Baby it's cold outside!

We went for a walk today when Daddy got home early. It's been really cold here (just like everywhere else) and Tom got Connor bundled up while I put my shoes and coat on. We were part way through walking the 1st dog out when I looked in the stroller and noticed Connor had nothing on his hands and they were tinged blue. He never made a peep - but I did! So to make up for it Tom put his already warm gloves (notice he covered his own hands) on Connor. In the second picture you can see Connor sacked out when we got home. We stopped by and got his mittens (socks) when we traded out pooches. He did get a pair of mittens in the mail this week courtesy of Aunt Angie and Uncle Eric. Thanks guys!

Our Sweet Boy

I get so behind and there is so much to write! You know how it is with babies. For the longest time he didn't do much. You know, he was cute and he nursed and every few weeks he would learn some new trick. Well, Now he seems to do something new every day! Sometimes it's hard to keep Tom abreast of all the changes. I do feel so bad for Tom because Connor loves him immensely and Tom is missing so much.

Currently, Connor is 7 months old and wearing 12 month sizes. He weighed 19lbs 12ozs when he had his flu shot on the 29th. He got his 1st tooth on 12/21/09 (LL central) and his 2nd on 12/29 (LR Central - Happy Birthday to both of us!)

He is an old pro at sitting up now and has finally figured out how to roll from back to Belly. Of course this means he does it in his sleep and he still doesn't like it once he gets onto his belly and so he cries for me to come and rescue him. His latest nickname is Hans (because it's classier then Hands) because he is lightening quick and GRABBY! For the most part he is an exceptional eater. He Can do a sippy cup by himself (though I still help him tip it back far enough). He has no problem getting his own toys, he'll pull out the bins of his toy box and grab what he likes. If I'm Eeyore, then he's Tigger - because he loves to bounce bounce bounce! He loves shopping (people watching.) He hates long car rides (He's had to many in his short life.) He can hold himself on his hands and knees, but isn't sure what to do once he's there. He loves to screech (another nickname) and says mamama, Dada, baba... the usual. He says yard work is BORING and chilly. He loves to walk around while holding your hands. He likes his refrigerator magnets. He thinks the shower sprayer is pretty funny when we rinse him off at night. He most definitely has a bedtime routine and he falls asleep pretty quickly most nights. He loves the dogs and Hattie loves him (even more so now that he eats food - she has stolen a green beans from him and same was trolling for avocado chunks the other night.)

He has also eaten quite an array of foods. He's even had my "Poop Soup" (so named because its got all the good stuff to aid flatuation) ground up for dinner one night. He hasn't shown any sings of reactions yet - Yeah!!! Kiwi, Apple, Cucumber, ham, turkey, chicken, spinach, sweet potato, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, green beans, green pepper, prunes, pears, blueberries, avocado, peas, squash, banana, apricots, peaches, beef, whipped cream (I couldn't help it... I caved), and brussel sprouts are just a few of the foods he's tried.

Look! No Mommy Hands!

That's right folks! He didn't do it for long, maybe 25 or 30 seconds, but he sat all by himself!

Drooly, isn't he! Mmmmmmm fingers!

Connor is showing more and more interest in the dogs each day, and Hattie and Sam are more sensitive to him being around, too. Kobe really could care less. He really tries to ignore Connor, even repeatedly walking in front of the stroller when we're out. Even Sam stays to the side of the stroller. Sam is to shifty to sit there and come close so Connor can touch him, but they both try. Hattie has to follow me around and go with me to check on Connor. There are some pictures of her babysitting on the Flickr page. I catch her trying to sneak kisses all the time.

Now THAT'S Entertainment!

Recently I wrote that Connor is rather stingy when it comes to laughs. He will give you plenty of big open mouth grins with his tongue tucked against the roof of his mouth. He'll laugh a little bit when you nibble his belly, but it's almost as though he isn't sure what a laugh is, like maybe it's wrong and he shouldn't do it. Well Mommy found a way to make Connor laugh.

I was doing a little housecleaning and the last several times I've vacuumed the back end has fallen off my canister vacuum. I finally got fed up and while Connor was in his Jolly Jumper in his bedroom doorway, I decided to cover the finer points of duct tape with him. I grabbed the roll and yanked off a strip, not thinking about the funky noise duct tape makes. Well considering the coffee grinder makes him cry Iexpected to look up and see a pouty lip and tears. OH NO! Connor seems to think there is nothing funnier then the sound of duct tape coming off the roll. There were giggles and squeals and out and out laughs. He laughed so hard he got hiccups!

For his 3 month birthday, I had gotten out all of his bath toys and decorated the big bath tub in our master bath. It was time for him to graduate from the baby tub I'd been given. He was out growing it lengthwise and he was soaking the kitchen every night with all of his splashing. Then on Sept 12th he got his own bedroom upstairs (1 year and a day since my first positive pregnancy test). The next logical step was getting him out of our bathroom and completely moved upstairs. So that was his 4 month birthday present. Connor got his own bathroom upstairs. He seems to like having the standard size tub. It will be really nice when he can sit up, but for now he likes sitting in his bath chair and putting his feet up on the side wall of the tub. Clever little monkey!

