Tommy's Standing, Pushing Up, Eating and Sniffling!

"Look at me! I'm standing by myself!"

"See, if I hold on really tight, I can stand up just like Karina! But I have to remember not to lean too far in one direction or..."

"...I'll fall down and go 'Boom'!"

So while, Karina's been busy at school, Tommy's been busy at home! He's got a lot to learn to keep up with her...at least that's what it seems like he must be thinking based on the rate of improvement with manipulating his body. He can sit up like he's been doing it his whole life, able to lean over and twist around...he loves to grab his toes! Like his sister, he loves the TV series, "Curious George" and "Super Why." These both keep his attention and allow me to change his diaper without him squirming, kicking or rolling over! Also, while sitting he really likes to play games, like pat-a-cake and he's learned how to clap and shake his head. He actually seems to understand the words "clap" and "shake", too, because he not only claps or shakes his head to mimic someone else, he'll do it after hearing the words! While laying on his back he loves it when we sing, "Tommy's riding his bicycle, bicycle, bicycle" while we crazily pedal his feet back and forth. And then there's the standing that he's just started to do on his own if he has something really easy to grab, like the gate above. He keeps his little butt stuck out for balance, isn't able to move his feet yet, and still has a hard time standing at something without handholds, like the sofa or ottoman. But he's standing up and I'm sure he'll progress rapidly! Nothing motivates him like her!

"Hi! These are my toes!"

Tommy looks so small next to the big TV!

Tommy has learned to roll over and over as a means of locomotion, sort of like Karina did, but he doesn't seem to be as partial to it as Karina was. Now Karina didn't really roll to get somewhere until she was much older than Tommy and she did it because she couldn't crawl. So although, Tommy certainly can't crawl yet, he seems to be less inclined to roll around the house at this point. I think this is because Tommy doesn't really need to move to get to entertainment the way Karina did, because Tommy's entertainment comes (running!) to him! In fact, I have a hard time keeping Karina away from Tommy most of the time and even though she often makes him mad, he's still not bored and looking for places to go! We'll see if he rolls to ambulate more and more or if he'll learn how to crawl (I'm betting on the latter!)

See how high he can push up on his tummy!
And see his cute naked butt! I couldn't resist the shot!

Speaking of crawling, Tommy has really shown a huge amount of arm and upper torso strength in a short amount of time. It seems like just the other day that he was finally able to roll onto his tummy, and now he can roll back and forth and really functions pretty well when pushed up on his hands on his tummy. He loves to try to get away from me during diaper changes (hence the use of coercion with the TV shows "Curious George" or "Super Why"), but luckily he doesn't make a big mess by peeing freely! While discussing diapering issues, I have to mention the cute fact that Tommy has ticklish penis! He still has this huge "fat pad" (that's what the doctor calls what I would just call his fat tummy) above his pelvis which basically causes his penis to be completely enveloped by his gut. Beacuse his penis is usually unexposed to almost any sensation, when I try to wipe it clean once a day and have to "pop it out" (as Karina says, "Pop it out, Mom, pop it out!), he squirms, kicks and giggles! It's really cute, but makes the job really difficult!

"This is how I get away from Mommy when she's changing my diaper! See no diaper! Ha, ha, ha!"

He's continued to try more and more baby foods, and so far seems to have no overwhelming preferences or dislikes. Like Karina, he went through a short phase during which he wanted to hold or grab the spoon (very messy prospect!), but luckily he was able to be taught to just let me feed him...which also goes a lot faster without his hands in the way! Tommy has gotten his own high chair just like Karina's, although Karina never used hers when she was young enough to need the tray and high chair seat. He seems to like it, but we did have to make a safety adjustment by lowering the foot rest because he was using it to stand up in the high chair! The chair has a seat belt, but like any of those belts it's a little difficult to fasten because it's hard to fit your hands near his lap while he's moving around, so it's just been easier to lower the foot rest and leave his feet dangling for now.

Tommy in his high chair before we lowered the foot rest

In general, Tommy, Karina and I have been pretty much sick since after Quentin and Lisa's wedding. I've been going with Tommy (and initially with Karina, too) to the Wisconsin Athletic Club where I've been getting worn out, by my work-outs, and we've all been exposed to a whole bunch of new germs. Meanwhile Karina still brings them home from school, so with the combination of my run down immune system, Tommy's immature immune system and his tendency to put everything in his mouth and then rub his eyes when he's tired and Karina's relatively immature immune system, we have been passing around upper respiratory infection (URI) after URI. Unfortunately for Tommy, he still has a blocked tear duct in his right eye, which makes him predisposed to getting conjunctivitis any time, but especially following a URI.

You can see that both eyes are kind of watery and red around the edges...and that he has another self-induced fingernail gash on the bridge of his nose (poor guy)...but that he is still sweet and smiling!

"Mommy has to keep putting medicine in my eyes...and we keep getting sick...it's been a rough month!"