Headbutting is the New Hitting...

So hitting is history because I've discovered something far more effective...Headbutting! Mom and Dad have noticed this new trend a few days ago. Dad watched me a lot this weekend while Mom had a spa day and went to the Market with Grammie and I spent most of the time headbutting the sofa, the tables, windows and doors, you name it. This morning, I headbutted my Mom in the schnoz and then jumped on her stomach to knock the wind out of her. My combat skills are becomming far more effective!

Morning With Daddy

This morning, Mom and I went for a stroller ride so she could get a little exercise and I could be entertained. It worked! I love stroller rides and I quietly sat in my stroller drinking my milk and appreciating nature. That made Mom happy. Then I ate breakfast without deliberately spitting up my food, throwing it on the floor, or pitching a fit...I was a good boy that ate my breakfast without making a huge messy production of it, so Mom was really happy. Then I took a bath and got squeaky clean. Once I was dressed, I snuggled with my Mom and let her kiss on me...she WAS COMPLETELY HAPPY! Then Dad watched me and Mom left to go to Ross Bridge for a morning at the spa...something Mom had planned to do months ago but with work, tests, and me, she never had the time to go. So Mom was excited to spend 4 hours at the spa being pampered! Then, she met up with Daddy and me at my Grammie and Papa's house, where we were hanging out for the afternoon. We went to Jim 'N Nicks for BBQ earlier in the day before Mom got there and I got to eat cheese biscuits to my hearts content. The waitress also said she couldn't resist and pinched my chubby cheeks. Yes, I've got cheeks-a-plenty! Later on, after Mom was with us, we all went to The Village Tavern for dinner. I was pretty cranky by this time, but we managed to still have a nice dinner and I got to eat some tasty rolls, garlic mashed potatoes, and Grammie even shared some of her cheese quesadilla with me. Yum! When I got home, I took another bath, had a bottle of milk and called it a day. All in all, it was a nice day and I look forward to more one on one time with Daddy when Mom goes to market with Grammie tomorrow!

Daddy's Coming Home!

Dad's coming home tonight and I'm ready to see him! I've been calling out his name and looking for him in the house the past three days and he's nowhere to be found. Mom says he's out of town on business, but I will see him when I wake up tomorrow. I can't wait!

Teacher Says...

Mom picked me up from school today...when she arrived, I was sitting on Miss Sonja's lap while hanging out on the playground. All the other little babies were running around, but not me...I was being sweet and snugly to Miss Sonja. Mom asked if I had been good today, and she replied, "oh yes, as always." Mom was perplexed, and wanted to know if I've been hitting them, since that's my FAVORITE thing to do...I slap Mom around probably 20 times an hour (it's probably more than that, but it's hard to keep count). My teacher was shocked at the question and said, "Heston must have me fooled, because my sweet Heston never hits". SAY WHAT? Mom wants to know why she's the lucky one. (Seriously). No matter how sweet mom is to me or how stern she is when I hit her, it doesn't matter...nothing will stop me! But in equal parts to my fiesty-ness, do I have a major sweet side...especially in the morning, right after a nap, and right before bed when she's rocking me...and boy can I be cute and irresistible...and she wishes she could make that snuggle time last forever.

The Fourth of July Weekend

I had a great fourth of July weekend. On Friday, Mom and Dad took me to the science center since it was so hot out and they wanted to take me somewhere that could both keep me entertained and keep them cool. So we got to the McWayne Center and Dad made the comment that something smelled nasty in the lobby. He left, went to buy tickets, and to Mom's horror, the nasty stench in the lobby was actually the poop oozing out of my diapers. She didn't realize this until she picked me up and had me propped on her hip for a minute. Then she was like, "What is this liquid on my hand? Did your bottle leak?...Oh...My...GOSH!!!!" It was pretty funny. Mom was about to call it a day before it even started, but she decided to suck it up, clean me off, and let me run around in diapers. (But mom felt nasty the whole time because she knew she probably had poop on her brown shirt...fortunately, it was brown.) I had tons of fun...there were a lot of things to play with...large foam blocks I could stack up and knock over, a water feature with shovels and buckets I could splash around with, an aquarium, legos, and my favorite, a toy bin I could crawl into! I was very enthusiastic about everything, played hard, and was incredibly pooped afterwards.

The following day, fourth of July, Mom and Dad put me in the stroller and took me down the street to participate in the neighborhood street parade...which basically consisted of a bunch of kids running up the street and back and then getting ice cream from the ice cream truck. Everyone congregated around the truck and talked, so it wasn't much of anything but an excuse to hang out with neighbors. Later that day, we drove to Smith Lake to go hang out at my Mom's friend's lake house. The place was cool because they had a bunch of fun toys to play with in the living room...different toys from my own, and I sure loved them. I was entertained for a while playing with those and then my parents took me down to the dock to take a swim. Mom's friend Steve set up a canopy over a kiddy pool and I probably spent an hour splashing around in it. It was even better than the one I have at home because the dock rocked back and forth from the waves created by the boats when they went by and it made waves in the kiddy pool! Later, we took a boat ride, which I LOVED...I smiled a huge smile when the boat took off and the wind was blowing on my face! I also got to wear an infant life preserver, which I really liked...it was like wearing cushions that I could snuggle up against. I was very tired by this point, so I just laid back and snuggled with my Mom, drank my milk, and enjoyed the wind in my face, and the boat flying up and down on the waves. I look forward to my next boat ride...maybe on my Papa's snazzy new boat!?

New Developments and 12 Month Checkup

I finally had my 12 month checkup today...this is something Mom kept putting off because she didn't want me to have any vaccinations with my cold, which has lingered for about a month! Now that it has finally gone away, Mom decided to take me in. So when I got there, the nurse weighed me and I'm a stout 26 lbs. 7.5 ounces and I'm 30 inches long. I fall in the 80th percentile for size, so I'm a little discouraged that my healthy appetite hasn't knocked me into a higher category, but I'll keep working at it. Then I had to get two shots on my meaty thighs and let the record state that I did not cry, I did not even wince or flinch, and the nurse said I need to teach a class to all the other babies because that never happens. That's right folks...thighs...of...steel. They may look squishy, but don't be deceived. So if any of you babies want to take lessons from the master, give me a shout. (That's right ladies...you too.)

So about two weeks ago, I threw my first full-body tantrum. Body went limp. I melted to the ground while Mom was holding my arm. I threw my head back for added drama. I rather enjoyed it. So I hadn't tried it again until I was home with Mom yesterday and today. Now, I'm adding it to my daily routine. I also turn the happy and angry face on and off like the switch of a light. One second I'm smiling and laughing, the next I'm scowling and hitting my mom on the face with a plastic recorder. Mom says, "Terrible two's my foot! Try terrible ones!" Whatever Mom...

So I said two words together two days ago! I said, "Hi, Daddy!" Mom and
Dad were very excited that I could make the connection with a greeting
and a name. I've also been saying 'Daddy!' Every time I hear him come
through the door after work, so that makes them both excited too.

I've had some new food the past few days: Watermelon, which is quite
delicious, bread and butter which is equally fantastic, and best of
all, a hamburger and french fries! (Not the fast food junk, either, but the good stuff from Five Guys). I'm not a big eater of meat just yet, but I'm working at it. I have a new pointy tooth coming in up front and it's apparently a tooth that can be used to shred meat with...so steak eating is just around the corner...cool!