All I want for Christmas...

is my two front teeth. My top teeth (all four of them) are starting to break through and they're really annoying me. Yesterday, I spent much of the day whining because my teeth had me in pain. In fact, I couldn't even enjoy my usual playtime activities. I'd start dashing across the floor, decide I was in pain, in then plop down motionless on the carpet partially on my side. Very sad. One thing that seems to help, but my parents don't seem to like, is banging my face into the carpet repeatedly. For a few moments, this is soothing. I can't wait for this to be over.

Happy Thanksgiving

It's my first Thanksgiving. I'm watching the Macy's parade with Mommy this morning. It's tape delayed here in the west since it's on from 6-9am our time. Everyone seems bundled up and sort of cold in New York. In comparison, it's bright, sunny and 70 degrees here. Daddy plans to take me out for a walk later today as Mommy makes Thanksgiving food. She keeps talking about making a special "turkey delight" meal for me as well. After having pureed chicken baby food and retching from it, I look on this with a little trepidation.

My Mommy and Daddy keep stressing certain words, and I've found them to be useful in lots of situations. Whenever I'm stressed out or tired or hungry, I've found that saying "MaMaMa" works well. When I'm happily crawling around or playing, I like to say "DaDaDa".

Gatekeepers

A sad night. Daddy put up a gate blocking me from visiting my friend Licorice. Now I'm all alone with only my Mommy and Daddy in the family room, but no Licorice. This gate is a lot tougher to move than the Pack and Play blocking the entrance to the kitchen was. Whereas with that, I found that, thanks to the miracle of leverage, I could push it out of the way, this gate seems a tougher nut to crack. Still, I have hope. Mommy and Daddy seem to be able to do som subtle thing with the handle to make the gate open. I'm going to study them closely and try to figure this out. I'm quite smart at this type of thing, so it shouldn't take me long.

A World in Motion

One of my favorite activities is to visit my friend Licorice. She always seems very happy to see me, but my Mommy and Daddy don't like my visits. In fact, they've put up a series of roadblocks to try to keep me from visiting her. Fortunately, I'm very strong and very good at solving puzzles, so I've managed to figure out ways around the roadblocks to see my friend. While before, I used to just like to stand up on Licorice's cage and play with her big red ball, now I like to spin her world (her cage) from side to side. Since I like to be lifted up and spun around, I feel like I should share the joy. I'm not sure if she likes it. Mommy doesn't like it when I do this. Nor does she like it when I "pet" Licorice. Seems like I've ended up with a handful of fur too often for Mommy's liking.

Anyway, last night after repeated visits to Licorice, Mommy seemed to be very angry at me. She told me "No" in a loud and angry voice. I was scared for a bit, but we both calmed down soon. I suspect visits to Licorice will be harder in the future.

Little Mouse

I've posted some pictures taken of me in my little mouse jammies taken last night. These jammies are from my Mommy's pen friend, Andrea, in Wales. They say "Mummy loves me" on the front. Also included in this batch are pictures taken during my dinner. My Mommy and Daddy are now going with the "Gandhi" feeding strategy---passive, non-violence. Left to my own devices, dinner can be quite fun (and quite messy). You can see them here.

A Day at the Races

My crawling skills are getting incredibly well-honed. As I was dashing around last night, my Daddy had the idea that he and I would run crawling races. We raced from the kitchen to the end of the family room. He's a loit bigger than I am so his "strides" in crawling are longer than mine. But I make up for this by getting in many little strides to his one big stride. While we've played this game before, he seemed surprised that now I was able to keep up with him in crawling. I even won one of the races. Checkered flag...here I come.

Play the Drum

I think I've inherited my Mommy's musical prowess. Right now, my favorite toy is my Leapfrog Learning drum which I've gotten really good at playing. I love to hit my drum. Sometimes it plays music back at me, sometimes it just makes drum sounds, sometimes it says the letters of the alphabet back to me when I hit it. Regardless, it's really great to play. I think the best part is that after I've finished tapping on it a little bit, it applauds my efforts with cheers and music. I smile and laugh during this part.

When I first got it, it was hard for me to use for two reasons. First, it seems to automatically shut itself off after a while. Happily, there's a big switch on the side. If I jiggle the switch around (MYSELF!) I can get it to start up again! Second, it used to be hard for me to handle. The drum has a head, like most drums, but it's hard for me to figure out which side is the head. What I've found is that if I just hit ANY side hard enough, it will still play music. I like to play the drum in different rooms too, so sometimes I'll drag it around with me as I go from room to room. I love this toy!

Photo Extravaganza

My Daddy took some pictures with one of my favorite companions, my reflection. This guy always seems to appear whenever I stand near the patio door. I like to kiss him sometimes. He's always happy to see me. Handsome guy, I'd say. Anyway, you can see the pictures here (on Shutterfly) or here on Ofoto. (Mommy says that some people might be bunching orders on Ofoto so the pics are posted to both places.

