwasher, the cat, the phone in bed, etc. You love to just mess around and pull the books of the shelves, crawl around naked, look at yourself in the mirror, dump your cheerios out on the floor and all that good baby stuff. It's so funny and fun to watch.

Well -- it's a beautiful day today -- maybe we'll go to a lake!