Inmate in Charge of the Asylum

It's official....the inmates are running the asylum.

In recent weeks, Sam's figured out how to slide quite quickly down the stairs, shimmy under the baby gates (we keep them high so our poor blind cat doesn't freak out), actually remove the gates and place them gently against the wall (extra points for neatness, I guess) and even open doors. He continues to work on the intricacies of the locks.

Luckily he's terrified of the Tickle Me Elmo that we recently purchased. With some strategic placement of our new furry friend, the removable gates aren't as much of an issue.

Valentine's Day was pretty eventful for Sam and his relationship with Davia seems to be blossoming. They've both been officially moved to the Toddler Room and while the toys are cooler and they have their own slide, Sam's not too thrilled. So far, he's rather distraught during drop off, but we hear that he bucks up pretty soon after we leave. If it's really bad, Sweet Davia will make him a sandwich. (Made of plastic, but it's the thought.)

I'm not a girl! I just have fabulous hair.

That was the rally cry around here recently, as more and more people (mainly, little old ladies) kept referring to Sam as "her" and saying how pretty she was. I would politely say "thank you" and move on. Adrian, on the other hand, made sure to correct them and walked away with his head held high...and, we're assuming, with the women thinking it was a crying shame that no one got that poor little boy a haircut.



I liked his "crazy hair" and the "no worries" look it gave him. Wouldn't it be nice to have that "no worries" look and feeling, if even for a day? But, it was starting to get a little long in the back and, in my opinion, we were nearing official mullet stage. An absolute no-no. So, we teamed up with Sam's friend Davia (Princess Leia, for those of you keeping track) and her mom and dad and headed out to Cookie Cutters, a hair cuttery geared specifically for tots and complete with a slide, video games, toys, movies, cartoons, and fun things to sit in while getting coifed. Davia elected for a pink truck, while Sam opted for your standard red fire engine. She seemed to handle it okay - we're assuming it was the X chromosome - while Sam didn't want any part of it. None. Zero. Zilch.

We managed to get through the entire haircut, though, thanks to Dad's comforting (read: holding him down). I think he ended up looking a little less carefree and a little more "dork," but I suppose it will grow out.

The holidays were fun, although Sam didn't enjoy the opening of presents as much as we thought. We had grandiose ideas of him getting excited and tearing off the wrapping paper, anxious to see what each package held in store. Instead, he played with Louie's leash, walking around and around. Didn't care about paper-ripping, didn't care too much about new toys, but had a hell of a time lapping the kitchen with an old red leash. If I would've known, I would've gotten Louie a new one.

We did enjoy New Year's Eve, celebrating the holiday with children for the first time. Again, we got together with Team Davia and had a great time. Compared notes about our tots, gossiped about daycare and found the Captain and Cokes and beer going down surprisingly easy. We called it an early night about 10 p.m., so the kids weren't total monsters in the morning. Adrian and I "celebrated" by watching the ball drop and were both asleep by 12:15 a.m. Happy New Year!


Chicago has seen a fair amount of snow this year, so we've made sure to introduce Sam to the white stuff. We've pelted him with his first snowball (he laughed), showed him how to throw them to Louie so he eats them, and gave him a sled ride. With a lot more winter still to come, we're talking with Louie about the possibility of a harness to pull the sled. He's not excited, but we're negotiating. He's demanding that the kid stop messing with his dog food and quit chasing him with his tyke-sized vacuum. We're not sure we can agree to those terms. Talks are stalled.

In the meantime, Sam waits for his cousin's arrival.....("Hurry so we can play!")

First steps...and a disturbance in the Force

Sam's been a busy guy this fall, taking his first steps, learning to cheer on the Georgia Bulldogs, enjoying his first family reunion and being introduced to the ritual of begging neighbors for candy.

I wasn't particularly excited about my birthday this year, as turning 34 doesn't carry with it the excitement of turning 16 or the allure of reaching 21. It really just means that I have to round-up to 35 and that I'm that much closer to 40. Coupled with the fact that I was going to be celebrating at a trade show, I didn't have high hopes. But, it turns out the youngest guy with the least amount of money gave me the best present: he took his first steps on my birthday. I think that it's actually an attempt to make up for the "da-da" on Mother's Day, but I'll still take it.


