What a Week!

And what a day.. I just ate sweet potatoes, cereal, and blackberries for dinner. Oh, and one meat stick. I think I prefer the turkey sticks. We had our kitchen faucet fixed (which included some hot water spraying everywhere), had a visit from a Tucson friend (who is living in Michigan now), and had some crazy thunderstorms. We are hoping for less severe weather tomorrow, since Friday's dad is supposed to be flying back home!

Boy Friday is now 9 months old - can you believe it? Of course I forgot to take a photo of him today, and now he's asleep. Oh, wait - I have a couple on my phone. Alas, those are grainy and out-of-focus.

Let's see... last Saturday my dad flew in to visit (and for business, but we're glad we got to see him for a little bit). The little dude appeared to enjoy his time with his grandfather (um, what are we supposed to be calling you, anyhow?). We even tried a little photo session on Wednesday. Boy Friday's eyes were closed in almost every picture we took with one of the cameras - he thought the red-eye lamp was hilarious! I did get ONE picture of him smiling, though:



Here's what the rest looked like:



He makes the silliest faces these days! I really think one of my sisters did this odd sniffing face, too - it just feels familiar.

Friday has been practicing pushing his belly off the floor, although he isn't moving particularly quickly. He goes in little circles, and today I noticed he can push himself backward a little bit.

He's getting closer to being mobile!

Six Months Old!

Boy Friday is now SIX months old! Crazy. It's hard to believe it's been six months. Of course, it's also hard to believe it's only been about five months since I moved to Chicago.

However, I am currently in much warmer weather here in Arizona.  We've mostly just been hanging out "helping" with errands. Today Boy Friday, Aunt Emily, and I went on a little jaunt to see some desert. Friday's first Arizona hike! If you can call it a "hike."

I think he enjoyed it. We haven't done much nature-walking in Chicago.

We also visited my brother's family in their new house. The great-grandparents came by also to say hello to the little guy - who has gotten quite a bit bigger since they last saw him!  It appears that Boy Friday is really interested in his cousin's dogs....

Tomorrow we're off to visit more great-grandparents! Must get some sleep!

Weekend with Aunt Emily!

Well, that about sums it up! Ok, maybe not. We did get downtown a couple of times over the weekend - we walked down the Magnificent Mile (although did not do any shopping), and we went to the Shedd Aquarium.  It was rather chilly all weekend, too. It occurs to me that Boy Friday is going to need some more stuff to bundle up in. And at some point he'll also need a slightly more portable stroller. With 2+ people, the stroller/carseat combo that we have is fine, however many El stations are NOT handicapped accessible, and thus, also not stroller accessible. And others were temporarily not accessible due to elevator failure, etc. I am glad that I didn't have to carry him the whole time we were out - that would've been exhausting. Although, probably warmer.

Aunt Emily got to see what a little screamer Boy Friday can be (and I don't mean the other day when he actually had a crying fit, which is rare for him). He doesn't USUALLY cry a lot - mainly he screams. Perhaps he's just talking... but it can be earsplitting! A couple of those nights he demonstrated how late he can stay up, also. Since she's left, though, he's been going to bed BEFORE 10 pm. Even before 9! I guess his aunt wore him out?

A Trip Downtown

Friday and I actually had an adventure today - we took the train downtown to visit with Mu and Papa (my grandparents) who were on an Amtrak layover. Chicago (and maybe other places, too) is not easy to get around with a stroller, I've discovered. There are steps everywhere! The trains have steps, the stations have crazy revolving doors, and people give you dirty looks if you get in their way with a massive stroller contraption.

So, I didn't take the stroller. I tried my luck with one of those baby carriers. Not super easy to get around, either - but much more convenient than a bulky stroller. I couldn't fit my camera in the little bag I brought with me (not that I'd have been able to manage taking photos of us anyhow).

Our first trip on the train, first real test of the baby carrier, first diaper change in a public restroom. What fun!