Some day he'll be old enough to eat candy...

Way back in the distant past, I posted a picture titled Halloween Preview. Yesterday, October 28th, was the official Halloween Preview, Trick or Treating in the civilized world of the metropolitain Milwaukee area (as opposed to the wilds of Waukesha County where they have the annual candy extotion on the actual night of All Hallows Eve - obviously there's something wrong in the head with them folk out there). Peter, bless his little 95th percentile soul, slept through the first half hour of the all the little ghouls and goblins draining the neighborhood of small candy packages, while his parents grew anxious with every sleepy moment he kept us from getting his piece of the action. Did we not purchase a precious lobster costume before he was even born? And he was asleep? Halloween for these new parents was not supposed to mean handing out candy to all the other kids and their parents. But, hark! What was that noise? Why, it was the baby monitor! Peter is awake and crying! Hurray! He gets to show off his precious cuteness in full effect! Huzzah!

(Yes, that's Cousin Elana as a bunch of grapes and her dad, Uncle Mike)

Ok, so we only hit about 10 houses total. But it was chilly and Peter's big mitts... er, hands were getting cold. So we cut the festivities short and returned to the party at his aunt & uncle's house, where he kept his motor going as he always does when three or more people gather with social intentions (Peter = party animal).

Eventually we got him to see his Granny well after the sun (and, er, the son) went down for the night. When he got home for the night he slept a good 6 hours before waking up hungry, so that was good...

The Last Nice Day

Yesterday was a warm, pleasant day. We figured it was possibly the last nice day Peter will see for maybe 6 months (and that's longer than he's been outside his mama's belly). So we packed Peter into his car seat and took his Grandpa out to a park overlooking Lake Michigan with a baby-seated swing set. He swung (gently) back and forth for about 10 minutes, having himself a very good time. He probably wanted to swing faster and higher being the little thrill-seeker that he is, but we're meanies and just let him go about a total of six feet back and forth. But he gave us a few giggles so it was worth the trip for us. There was a slide next to the swing, so I sat him on my lap and went down it a couple times, but it wasn't much of a thrill for him or me. We got him to slide down a couple times by himself (while we held his arms), but he likes swings better.

And now.... pictures.

Progress

About 10 mintues ago Peter sat upright on his own while on the floor.

This is apparently a couple months early.

Meanwhile, he seems to like watching Guys & Dolls....

The Happy Family

Pix Bomb 5

Pix Bomb 4

Pix Bomb 3

Pix Bomb 2

Pix Bomb 1

How big is big?

Peter now weighs 17lbs. 12 oz. That puts him in the 90-95th percentile, which is roughly the same as a month ago.

Peter is now 27 inches long/tall. That puts him in the 95th percentile, up from the 75th percentile month ago. This is not really a surprise since we had to adjust his bouncy seat twice in the past month due to his ever-lengthening legs.

His head measurement is in the 50th percentile, as it has been since he was born. Nice and steady, Pete.

He also was given a clean bill of health by his pediatrician.

Another new development is that the two front teeth of his lower jaw have finally broken through the surface of his gums. They’re jagged little things. Now he’ll no longer gum us, but it will be a proper bite. Now he’ll just have to learn that those things don’t feel good on us (and by us I mean his mom, for the most part) when he clamps down.

Before I forget…

Peter is officially 5 months old today. I’d get him a cake, but I don’t want to sugar him up, especially after last night…

Peter had a well-rested afternoon. He went to lunch with his mom and some of her friends from work, and then visited his old babysitter (y’know, from when Peter was just a baby) and her son. Mom and Peter picked me up after work and then we dropped off Mommy for a haircut. Pete & me (I know it’s bad grammar, but it flows nicer than Pete & I) then went to the bank and also picked up a book for him at the friendly neighborhood Borders – a Mom & Pop business, I’m sure.

When we got home, though, Peter decided it was play time. Most of the play time was normal and no different from any other time he got wound up. But after a while, I was lying on my back and I was holding him up in the air, which is one of his favorite things. I laid him down on my chest, and the next thing you know he slithered up to my shoulders and splayed out, pinning me to the floor. Smiling with glee, he pressed his gut into my face – smothering me, in fact – while emitting a devilish little giggle. Eventually his mom came to my rescue so I could breathe.

That, however, was not the end. I was still on my back and I held him up by the armpits again, standing on my chest. He buckled his knees a little, and let gravity pull his body down, the effect of which made his legs slide down my shoulders so that he wound up straddling my neck. This, he thought, was an even better wresting position that the simple pin. To celebrate his conquest of his old man, he did what he always does when he gets excited – he bounced up and down. On my neck. Repeatedly. I could barely get out an “urk, help!” But again, Mommy came and saved me from The Little Crusher (who, I must reiterate, weighs a ton).

No dummy me, after the 2 pins I got my back up off the floor so he couldn’t do it again. But just for good measure I held his shoulders down to a count of three. But he did best me, two pins to one.