peek through the barnyard window

Owen and I played with his farmset today. This isn't an unusual occurrance, but we played with it a bit differently. I was laying on the floor and he noticed me though the haymow window. He was playing infront of it, while I was tapping my fingers on the inside of the window. He thought this was very funny, but his excitement grew when he found he could see my face in his little farmset! He just though this was fantastic. He moved on to opening the doors on the barn so far open that a couple popped off. He didn't intend for this to happen, and he kept trying to put them back on without success. He just kept opening and closing the one that was still intact. He would open it, reach in and touch the floor (he had the barn on its side so it was like opening a box then looking in). Since he enjoyed seeing my face so much in the barn I thought I'd try to relive the experience. He enjoyed this so much, too, especially since he could touch my face this time! We had a fun time doing this over and over again.

He is a very good walker now. He doesn't fall very often, and he really doesn't crawl anymore. He is still so very intentional about the whole thing, it's quite funny. His whole upper body tenses up, and he waddles around with his fists clenched, up by his face, and his shoulders shrugged! It's so cute.

Owen had a dr. appointment yesterday, a little overdue for his 1 yr check-up. He's a healthy little boy, our Doctor said. I didn't have any doubts, but it was good to hear. He apparently has fallen into the 25% for weight and height (used to be 75%) and his head circumference is now in the 75% while it used to be 25%! Interesting. Though his weight and height haven't changed much, I have brought out all his 12-18 month clothes now, as his arms and legs have certainly grown, most particularly his arms. That, and I'm more conscious of keeping him in clothes that cover him up now that is is getting winter-like outside. We took a nice brisk walk this afternoon and he wore his nice little mits and a warm hat. Though it was chilly, he seemed to enjoy it very much.

dear sweet walker.

I can officially say that Owen is walking. It happened yesterday. He still falls every once and a while, but that's to be expected. He's getting really good at re-balancing himself. Such a sweet boy. He is really into talking these days, too. Not to mention singing and fake laughing. He just really loves joining in these days.

of bops and giggles

Today Owen was full of smiles and giggles. He and I were the only ones at home today, and we did loads of playing with his toys and dancing to music. He loves listening to music! He stood infront of the stereo for a bit this morning, so I turned on the Flyers, and he immediately grew excited and started hitting his hands on the stereo table, while bopping up and down. He's been really attached to me holding him lately, which I don't mind of course, but it is hard to do things that way, so having him content to play on his own is helpful.

He has been doing a lot of phonetic imitating. He doesn't mimic sounds yet, but if I say, "yay yay yay" he'll do the same. And he loves fake laughing. It's really humorous, especially when it is accompanied with his little knee-slap.

I've gotten into the habit (mainly because Owen now looks for it) of saying Yay!! When he claps. He looks at me every time he starts clapping, in expectation of my encouragement and he gives a huge satisfied grin when I say it. Earlier today, when he did something I thought noteworthy, I said Yay! and he lifted one hand, passed the toy he had in one hand to the other, he realized that didn't work so he passed it back only then to put it down - all so he could clap! Haha! I didn't realize the association between clapping and Yay! was so strong until then. He heard the word, and all he could do was make it work to clap. man, he's so cute.

push to walk

Owen has discovered pushing this cart thing, which allows him to 'walk.' He loves doing it, and it takes great concentration and his tongue helps a lot with this.

Silly me, I took the video sideways. Sorry!

soon 1 year

i was going through old emails, and i found this photo. this photo is nearly 1 year old. the sweet sweet boy in the photo has been in our arms for almost a year. i'm in awe.

eating spinach

11 months

our dear sweet boy is only one month shy of the day of his birth. It is incredible that time has passed so quickly, that he has undergone so many remarkable changes and that he has developed into such a sweet boy. He has made the transition to my being away 2 days of the week well. Convenient Ry has always been around a lot that I don't think Owen notices much, though I do believe he has noticed my absense. As you can tell in the photo above, our front screen door is the perfect looking-out door for Owen. He loves to stand there and watch the activtiy across the street (tons of kids playing), and Ry and I usually stand there with him when one of us comes home from our day away.

Owen has been enjoying his walks once we get moving. As soon as we put him in his stroller, though, he puts up a big protest. And, he gets rather upset when he sees me pushing because he wants me to take him out. But, while we're walking he's fine. There is a lovely park, and path along the Mississippi River that we like to walk along. I really should do it more. Here are some photos from our walk.