Runner-up Halloween Costumes

A variety of costumes were tried on before I settled on being Tigger for Halloween. Daddy has posted some pictures taken in runner-up costumes. You can view them here.

I was very nearly a sheep except that I grew too much from the beginning to the end of October, so we returned the sheep outfit a week before Halloween. While Mommy and Daddy managed to get some nice photos of me in the Bee and Lion costumes, this was luck since I actually loathed wearing those two outfits. ( In fact, I hated two different lion outfits.) I'm glad that I got to try on several costumes and decided on Tigger. I was quite comfortable and happy all day in my roomy tiger stripes.

By the way, I've been practicing saying Da Da this weekend, and sometimes I even call my Daddy that way. Ma Ma is still my favorite word though and I find it works equally well for calling both my parents. I have them well trained.

MaMa

Sounds are a funny thing. I like to make them, but have never been very particular about the order or timing of them. Usually, I just make whatever sound I'm feeling at the time. But there's one exception. When I see my Mommy or Daddy after not having seen them for awhile, they seem to take great delight when I make the sound "Ma Ma". They always reward me with a big smile and a hug, which is good. It's interesting that the same sound seems to refer to each of them, confusing too. When they're both in the room I sometimes say "Ma Ma" and they seem uncertain as to whom I'm referring. Oh well, live and learn.

Walkers

Mommy tells me that infant "walkers" are no longer considered safe. Still, if I want to get around, I need something to hang on to. So I've come up with a solution: I pull myself up on the side of my Ultrasaucer and then push it around the room to wherever I want to go. Voila! Instant walker. Mommy somehow seems concerned when I do this.

This is the week of Discovery Toys. A Discovery Toys representative visited one of Mommy's mothers' groups today, and I got to delight in many fun developmental toys. Then I came home to find a package from my Auntie Max. What was inside? A neat Discovery-brand toy! I can chew it... I can bat it and make things go round... It is a lot of fun. Mommy tells me that she and I will be attending a Discovery Toy party on Saturday. I think that I'm going to be a very lucky boy come Christmas and my birthday in December!

Halloween Photos

I've posted many new photos of myself. Some are taken in my Halloween costume. The landscpaes are taken from the top of Mt. Diablo, the highest point (at ~3900') in the bay area. You can view them here. You can also view my album by visiting the photo albom section of my website and clicking the "Halloween" hyperlink.

Lounge Lizard or Card Shark?

Well, my rash is gradually healing. It doesn't hurt anymore and it is covering less area. I still get to splash in the water many times a day, however, since Mommy is still being very gentle during diaper changes and avoiding wipes for a bit longer. Unfortunately, my cough is worsening again, especially at night. Geez, if it's not one end it's the other!

We are very excited because my dresser and a small chest with a hutch are being delivered today. Now my socks, hats, etc. will live in drawers instead of in baskets and plastic boxes on the floor. Mommy and Daddy are very happy about this, but I'm kind of ambivalent. I really enjoy carrying around my socks and chewing on them. Now I'll have to figure out how to get them out of the drawer.

I had my music class yesterday. I love to bounce and rock to the music. I also got to bang on and shake some instruments again. This is always a lot of fun. I am a very good drummer, and the mommies have also dubbed me "The Mixmaster" due to my flair with the teacher's electronic keyboard. After class, Rowena (my teacher) puts her keyboard down and lets the babies play with it. I have always been enthusiastic about crawling over and pushing the keys, but a few weeks ago I discovered the keys that start pre-recorded melodies and beats playing. Now I go for those buttons almost immediately, and we all get to groove to my tunes. I am the only baby who does this, and some have said that I'm destined to be a lounge lizard. I think I'll be a DJ instead and play all the hot parties.

Mommy, Daddy and I attended a poker night at the home of Matt and Patti in Danville last night. I got to crawl around and bang on a big stock pot. I would have liked to chew on some poker chips, but no one would let me for some reason. Daddy kept saying, "Put a fork in me. I'm done," when he didn't like his cards and pulled out of a game. I don't know why he wants people to poke him with a fork, but next time he says it maybe Mommy will let me have a plastic fork for a few moments so I can make Daddy happy by poking him.

Nasty Rash

Yesterday, I developed a diaper rash. Not a minor pink tinge between my cheeks as appears every once and a while, a painful, raw rash that spread across my cheeks and into my groin area. It really hurt! It still does, unfortunately. This morning when I woke up, Mommy merely touched my behind with a wipe and little dots of blood sprang up on my tender skin. This upset Mommy very much as did the obvious pain I felt during the diaper change. She decided to clean me with running water instead of wipes until the rash improves and to let me roam au natural from the waist down to let air hit my skin. Mommy also read that sometimes babies get yeast diaper rashes when they are on antibiotics, and decided to see the doctor. We went this afternoon, and I do indeed have a yeast infection on my behind. A medical student got to look at my butt too to observe what a yeast rash looks like. Both doctor and medical student were nice, and I have been taken off my antibiotic (since my runny nose output is clear instead of its original disconcerting green and the antibiotic is responsible for the yeast running amok on my backside). I now have some lotrimin cream to apply to my rash twice a day. Mommy, Daddy and I can't wait for the healing to begin!

