Tommy here…Aunt Michele came to visit me all the way from Alaska! We had so much fun playing together. I showed her all my new tricks and she gave me great hugs and cuddles (when I’d hold still long enough for her to scoop me up, that is!).
Here I model my “Auntie Loves Me” t-shirt for her. Glad she came to visit before I grew out of it! Next time she’ll have to bring a shirt for my friend Octopus…he was kind of jealous of my cool duds. Good luck finding one with eight arms, Auntie!
And here I pose with her before heading to the airport for her flight home. I tried to play with her nose ring, but I missed. I love shiny, sparkly stuff!

Well, you probably won’t hear from me for a while ’cause Mommy & Daddy are going out of town for a week. Grandma Norma is coming to play with me while they’re away and we’re gonna PARTY! Bye bye!

Tommy is standing better and better each day. He still requires support, but he’s starting to hold onto things one-handed…pretty brave for just one week’s worth of practice! Here he hides under the kitchen table. Mommy had moved the chairs to prepare for mopping the floor…something I’m doing even more frequently now that he’s crawling into every nook and cranny of our house!

Here is a wider view of Tommy under the table. Look at that reach! It will be wild to look back at this someday and tell him, “I remember when you could stand under that table without bumping your head!”

Finally, Tommy tortures our doggy, Kaya, through the back door. They give each other “kisses” through the glass…it’s the funniest thing to watch!

Here Tommy poses in a high chair at Islands, a nearby burger restaurant. Isn’t he getting to be such a big boy? Mommy and four of her girlfriends braved the establishment with their little ones…how much fun is it to dine with five kids under two years old at the same table? We left a big tip to compensate for the hurricane of a mess the tikes left behind.

Tommy’s hair is getting long (and thick!) enough that Mommy decided to try her hand at baby hairstyling last Sunday. She needs a little more practice with the hair gel before this ‘do goes public, don’t you agree?

Tommy enjoys his first lenten dinner…halibut and salmon. He decided to give us dinner and a show with his fishy entree. Yucky, Tommy…Keep that mouth shut while you chew! Surprisingly, he seems to prefer fish to all other meats he’s tried thus far. Our favorite sushi chef, Michael, can’t wait to get his hands on this little fella!

Tommy got his third tooth, upper front left, today. Amazingly, he’s been in the best of spirits while this new chomper cut through.

Monday we took him to the doctor’s office for his 9-month check up. He was in a great mood in the waiting room and many fellow parents commented on what a happy baby he is. I guess we’re doing something right! He’s the picture of health and near the 50th percentile in all his measurements.