Three-Quarters

My little rodeo clown turned 9 months today. Wow . . .

Here are some of last month's notables . . . (No video until we get some computer failures corrected.)

Zane, I love you

*blowing raspberries on hard surfaces (note that recycled tire at the playground doesn't make any noise and is too hot).
*playing Where's Zane? and So Big!
*growing top two teeth (cut through on Father's Day).
*beating and thumping your right foot and hand.
*dancing.
*signing all done to everything.
*picking up objects and carrying and dropping them through the house.
*banging things on all surfaces.
*running your fingers up and down the vent.
*shouting to sing.
*hanging on the play room curtains.
*grinding your teeth.
*laughing at yourself.
*making friends.
*eating shoes, books and magazines.
*squatting to pick up toys.
*kissing faces.
*sucking frozen pears through a mesh bag.
*standing for quite a few seconds all on your own.
*grabbing at the illustrations while I read.
*following me around the house.
*throwing things on the floor for others to pick up, especially Vanessa.
*being you!

little kidspace

Our recent trip to COSI was not Zane's first. Believe it or not, it's more like his third or fourth. He enjoyed it in a much different way this time, though. This kid owned the little kidspace. Vanessa was into lots of the same old, same old. Zane likes beads like she did.

 He also enjoyed the water table like she did.

Zane got to explore places Vanessa did not.

And Zane kind of liked these big blocks -- if anything to climb over. :)

He's into the tools too . . .

Then the bigger kids got a turn in a much bigger space.

Weeeeeee . . . !

Up and down . . . up and down . . . seems most nights of lately they are up more than they are down. Good thing they're cute. :)

Beat

As these pictures show -- just a month ago the swing was magical. Zane still has moments where he's this beat, but there's no rest for the weary now . . . aww, he looks so peaceful . . . those were the days . . . :) Unlike the first several months of his life, now the car is magical -- for the payoff, it's not a big deal to load up the kids for a short jaunt to the post office or bank just so Zane will nap for 20 minutes. :) We even take the longer routes. :)

Out of Sight

Last week Vanessa had her first real eye exam by an eye doctor. She wore her special blue dress and pink sparkly shoes to impress Dr. Wright. She was excellent at following directions, even with the big scary tools and machines and funny glasses. Actually, her cooperation was out of sight! 

Happy Birthday, Andrew!!

Adventures in Forest

"A forest bird never wants a cage." ~ HB

One of our favorite things to do is explore the woods. On this adventure, Vanessa and Megan talked to a woodpecker by knocking on trees (and he responded four or five times, minutes apart and out of the blue); hiked miles, blew at inch worms dropping from trees; collected rocks; ran and fell; heard raining on the canopy; played. What a good release . . .

Cleanse Me

For now, he's close to whiter than snow. :)

Aunt Sally

We've had this post on hold for quite some time now. We were waiting till we visited Aunt Sally at her hospital again before we posted, to share some memorable photos by the big bulldozers and cranes destructing and constructing various parts of the OSU medical campus (or "dragons" as perhaps Cousin Tucker references them.) But we can't let another minute go by without being sure to share just how special Aunt Sally is to us . . .

Vanessa is extra impressed by her ability to fly helicopters (many at the same time and sometimes in other parts of the world . . . and even when leaving the room for just a moment, like Superman.) The fireworks display that Aunt Sally puts on for her birthday is even more impressive, here in Hilliard and across the nation. She puts on the best picnic gatherings in her awesome VW van.Vanessa squeals when she arrives: "Look! It's Aunt Sally!"  She has tons of tricks up her sleeves and is as cool as a cucumber -- Aunt Sally lets the little stuff slide with ease, laughs with us regarding the silliest things, and makes anything extra special (from repurposed plastic containers to Pepperidge Farm Goldfish.) I mean -- she is the Football Party. :)

[The following was typed by Vanessa -- while coached to find some letters she needed.]

i love you aunt sally
vanessa

[Zane loves her too. He shows it in other ways. :)]

Kitchen Help

Zane's training to be a great help in the kitchen. He helps to load and unload the dishwasher, and waits patiently for instructions on what to do next:

He's also great to support and encourage me through all of my kitchen chores:

That Girl's So Sweet

I know a girl . . .

 . . . who went strawberry pickin' . . . with Daniel and Audrey. They compared their strawberries in various ways.

Who has more? Who has the most? was the theme for this pickin'. They were all certain they had the most. :) Wondered what would've happened if we had asked who had the least? Would they have been as eager to claim that position? Such competition! :)

We scored a visit with the piglets that were not so much piglets anymore. But how cute?! They were rockin to Ozzy Osbourne's Iron Man. :)

And we visited the already expecting again mamas too. Oh -- and Zane was there . . . :)

*We need to give Cousin Hannah extra thank yous for sharing her fun Strawberry Shortcake clothes. Vanessa enjoyed picking out the "perfect outfit for picking strawberries today!"

Spitfire

Vanessa's told those carpenter bees on more than one occasion to "SHOO! GO AWAY!!"

She's tired of them not listening to her . . .

But then she remembers they seem to listen to the orange bat . . .