Climbing up the step

So last night I was sitting with Daddy and he was singing patty cake and I started clapping my hands. Mommy wasn't totally sure I had the skill yet but today Aunt Dawn saw me clapping my hands too. It is fun to clap my hands so I did it a lot today. Also last night I climbed up the step by our front door. Again Mommy wasn't sure if it was just a one time thing or not so I did it again and again today. I also tried to go from the couch to the coffee table today (while standing and holding on) but I fell again. Maybe I'll get it tomorrow. Oh yeah, I went to the doctor on Wednesday and forgot to blog about it. It was my 9 month checkup and I had to get one shot. The doctor said I looked good. I was 22 lbs 6 oz and 28.5 inches long (I'm in the 75th percentile).

Look at the pictures of us at the park.

http://picasaweb.google.com/kimpenn08/Cjjan29?authkey=qDUVWGSiFdo&feat=directlink#

Here is the video of me climbing up the stair by the front door. I'm trying to crawl and get Jax's bells (bells that hang from the door that Jax rings to go outside).

Yesterday when Mommy came to pick me up I was outside playing on the grass with Aunty Dawn. I like the way the grass feels. Aunt Dawn, Cassie and Johnny took me to the park for lunch today. It was a lot of fun. Cassie and Johnny took me to the playground. I got to go down the slides and even swing. I ate my baby food and some banana in my stoller. I liked looking at all the kids playing and had a lot of fun. I hope we go back again. Mommy says I'm changing so quickly now. I like to pull myself up and stand holding onto things. I'm starting to move and take little steps while holding on. Today I even tried to move from the coffee table to the couch. I didn't really make it but I tried. You can see in the video below.

Here are some pictures of me from a few weeks ago:

http://picasaweb.google.com/kimpenn08/Jan21?authkey=So_0JQt4-P4&feat=directlink

9 months today

In this picture I was playing peekaboo under the coffee table. Somebody tell Mommy she needs to dust down here.Hey Papa! Does this look familiar?

Curious George and I took a nap together this afternoon

Mommy finished cleaning upstairs today. She got it all mostly done but then wanted to clean the carpets. I'm very scared of the vacuum and cry and cry so Mommy asked Aunt Dawn if she would watch me so she could finish up. Mommy and I went over there for dinner. Mommy left me there and took Johnny to church and then when Aunt Dawn went to get Johnny she brought me back home. Thanks Aunt Dawn! Now I can crawl all over on clean carpet.

I'm a big boy now

This morning we had to wait for the Home Depot delivery people. We had been having problems with our washing machine since before Christmas and the landlords bought a new one that was delivered this morning. Mommy has been running loads of laundry all day. Today Mommy and I took Jax to the vet. He had to get shots and a haircut. He was excited to see us when we picked him up and he looks good. I also got my third haircut today. Mommy spent a few hours cleaning and trying to get the bottom floor baby proof. She hopes to work upstairs tomorrow but that will depend on me. We also went and had my 9 month pictures taken. Since Jax just had his haircut we took him along so the pictures are of me with my doggie. I almost forgot my new skill is sitting up in my crib on my knees and peering over the railing. Mommy was surprised when she rounded the corner and saw me staring a her. Daddy had to lower it down to the last notch to keep me safe.

Jax likes to sleep in my bouncer. Mommy has wanted to take a picture for awhile but the camera is never upstairs. She finally caught him.

"Don't go!"

We went over to Aunt Dawn and Uncle John's yesterday for dinner. They told us that they might be moving to Chicago. Agghhhh! I think my first words are going to be, "Don't go!" Mommy and Daddy are excited for them all because it sounds like a really good deal and something that is right for their family right now. Of course the money is the biggest factor but it will also put both Cassie and Johnny close to good colleges they are interested in. Before they moved to Tempe they used to live in Chicago and Mommy says Aunt Dawn missed the snow. Even though we are happy for them, we are more sad. We all loved spending time with them (especially as close as we've gotten over the past year)! It will be really hard not having them close by. Daddy had plans for when he got released and was excited about spending time with John doing guy things, bowling together as families and stuff like that. Mommy is most upset for me. Of course they are family but it was a little more special then that. It was like I was part of their family too. Aunt Dawn and Uncle John were my second Mommy and Daddy, Cassie and Johnny were like a big sister and big brother for me to look up to. I have really bonded with them and we will all miss them A LOT! You know the first real sounding word I ever said was, "Uncle". Mommy and Daddy will also have to consider who will watch me. I'll probably go to a daycare but that will cost a lot of money and there is NO WAY they will take as good of care of me as Aunt Dawn did! It won't even compare because she did a REAL good job (sometimes better then Mommy)! Daddy came home from work today and talked with Mommy and Me. He thinks we should consider moving to Michigan so that I can still be close to family and cousins. He said something to me about snow and sledding. What is that? Mommy and Daddy's lease is up next month and they have a lot to think about. Pray that everything works out for all of us.

