Jules and the Ladies

For the first 30 minutes at the most recent Mama Chat we attended, Jules attempted to crawl into Sophies bouncer with her.  His intentions were good - he just wanted to plant some sloppy wet ones on her.  Note the concerned look on her face!  I don't think she quite new what to make of him.

Windows, A Good Thing

Double Trouble

One of Julians best buds is a little guy names James.  He is two months older, and lives close by so we see him quite often.  It is fun to get them together to watch how they interact with each other, especially since Julian stopped going straight for a face grab every time he saw a friend.  Karianne has captured some great pictures of the two of them together that I had to share!

Crib Posing

Smiles

Jules has a new smile that he gives, it's a squinty eyed deal, with a big toothy grin that looks just like this:

Click to Enlarge

No that is not a photo malfunction, or a badly timed shot, that's the face he makes when we smile at him or get out the camera. (Check out all those teeth!)

And here's a video just for fun:

Ryan and Jules BFFs

Saturday Family Outing

This weekend we decided to have some quality family time, so we took a day trip up to Yorktown.  We walked through and checked out their Farmers Market and strolled along their Riverwalk.  It was beautiful!  They have some lovely small beaches, and people were out kayaking in the rivers, and exploring towns shops.  After being beaten down by the 90 degree weather we headed up to Williamsburg to grab some lunch and cool off.    

We've developed a bit of tradition up there.  For my birthday last year, about a month before i was due with Jules, we took a weekend trip up there for a short little babymoon.  While there we discovered a great little place for brunch - the Blue Talon.  The food is amazingly to die for, and decently priced for a higher end experience.  Then when Jules was two weeks old we traveled up their again for brunch to celebrate as a new family.  It wasn't quite as peaceful that time, we each took turns walking the baby around while the other ate because he decided after two weeks of being a peaceful, easy baby everywhere we went that he wanted to fuss and cry right as our food was delivered.  Luckily this weekend was a different story.  Now when we go out, he can sit up in a highchair with us and play and be entertained.  He also gets to eat alot!  Lunch was a lot of fun.  He had a great time bopping around to the piped in music, chewing on the granite table, and looking at himself in the mirror behind the table.  He also sampled some tomatoes, baked three cheese mac-n-cheese, mozzarella sandwich, roasted red peppers, and coleslaw.

We then checked out the Baskin Robins on our way out of Williamsburg.  I haven't seen a 31 Flavors since the old one back home closed down many years ago.   There's nothing like some mint-chocolate chip in a waffle cone.  And I have to admit, I let him taste some of the cone - a big hit!

He's become very mama-centric lately.  He loves to snuggle and be held more than ever.  As a tiny baby he preferred to be put down to sleep on his own, never wanting to sleep on our chests or be rocked to sleep.  Our little guy is very independent most days, and would rather do things himself or on his own with little interference from us, but lately he has taken to crawling over to me to climb up for a snuggle, or to let me know he'd like to nurse.  He will often rest his head on my shoulder when he is tired or overwhelmed, and it melts my heart every time.  I know this is his way of checking in, of making sure I am still there before he heads out again to explore the big exciting world, and I am happy to be that solid check point in his days. 

For the Baby Book

8 months 2 weeks: Beginning Cruising

- Around the ottoman

- From end to end on the long side of the crib

- Around the corner of the crib

8 months 3 weeks: Mastery of the Pincher Grasp

-  Can pick up small items (blueberries, cereal O's, small bites of pasta etc) and self feed.

Backyard Pool

As most of you know by now, we love the water.  We love to go to the beach, to the pool, to play in the rain, and to give Julian bathes.  Luckily he feels the same, and will gladly let us pour water over his head!  With gas prices so high, schedules tight, and unpredictable weather we decided to invest in a pop up pool for the grassy area behind the apartment building.  It's like a pop up tent - stored in a flat circle that flies open to be filled with water.  As a bonus, since it's nearing the end of the summer, we got it on super clearance, a deal we couldn't pass up on something we'll use for years to come for entertainment.  

After our monthly babywearing meeting on Saturday, while we waited for Papa to get home from playing 18 holes with Uncle Kenny - we set up in the back yard.  The water was warm in minutes, and bath toys were all he needed, so I stripped him naked and let him lose.  Some of our neighbors joined us, and I sipped on margaritas with my feet dipped in while Jules had a blast playing with papa.  It was definitely worth the investment, and we hope to use it for many weekends to come.

