These Days

On a personal note, I just finished my first ever diet! It only lasted for two weeks, and I say “finished” because I officially ended it today with a half of bag of Hershey’s milk chocolate chips! I’m so weak! (But I didn’t eat the whole bag…that’s gotta count for something!)

We are all doing well! Corey is wrapping up his first year of seminary! He is busy reading, writing papers, reading, studying, reading, working, and did I mention reading? I’ve never seen so many “required” books to read! Ty and I have been enjoying this beautiful weather! He loves to be outside and I love to show him new things! This week, we went to the zoo together. I wanted to show him the giraffes because he has a toy giraffe that he just loves! He seemed interested in the long-necked animals, but he didn’t seem as excited about the other animals as I thought he would be. Then again, he was sitting in his stroller and I think most of his view was of the fence!

Ty has been busy walking around the house with his little push toy! He can’t walk without holding on, but when he is pushing that toy, he zooms around everywhere! Although, he hasn’t quite learned how to turn around so he gets stuck at dead ends a lot, and we have to redirect him!

Ty also felt grass on his feet for the first time! It was hilarious to watch him…I held his arms thinking he would ”walk” on the grass, but he held his legs up at first, trying not to touch the ground. He wasn’t so sure about that green, scratchy stuff! He finally put his feet down, but didn’t let go of mommy!

Ty loves to look in drawers and take everything out to get a closer look and even a taste, he likes to take books off the shelf, and he absolutely LOVES the toilet paper roll (and I’m afraid he is going to love the toilet just as much!) Therefore, the bathroom door stays closed now!

Randomness

discovering his tongue

reading by osmosis

(notice the book--I love that it's upside down!)

daddy's little Cardinal's fan

for our friends going to the Orlando Project (OP) this summer...We thought this picture could be used for recruitment :)

we're so cool!

Cheerios and Other Firsts

This morning, Ty ate Cheerios–half pieces, to prevent gagging and vomiting (two things that happened with his very first Cheerio about 2 weeks ago!)–and small pieces of banana! He did really well! Although, he is a little unsure about what to do with the Cheerios. He can’t get them into his mouth very easily and they stick to his lips! He’s cute. I love the progression of these pictures: picking it up, looking at it, trying it, not liking it).




We went for a walk this morning (because the weather has been so beautiful!!!) and he rode in his stroller without being in his “bucket seat.” He looked like such a big boy! And he absolutely loved it! He kicked his legs, laughed, and made all kinds of noise! He is becoming such a little person with such a fun personality!

Ty also “cruises” (walks while holding onto things) very easily now. He walks up and down the couch and around the kitchen (holding onto the cabinets). He is even getting brave and letting go to reach for other things! (Sometimes, I think he forgets that he can’t stand alone just yet.) Oh, and he is into EVERYTHING! He loves to empty the bookshelves for me and he rummages through any drawer that he can open! But the fun part for him is taking out anything that he can get his little hands around and thoroughly examining it. I love to watch him while he is playing (exploring?) because he is just so funny. He always looks really busy and like he is working really hard on something. Here are several fun shots...

Sweet Home, Kentucky

We visited Nonna and Poppa this weekend, but we didn't get many pictures. Here are a few.


their Bradford Pear tree that was struck by lightning!

up close

Nine Months

Today marks the day that Ty has been in this world as long as he was in my tummy! I can’t believe he’s nine months old! I know it’s so cliche, but the time really does FLY by! I love watching him grow and seeing him explore the world around him. He likes to use his index finger to touch everything! I like to think of it as his “learning finger;” Corey calls him E.T! I’m trying to think of my favorite thing about this stage, but everything is my favorite! And every new age (phase) is just as great, if not better, than the one before!

Ty has become such a little boy! He rolls around on the floor, climbs over things (and people), giggles at the funniest things (mommy making sheep noises, for example), loves to be tickled, and is very interactive. He loves to knock down “towers” that I build out of his blocks. He used to do it with his hands but now he likes to do it with his mouth too! (He thinks that’s the funniest!) And he has become a speedy crawler! He rarely stays in one place, unless it is some place that he knows he is not supposed to be (in drawers or holding onto the bookshelf in the living room)!

Ty loves, I mean LOVES, taking baths now. The child cries when I take him out! He splashes and plays with his little, rubber duckies. And he loves the water! We also love being outside together! We go for lots of walks, and when we are outside on a pretty day, he kicks his legs and flails his arms out of sheer joy and happiness! (That’s how I feel on a warm, sunny day, especially after this long, cold, icy winter!)

On the Move!!!

Up until yesterday, I was beginning to wonder if Ty was just going to skip crawling and go straight to walking, especially since he’s already pulling himself up! But yesterday, I held my breath as I watched Ty crawl for the first time! Yeah!!! I think part of it is because we put a rug in our living room so he wouldn’t have to be on the cold, hardwood floor anymore! (He’s smart…he was saving his knees!) I am so happy that he learned how to crawl but I am going to miss his belly scoot…his grandpa said it made him look like a baby seal!

In the meantime, Ty has learned how to pull himself up to a standing position and can stand on his own! He LOVES to stand now, and he pulls up on anything nearby–his crib, the laundry basket, cabinets, even people. It’s fun to peek around his bedroom door and find him standing, waiting for me with a big smile!

On December 30th, Ty got his first tooth and we’ve been waiting since then to see more teeth! Finally, what seems like overnight, three more started pushing through at once! He seems to be handling it pretty well, but he puts everything into his mouth that he can get his little hands on! Check out those two front teeth! :)