Caution: Playdates Might Lead to Developmental Milestones

Dear Grandparents,
Sorry this blog has been so long in coming. We have had a lot going on in the past few weeks. Let's see We got back from Grandpa and Grandma Gundersen's and had a birthday party to go to that Saturday for my friend Kaela. She got some really cool presents, which I enjoyed...



My mommy got camera envy from Kaela's mom, who has a digital SLR camera. It takes pictures that look like this...




Mommy's camera looks like this...





Daddy is going to try and get mommy a better camera with all of the overtime pay he is getting since accepting the new promotion, so when mommy takes pictures of me they will be much better quality :)



Later that same Saturday we all went to the Gates Interactive Fountain at City Park in Denver. Mommy thought the water spouts where very cool and wanted to play in them but I wasn't too sure about all the noise the water jets made and the water hitting me made me cry plus everyone was screaming and running away from it. Very confusing stimulus for this little guy.




Daddy got to come this time too which is always the best time for everyone.




This is after an exhausting day at Ikea and then lunch before heading home. Freakin' sheesh people, that is a lot of stimulation for a baby! Don't get me wrong dear parents, I love my new wooden Ikea toy (I also love my LeapPad that Gpa and Gma Gundersen let me snatch from their house).





Mommy made me this space shuttle which I like to fly around the house and orbit the dog in.

A rare morning with daddy, his schedule is crazy these days.

 

This next picture is from the Butterfly Pavilion. Here I am on a giant caterpillar. 

The next day was a rough one for me and mommy, she was sick and I was grumpy and had a bad case of insomnia.




That night I had a brief moment of clarity and managed to have a good bath and playtime before cashing in that horrible day. 

On my way to bed. (Shortly after this picture was taken my mommy freaked out and vacuumed the stairs on her hands and knees. Silly mommy.)

Yep that is me climbing the stairs all on my own now. I keep over hearing mommy telling daddy that she feels like I am understanding and putting things together in a way that is qualitatively different than how I was previously functioning...I am paraphrasing of course. I think an example of what she means is like when I figured out how the bedroom door worked and tried to show her, but I don't think she was getting it because she just kept clapping and asking me to "do it again" like I am some kind of magician.

Tomorrow we are headed out to camp with Kait and Cale for the night. We will have lots more pictures to post when we get back.

Love you all!
Leif

Pool babes and record highs.

Dear Grandparents,

Well, I am finally not currently ailing from anything. My mommy is relieved and exhausted, she did such a great job taking care of me that I am going to try and be easy on her this coming week (at least, so she hopes).

This weekend Mommy and I went to see Grandpa John and Grandma Nancy in Austin, Texas. But first we had to pack...and I was not being particularly helpful keeping things tidy while she did this. Mommy said that it was alright though because Daddy loves my messes and would be happy to clean it up after we were gone.



I did pretty good on the plane, despite the double ear infection that came on the end of the viral infection I had. The doc gave my mommy some drops that numbed my ears and that helped me a lot. I only fussed a little right before falling asleep...as we were landing.

Grandma and Grandpa's house is so much fun! There are a million carpets for me to push around and explore under :)

We didn't have any plans when we got here, just a relaxing weekend by the pool. My float was waiting for me :) Hello old friend...


Grandpa was the first one to help me explore the waterfall.


Here I am with Grandpa, you can definitely see the family resemblance!


Mommy is helping me figure out the splash ball.


Not sure what I was yelling about..



I couldn't help but crawl up onto the rocks, above the splashes which kept getting me in the face, to play on the waterfall.


Here is one of the new outfits we got. Grandma and Grandpa helped outfit me for the next size clothes that I am swiftly approaching.


On Sunday we were supposed to go get lunch and walk around shops, but the economy, being in the shit hole that it is, caused a lot of the small businesses to close down and there wasn't much to see, so we ended up spending three hours sightseeing from the car. I did not do well with this, though my mommy tried valiantly to keep me occupied.


After that long car ride it was time for some more pool, unfortunately I was pretty tired and cranky so I didn't have smiles unless I was by mommy :( oh well, this is still a lovely picture with my grandparents.


And last, but not least (Mommy had me put that) is a shot of me playing on the shallow step.


Tomorrow we are headed home, back to normal summer temperatures in the 90's and out of this record breaking heat in Austin. They are in an all time record breaking heat wave, day 47 today!

I am looking forward to the airport tomorrow because Mommy has a new hiking backpack for me to ride in :)I will make sure someone takes a picture.

To all of my grandparents,
With love,
Leif

Wet butts and dry rashes...

Dear Grandparents,

Hello :) There has been a request for me to start writing my own stories again by one of my grandmas, I can't promise I will be able to every week but I will do my little baby boy best.

This first video is of this week's walking attempt. It pretty much typifies my abilities to date. I am frustrated at my lack of balance and when I tell my right foot to move and the left one stubs it's toes on the ground instead :( But, fear not! I am facing my fumbles and just keep trying, through all the bumped heads and bruises, I keep getting back up.

Here is a picture of my new friend, Rayne. She is one month younger than me, but could kick my diapered butt! Oh! You can also see my teeth on this one :)



Shortly after that picture went down to the river play area, mom tried to keep me out of the water and just get my feet wet because we had no swimming suit or change of clothes, but...

As you can see I managed to plonk myself right down and play anyway. I spent the rest of the outing naked, I kept hearing mommy tell people not to "judge" her and "of course he has sunscreen on!" so I just kept smiling and giggling to help let people know that I was having a great time.



Thursday was a playgroup at the community water park in Brighton. This is me on the lazy river, it was so soothing...until the wave maker kicked on, and then it was fun until the second lap when I bonked my head on the sidewall...mommy says it will be lucky if I can remember my own name by the time I am five...



That Rayne girl is always all over me! She pulls at my hair, but I get back at her by grabbing at her teeth. It's all flirting though and I might have been caught kissing the top of her head...maybe. I am still denying it though.



Who is that goofball? Nah, just joking, it's me.



That is when the fun ended...I spiked a fever for the next three days. Doc said it was a virus, my fever broke on Sunday, and a rash broke out, the end of the virus. Now I might have an ear infection, but I might just be getting over one, either way it should not interfere with our trip to see Grandpa John and Grandma Nancy, keeping my fingers crossed that the doc visit tomorrow is an all clear instead of antibiotics.

Anyway these pics are from my first diagnosed illness, Hand foot and mouth disease, you were a worthy foe! Here mommy is trying to cool me down during a high fever, with a frozen fruit pop.



"No, seriously, no more milk, dude."



Engrossed in Blues Clues in a rare kid show appearance on the TV, mommy said being sick is the only time she feels really comfortable letting me veg out.



And this one was just for you, mommy asked me to smile for my grandmas and grandpas and this is the best I could muster.



Talk to you all after my trip to my Texas dwelling grandpa and grandma's swimming pool...I, I mean, house, mommy said I mean house. ;)-

To all of my grandparents,
With love,
Leif

PS. I am officially 18 lbs :)