17 Pounds!

That's right folks! I weighed Connor the other day and he weighed 17 lbs! That means he has gained over 7 lbs in less then 4 months. He lost most of a pound the first week he was home. So he has gained back his deficit and then some. He is currently on the edge of outgrowing his 6-9 month sleepers. Don't misunderstand me. He's a big boy, but he isn't fat. He is very long. several of his cloths have plenty of room in the body, but they are just to short in the leg or the torso.

Yesterday I was going through the mail and there was a big festive envelope from the Disney movie club. Connor was being a little fussy, so I said "Here! Look! Mail for you!" and gave him the envelope and continued looking at the rest of the mail. Tom came walking over and I said absently "look, Tom, Connor got mail..." Tom said "Uhhhh, Jenn?" and took the envelope from Connor. The Ink on the front of the envelope was water soluble and his mouth, chin, tongue, cheeks, even the tip of his nose were all smeared in black. A baby wipe took it right off and I didn't get a picture, but Connor was thoroughly pleased with himself.

Some More About Connor

I've had friends do this and I have been wanting to post this for a while. We always get the question "who does he look like?" Well judge for yourself! This is Tom, Connor and Me. I know my vote! This isn't the best (or clearest!) photo of Connor, but I saw it and it reminded me of this photo of myself. To be fair I went and found one where he is in a similar position to Tom's baby photo.

I forgot to mention in my last post that Connor has already received his first international postcard (Thanks Jonathan & Ridley!) He has also had his first sets of bug bites (there are very persistent) on walks. He has been to the beach. He has been to the South Carolina Aquarium. He has gone swimming at a public pool.

We have also become frequent shoppers at a nearby kids consignment store called Once Upon a Child. I received his baby bathtub from my coworker Brittany and an Eddie Bauer play yard (and various other small gifts) from our neighbor Nancy and last week we were given a Baby bike seat from our other neighbor Ricky. We've been very lucky to get many items used. Even Connor's crib came all the way from California, it was used for all three of his Person Family cousins when they were little. The consignment shop has had some really nice deals on items I wanted and though they are used, they are by no means worn out. We got Connor a Bumbo w/tray for $20, a bath seat (looks like a little lawn chair) for $3.50, an Ultrasaucer for $25, a rocking worm (like a horse, but it's a worm) for $15 as well as various clothing for $1-3 each. It's great! We have started going there first when we want an item to see if they have one, then if they don't we go and get it new. They only thing that this hasn't worked for was our baby monitor which we bought at Target.

Our Little Man

Here we are, Connor is almost 4 months old and I haven't had a chance to update Connor's blog. I only just wrote about his birth!

First off he is fantastic and the absolute joy of my day (even if he doesn't nap so well.) All about Connor. Where to start. He absolutely loves his baths. He must have one every night and he gets all excited and starts banging his heels on the floor. He has already had dual ear infections with a ruptured right eardrum. He likes swimming in a pool even if it is colder then the bathtub (he likes that really warm). He has rolled from his belly to his back twice (but it was mostly an accident). He is only now warming up to tummy time. His nickname is booby boy, but I also call him Sugar because he's so dang sweet. He has the greatest smile. He clicks his tongue when he grins really big. He has just started blowing raspberries. He has been standing and pulling up with very little support from us for quite a while now. I think he's getting ready to cut his first tooth. He likes books and has helped to turn the pages. He likes the comics. He is very interested in the remote control and the portable phone. He is a tator tot and will actually cran his neck to watch TV when I'm changing his diaper (NO I don't use it as the electronic babysitter - usually it's just the local weather channel or toddler tunes) He has already been on his fist canoe ride (wasn't a huge hit but daddy is hoping he'll grow into it). He's had rice cereal but doesn't seem in love with it, so I've put that on the back burner for now. He gives smiles freely and frequently, but he is only now starting to laugh. He has wiggled his body 360 degrees around his play mat. Connor has also made the drive from Charleston to East Tennesse and from Tennesse to Massachusetts (20 hours!) and back again.

He is the gassiest baby you've ever met! I've actually had to defend myself because people thought it was me breaking wind - there is no hiding it when Connor is filling his diaper. He used to make the cutest face when he pood. He would crack me up so bad. I used to tell him to enjoy it now, no girl was ever going to find his bowel movements that funny again.He belches really loud, too! I told him he's a reincarnated Frat Boy. He farts and burps, shows a big interest in pizza and he's all about the boobs.

Connor slept in our bedroom from the day he came home until September 12th. It killed me to put him in his own room, but I think he is sleeping better (especially when Tom is on call) and I know Tom is. He doesn't really cry in the morning to tell you he's up, he more lays there getting louder and louder and sounding more and more urgent until you get to his crib and when he sees you he gives you a great big grin like "Oh good, you're up! Me too!" I've seen him roll from his side to his back and vice versa while sleeping. Several times I'll get up to get him and he has worked his way sideways across his crib.