Sam's proven to be a bit of a showman, if not a little bit of a meat head. We ran for the video camera when he started walking and captured many of his first steps, after which he mugged for the camera and clapped for himself. He held court during the Davis-Edwards-Mendez soiree in October and managed to capture and hold the attention of nearly 20 adults and several hillbillies sitting near us in a restaurant.

He's learned to offer "cheers" while giving a companion's glass a clink with his sippy cup and will offer up an emphatic "Mmmm" after licking the fingers he just stuck in someone's beer glass.

We were sad that our little guy had to endure such heartbreak at such a young age, watching the Bulldogs fall to South Carolina and Tennessee. But, joy soon followed as UGA beat Florida and then Auburn. Sam was so moved that he mastered the touchdown signal and can even belt out a toddler-version of "Go Dawgs!" We're hoping that he doesn't learn to belt out other key phrases - which, of course, would be his father's fault.

For those of you that were concerned after last year's Halloween, rest assured that we didn't incorporate any portion of the oven or stove in this year's celebration and, again, no lobsters (actual or otherwise) were harmed.


Star Wars was the theme this year, starring Sam as Yoda and Louie as the dark-sided foe, Darth Vader. We hooked up with one of Sam's friends, who coincidentally rounded out the group as Princess Leia. While the movie characters had the Millennium Falcon, our group took flight in a Radio Flyer. All was well until Darth had to, er, lift the cape and relieve himself. The helmet was short-lived and, with the pit stop, the body suit was a goner. Only the cape - and a stinky bag - survived. That was the first tremor in the Force.

The second came when Yoda, who we all know is vertically challenged, tried to stretch and see something. Rather than using his powers to move the object in his way, young Yoda leeaaned a bit more and fell right out of the wagon. No fancy flipping and no Ninja-like reflexes. We were left with a pile of Yoda right on the sidewalk. I've learned that the ears must be some sort of futuristic coping mechanism, as that's what saved Yoda from certain doom. A hug from his mom and the defender of good was on his way.

Leia and Yoda had differing opinions from time to time on where to walk and which candy to select, but revealed a bond not seen before in any of the movies George Lucas shared with us. Now we'll all have to go back and look beyond Luke and Han and see if there really was a spark between the princess and the little green man.

Mmm....cake.

*Disclaimer: We apologize for the lack of Peanut updates. They're significantly harder to make now that the Peanut can move - and crawl and walk and go up the stairs and chase the dog. It was much easier to type when we could plop him on a blanket with a toy or two.

As you know, our little man celebrated his first birthday on July 21st and we all had a great time. Sam enjoyed playing with all of the friends and family that were able to make it and was a real trooper all day. With the cameras of the family paparazzi in position, Sam soaked up the "Happy Birthday" singing and proceeded to destroy his birthday cake, feeding some of it to Louie (who's got a near-permanent position next to the high chair) and wearing a significant portion of it.

Sam's been quite busy this summer, spending a majority of his time dismantling any hint of order that's in the house. Whether it's a pile of his toys, kitchen cabinets, or even the refrigerator, it will be undone.

It was a nice summer here in Chicago, and we got in some time at the beach and in the pool in the backyard. (Louie promptly popped the pool, so it was a bit short-lived.)

Sam's also looking forward to our family reunion in Kentucky (how's THAT for redneck?!) and is developing and practicing his air hockey skills in anticipation of kicking Uncle Kelton's rear.

Uh-oh, Daddy.

Turns out Sam's first two words actually make a sentence. Or a comment. Or whatever. They didn't come in that order, but one followed quickly on the heels of the other. Sam's become quite the chatterbox, although those are the only two things we can actually understand. But we talk back to him anyway. Not sure where that chatterbox gene came from.

As anticipated, Adrian thoroughly enjoyed his first Father's Day weekend. Sam and I pooled our money and set him up with a nice shiny grill...on which HE cooked US dinner. (Ha! I would say I played that one pretty well.) He slept in, which now constitutes only making it past 8:30 a.m. or so. Adrian was treated to all of his favorites for breakfast and the three of us enjoyed a nice quiet day playing at home.

Since our last post, Sam has moved into a "gated" community. (Thanks to Grandpa Fred for helping us put it up and making certain cabinets off-limits.) He's still butt scooting, but has recently added some actual crawling to his repertoire and he's getting faster at all of it. As soon as we turn around, he seems to down the hall or in the next room or, his favorite, dipping his hand in Louie's bowl for a snack. (Seriously, the kid eats a lot of dog food.)

