Out like a Lamb

"March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb" - definitely true this year!



It is beautiful outside today, so we jumped at the chance to meet a few friends for a lunch-and-play date! We had never been to that particular park before, and Russell enjoys dirt and sticks anywhere, so we had a good time :)

I thought maybe seeing other babies crawl would help Russell figure it out...can't you see how interested he is in Caroline's crawling?




Russell and me



Best picture of Caleb, Brynn, and Russell - Caleb falling over, Brynn looking at her mom, and Russell engrossed in the mulch:



Brynn pushes Russell = photo session over! (Of course he was fine; he's just very dramatic :))



We're so grateful for sunshine and good friends!

Sippy: a Tutorial

Step 1: pick up the cup



Step 2: insert into mouth

(hmmm, something's not right here...)



Step 3: get frustrated with improperly working sippy cup



Step 4: insert spout in mouth



Stay tuned for Step 5: tipping head back to actually drink out of cup! Coming soon (hopefully)!

9 months old!

Russell is 9 months old today!





Okay, I know this last picture is a bit goofy - but he was so happy! (I was snapping my fingers at him - he loves that.) Besides, you can really see his teeth.




What has "that crazy rascal" (as Jason says) been up to?

~He likes to roll a ball back and forth with Jason and me
~Is working on figuring out the sippy cup - he got it in his mouth a couple times yesterday, and was sucking from it, but didn't tip his head back so nothing actually came out :)
~Favorite books are those with real babies in them - he grins as soon as he sees them
~Also loves to turn the pages of books; he will sit and turn them back and forth continuously
~Nope, not crawling yet - but he sure is fast at scooting backward - maybe that will be his mode of transportation for a while

His 9 month check up is on April 1; thankfully, no shots this time! I will write about his weight and height afterward.

Luck O'The Irish

Happy first St. Patrick's Day, Russell! No green beer for you, but you did have peas for lunch - they're green!

Easy Choice

So many toys, yet it seems easy for Russell to choose what to play with: an old shoe, a plastic bag (don't judge me), and a telephone.

Parents-to-be, don't invest too much in toys - you already own the fun stuff.



The shoelaces are the clear winner.

Puffs

We've been trying finger foods with Russell for a few weeks now, but he doesn't quite get it. Lately, we've mostly been doing Puffs (little cereal things) because they're less messy than fruit and veggie pieces. He is definitely intrigued by them and loves to push them around on his tray:





Then, he gets a few in his hands at the same time:



And usually, he balls up his fists around the Puffs and forgets they're there, so he lets go and they fall on the floor.

However, today:



This was the first (and only) time he got a Puff in his mouth - and I caught it on camera!

I wouldn't say he's gotten the hang of it, but at least he can do it!

Can you see them?

Here they are - the first two teeth:



And here's Russell's plank/push-up position (usually he gets much higher off the ground than this):



What a sweet face :)

3, 2, 1

Our condo had 3 showings last week! And there's one on the books for Wednesday! Hooray! Jason is eager for a shorter commute (right now it's 30 minutes each way) and Russell and I are ready for a shorter drive to church and friends' houses! We are praying that someone buys this place soon, but if not, we're prepared to wait it out.

2 of Russell's teeth have popped up! The first one, the right-front-bottom tooth, poked through at 8 months and 1 day old, and the second showed up 3 days later (today). Thank goodness! He was so cranky, and we did everything: extra cuddling, teething biscuits, teething rings, cold washcloths, motrin at night, etc. He is finally snapping out of the fussiness. We're glad he's feeling better!

Over 1 month later, and we still don't have a working oven :( We have been busy/sick/teething, so it has been on the back burner (I'm so punny). Hopefully that will be fixed soonish.