Happy Halloween!

Daddy's little monster posing for a picture on Halloween while Rosco ran around all crazy-like due to the ball I was taunting him with in my hand while holding the camera in the other. This is the magic I use to get smiles in our pictures. According to Joseph's teachers at daycare he had a fabulous day yesterday, even more so than usual. He didn't cry or get frustrated at all, and played happily with everyone all day long and just rubbed his eyes when he got tired. We think it might be because I started making bigger bottles (which was not intentional, I only did so because his bottles spilled on the way to daycare and there was only enough left for two big bottles instead of three normal ones). So now he's gulping down 8oz bottles, and eating solids three times a day. He can also sit on his own for 5 minutes (or basically until he tries to reach for something) and I think he's even really getting teeth (when I put my finger in his mouth I feel a jagged hard surface along his bottom gums...can't get a good look as he FREAKS OUT whenever I try to open his mouth for a peek...but I'm pretty sure this is teeth this time). And would you believe the little man actually stayed awake until 7:30? I hope it becomes a trend so that once the time changes we can still keep him awake past 6:30!

This is what Joseph looked like before Rosco ran past him.....

Joseph and the Pumpkin Patch

We celebrated Halloween on Saturday by dressing up as a frog and visiting the Barthel Fruit Farm. Though his grin wasn't as big as usual, we did capture a few good photos as Joseph gazed around the pumpkin patch and apple orchard. He was fascinated by the dirt and vines on the ground and the bails of hay stacked up in the fields. Next year maybe he'll be awake late enough to stay up for trick-or-treating!

These are a Few of My Favorite Things

Listening to a story

Sucking on my toes

Slurping on my hands while eating

Trying to hold my bottle

Playing with Rosco

Sitting up (not quite on his own, but close)

Interacting with the other babies at daycare

Watching TV (typically football or jeopardy)

Going for walks in my stroller

Dancing around the room with mommy or daddy

Splashing around in the bath

Eating oatmeal, yogurt, mangos, green beans, or chicken with apples

So that's what a pink eye looks like

Yes, our home has been breached by pink eye and we are banned from daycare and the office. Joseph doesn't seem too bothered by it, but he is sleeping a lot more during the day. Though right now he is awake and trying to type with me.

A message from the little man:
2jjx 3 mr

To many windows are popping up so I'm going to have to end the fun. And yes, I will clean the keyboard now that we're done.

Our Little Pumpkin

Our little pumpkin posing in the front yard. His tummy is all better and he's back to eating all the usual fuits, veggies, cereal, and yogurt. The doctor says he can eat just about anything as long as it's mashed, with the exception of nuts and seafood....and apparently pizza. Jay tried to give him some Di Carlo's pizza sauce last night and he spit it right back out.

6 month stats:
Length: 29 in (99%)
Weight: 17lbs 10oz (50%)
Head: 43.5 cm (45%)

Six Months Old!

We went to the mall today and had Joseph's six month pictures taken...after 3 hours and two attempts we did end up with a few great shots (above and to the right). As I was putting him onto the boppy I hit his forehead with my knee, so we had to get this one in sepia so that you can't see the big red mark I made between his eyes. The colored one to the right was before the knee debacle.
Joseph's tummy is better so as a special treat after his pictures he got to enjoy some peach yobaby yogurt, and wow does he love it. (we tasted it and can understand why, because compared to all that other mush this stuff is delicious).

Latest developments....

Joseph seems to have a stomach virus...on Monday morning we awoke to the sound of him playing in his crib and a stench so horrible that words cannot even begin to describe. At some point in the night Joseph had puked and pooped, soiling his sheets and Pittsburgh Pirates pajamas (apparently he wasn't too pleased with how they ended their season. He had also pooped his Steelers outfit Sunday afternoon which shows what he thought about their loss). Good news is that we got the stains out of the jammies and the shirt (who knew carrots and sweat potatoes were so dangerous), bad news is that he's still not fully recovered. Though he hasn't thrown up since then, he still has an explosive butt twice a day. We were greeted with yet another stench this morning and for the first time had to give him a bath as the result of a massive cablosion. Of course it didn't bother him at all, he was playing in his crib as usual and welcomed the opportunity to play in the water before heading off to daycare. We're not sure if it's just a regular virus or symptoms of teething, but other than being a bit more needy he seems fine. No temperature or anything. This morning I took a closer look at his mouth and it seems I'd been looking in the wrong place for teeth! I thought they'd pop right out of the top of his gums but low and behold there along the front of his gums were two white objects about half way up the gumline! This may also explain why he only eats an ounce or two out of the bottle, but still will eat his cereal, as I'm told the bottle can bother them while teething. So we'll be buying some yogurt this weekend for him to try so we can still make sure he's getting enough in that belly of his. We go to the doctor on Tuesday for his checkup and will make sure everything is ok!