Biter Biscuits...It's about time!

I've been waiting so long for something I could hold or something crunchy! Here's where I reached over and dropped it down to Jax.

This was my look after he took off with it.

Here I am playing in the highchair after Jax took off with my biscuit.

*This video wouldn't attach. Mommy will come back later and try again.

Mommy stayed home today because she was really sick last night. I was a really good boy and took a nap with her so she could get some rest. I think she is feeling a little better. Mommy gave me a Gerber Biter Biscuit and I gnawed on it for a little bit. Jax kept whining and barking so I decided to feed it to him. I thought he might share but when he grabbed it and ran off I looked up at Mommy trying to figure out what happened. This afternoon Mommy started to worry I was getting sick. I was playing with her on the floor and she noticed that my hair was all wet from sweat and I felt really clammy. She took my temperature but said that I was ok. We kept playing on the floor and I threw up a little bit. Mommy had been filming me crawling so it was caught on tape. I haven't been fussy so Mommy says she'll wait and see.

The squirmish should not watch. Here's where I got a little sick.

Community Health Nurse's Visit

The nurse who checks on preemies came to see me today. She arrived right when I was ready to take a nap so I was a little bit fussy. I'm starting to show my stranger anxiety and didn't really want anything to do with her. I kept turning around and climbing into Mommies lap. She checked me all out by watching me stand, crawl, play with toys, etc. I weighed 22 lbs and 3 oz (clothes and diaper on) and was 28 inches long. I'm did pretty good on the 8 month evaluation (they test me one month below since I was one month early). It was pretty similar to the last visit and I'm still behind in communication (I scored 50%). I should be saying vowel sounds and mimicking what people say but I don't do that yet. She recommends that Mommy and Aunt Dawn have face time a few times a day where they repeat sounds and words while I looking at them. She also said that maybe it's because I only hear adults talk and don't interact with other kids. She is going to come back when I'm one and if I'm not talking then she will recommend me to a specialist for further services. I will also get my hearing rescreened at 1 year to make sure that isn't part of the problem. She brought me a new book all about eating. She told mommy that I should be eating some things that I can pick up so I work with my hands more. She said maybe soft things that mash or Cheerios. If you know me and eating...I'm exciting about that!

Standing up

I am growing and learning so quickly. Yesterday I learned to crawl forward and today I pulled myself up to stand. Woo hoo! Today Mommy and I just hung out at home playing most of the day. Cassie, Mommy and me went to see Zoo Lights after Cassie got off work. I saw it before but tonight was the last night and it was free. We didn't have a lot of time so we speed walked through it but I still liked seeing all the lights. We even saw a whole desert section that we didn't get to see the last time I went with Mommy and Daddy. After the zoo I played a little at the Cherne's before it was time to go home and go to sleep.

Here is video of me pulling myself up to stand at my jungle toy.

I've been learning to drink out of a cup. I'm pretty good but after a few sips I like to make raspberries in the water.

I finally got a hang of my Johnny Jump Up. Look at me bounce.

I'm crawling!

Today was a big day. We went to Aunt Dawn's for dinner. Aunt Dawn had bought this new contraption that is a small mesh bag you can put food into for babies to chew. I got to try it out with a banana. It wasn't even baby food, it was a real banana! Then after dinner I was playing on the floor and I learned to crawl forward. Mommy thought it was funny because on the way over her and Daddy were talking about it and Mommy was saying she was worried I wasn't going forward yet. Then I was swinging outside and Uncle John asked Mommy if I was going forward at all. I figured with all the talk about me moving forward I better show them I can do it. The first time I did it I was crawling for my See 'n Say toy. Uncle John said that if I crawled to him the second time he would take me to Toys R Us to pick out a toy. Of course I wasn't passing that up so I crawled and he took me to buy a toy. I got a toy cd player, pretend video camera, and some new balls to play with. Mommy was so excited to see me crawl but now she is freaking out. There is so much to do to make the place baby proof now that I can really move. This changes everything!