With Sam's exploring, we're also seeing the beginning of "boo-boos" and "owees." Pinched fingers, banged head and bitten lips. Nothing serious, but I'm sure a sign of things to come.

I'm finding it hard to believe that Sam will soon have his first birthday and will no longer be a baby. I know it's cliche, but time really does fly.

Mother of the Year

It's not official, but I might just be Mother of the Year. A prestigious honor, and one I didn't expect to earn so early in my tenure. And, I'm sure you're asking yourself, how did I qualify for such an honor? It was simple, really. Just had to dislocate my son's elbow.

Before you run to the phone to call the Department of Children & Families, he's okay. And, according to the ER doctor, it's not that big of a deal. It happened a few weeks ago, just after Sam discovered what fun it is to hang upside down. He was leaning backwards off of my lap while I held onto his hands. As I brought him up (slowly, I promise!), the elbow slipped right out. He cried, but eventually stopped and, since it was close to dinner time, we attributed it to a longing for a bottle of the house white. When he didn't grab the bottle with two hands, we knew we had a problem.

It's apparently very common and not cause for alarm. It is, however, cause for complete embarrassment and a feeling of overwhelming guilt. The doctor and nurses reassured me that it happens all of the time and some kids are just more prone to it. It's even got its own slang terms: "nursemaid's elbow" and (my favorite) "nanny arm."

But, as usual, the kid took it like a champ. They popped it right back in and we didn't even have to give him Tylenol. A couple of stickers and we were on our way. A tough guy already!

Sam remains committed to never crawling and is now a fairly nimble butt scooter. I originally joked about the Swiffer pad...but am seriously reconsidering my stance on that issue. (Oh, another factor in my Mother of the Year nomination is the level of filth that my child manages to pick up as he scoots his way across the floor.)

The Mother of the Year honors were quite special this time of year, what with me celebrating my first Mother's Day. It was a lovely day that included sleeping in and kicked off with a special breakfast made just for me. Putting the cherry on top of my MOTY nomination, we went to my favorite pub for a couple of pints. Mmmm.

Adrian had a perfectly perfect day planned and it was such a treat. I'll assume it's because he loves me and not because he was establishing a precedent for the Mother's Day/Father's Day celebrations. It's better that way.

And, just in time for Mother's Day, Sam said his first word: "da-da."

Hey Play-a

Not yet nine months old, Sam already seems to be quite the ladies man. I understand he's wooed several girls at daycare and, recently, he entertained two older women at our house. They even wore their sexy bunny suits. Watch out, Heffner.

Lauren and Maddie Kunesh came over for a visit and all of the kids seemed to have a good time playing together. Sam's not as mobile as the girls, and we're actually, sort of, kind of glad he's not crawling.

Sam spent Easter weekend visiting all of his grandparents in Nashville and celebrating his Pops' big 6-0. He also helped his aunt move into her new townhouse. While much of the house was in disarray, Sam managed to work on his spelling and language skills.

Second Place

Seems as though Sam is already showing signs of greatness. Although there weren't any trophies awarded, we're very proud to announce that Sam took second place at the bowling competition recently held at Rogy's Learning Center (Infant I Division). He bowled a nearly perfect score, putting up a 12 out of a possible 15. The winner did walk away with a perfect game, but, well...he's older. We'll be sure to keep you up-to-date on Sam's future tournaments.

It's disappointing that there weren't any trophies or medals, but Sam's learned to clap, so was able to give himself a nice round of applause.

Adrian's working on developing his son's appreciation for music and is dedicated to introducing him to all of the great hair bands of the 1980s. (May all of their careers rest in peace.)

Sam's finally sprouted two teeth and continues to eat like a madman. He gives himself his own bottle and I'm sure drinking directly out of the milk carton is right around the corner. Let's just hope he doesn't down as much milk as Uncle Kelton. Perhaps we should look into a home equity loan.

The little guy is starting to be mobile, but traditional crawling doesn't seem to be his forte. He prefers instead to butt-scoot his way around, which will hopefully provide a wider base for attaching a Swiffer cloth.

Sam's looking forward to Grandparents' Week at school and hopes to show off his finger-painting and bowling skills (and beat the crap out of that other kid).

Sittin' pretty

Sam's been busy thus far in 2007 - expanding his palate and sitting up and looking at things from a different angle. So far, the chef at 656 Stewart has prepared sweet potatoes, carrots, peas and green beans and, on the sweeter side, bananas and applesauce. We've still got additional introductions to make before we make good on our promises of pizza and ice cream.