A Report on My First Halloween

I was Tigger for my first Halloween. Mommy bought my costume at Target and then made me a special, springy Tigger tail. I was very bouncy and made an impressive Tigger. I am especially bouncy when Mommy sings the Tigger theme song:"The wonderful thing about Tiggers- is Tiggers are wonderful things. Their tops are made out of rubber! Their bottoms are made out of springs! They're bouncy, bouncy, bouncy, bouncy, fun, fun, fun, fun, fun! But the most wonderful thing about Tiggers is I'm the Only One!"

Mommy and I went to the John Muir Women's Health Center on Halloween so I could have my photo taken. (We'll only get one print from this photo session since the photographer was just doing this as a favor to the center to drum up business, but we took lots of other photos that we'll share with my fan club.) There were *many* babies at the center to have their photos taken. The most popular costume for babies seems to be a pumpkin. It was like hanging out in a whole pumpkin patch! Linus would have loved it! None of the babies seemed to be "The Great Pumpkin," however.

After the photo shoot, Mommy and I went to lunch with some other mommies and babies. An upscale supermarket had a display of pumpkins and haybales out front, so the mommies took the babies' pictures with pumpkins. I absolutely *hated* sitting in the hay, however, and I made this very clear to everyone by screwing up my face and crying. I think that some of the photos will show my happier side though. They have not yet been developed. The manager of the market thought the babies and the pumpkins were extremely cute and asked if he could take a photo of the mommies, babies and pumpkin patch for the store. I went along with this since it required me to sit on mommy's lap and not directly on the hay.

When we got home, Daddy was there, and I modeled my costume for him and we had another photo session. I was very happy to see him! We thought we'd briefly visit a few neighbors to show off my costume, but our neighborhood was crawling with what Mommy referred to as "marauding packs of Halloweeners"-- not badly behaved, just an amazing number of them traveling in big groups. We gave up on the visiting idea and just answered the door with me in costume. Many children commented that I looked very cute. For part of the time, I stood up behind the child gate (within view of the door) and pretended to be a tiger at the zoo. I liked Halloween! (Daddy will post some pictures to the Internet soon!)

Mount Diablo Yesterday but no Santa Cruz Today

Mount Diablo

Daddy, Mommy and I drive to Mount Diablo State Park on Sunday. It is not that far from my house, and we hoped to see tarantulas crossing the road since an article in the Contra Costa Times claimed that it is tarantula mating season. It seems that male tarantulas live alone in their burrows for 6-10 years and then set out wandering looking for a partner to mate with. If a the tarantula meets a female and survives the mating process (females are rather aggressive), the male just keeps wandering until he eventually is eaten by a predator, squished by a car, or dies of exposure. This is rather sad. The article also said that tarantulas are actually very delicate creatures (they can die as the result of a fall from 2 or 3 feet) and their bite is only as severe as a bee sting. All of this information made us long to see the hairy critters, but none could be found. A park employee said that the article was actually off by a month as to when tarantula mating season is. Oh well..

We did, however, get to see some great views from atop Mount Diablo (about 3850 feet high). We also got to experience some queasiness from the very twisty, steep roads. Even so, our stomachs settled and we later went to Chevy's (Fresh Mex) for dinner. Mommy and Daddy got to enjoy a relaxing meal as I took a nice, long nap.

To Santa Cruz or No?

Mommy and I were going to go to Santa Cruz today to visit her friend, Cheryl, and the baby living inside her tummy (due on November 10), but when Mommy called this morning, Cheryl said that her baby was showing signs that it might make it's appearance sooner rather than later. So we stayed home and Mommy talked with Cheryl about signs of labor and kept her occupied for a while so she didn't have to just pace around the apartment and wonder when things would pick up. The hospital told her that with her current symptoms, the baby could either come today or in several days, so we'll have to see when Baby Clara decides to be born!

Mommy and I just went to the market today and then came home to play. I especially enjoy carrying toys around with me while I crawl these days. Mommy and Daddy often find blocks and the rings from my stacker toy in various places around the house like a trail of breadcrumbs! I am also extremely surefooted and speedy when cruising around the furniture and the windowsills.

I had some baby applesauce today and ate more than the usual taste I usually do. This made Mommy very happy since I have been turning my nose up at just about all solid food again. However, shortly after eating the applesauce, I had a rather painful and puffy-looking rash appear on my behind (definitely not there before breakfast). This makes Mommy wonder if I am allergic to apples in greater-than-a-taste-size quantities or whether apples just lead to more irritating "output" than some other foods. An allergic reaction would be unusual since apples are not usually allergenic, but Mommy is going to lay off the apples for a few days and see whether the rash goes away.

In health news, I no longer have my coughing fits, just an occasional cough and a runny nose. My nasal output is now clear rather than the green shade that led mommy to take me to the doctor, so I'm gradually improving.