Good morning.

Clap clap clap your hands!

Going so fast

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8 Months.

I sit here and watch Corbin trying to go from one object to another. Learning how to go from standing to sitting again. It's all going so fast! It's truly amazing how much these little beings learn and how quickly it goes. I am in constant awe of it. He just stood on his own for a fraction of a second. He wants to hold my hands and walk around. He is also experiencing frustration about not being able to get to where he wants to go on his feet. Or get down. He was almost doing the splits while standing up and couldn't quite figure out how to get his legs back together and then get down.

This week he also learned how to stand in his crib. You know, if you have facebook, how frustrating this was for me. His normal great naptimes have been cut down and at first I didn't know what to do. Do I go and get him? He didn't know how to get down from standing there for a while. Do I let him cry? Will he eventually go to sleep standing? He would be almost asleep from nursing and I would set him down and up he would go again to stand. I also couldn't see what he was doing at one point and he was right where the decals were, so I was afraid he was going to pull them off and eat them. So I went to watch him, he didn't notice me at first. Then I went to go and get the camera to video him, the first video, and then he noticed me. So I tried to put him back to sleep. Nope. He got up again. Then he got down on his own, found blue softy, I thought he would finally go to sleep. But no, he found the video monitor. Headed straight for it. Took it down. So I went in again. Still wouldn't go to sleep. So we went for a walk. Same thing in the afternoon. But I found out that he can't stand with the sleep sack on, which he wears at night, so now he is wearing it for naps too. It might buy me some time. So we have done with some really short naps these last few days. I am SOOO glad I did the cry-it-out before he learned this new trick. I don't think I could have handled it now, with him also standing in his crib. Now I know the difference between cries and how he also knows how to put himself to sleep. I also LOVE our video monitor. So hopefully our nap schedule will start again once he has practiced. But I want naps. Selfishly for me too.

Despite my frustration, I am also amazed. I think its so cool how much they are learning. And how fast. Just on Thursday he started going from one object to another, or moving along one object on his feet. Scaling, I think. Literally in one afternoon. And now that is what he wants to try.

He is also talking ALL the time. Babbba babba is is his favorite. But he has also added mamamamaaa. But he saves that for when he wants something or is frustrated or tired. Sometimes he combines them. MmMmbabammbaaa. Mmm bap mmm bap. Remind anyone of anything poppy?

We tried cheese this week. And found Rice Checks cereal is easier to pick up than rice crispies. Duh.

Ok. He has lasted enough to let me write this, a few interruptions not counted. But he is getting tired. It's almost nap time.

Presidential Vacation

As is our tradition, we spent another Presidents' Day weekend, skiing, eating, and enjoying the company of friends. Of course, this year there were babies! Jill and Paul, and Becky, Kevin, and Brody joined us in Leavenworth. It was different and the same with little creatures around. Biggest difference: Not effectively sleeping in. Biggest sameness: I'm still not hungry.

The cabin was OK. It was probably the worst one we've stayed in so far. Kind of unfinished (though mostly just cosmetic details) and somewhat ghetto (like a refrigerator shelf held up by boards and a wobbly kitchen faucet that eventually worked a pipe loose and caused a leak, which Paul fixed). Still, it was not here, and it was cozy enough.

We didn't do a lot of skiing. Just two days. I could blame this on babies, but really, I think we were all quite content to lounge and play games and read and eat. Very pleasant.

It was good, also, to see Kevin and Meghan when we got home. They were nice enough to house/animalsit for us, and stuck around for some Corbin time and leftover curry. And Bananagrams. And Spite and Malice.

Here's a diaper-full of pictures for you!

"Well boys, what'll ya have? Sorry, those cookies are off limits. How about some delicious and exotic chunks of avocado?"

Learning so many things!

Corbin is learning so many things! I feel like his little brain and body are working overtime to learn everything he can. He is SOOOO close to crawling. He goes and does a couple of moves and then goes back down on his tummy. He is pulling himself up, as you can see. And lots of down dogs! He is also talking ALL the time now. He didn't talk too much before and now he finally is putting more sounds together instead of just cooing. And he is screaming and seeing how loud his voice is. He practices all these things in his crib before going to sleep. It's so funny to watch and see him doing these things. We need to move his mattress down a level so he doesn't pull himself up and fall over the edge!

There is lots going on in my brain these days. Maybe during a nap this weekend I will write more.

Swinging away