Eight months old

Hi Everyone!

I hope you are having a great summer! It is hot here in Texas and dry, we have not had much rain so we don’t spend a lot of time outside. I like to play in my excer-saucer, which used to belong to cousin Abbie. I also love playing with my LeapFrog activity center. In mommy and daddy’s office there are all sorts of fun things to play with, including this huge pad of Post-It notes!! You should see my masterpiece.

I had a nice visit with my relatives from Pittsburgh. We had lots of fun. They took me to Southfork and bought me a cowboy hat. We went swimming in Grandma’s pool and did lots of playing.

Well, as you can imagine, I am growing like a weed. Grandma weighed me the other day and I was 18 pounds! I am still very long – 2 foot 5 inches. I love sitting up and pulling myself to a standing position. My parents ruined some fun I was having in my crib when they lowered the mattress. Hmmm, I will have to think of a good way to get back at them for doing that! I have also noticed some gate-like objects around the house lately. I wonder if we are getting a puppy?! I can’t imagine they will be used to fence me in or out! (Note from Mommy: gates are cheaper at pet stores than baby stores, and they are the same thing!).

As I mentioned, it sure is hot here in Texas. I have been doing several water activities to keep me cool. I finished four weeks of swimming lessons. Mommy knew we might have trouble at the first lesson when they told her to tell me to “blow bubbles in the water.” You see, I don’t understand that yet. Regardless, we made it to all four lessons and had a great time! Grandma and cousin Abbie came to my last lesson! They were very impressed with me. I also went out on a lake and took a tube ride! Our friends the Pabians invited us out for fun on the lake. We had a great time and I took to the water very well.

Mommy still takes me to Gymboree. Although I think that she may be a bit Gymboree obsessed. We go two, three and sometimes four times a week! Sometimes Daddy comes, sometimes Grandma takes me, sometimes we go to music class. Mommy likes the other mommies there. We all go out to eat after some of the classes. Next week she is doing something called a Moms Night Out (I think that means I am left out!) with the Gymboree mommies! I get to stay with Grandma as Daddy will be on a long trip all next week.

Speaking of a trip, I am headed out west again! We leave on Friday to visit mommy’s dear friend Karen. She has two puppies who I can’t wait to meet. Daddy has work in California all next week so we are tagging along for a few days. I think we are going to make a trip to upstate New York as my Aunt Eileen is going to get married this fall! We are so excited for her and George.

One new thing I learned about this month was gravity. It is this force that keeps us from floating all over the place. It is all the force that made me fall when I rolled off the couch! I sure didn’t like that. There was a lot of crying on my part (I think mommy may have cried too!). I have a new chair that I sit in when I eat. It clips to the side of a table. I think I kind of like it. I am getting used to it and I do like being near mommy and daddy at mealtime.

I had my first experience at the Bavarian Grill. Mommy and daddy had their rehearsal dinner there. There was an accordion player, lots of beer and singing! I sure liked the singing. It reminds me of all the special times that I get to spend with Daddy when he sings for me.

By now I am developing all sorts of personality traits. Some I develop on my own and others must be inherited. I have inherited my mom’s Law & Order gene. You may not have heard of this gene, but I can promise you I have it. Whenever I hear the L&O theme song, I have to stop what I am doing (including crying!) and watch the opening. I love it. I must have heard it a lot when I was in mommy’s tummy. Grandma is very concerned about this and is checking into L&O anonymous for babies. We will see how the predilection plays out.

Well, that is all for now. Wish my mommy luck as we will fly together for the first time just me and her on Monday! Thank goodness Grandma will be waiting at the airport for us!

Happy rest of the summer,
XOXO, Sean