Happy 11-Month Birthday, Andrew!

Yesterday Andrew turned 11 months old.

He is one very active little guy! He is into everything, especially if it involves water, sand, or dirt.

Andy fairly consistently uses Mum-Mum/Mama when he wants me, although he also says it for Jon, too. (However, if you say Mama he looks to me, and if you say Dada he looks at Jon.) He has about half a dozen signs.

Today Andy took a couple of unsupported steps. He wasn't aware of what he was doing. Jon said he would most likely first walk without realizing it, and he was right. The more Andy thinks about taking an unsupported step, the more he hesitates to do it. In many ways that seems counterintuitive because Andy is otherwise so confident, so mobile, and so active.

I'm going to transition Andy to his 24-month clothes. He still fits in his 18-month clothes, although his 18-month onesies and rompers are getting harder to snap, but we have more 24-month summer clothes.

Happy Summer!

Yesterday was the first day of summer.

In the morning we went to a playground with some friends.

Andy cruising around

Having fun in the bubble window

Matt driving the jeep with a friend

We spent the late afternoon and evening in the backyard.

Matt found a feather.

Andy explored the slide. He successfully climbed the ladder to the playhouse and then slid down the slide (on his belly) all by himself twice. (Yes, I spotted him. No, he didn't really need it.)

Matt had lots of fun playing with the little red wagon.

Both boys went for an early bedtime and were out very quickly!

Here are some bonus photos from today:

Climbing through a "train" at another playground

Matt made a new friend in his playhouse

Strawberry Picking

This morning we went strawberry picking at the berry farm, then stayed to play and see the animals.

On the hay ride

Picking strawberries

Eating our yield

Andy rarely misses an opportunity to play in sand...

Andy climbed the mountain of tires all by himself - and got himself back down again.

The ducks

One of the goats

Feeding the sheep

The miniature horses

Andrew's Weeks 46 & 47

Here are a few more photos of Andrew from the past two weeks:

Playing in the rainwater in the wagon

Honking the blue car's horn

Inspecting the marigolds

Back to splashing in the water

Hula hooping 

Trying out the Adirondack chair

Today Andy weighed 10.9 kg, or just a hair under 24 pounds. He is definitely growing more and more!

A Busy Week in June

We were so busy this past week I feel it deserves its own post.

Monday

Catching up on chores at home

Doing laundry after our trip

Teddy Bear Picnic at a local library

With a shaky egg

Matt and Pooh listening intently to the story

Andy being goofy

Paying attention to the reading of another story

Marching in the parade

Tackling a Pooh

Snacktime

Enjoying every last bit of applesauce

Tuesday 

Art & Nature program

Playing with frogs

Storytime at a local movie theater

Movie theater rows are perfect place for cruisers

Andy being silly

Matt listening to the story

With the Cat in the Hat

Being creative at home

Erasing the chalkboard

Wednesday

Curious George Birthday Party at our local library

Matt listening to more stories

And Andy being goofy as he cruises around

Matt working on his Curious George mask

At a friend's house

Learning how to play a friend's new favorite game

Andy enjoying "riding" on the toy quad bike

Swinging

There goes Andy up the ladder!

Posing

Thursday

Making a mess before we can leave

Someone has a good "Who, me?" face... 

Cleaning up / making a mess again

At the playground

On the swings

Static hair from the slide!

Matt and his buddies enjoyed climbing up the slide. I'm not sure which they enjoyed more: making it to the top or not making it and sliding back down into a big pile.

Matt riding a bucking bronco

Seesaws are fun!

Andy riding the bouncy triceratops

Visiting a friend's homestead

Getting acquainted with the goats and their kids

Matt helped collect the chicken eggs, which we took home and had for dinner.

Andy watched.

Friday

At the zoo

Lions

Giraffes

Prairie dogs

Matt exploring a prairie dog-style hollow

Not quite ready to let go while walking

Playing in wood chips

Jumping from stumps (Don't worry: he didn't get Andy's fingers.)

On the carousel

Going for a slide

Crossing the bridge

Trying to ring the bell

More sliding

Double bounce

Andy in the ladybug

Matt in the bee

Matt in the ladybug

Andy cruising around the bee

Matt testing the peacock climber

Feeding the budgies

Serving as a perch

Incoming!

Letting the birds talk it out

Saturday

At another local library's book sale

Train table fun

Puppet fun

Back home

Reading some of our new finds, including some Magic School Bus titles

Sunday

Spending Father's Day in the backyard

Playing separately and together in the sandbox

Posing

More posing (Yes, he required a change of outfits after his time in the sandbox.)

Matt on his balance bike