New High Chair

Our big boy has moved into a bigger high chair!

Our 9 ½ Month Old's Favorite Things

Scaling the baby gate

"This gate will only hold me back for so long, Mommy."

Testing his boundaries...

Thinking Mommy's new habit of saying "Philip, no touch" over and over again is really funny. Notice the state of the speaker.

Tearing around the playground that used to be our living room all day long.

Philip's Big Aquatic Adventure

The weather was beautiful this past Sunday so we decided to drive out to the local Target to purchase a baby pool for Philip. We selected a lovely little model complete with sunshade and fountain. When we got home, Phil tended to inflating the pool and getting it ready, while I tended to the business of preparing our sweet baby for what appeared to be, by the looks of him, the harsh elements of the Australian outback. This rigorous preparation included a head-to-toe slathering in non-toxic sunscreen, which was then covered up by monkey swim trunks and a long-sleeved swim shirt. Oh, and of course this ensemble was completed by his wide-brimmed sun hat.

What, don't you wear a hat in the pool?

Anyways, here's the unfolding of that afternoon's adventure in pictures.



Philip being lowered into the pool. The terror isn't visible in this picture but it was evident in his loud protests.

No doubt wondering if mommy and daddy have lost their minds.

Not even a little bit impressed.

"I'm outta here!"

Receiving a pep talk from daddy about getting back into the pool.

Philip thinking it over as daddy demonstrates the splashing fun that can potentially be had in the pool. PS: the giant pot was for warming up the frigid outdoor spigot water to a more baby-friendly bath water temperature.

Philip realizing that slapping the outside of the pool is just as fun as slapping the sliding glass door in the kitchen, the entertainment center, mommy's face...

Splish splash!

It's all fun and games until daddy turns the fountain on. This was where fun in the sun came to a screeching halt.

9 Months Old

Philip is 9 months old. Wow. Even as I type the words I can't believe them. He's officially spent just as much time "on the outside" as he spent "on the inside" and in just three short months he'll be eating his first piece of birthday cake. In preparation for this milestone, Philip has begun feeding himself. His favorite snack is a Baby "Mum-Mum" bar, which is a thin, crispy, wafer-like rick "rusk," whatever the heck that is. But he loves them! All we have to do is hand him one now and it immediately goes into his mouth, his two tiny little teeth chomping loudly. It's adorable, precious, exciting, and heart-breaking all at the same time.

Mommy's Boy

In the past few weeks, Philip has become especially "clingy" with me. But clingy has such a negative connotation in terms of babies and parenting and I don't feel like it's a problem at all. I love that he's so bonded to me and my heart melts when he reaches out for me to hold him. I love every moment of him wanting only mommy. He'll grow up and become a "big boy" soon enough, and, before I know it, he won't reach out for mommy anymore. So in the meantime, I'm treasuring these special days of ours while he still wants to be mommy's little boy.