Clap Clap Clap

Miles' first trick as a 10 month old.

10 Months

Miles is 10 months old today. The last few weeks have been pretty rough. He's been teething up a storm and going through some pretty serious Wonder Week drama. Even though he's an emotional roller coaster some days, it's amazing how much he's growing and changing into an even more awesome little kid. 

Stats:

Weight: 20.4 lbs
Height: coming soon
Food: Anything we're eating as long as we serve it on our fork or spoon
Tricks: Taking several steps at a time, communicating with some signs and babble, getting really good at mimicking our actions, and knows when he's doing something he shouldn't (shakes his head no). Also, just this second, he started clapping his hands. Rad.

New Frontiers

We had a playdate at the park this Wednesday. It was awesome. Miles and Leon roamed around and got dirty -- just as little boys should.

Out Out Damn Tooth!

Seriously, Miles has been teething for (what seems like) ever. Hopefully these top two teeth make an appearance before we all lose our minds!

Father's Day

Father's Day this year was low key. Jesse went for a celebratory run around town. After, Miles supervised his shower afterward -- making sure he thoroughly washed his feet and armpits. He also liked getting splashed in the face from the shower spray. Overall, it was a great morning for both Miles and his dad.

We then packed the diaper bag and took a walk downtown to the library, stopped at a food cart for lunch, and headed over to Joanie's for cocktails and to enjoy the cool June evening on her deck. It looked like the sun might peek out of the clouds for the rest of the afternoon, but it only stayed out for a few minutes at a time. 

Miles charmed us all with his coffee table drum skills.

He and Alice have similar taste in toys.

And now that he outweighs her by 10 pounds, he's moved up in the ranks and can effectively taunt her.

After lounging around, Miles got restless, so Jesse took him for a spin around the yard.

They walked and walked until he was so tired that he took a little snooze while we ate dinner. A great Father's Day indeed.

Zoo

We purchased a family membership to the Oregon Zoo this past week while Bob & Mary Ann were in town. This was Miles' first visit to the zoo and I'm happy to report that he was pretty excited about the experience.

Miles spent quite a bit of time examining the fish pond and later watched ducks dive in the water.

After enjoying watching the black bears play from above, we went to another area to see them up close. The bear was definitely aware of our presence, and Miles was pretty amazed to see her pacing so close.

We were all a little hot and thirsty, so we stopped for smoothies on the way home. Miles enjoyed sampling from all of our cups, but liked his grandmother's mango pineapple the best. It wouldn't be a proper trip to the zoo without a sweet treat at the end. We were excited to go back again in the morning when more of the animals are out and about, but the rest of Bob & Mary Ann's trip was cold and damp. However, as soon as the weather finally warms up (come on June!) I think it's going to be a great summer to spend lots of time at the zoo!

First Steps

Miles took his first real step on Wednesday. He'd been sort of lunging and moving his legs for about two weeks, but we can say with confidence that he's actually walking now. Today, I finally managed to get it on video.

Italian at Heart

Tonight we had Spaghetti alla Puttanesca, but we've not yet introduced tomatoes to his diet, so he couldn't take part in the fun. Instead, I cooked some spinach tortellini and dotted it with his favorite red pepper puree so he wouldn't feel left out on our Italian feast. The tortellini were a hit, but the sauce really sent him over the edge. After finishing up his bites of pasta, he took the opportunity to do some finger painting...on his tray, his face, and in his ears.

9 Months (Stats)

Miles went in for his 9-month checkup today (a week late because his mom neglected to make the appointment on time).  I filled out a questionnaire about motor skills, communication, and social activities and he scored very high in all categories -- meaning he's right on track with where he needs to be. And of course insanely talented (no bias here).

The pediatrician assured me that his refusal to eat with a spoon is perfectly normal and that he may soon change his mind about purees. Or not. Either way he's perfectly healthy and Jesse and I are doing the right things by offering food that he can pick up and supplementing with breast milk and formula. However, she suggested that we not give up on the spoon entirely. This may just be a phase.

Stats:

Height: 29" (71 %)
Weight: 19.8 lbs (34 %)
Head: 18" (60 %)

I was kind of surprised at his weight. We clocked him in at 20 pounds a couple of weeks ago. However, he was holding on to the side of the scale today when he was weighed and also, I'm pretty sure he just went through a growth spurt. He was looking super chubby when we were down in Houston, but now he looks really long. That coupled with the fact that this kid never stops moving. He is the busiest baby I know!

Blueberry Face

Miles tasted blueberries for the first time (as a nine-month-old) today. He's been eating them for a while in his oatmeal, but this was the first time he actually picked one up and put it in his mouth. His reaction was pretty amazing. Pure bliss. Thankfully, we're just entering blueberry season and he'll have all summer to enjoy.