9 Months with RL4

It seems I blinked and our little tiny newborn boy has been transformed into a babbling, three-toothed crawler! Last Friday marked 9 months since RL arrived on our scene, and he just gets more precious each day. We are so thankful to have him as part of our family! Here are a few recent views and achievements:

One of the first physical accomplishments that made him seem like such a little person to me was his sitting in the crib when I'd go in to get him after his naps. Of course Ralph is always right there, hanging around!


Banging things together is another new fun activity...


He first started pulling up to his knees just a few weeks ago...


And he is getting to be a great crawler!


Going for the camera...


Last Tuesday he pulled up to standing for the first time and stood there a long time, even letting go with one hand for a while. Can you tell how proud of himself he was?




He cut tooth #3 last week, too, but I've had trouble getting a good photo of them. Here you can at least see a little of his toothy smile.


Today I found him like this...


and here he is in action on Saturday.


Look out, world! (or at least, for now, sisters!)

Summer is...

goofy goggles


green grass under the swing


a homemade waterslide


the inflatable pool, again


waiting your turn


doing anything to cool off


visits from an old friend on a road trip


corn on the cob


3 flamingo dresses around a handsome brother


waiting for friends to come for supper


Saturday afternoon naps on the couch


Sunday night sundae parties

Our New Go-Getter

When I leave RL on the floor in his room now, here's what happens...







He's not content to hang out and wait for me to come back! In a matter of seconds he has left the toys I put near him in a distraction attempt in the dust and found the exit. He is a boy on a mission...to get out the door and, usually, try to gets his hands (and drool) on the noise machine which usually sits outside his room. Toward the end of June, it was obvious that crawling and a tooth were imminent, but which would come first? As it turned out, he achieved both on the same day, June 30! He's still defaulting to his tummy crawl as he gradually improves his form on true crawling, but it's coming along. And the tooth (bottom right) is adorable and surely soon to have some company on that bumpy little lower jaw. He's getting so big so fast.

Joyful, Joyful!

We couldn't have imagined this when we recessed to Ode to Joy on our wedding day, but thank you, Lord!


(This was SJ's first time to have side ponytails, thus her request to "look in the mirror"!)