What a Difference a Week Makes!!

Hey, Dougie.

DeeDee babysat for you while Mommy was at work all last week and on Monday and Tuesday of this week. You have learned so many things in just one week.

When you came to DeeDee's last Monday, you hated playing on your tummy. You also did not like to nap in the bed at all--you wanted DeeDee to hold you while you slept. When I put you in the bed, you cried and cried and when you finally went to sleep, you only slept for about 15 minutes. Needles to say, you were a very tired little boy.

Yesterday, you were totally different than you were just one week ago!!

The biggest news is that when DeeDee put you in the crib for your morning nap, you fussed for only about 2 minutes and then you fell asleep and stayed asleep for 2 hours and 20 minutes!! Your mommy said that she thinks that is the longest nap you have ever taken...way to go, big boy.

You also love playing on your tummy now. If DeeDee or Mommy puts you down on your back, you immediately flip over to your tummy so that you can get your toys. Your toys are very interesting and you love discovering all kinds of new things that you can do with them. You only start to cry when you are getting very tired.

You are also starting to pop your bottom up in the air. So far, you have not gotten up onto your knees, but it won't be long!! DeeDee is going to have to baby-proof her house very soon.

DeeDee and Pappa are heading to LA for the weekend, so I won't see you for 5 whole days...I wonder what you will be doing when I see you next week.

Love you, Dougie!! See you on Monday.

Tooth #2

Hey, Dougie. You got your second tooth this weekend!! DeeDee is so glad that it has finally come through since your gums hurt you so much on Friday.

Pappa Mike and your daddy went bike riding yesterday and you, your mommy and I just hung out at your house. You took a really nice 45 minute nap for me while your mommy went to get a pedicure. She enjoyed the pampering and when you woke up, DeeDee read you a book and we played with some of your toys.

You were a very sleepy boy by the time Pappa and Daddy got home. The girls made the boys get their showers in a hurry because we were very hungry and you were almost ready for bed. At the restaurant, you sat in the high chair and watched everything that was going on. You didn't cry, but by the time we all finished our food you were rubbing your eyes. I'm sure that you were asleep before you even got back to your house!!

I will see you in a couple of hours, Dougie. You are staying with me again today and tomorrow. When I pick you up at Mommy's school, we are going to hit the bookstore before we come back to DeeDee's house. I know that, as always, you will enjoy the outing.

Red Letter Day

First time in a high chair, Big Boy!!

Hey, Dougie. It's been a great week. We had so much fun.

Yesterday, your daddy and DeeDee took you out to lunch with us and you sat in a high chair like a big boy for the very first time!! You used the high chair cover that DeeDee made you for Easter. You loved chewing on the cover strap and being able to look all around the restaurant. You were especially interested in the bar...but your daddy told you that you would have to wait another 20 and a half years before you could get anything from the bar. That didn't phase you, you just kept looking at all of the people and all of the pretty bottles up there.

When DeeDee took you to your mommy at her school, you got to visit with Ms. JoAnn. She really misses you this summer and can't wait for the ELC to open again on August 17. Ms. JoAnn could not believe how big you have gotten in just a little over a month. You gave her hugs and lots of pinches, which you distribute liberally to anyone who holds you.

Your mouth was very sore today...your right bottom tooth is getting ready to pop. I wonder how long it will be until your second tooth is through.

Your daddy and Pappa Mike are going to ride bikes again tomorrow. They are going to ride up in your neck of the woods, so I will come to see you, too. I'm sure that we will find lots of fun things to do. Love you, Dougie. See you tomorrow.

And the Blankie is Passed!!

I love Mommy's and Aunt Katie's Blankie!!

Hey, Dougie. We had a great day today!! You have decided that the blankie used by your mommy and Aunt Katie is pretty special. You kept it with you today and even slept with it. It is so well used and loved that it is super soft and you just love it. DeeDee loves to see you using something that was so special to your mommy and Aunt Katie.

DeeDee is making you practice a bunch of new skills and you don't always want to learn them. Sometimes you are unhappy with DeeDee and you let me know it with your very loud voice. You are practicing spending time on your tummy...not yet one of your favorite things. But, boy, did you show off for Mommy when she came to get you today. You showed her that all of the hard work that you and DeeDee are putting in is really worth it.

You have also been practicing going to sleep in the Pack-n-Play. That's another thing that you are not crazy about, but you are learning that you have to take naps, and that the Pack-n-Play is the best place in DeeDee's house to sleep. I'm sure that it won't be too many more days before you have learned that lesson very well.

Sleep tight, Dougie. See you tomorrow.

Sunday Fun

Only when you are sleeping!! Notice your muscle shirt...

Hey, Dougie. We had a lot of fun today. Your mommy and daddy brought you over to see DeeDee and Pappa Mike. Your daddy and Pappa went on a 14 mile bike ride together while you and Mommy and I went downtown to pick-up her necklace.

