He does crawl after all!

For the last few months, Jay has been perfectly happy to play with the toys you put next to him. He's been watching us, though, and the temptation of all the other "stuff" in the room has just become too much. He can scoot on his bottom and he can pull up a little, but those skills are just not enough to help him get my shoes, the book he has his eye on, or even a piece of furniture. So, today, he has taken off - - crawling, that is!

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End of Summer Break :(

It is so easy for me to forget I have a real job sometimes. I've been at home with Jay for almost two months now and it's been great. We could travel on the weekends (which we've done A LOT) and then I have all day Monday to get us unpacked and the laundry caught up. I've had Fridays to get us ready to go and so many fun, fun days in between. We've spent many days at Splash and visiting with friends. We've been shopping, and walking, and taken lots of naps, but, unfortunately, it's come to an end as I head back to work this week. I've been furloughed today and tomorrow, but I still have so much to do that I've gone ahead and started spending some time working in that classroom anyway. So, Jay officially started back at Mama Judy's today and he is exhausted. He's been asleep for at least 30 minutes now - - it's only 7:15 as I write this! It's going to wear us both out to get back into routine.

It broke my heart a little today to leave him at the babysitter's instead of spending the day with me, but, I am thankful to have a job that allows me so much time at home. I did get to see him learn to pull up to his knees and feet this summer. I've seen him start "couch-surfing" and walking his way across the front of the furniture and tables. I've enjoyed watching him race around the house in his walker and even figure out how to get into the cabinets (despite the rails blocking him in the walker.) We went from spoon-feeding every meal to a protest of all baby food, and now meals that Jay feeds himself. He doesn't want me to hold him while he drinks his bottle anymore so that he can roll around and grab his feet on the floor. It's been a fun summer, little Jay. I can't wait to see how different you are next summer!

Lovin' his feet these days!

Too tired to even wake up when Daddy brings him in the house. . .

And finally, enjoying a meal with Miss C.

And He's Up!!!

I left him sitting on the floor yesterday. Here's how I found him. . .

Happy Wedding Ev and Josh!

We enjoyed Ev and Josh's beautiful wedding last weekend. Here are just a few of the pictures I have. Somehow, I must have become completely distracted after the ceremony because I have none of the happy couple together! Anyway, congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Herring! We are very excited for you both!!!

Could it be 11 months?

Where does the time go? It's been 11 months already? I know I write that (or at least I think it) every month, but time is really flying by. Was it just over a year ago that I couldn't put on my wedding ring or any of my shoes because of the swelling? In some ways, that was a lifetime ago, but in so many others, it feels like just a few weeks ago. Jay has changed so, so much since he first came home from the hospital. Even since last month, he's grown and developed such a sharper understanding for the little world around him. He is starting to pull up to his knees (I posted a picture of that just a few days ago), but it has progressed from the toy wagon to the bathtub, and even the changing table. No pulling up in either one of those places, please!

It seems like Jay is developing new skills by the day right now. Yesterday, he cruised from a chair in the living room to an end table and then to another chair. I try so hard to let him explore and discover new things for himself. . . it's so hard to keep from grabbing him and keeping him from banging his head into the furniture or on the floor, but I'm trying to let him go! It's amazing how much there is to worry about when you become a mom. Seriously, I never worried about the dangers of a faucet sticking out into the tub until that little head started bobbing dangerously close to it when he plays in the running water. I never thought about how dangerous the corners of the kitchen table are until I saw those little feet heading straight for them when he is in the walker.

Ahhh, Jay. . . You're turning into such a boy so quickly! What's a mommy to do?

One Rainy Afternoon. . .

One rainy afternoon, my mommy sat me on the floor to play with my toys. I could not reach them as well as I wanted, so. . .

onto my knees I go!

Walk Around. . .

Do I really want him to walk? I have very mixed feelings about that. . . In the meantime, I'll take advantage of the control I have over Jay's mobility. Thank goodness the rails around the bottom of the walker prevent him from opening the doors of the cabinets.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

How do you entertain a ten month old? By letting him admire himself, of course. :)