Baby Danger Radar

I cannot Owen-proof fast enough. I have a list, and it seems Owen has one too...and his is one step ahead of mine. Perhaps for the past nine (immoble) months he's been taking mental notes about what looks fun, if he could just get there...now he can. It's like he has a radar that helps him narrow in on the most dangerous thing in the room (not even the most interesting, just the most dangerous) and that's what he goes for. He seems to know even before I say "No" and race after him, what he shouldn't be messing with. It's really pretty comical (and scary). He is soooo much faster than he was a week ago! Wish me luck as I try to keep up...

Owen and I leave for Austin on Thursday morning. Unfortunately, Kyle has to stay here and work until the next weekend, when he'll meet us in Meridian to see Nana. In the meantime, Owen and I have fun plans to see family/friends. I'm sure he'll show off his new crawling and big-boy eating skills, as well as get into some stuff he shouldn't...

Until then. :)

Order Shmorder

1) Roll tummy to back (anything to get off the tummy)
2) Repeat, repeat, repeat (months go by)
3) Put in a crawling position, figure out how to get off tummy--sit back
4) Finally crawl!
5) Realize this tummy thing is the way to FREEDOM!
6) Roll from back to tummy (usually the first to happen)...

So, after Owen's nap today, I found him in his crib in the crawling position which means he rolled off of his back (how he goes to sleep) onto his tummy! Yea Owen!!! He's a full-range roller now! When it rains it pours! And yes, we're baby-proofing this weekend!

HE DID IT!!!

Our lives will never be the same...He crawls!!! Owen LOVES to try to get Kyle's glasses--he's always grabbing for them (and often succeeding). We got it attention w/ an old pair of my glasses that could be destroyed if it came to it...he took the bate, and now he's a crawler! This video was taken on Sunday and its amazing how much progress he's made since then! He stays up on his knees longer and longer and truly doesn't stay in the same place for long anymore. We've got big baby-proofing plans for this weekend (yes, we probably should have already done that), but his new-found ability to open the cabinet where our china is provides an added incentive...

Oh, and not nearly as exciting as crawling, but we have a new game. We make a little tent (my head is the pole) under the sheets and just squeal and squeal and flap our arms and make the sheets move. Sometimes we bring in a little flashlight too. He loves it!

In less exciting news: Owen is in a new baby-class at church. I actually got him "promoted" last week because even though he hadn't done his big crawl (above), he was getting so close and definitely liked being on the floor trying to move, so how he's with the mobile babies! He stayed the whole time last Sunday--I think he was a lot more entertained--being able to watch the other crawlers and walkers, instead of being in the infant class. So, we're excited about that.

He continues to try new foods and is starting to show a preference for self-feeding over the baby foods (cereals, fruits/veggies). I'm guessing that his favorite is chicken and green beans and of course the magic Puffs. Such a mess. He's growing up so fast!!! Oh, oh!!! And he drank out of a sippy cup tonight! Yea!!! For a kiddo who would NEVER take a bottle, this is huge. It means weening is actually going to be possible! :)

And lastly, he went to his first big-kids pool today. We went w/ our neighbors and had a blast "wading" in the kiddy pool. I had major summer flashbacks, except I'm not the kid. Weird. Rollingwood anyone?

BIG Owen Update

BIG because Owen is big, not because the update is...The "little guy" is 9 months old today (happy birthday!) and he had a pediatrician appointment (no shots--yea!). Here are his stats: 29 3/4 in tall (90th %tile) and 24 lbs. 7.8 ounces (95th %tile). So, in case there was any doubt, he's big. The nurse initially told me 75th %tile in weight but that's b/c she plotted him on the 12 month old chart--so he's essentially the size of a pretty big 1 year old! He thinks b/c Kyle and I are "normal-sized people" that he'll taper off between 1-2 years old when he get more active. So, no worries. :)

Here he is enjoying our friend David's little pool. I had no idea a diaper could be that absorbant! I think it soaked up about half the water in the pool. He had such a good time splashing around. So much so, that it was hard to explain to David (2.5 years old) why he wasn't allowed to splash back!

Here he is getting into trouble (I think Kyle had a hand in this one). We've decided that if some kids are tornadoes (in terms of movement/destructive behavior) Owen is a glacier. He's slow-moving but can carve land masses he's so powerful!

Here we are just playing on a blanket outside. He's a big fan of pulling up on us. He can only get to about his knees, but that doesn't stop him from trying over and over and over again. In terms of general mobility--it seems like his skills evolve daily. I still wouldn't call him a crawler, but he's so close. He can definitely scoot himself backwards when he's on his tummy. I think it frustrates him. Like he means to move forwards, but just ends up somewhere else. Occationally he gets himself wedged under the ottoman or a bed or something--I'll look away for a second and then see just a little head/torso peaking out. It's like the furnature is trying to eat him. In terms of forward motion, it's pretty much limited to the length of his body plus his reach. He loves to go from sitting over his legs (dive-style)--he "crawls" out w/ his hands as far as he can w/out moving his bottom/legs and then pushes himself back up to sitting. Being about to get back to sitting is a huge improvement over the face-planting he was doing, so we're both happy about that. Also, he's starting to bounce (bend at the tummy) to music which is pretty hysterical.

Still talking up a storm. Oh, and of course peekaboo is a big hit, but now I think he's definitely figured out where we are so as soon as he spots us the first time, he's less interested (like he's figured us out and wants to move on to more interesting things). He's also figured out how to turn lights on/off (if we hold him up) and open several draws/cabinets places (DANGER!).

Kyle had to work a rediculous amount last weekend and we got a last-minute invite to spend some time w/ our dear friends Carey and Jason Brege at her familie's lake condo at Smith Mountain Lake, VA. We had a great time w/ them, her sister Martha and her dad, Mr. Dunlap. It was my first time to drive anywhere w/ Owen further than 30 minutes away to the airport, so I was a little anxious, but it all went well. It's about a 2-2.5 hour drive and I just waited until he was asleep and moved him to the car. It's easy to drive w/ him when he's asleep! I am so thankful for these little milestones that mean our world w/ Owen is expanding!

The hightlight of the trip (outside of time w/ friends) was definitely Owen's first boatride! Don't worry--we went very slow. Here we are (Jason driving), everyone else is in front of/facing us. I can only assume that Owen enjoyed it. He was his stoic self--just taking in the sights (like he usually is when we're outside). I think he liked the feeling of the wind in his face and the noise the splashing water made, but what do I know? He definitely took it all in.

That's it for now. Kyle works a bunch this weekend as well (July is a tougher than average month for him this year), so perhaps Owen and I will figure out something fun/creative to do...We'll let you know.