Valentine's Day is right around the corner, so Sam's been busy trying to grow more hair in hopes of impressing the ladies. As you can see, he's already surpassed his "Pops" in that department.

Sam and Louie are becoming fast friends and Sam continually reaches for the pooch and lets him lick his hands and fingers. We're not usually far behind, ready to wipe the little guy clean and enforce the "no licking the face" rule. Unfortunately, Louie is a slow learner. I would imagine that the "best friend" status will be solidified once Sam starts eating on his own and they both figure out that food is easily transferred from high chair to dog.

Shut. Your. Mouth.

"Shut. Your. Mouth." Good advice for new parents, anxious to help their children "fly" overhead. Better advice for new parents? Don't do it within one hour of feeding said child. Somehow, Adrian didn't get that memo. (I'm still laughing out loud every time I think about it.)



Sam thoroughly enjoyed his first Christmas and it's fun watching him play with all of his new toys. (He didn't get that flat screen TV that we told Santa he wanted, but there's always next year.) He's quickly growing into his toys and finally getting to use some of the things we received as shower gifts or as "welcome Sam" gifts. He's even managed to figure out a way to saddle up to his piano and, we're hoping, earn a few bucks playing for a bunch of drunks (seen here).

As it's been awhile since the last post, we've noticed big changes in our little man. He's eating solid food, although not enjoying it very much despite my promises of future pizzas and ice cream sundaes. We've also discovered further evidence that he may not actually be ours: he seems to like peas the best thus far. (Blech.)

He's very close to rolling over, prompting a recent trip to Babies R Us to purchase a gate for the stairs. He's coming VERY close, but hasn't quite made it. His best efforts come from attempts to look at himself in the mirror, so I'm already envisioning teenage years filled with lots of primping and too much cologne.

Rumor has it that he's quite a card player, so between taking requests on the piano and 5-card stud, we're hoping college will take care of itself.

Head of the Class

There haven't been "official" rankings, but I'm sure my little guy is at the top of his class (seen here). He's younger, sure. He's smaller. And, okay, he doesn't crawl, walk or eat actual food. But, he's very clearly advanced. According to reports, he's "happy" and "attentive" nearly every day. We've also just received his first evaluation from daycare and it was glowing.


He's added rolling over (from belly to back) and squawking to his bag of tricks, and will "stand" when you hold him and is just beginning to arch his back and reach when he's about to be picked up. We're delighted with the occasional giggle and is also progressing in his social skills. As I understand it, is starting to put the moves on the girls in his class.

In addition to his evaluation, his teachers commented on his friendly demeanor. Turns out that he and one girl in particular (sitting on the lap of the teacher in the red shirt in the class photo) have been caught holding hands in class. Interestingly enough, she was also supposed to be a lobster for Halloween. (Turns out the costume was too hot and she cried. She ended up staying in her Pumpkin garb.) Lobsters are monogamous, so this could be a potentially long-term relationship. While a lobster will mate for life with another lobster, I'm still unclear as to whether a lobster will mate with a pumpkin.

Sam's still battling his cold (we're nearing the 2-month mark), but takes his medicine like a champ. The docs tell me that's normal, especially since he goes to daycare. Their advice: "Get used to it. It's going to be a long winter."

During his latest trip to the doctor, Sam tipped the scales at 14 pounds, 10 ounces. He continues to grow, but didn't even come close to the Thanksgiving turkey, which weighed in at 21 pounds (without stuffing).

He seems to have all of the classic teething symptoms, but we can't see any pearly whites poking through his gums just yet. Maybe he'll be more determined once we tell him about all of the yummy food that gets put out during the holiday season.

Mmm...seafood.

Who knew you could get such good seafood here in Chicago? As you all know, I loove Halloween and, in the past, have always gotten a costume for Louie. Well, just IMAGINE my excitement at having a little baby to dress up this year! Unfortunately for the dog, it doesn't mean he's off the hook. Now, just IMAGINE my excitement at finding a lobster costume for BOTH OF THEM. Odd...neither of them were nearly as excited. Party poopers.

There was a Halloween parade at daycare, so Sam marched (er, rolled in a big stoller-thingee) through the halls with an elephant, a couple of pumpkins, the Easter Bunny, Eyore, a strawberry and a spider. He and Louie both donned their costumes again that night, but they were pretty short lived.

