Beach Fun

This is a tiny preview of our adventure last week.  More to come later, but for now I'm posting this to enter in my first photography challenge.  I heart faces is a great site and they host weekly themed photo challenges.  This week's theme was beach fun.  How perfect that I just got back from the beach.  This is my favorite shot from the week.  I love that it's hazy and golden, and I lovelovelove Griffin's expression.

You should go over there and check out the other entries.  It's a great way to spend a few minutes.

Oh, and thanks Lindsey for the nudge.

Breakfast

I've been realizing that breakfast has become my favorite meal of the day.  Since Griffin has been eating I try to make sure that we all sit at the table to eat together.  During the week it's just the two of us in the morning.  We sit together, still in our PJs, and enjoy the most important meal of the day together.  Usually we eat the same thing; this morning we both had oatmeal, yesterday was eggs and toast.  Whatever it is, it's always pretty simple.  I try my best to keep it pretty quiet; making sure the TV is turned off and maybe have music playing if I happen to think about it.  Our best conversations happen over breakfast; we talk about our plans for the day or the week, discuss what projects need to be done, complain about how hot it is, brainstorm dinner ideas...He's really good at listening.  

There's something about starting the day off slowly and peacefully that I can't get enough of.  It's one of many things that I count as a blessing of staying at home with Griffin.  It doesn't hurt that nap time is usually right after breakfast either.  

Jump!

Quite possibly the best $8 I've spent.  Griffin agrees.

9 months

-Now he's crawling on his hands and knees, and his speed increases on a daily basis.
-He's able to sit from crawling.  This has been happening for a little while, but it's much more frequent now.
-He's very steady standing up next to things and he's doing a little couch surfing (walking against the couch) too.
-He loves to talk, saying mama, dada, baba, and you're beautiful.  (Okay, maybe not the last...but I'm pretty sure he wants to.
-The majority of the time he feeds himself and still shows signs of an open minded eater.  (Side note: this feeding himself is very handy, literally...I have my hands back during his meals.)
-His favorite meal time game is to smack his tray of cheerios and watch them fly.  He also holds food down beside his chair to beckon the dogs over to him.
-He goes CRAZY over animals.  He enjoys our dogs, but really gets excited about new dogs (and the couple of cats he's seen).  It's clear that his day is made if a dog will play with him.  And by play, I mean allow him to smack and pull their hair.
-He's doing a lot of mimicking and he's got his methods of getting your attention.  Fake coughing is his favorite.
-He smacks his lips and clicks his tongue.
-He loves to hang upside down.

His stats:
-29 3/4" tall putting him in the 90th percentile....this is still shocking me.  He's been continuing up the height/weight curve, so I'm thinking at the next doctor's visit he may be off the charts.
-22.5 lbs in the 80th percentile.
-His big ol' noggin ranks in the 90th too.  It may be close to time to buy him adult hats.

* Conclusion:  He's a really really big baby.