World of Wonders

Today was an Owen only work day for me, and luckily Pete also had the day-time hours off.  We packed up the boys, a picnic, and all our wet gear and piled into the car.  Norfolk has a great botanical gardens nearby that just installed a children's area in the last year or so.  It's full of water features and other fun things for kids to explore and play in.  The highlight is a huge circle in the center made from foam in the shape and colors of the earth that is covered with sprinklers, geysers, misters, and other water features for kids to play in.  

Jules and Owen had a blast splashing around for a few hours, they are kindred spirits in their love of water.  Then they proceeded to crash out on the way back to the car.  Pete and I were pretty tired too!

Produce!

I wasn't able to get in to the new local CSA (Community Support Agriculture) this summer that is up on the Eastern Shore - slots went fast!  I'm on the waiting list for next year because it is such an awesome thing to have access too.  You pay a flat rate for a Spring to Fall subscription for either a Full or Half box of locally, organically, and pesticide-free grown produce that you pick up once a week.  Its always a mix of whatever is in season, so you really get the opportunity to try new things all summer long.

Luckily, even though we weren't able to get a subscription, they send out emails when they have extras to sell Farmers Market style at the farm, and even better - small box style delivered to their regular pick up points down here on the south side. I got such an email this week, and the list was enticing so we place our order.

I picked it up this evening and it contained:

- a huge head of lettuce

- yellow and red cherry tomatoes

- 10 leeks

- at least a dozen potatoes

- and what looks like an entire flat of basil!

The car smelled heavenly on the way home.  And bonus, they send you recipes to go with your box - so this weekend I will be making a TON of pesto to freeze (do you see how much basil that is!?!?!) along with some potato leek soup.  And some salad of course!  

Naked Baby

Sublime in the Morning

Here's Jules hanging out while I make my morning coffee.  We've got a little Ipod stereo in there so we can listen to music when we're cooking or feeding him in his high chair on a safe tile surface.  

When I was pregnant I listened to Sublime a lot, especially in the car where I could blast it loud enough that he would be able to feel/hear the bass.  Every single time, without fail, he would start kicking and rocking out in my belly just like he does now.  We hope to instill a love of all things music from in utero and beyond.

Note the fuzzy bed head, rolls upon rolls, toe tappin, and love of rockin' out! 

Surprise Tooth!

He now has five!

Last night Jules was pretty fussy at bedtime, and we weren't sure what his deal was.  Then this morning we went to Mama Chat I got a good look inside his mouth.  Yet another tooth has busted through!  This one was one I never even saw coming - it's the one to the right of his top-right front tooth.  

The other front tooth is still swollen and on it's way down, any day now I am sure!

Mama Chat Playtime with James and Ryan

Toyapaloozza!

So, Jules is seriously active now, and we've found that he will often leave the confines of the room he is in to search out anything and everything he's not supposed to have to play with.  I finally gave in and took my first trip ever, yes EVER in my life, to Toys R Us.  That place is wild and crazy, and even though the plastic hater in me tried to win out, I still ended up bringing some home.  I'm not as worried now that he is more interested in throwing things across the room to chase them and trying figure out how things work, rather than just eating it.  All of his hand held baby toys just aren't cutting it anymore, rattles and keys only give him a few minutes of entertainment here and there.  He needs things he can interact with and push around.   There are things he still loves like his mini piano, his wooden block stacker, and his bead maze, but we definitely needed more variety.

Here is what came home with me:

- Push/Ride toy (seen below).  Wheels and things that spin are one of his favorite things right now - and this has both!

 - A mini basketball hoop that cheers when he, who am I kidding - when Pete, makes a basket.

- Textured balls to roll across the floor and chase.  

- A shape sorter - old school Fisher Price style.

- And some wooden magnetic blocks that you can build into a train by Brio.  

I came home, and with the help of Pete unpacked and put it all together - he was in toy heaven!  So far the faved item is the push toy - he scoots around on his belly pushing it in front of him, and pulls up on it to scootch forward on his knees.  Then there are the wheels, tastiest things ever!  Coming in second are the texture balls - he's figured out how to throw things out in front of himself recently, so he'll spend tons of time throwing them out in front of him, crawling to get them, and then throwing them out in front of him again - until he's traveled the entire length of the room.