Congrats President Obama!!

love, Democrat Baby

Christmas Photos for Auntie

Some photos...

His little shirt says "Geekling" and I love it!

Bethany gave us this super soft snowsuit for Max. She and Tom came to visit this weekend to go to a wedding.

I love this little hat from Krista!

Punk Baby!!! His hair is so fine now that it will only do a faux hawk while it is wet. As soon as it dries it goes down into his normal hairdo.

The Geekling waves Hi!

Lots of new foods...

Yesterday we broke the one new food every 3-4 days rule and Max had kiwi as a finger food and then blackberries too. He was a big fan of both. Blueberries were also a new food this week and he really seems to like to have blueberry oatmeal. He is self-feeding himself wheat puffs, sweet potato puffs, and multi-grain cherrios with a fairly high level of success. Gretel is very happy to get anything that gets dropped. Max's other foods include broccoli, potato, sweet potato, acorn squash, butternut squash, peas, carrots, nectarines, pears, apples, papaya (still the favorite), mango, avocado, black beans, and baby cereals including brown rice, oatmeal, and barley.

Max Walks!!!!

On Friday when I picked Max up from Joanna's house, he walked to me from Joanna. It wasn't far but it was four or five steps. Unfortunately Mark had to work late and then go into work early on Saturday, so it was Saturday afternoon before we were able to recreate the moment for him. When Mark first got home I had Max standing ready, but Max's balance wasn't all that could be hoped for and he made it about one step before falling into Mark's waiting arms. But we tried again a few minutes later and Max made it about 4 or 5 steps from me to Mark. Yesterday evening he was walking from me to the big ottoman while holding my hand, then letting go and turning himself around, and then taking up to 2 steps towards me without help. At one point he cruised to about halfway down the ottoman and then let go and took a few steps, stopped to stand by himself for a few seconds, and then took a few more steps to me. He is definitely getting to be mobile. Julian thinks that it is related to me playing The Who's Goin' Mobile to him during the week. :)

My dog is not so smart

Gretel figured out TODAY that Max drops food. At breakfast she plunked herself down next to his high chair and waited for him to finish eating/spilling. Max has a pretty high success ratio, but you can always count on him to spill some on the floor. Gretel was happy to get some extra snacks, and Max was happy because he likes to look at Gretel and he was definitely the focus of her attention. :)

9 Month Checkup

Max's 9 month checkup went well. He is tall and skinny with a giant head...

Weight: 20 pounds, 13 ounces, 55% percentile
Height: 29.25 inches, 77% percentile
Head Circumference: 18.5 inches, 90% percentile

He also had a test for anemia that came back fine and two shots (vaccine and flu shot). He is meeting (or exceeding) all of his milestones. And the doctor said that him not sleeping through the night is not a major cause for concern, much as it may be exhausting. He has been doing better since we got home from NY and is sleeping 5 or 6 hours in a row.