After the riders got home, they took a shower and then we all went to Mellow Mushroom for dinner. We sat outside on the patio because the weather was so nice. The humidity was low and the temperature was in the low 80's. This is quite unusual for mid-July in the South and we all really were enjoying the break from the heat and humidity.

You loved sitting on the patio. There were lots of people to watch as well as ceiling fans and colored lights on the ceiling. You were really a good boy while the rest of us ate our dinner.

You were a little cranky today because your teeth are bothering you. You seem to have several more teeth that are trying to come in right now.

When we got home from dinner, your mommy trimmed your fingernails and toenails while you slept. Your mommy said that she is not able to trim your nails any time other than when you are sleeping. I took a picture of her doing this so that, when you are a little older, you can see how this process worked. In this picture, you can see how much you are growing...your shirt looks like a muscle shirt. Your mommy said that you won't be wearing THAT shirt again. She said that she is going to have to go on a shopping trip to buy you more new clothes...she plans to just skip the 12 month size and go straight to 18 months.

DeeDee is going to babysit for you all this next week. It will be so much fun!! I will be so happy to be able to see you every day!! See you tomorrow, Dougie.

Success!! A Tooth!!

Drooling and Chomping in May

Hey, Dougie. How exciting...you got your first tooth on Wednesday. You won't show it to anyone yet, but DeeDee put her finger in your mouth and felt that sharp new addition...it won't be long before you will be eating lots of new foods!! You have been drooling and chomping on your fingers for months now...so this is a real milestone. I'm sure that there will be more teeth coming in soon because you were still drooling and chomping yesterday.

DeeDee surely enjoyed your visit yesterday. Your mommy and daddy brought you over to see me. Daddy helped dig some roots out of our yard and Mommy and I took you downtown to pick out a necklace that she has wanted for a while. You had so much fun riding in my stroller and looking at everything in the shop. You were such a good boy...not a peep out of you.

When we got back to the house we had chocolate pie that Pappa Mike made on Wednesday evening for your Mommy's birthday. (Alas, your mommy wouldn't let you try the chocolate pie, even though you have a tooth now...) Her birthday is today and I'm sure that it will be her most special birthday yet because you are there to share it with her!! Happy Birthday, Mommy!! Have fun on your special day!!

Can't wait to see you again, Dougie. Love ya, DeeDee

Welcome Home, Dougie!!

Dougie, you're back!! Pappa Mike and DeeDee were so happy to see you and your mommy yesterday. We really missed you while you were gone.

Pappa Mike and I arrived at your house at 4pm...you and mommy had just gotten up from a nap, so you were both a little groggy. It didn't take long for you to wake up and be ready to play with us. Pappa Mike had not seen you in almost a month and he could not believe how big you have gotten and how much more active you are now.

Your mommy and daddy got you a new walker yesterday and they said that you really liked it. You were not interested in showing us how you cruise around in it...you wanted to sit in our laps and to sit in your bumbo seat. We all had fun watching you try to pick up your toys from the floor when you were in your seat. After a while, you got hungry, so mommy fed you and then we all went to dinner.

When we first got to the restaurant, you were content to sit in your carseat. After a while, you decided that you wanted to get up and see what was going on. Everyone took turns holding you and you checked out the entire restaurant and jumped and jumped on everyone's lap. You have VERY strong legs and you were having a very good time showing everyone just how strong they are.

You are also getting very interested in checking out everything within your reach. You like to hang onto DeeDee's hair...and you are very interested in eye glasses, too. You have already stretched out a pair of your mommy's glasses and you tried to get DeeDee's glasses at dinner last night. You have always been a very curious boy, but you are now starting to go after the things you see in your world. You are entering another exciting stage!!

Pappa Mike and I are so glad that you are back home, Dougie. We can't wait to see you again soon. Love ya, DeeDee

Missing you, Dougie!

At the lake with the birthday girl (pic complements of Aunt Ann)

Hey, Dougie, its been almost 2 weeks since I last saw you. It seems much longer than that. It's vacation time in the South and everyone has been enjoying a change of pace lately.

You and your mommy went to the lake on July 2 to help your godmother, Aunt Bernie, celebrate her 50th birthday. I hope you had a lot of fun and enjoyed your first fireworks show. Pappa Mike and I could not join everyone at the lake because we had to go to LA to work on our house. David had finished all of the work in our living area so we had to go down to get everything back together. We worked very hard and everything looks much better, although there is still construction dust everywhere. Hopefully, we will be able to finish everything up when we go down the next time. Here is a link to some pictures of our new room.

After the 4th, you and your mommy went down South to visit your Great Grandmommy. You got to see the ocean for the first time and to feel the salt water on your toes. I hope you enjoyed it, Dougie. I can't wait to see pictures.

I hear that you are coming home tomorrow...and I surely hope that the rumor is true. I have missed you so much and can't wait to see you and give you a big hug and a kiss!!

See you soon, Dougie. Love ya!!