Baby Gate

Doing time.

On the Move

Getting Back Down

Standing was a milestone but, as Ben and I quickly realized, getting back down from standing was just as important! After two nights of Dexter waking us up in the middle of the night or not napping because he was stuck standing in his crib, yesterday I watched him teach himself how to get back down. He can now very easily drop down from standing onto his butt or move his legs back, reach forward with one hand, and eventually let go of the other hand, dropping to a crawling position on the floor. Hallelujah!

World Music Festival

Dexter and I went down to Millenium Park and enjoyed Daddy's noontime gig with Rocambu Jazz at the Pritzker Pavillion in Millenium Park.

Step-Ladder to Disaster

I suddenly noticed that we had inadvertently built a step-ladder to disaster for Dexter.

Rapid Fire

This week has been amazing in terms of Dexter's development. It has been days and days of quick discovery, experimentation, and mastery. He's pulling himself to standing everywhere, all the time. I found him today in his crib - standing! He pushes a ball back to me, turns toys on by himself, has stopped choking on the sippy cup. He's constantly babbling. I think the only word he says that is connected to any meaning in our world is Mmm Buff for My Bologna. He's creative and finds alternative ways of getting what he wants - a toy on a cardboard box, just out of arms reach, and he notices that if he hits the box, the toy moves. So he hits the box until the toy vibrates right over to him. This is really a wonderful thing to witness. I'm amazed by him everyday.

Baby Dangers

Dexter loves to play with the audio/video components and powertools!

Crawling!

Dexter has been "considering" crawling for quite a while, getting up on his hands and knees, rocking back and forth, but preferring to slither on his belly if he wanted to propel himself forward. Over the weekend, he began crawling for short periods - mostly to get himself to something that he could pull himself up to standing with - which he also started to do completely unassisted this weekend. Yesterday, he used crawling as his preferred means of moving across the floor and I caught some of it on video. Mommy is so proud.

Chicken Pad Thai

Between couch shopping, Wiggleworms, and a picnic with Elissa and Ian, this weekend Dexter's meals consisted largely of Swedish meatballs, sausage, pizza, and the tofu and noodles from my chicken pad thai. He's pooping like a champ.

Future Rock Star

Snot Bridge

I came home from work yesterday to find Daddy taking pictures of Dexter's "snot bridge". In this picture, Dexter looks like he's stumbling home after waking up in a gutter after a rough night out on the town. If you look closely, you can clearly see the snot bridge from Dexter's nose to his forehead.

This Is Not Right...

A friend posted her dream about us on Ben's Facebook wall (for those of you - like me - who don't know, the cruiser and the gold wing she mentions are motorcycles):

Tuesday night dream... Driving back from Indianapolis on the damn Ryan & see you riding a cruiser ahead of me. With a guitar in a gig bag over your shoulder. Then ahead of YOU is Jiffy riding a Gold Wing with Dexter in a car seat strapped to the bike. I think "this is not right" and wake up.

Jazz Fest

For a link to the video of our friend, Monique, opening Jazz Fest in Chicago with her rendition of the Star Spangled Banner, click on the link to the left. She is awesome and we are so proud!

Dexter Loves Mommy

And Mommy loves Dexter.

A Perfect Day

We had a wonderful Labor Day visiting friends at their home in Michigan. The weather was perfect with warmth, not heat, from the sun. We arrived to find a vacant (we thought) home with its doors open. We walked around back to see a lovely patio and garden and I yelled into the house to see if anyone was home. When nobody responded, I went in and used the bathroom (it was an hour and a half drive and I had to pee!). Still nobody in sight when I came back out so we made ourselves comfortable and fed Dexter a bottle in the shade. Soon enough, our hosts arrived and we all took of a walk of the grounds: through a wildflower garden, a vegetable garden, a meadow, a thicket of trees, and bees - in a little cove in the thicket was the bee hive and we quietly watched the bees making bee-lines to and from the hive. My Bologna and Oona made fast friends and My Bologna could not get enough of running around and rolling in the grass. Dexter loved playing with the grass and dirt and and flowers and dogs. Easy, lazy time with good conversation, fresh air, a feast of garden-harvested goodies. It couldn't have been any better.

The Croc Hunter

He's OBSESSED with them!

Wiggleworms in Love

Dexter and Eliora have been into each other since the very first wiggleworms class.

Buckethead

Should we be worried?

Nature Versus Nurture

I don't know how much is genetic and how much is environmental but Dexter files his papers exactly like his Mommy does.

Disproportions

He still can't reach the top of his head with his hands.

The "Two Spoon" Solution

For the last week or so, Dexter has been very interested in grabbing the spoon during feedings. Ben and I struggled through many mini-battles at mealtimes - trying to give him enough time to explore and learn while also getting through the meal before it was time for the next meal! Last night it occurred to me to just use two spoons - one for Dexter to play with and one for me to feed him with. I'm sure this is probably common "Mommy-knowledge" but I felt like a genius when I thought of it.

Football Season

Dexter has discovered My Bologna's box of toys and claimed the nurf football as his own. Poor My Bologna.

Li'l Hendrix at Monterey (Minus the Fire)

He also "plays" it with his teeth and behind his head. Daddy is so proud.