Watch me crawl in the video below.

Here are some pictures of me at Aunt Dawn's. There is a video of me singing. I have a dinosaur toy that plays music and when I hear it I like to "sing".

http://picasaweb.google.com/kimpenn08/Jan15?authkey=4Zi8R6g6bqY&feat=directlink

House Hunt

Mommy and Daddy have been looking for a new house. They found one they really liked and made an offer but they heard today that they didn't get it. Mommy and Daddy were a little disappointed but hopefully it wasn't meant to be and we'll find a better house.

Sunday School Nursery

Today was the first time I didn't go into the big church with Mommy. Up until this point only Mommy, Daddy or family had watched me but today there were some stranger ladies who watched me for about an hour and a half. When Mommy dropped me off there was another baby in there so she thought it would be neat and that I would have at least one playmate. When Mommy came to pick me up there I was sleeping in a rocking chair with one of the ladies but the other baby was gone (she must have been left over from first service). I was all alone with these two old ladies and I didn't really have any fun. Mommy promises that next time I get to go to big service where at least I like the music.

Laser Tag

Today after we picked up Daddy from work we had a lot of errands to run. We returned a few things from Christmas that didn't work, went grocery shopping and both Mommy and Daddy got a haircut. After that we met Cassie and Johnny at Stratum Laser Tag. Mommy, Daddy, and Johnny all played two games of laser tag while Cassie and me hung out in the game area. I had a lot of fun playing with cousin Cassie and flirting with some older girls. Mommy beat Johnny and Daddy in both laser tag games. I can't wait until I'm bigger and I can play too!

8 Month Pictures

Here are my 8 month pictures. We had them taken in the Michigan warm-up that Aunt Shannon sent me.

See them all here...http://picasaweb.google.com/coltonjames08/8MonthPictures?authkey=18BLakQOzFw#

Check Out How Big I've Gotten

When I was at the doctor yesterday I weighed 21 lbs 3 ounces.

Colt 45

I haven't being feeling well the past few days. Yesterday Mommy took me to the doctor because I was fussy, not eating good, and I've been doing this really hard grunting like I'm constipated or pooping but I wasn't. The doctor said I everything looked ok and that maybe I had a stomach ache, cramps or something from gas. She told Mommy to give me gas medicine and see if I get better. I didn't sleep well last night and this morning Mommy was REALLY tired. She was trying to get ready for work but I was REALLY hungry and just kept nursing. It was time for Mommy to leave and she had only gotten a shower and she knew she would be late so we just stayed home today. I was still really fussy most of the day but both Mommy and I got a good nap from like 2-4. We wrote an offer on that house we liked and are waiting to hear back. I'm excited because Mommy will be able to decorate my room, Jax and I will have a backyard, and we'll even have a pool. I think Mommy and Daddy are excited too but they don't want to get their hopes up just yet. Mommy's friend from work Susan gave me two outfits for Christmas and one was the jumpsuit up above. Mommy and Daddy always joked that when I play sports my number will be 45 since Colt is short for Colton and Colt 45 would just fit. So this jumpsuit was perfect not only because it had the 45 but because it was Michigan colors. It is 18 months and a little big but perfect for me to wear now and grow into.

House Hunt

Today Mommy, Me, and Grammy went out looking for a new house. We looked at a lot of houses. I was getting sleepy and hungry so we went out to lunch at Olive Garden and then I went to play at Aunt Dawn's while Mommy and Grammy finished looking. Grammy said they looked at a lot of junkie houses. Mommy said she found a house that was ok but they're going to look some more. I hope my new house has a backyard I can play in and that my room is cool. Above you can see my new jammies that Grammy Patty bought we she came to visit. Mommy kept thinking they were so big but finally tried them to see if they would fit and they do (12 months). I still have lots of room to grow but now I have a few new pairs of pj's. The last picture is an outfit I got from Nani and Gary from Christmas. I must be the most photographed baby out there. =)