10 Months

A couple days ago,

I went to Abram's crib to wake him up from his nap so we could go teaching with the missionaries 

(poor baby's getting over his 2nd ear infection this season), 

and I was literally startled when I looked in there and saw 

a big, blonde boy in a striped shirt and khakis...

It wasn't that long ago that he was our dark-haired, bitty baby in a onesie!

He's 10 months old this week, and I truly love him more every day.  

I feel so blessed to be his mother--I love to watch his curiosity, determination, and innocence.

New with him:

-He started crawling the day after I wrote his 9-month post.  

-He stood up to the couch for the first time a couple days ago, and now he scoots along it.

-He has the cutest sense of humor!  He loves tilting his head to one side while he's in his high chair, and giggles when we copy him...and does it again and again and again!
-He'll also put his arms straight up and wait for us to tickle him.  :)

-He loves getting food on his hands and rubbing it in his hair.

-He still loves baths and is ALL over the place in the tub!

Mr. Mischevious

-He still likes vegetables better than fruits.
-He still LOVES it when Ben comes home!

He makes the funniest faces!

-He loves when Ben rubs his back or legs and feet--he'll actually sit still for a few minutes!

-He plays peek-a-boo with whoever's sitting behind us in church (he'll smile at them, then bury his face in my shirt, then go back and smile at them again :).

-He "shows" me his toys by holding them out straight in front of him and looking at me...so cute!

Those eyebrows.

-He loves playing "pass" (rolling a tennis ball back and forth with us)...and he's surprisingly good at it.

-He laughs when I give him "eskimo" kisses.

-He loves the vacuum, oddly enough.  He bounces up and down (on his bum) and flails his arms when I turn it on.

-He needs (another) haircut!

Our 10-month-old baby boy...innocent, pure, and sweet as can be.

A 50s Halloween

A quick jaunt to Saver's

plus

a hasty dig through my costume box,

birthed:

A 50s housewife,

her working husband,

and

their house dog.

Cute house dog, I might add,

who may have rubbed his nose off by the time we got to the party.  :)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

(Oh, and just for old time's sake, here's the link to last year's costumes...when said house dog was still in the womb.  :)

A Twilight Halloween

...And now it's time for some Christmas cheer!

Since we've been back...

Just a few memories since we've been back in Minnesota:

The State Fair, of course!

The annual MHA "fishing" trip up in Brainerd at a beautiful lake.

This is Ben holding Jane & Abram--they're 5 days apart!

We finally made it over to Minnehaha falls for a fun family outing.  :)

A couple weeks ago, we drove 35 minutes to Stillwater, MN, which is right on the border of WI.

It just so happened to be the big Harvest Festival the same day!

We also enjoyed fresh apples and cider donuts at a cute apple orchard.

...and, there was a pumpkin patch nearby, where we stopped to have a hayride!

Ben has been keeping very busy with applying & interviewing for fellowships.  He's in CA right now and has upcoming interviews in MI and OH.

We'll keep you updated!

I recently had fun throwing a double baby shower with a couple of my friends for two wives of students in Ben's program.

It was a lot of fun with a lot of yummy food!

Here's the group, minus me.

...and the group, minus Katie.  :)

Tonight is the second night Ben's been gone for his interview, and Abram and I really miss him!

We feel so blessed to live here in Minnesota among wonderful friends and neighbors and are excited to experience the next few months here...hopefully we don't freeze!

A Haircut + 9 Months

I can't believe I thought I could cut an 8-month-old's hair by myself.  

I actually ended up cutting quite a bit off the top,

because it was so long to begin with!

Soo...

I sat him in his bumbo, gave him his favorite toy (my keys) and started clipping.

...

and he started wiggling and looking this way and that,

up and down,

wondering why I was folding his ear over, 

and what were those shiny silver things?

And why can't I play with that comb?

Needless to say,

about 47 seconds into it, I decided we were done.  

There's plenty more about his hair I wish I could refine, but it'll have to do for now!

(Sometimes I get too ambitious about what I can do by myself when Ben's gone.)

But of course, he's still cute as ever.

And by the time I was done, 

he was done too.

I can't believe he's already 9 months.

He didn't particularly like Dr. Gold at his appointment this time.  

He's been really wary of strangers lately!

Head:  45 1/4 cm (49%)

Weight:  19 lbs 2 oz (26%)

Height:  28 1/4 " (50%)

I was pretty surprised about how low he is for his weight percentile (he's previously been in the 60s), but he just got over his first ear infection and his appetite wasn't normal for a couple weeks, so that may have contributed a little.

Anway, lately...

He loves:

keys...(loves loves loves them!)

toothbrushes (we bring one to church and it keeps him entertained!)

taking his socks off and chewing on them

bread

feeding himself

drinking the water from the bathtub faucet while we're filling up his bath

sucking the water (and who knows what else) out of his washcloth during baths

slapping hands on surfaces to make noise

He now has four teeth with two more that I can see but haven't poked through all the way yet!

He has his army crawl down, and he gets up on his hands & knees and rocks back & forth.

The past couple days, he's gotten up on his knees at the coffee table too,

plus he's gotten himself stuck underneath the table and chairs.

Here are a few pictures from just a couple days ago.

He's usually a little skeptical when I first get out the camera, but a little

eensie, weensie spider always does the trick.  :)

I love my Abram!

Happy Autumn

I just made a few accidental clicks and threw off the whole layout of my blog.  

And I don't have the time or patience right now to fix it...

but on a happier, more shaggy-haired note, here's my sweet baby in the Minnesota fall leaves outside our apartment. 

I purposely took a bunch to show his hair because I'm finally trimming it (first time ever) this weekend!

Without further ado,

I present to you:

Mr. Shaggy Hair,

a.k.a.

lover (and eater) of all things crunchy and colorful.

Happy Autumn!

He still has that clump of "leftover" dark newborn hair, which we lovingly refer to as his peacock hair.

Sometimes, I try to brush it to the side...but apparently it has a mind of its own.

What a sweet baby.

Yes, I know...over the ears...majorly!

This says "mini Ben" to me.

So does this!

Dear Abram.  Please stop growing up.

All in all, 

I'm in love with fall leaves,

mini Ben,

large Ben,

and

mini Ben's hair...but...it has to go.  Soon.

Pictures to come!