I've been traveling alot, so there's been a lot of "guy" time at the Mendez house. Everyone seemed to do quite well and Sam never once wore dripped cheese or wing sauce, so it was a pretty successful week. (Not sure how Adrian fared.)

Poor Sam headed back to the doctor and apparently has bronchitis. He's got some medicine now, so I think we're headed in the right direction. (And it's that yummy pink bubble gum stuff. I totally forgot how good that was!) The boogie monster continues to be his mortal enemy. The little man is packing on the pounds too, as he was 14 pounds, 10 oz. at his appointment.

Sam pretty much has his hands or fists in his mouth as long as he's awake and there's a lot of gnawing and drooling going on. We can't feel any teeth coming through, so we're not sure if that's the cause...or that he just likes to chew on stuff. Thinking of giving him Louie's extra kong.

Extended warranties and blow outs

I've never been a believer in purchasing extended warranties...$149 for an extra three years of coverage? No thanks. Well, that is until now. Now that I'm a parent, I've learned that you have to look at things from a different perspective. Instead of having the confidence in knowing that my things will be treated well and cared for (well, at least the big ticket items), Adrian and I now live in a world of uncertainty, never knowing what bizarre thing our son will decide to do to the fridge, car, TV...or washing machine. At three months old, he's not EXACTLY to blame...but his itty-bitty blue sock is. Turns out those things can get sucked through those itty-bitty holes and get lodged in the gears of the machine. Making it impossible to run and impossible to remove. Unless you're an overpriced repair service whose earliest appointment is in two-and-a-half weeks. So, for $199.48, I've learned an important lesson: go ahead and get the extra coverage.

Despite SockGate, our little guy continues to do well. He's found his thumbs and fists and they are permanently covered in drool. The way he sucks on them, I really think he thinks he might get some milk out of there yet. He's still a big smiler and chats with us (and his toys) a lot. The mobile on his crib and the bouncey seat continue to be big favorites and we've recently started putting him in the exersaucer (I'll post a pic next time, for those of you - like me - who are relatively new to the baby lingo).

He's not a big napper and usually takes about three cat naps throughout the day. He's settled into a bit of a routine and is mostly sleeping through the night. Adrian and I swtich off our "on duty" nights and he accuses me of putting him to bed too early when it's his shift. (It's all lies.)

Adrian has yet to cash in his "coupons" for diaper changing, but I think he may start using them any day now. We've also experienced our first real "blow out." I fail to understand the physics, but apparently when he's in a standing position in the exersaucer, it causes the, ahem, poop to travel extensively. All. Over. The. Place. I have to admit, I was intimidated. Until I realized there were scissors in the changing table supplies. Yes! Adrian was ready for a Silkwood type of hose-down, but we settled for cutting off the onesie (and throwing it away) and a regular ol' bath.

It's turned a bit chilly up here, so we're bundling him up a bit more and have mastered the getting on and off of the coat. He's outgrown a lot of his clothes, so another shipment is going to our friend, who's scheduled to arrive in early December.

We headed to the pumpkim patch earlier today, but it was a bit too chilly to stay very long. Halloween is right around the corner and, of course, he will be celebrating this oh-so-fun holiday. Stay tuned for pictures!

Take-Your-Kid-To-Work Day

As you all know, my career has elevated to the corner office here at KMPR headquarters. It's not for lack of hard work, despite my role as a new mom. Here at KMPR, we recognize the national Take-Your-Kid-To-Work Day, although we recognize it on random days and at random hours. I've included photos from our latest corporate event.

Peanut's doing well and seems to finally be shaking his cold. We've affectionately named the aspirator we use to clean his nose "The Boogie Monster" and he continues to truly hate it. Hopefully this will be the last cold for awhile. We're pricing bubbles for him to live in until cold and flu season ends next spring.

He's moving right along and seems to be doing the things that our books say he should be doing. He's grabbing his hands in front of him, smiling at his favorite toys (our family room light fixture continues to be an odd favorite) and drooling like Louie at dinnertime.

Adrian and I continue to do our duty as Georgia alumni, making sure Sam sees all of the games, even if we have to pay $25 for it on pay-per-view. As you all may know, we suffered our first loss of the season to those good-for-nothing Tennessee Volunteers. Also included here is a photo of Sam as the clocked ticked down to zero.

It's official...

Peanut is no longer the smallest creature in our house. During his latest well baby check-up on Friday, Sam tipped the scales at 12 pounds and 8 ounces, and now outweighs Phil the cat by a full 8 ounces. I guess it will be awhile before he surpasses Louie, who's at 80 pounds and counting...with each and every cookie he tricks me into giving him.

Sam's growing tall, too, and is now 23-3/4 inches long, putting him in the 75th percentile for both weight and height. He's only in the 25th percentile for head circumference (but the doc said that was fine), apparently inheriting the "pea head" that Adrian accuses me of having.

Our little guy's also got his first cold, but it's not been too bad. A stuffed up nose and a lot of protesting when we try to clean it for him. The pediatrician said to run a humidifier for him, which not only will help his cold, but should also serve as that white noise he loves so much.

It's not slowing down his playtime though. He's spending more and more time with his little play mat thingee (seen here) and chatting it up with his friends on his mobile. We're also giving him more and more "tummy time," encouraging him to learn to push up on his arms. He still pretty much hates it and doesn't hesitate to tell us so.

Crying in the parking lot...

Last Monday was Sam's first day at day care and, you guessed it, I sat in the parking lot and cried. I didn't do too bad, though. Was only there a few minutes. heh heh. He's going three days a week, which is a BIG help with getting things done work-wise. His "teachers" seem nice and they're all very attentive. He's already scored himself a girlfriend. Turns out Maya, who's about 10 months or so, has taken a shine to him and helps rock him in the little bouncer chairs. She even cries when I come to pick him up.

Mimi and Grandpa Fred and Tia Ladonna were here over the weekend to visit with their favorite 2-month-old. We took it easy on Fred and didn't require him to move any furniture or install any ceiling fans, so he's likely to come back again. And, of course, Mimi was happy to take the 6 a.m. shift. (And we were happy to give it to her.) Ladonna managed to shake her reputation for making Sam poop and was able to pick him up and hold him without triggering any bodily functions.

He's starting to reach for toys more and more, so we're making sure to show him lots of different ones. We're still working on getting him to hold his little football, but that still may be a bit advanced.

We're enjoying nights of sleep, as Sam's still generally sleeping from 10ish to 6ish...woohoo! He's a big fan of white noise, so we've added a loud fan to his room and, if all else fails, the vacuum cleaner is a sure bet. At least if he's fussy, my family room is dog hair free!

He's headed to the pediatrician later this week for his two-month check-up, so check back this weekend for more Peanut news.

P.S. Louie was getting jealous, so we told him he had his own blog, too. Shhhhh.

Cheese!

Our little guy's been smiling and smiling a lot lately and has even started to "talk" with us a little bit. Sam's also started playing more with his toys and seems to be reaching for them a bit. Our books tell us that we'll begin to see more and more of that, as he figures out that his hands are actually his.

Believe it or not, he's already outgrown some of his clothes, but we're sending them off to another little peanut in Cincinnati that's scheduled to arrive just before Christmas...even though his mom and dad are Auburn fans. We're sending some red-and-black and hoping for early intervention.

We've been working hard to keep Sam on a schedule and have been justly rewarded, as he's been sleeping through the night most nights. We've also started a bit of a bed time routine, so he knows it's time for nighty-night.

I'm sure you've all been keeping up with UGA, who's 3-0 so far this season. Sam's receiving the proper education in Georgia cheers and football tradition. He's also been expanding his, ahem, vocabulary.

Isn't it GREAT?!

Isn't it "great" to have a great grandson? That's pretty much what Mary and Ann thought over Labor Day weekend when they got to meet the newest addition to the family. Ann couldn't get Sam out of his stroller fast enough and the little guy seemed to hang on every word that his Great Grandma Snooks said to him. (She was probably telling him about the latest gossip from the beauty shop.)

Sam and I took our first road trip and he proved to be quite a trooper, even when we had to pull over to the side of the road in what I later learned was a horrendous thunderstorm with a tornado watch. Eek. He slept for the whole four hours on the way there and most of the time on the way home. (Believe it or not, slept right through the loud thunder and hard rain.)

He's smiling a lot more these days and is enjoying the sights and sounds of the house and his toys. Adrian and I are now staunch advocates of both the swing and the bouncey seat....what engineering marvels!

Louie seems to understand that we've got things under control (yeah, right) and politely relocates to another room when the crying interrupts his endless nap. Phil, well, continues to nap.