Crawling with a Hop

Here are some videos of Thomas crawling. The first is about a week and a half ago. The second and third are from today. On the last one, notice his method. He moves his arms forward and then pulls his legs up with a little hop. Its SO cute! Excuse the dog that keeps getting in the way!

Tailgating Boys!

Ashley's mom made the boys some super cute outfits for the football game! They are reversible too!

Hey Luke, come here!

Hands up! What? We weren't doing anything!?!

Sweet boy ready for the game!

Two boys half way sort of looking at the camera? I don't know what Thomas' new obsession is with his fingers every time we pull a camera out...

Fun with Cousin Luke

Cousin Luke came to visit on Friday, and the boys had lots of fun! We were supposed to go to Wee Time at the library, but when we got there, it was canceled. So a bunch of people we knew were there, and we all decided to take the kids to the park to play. They really had fun. It was a nice day outside. Thomas played in the swing for the first time and really liked it! Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera for that outing! Here are some I got at home:

Not really sure how Thomas got under there!

Almost kissing! Sharing nicely...for the moment!

Bath Buddies!

A Ketchum Family Update

I suppose its time to update you on the goings on of the Ketchum family. I know you thoroughly enjoy all the pictures of Thomas, but just in case there are still those who care, here is what's happening with Michael and me:

• Michael really enjoys his new job at Rollins and Crigler.
• Michael is currently studying for the 2nd section of the CPA exam. He took the first in August, no results yet.
• I just accepted a part-time position at Main Street Counseling and Consulting AKA Christian Changes in Starkville, MS. I'll be counseling 3 days a week while Thomas goes to Parent's Morning Out.
• Part of the position includes supervision for my LPC (licensed professional counselor), so I am now collecting those hours.
• We have broken ground on a house! The goal is to move in some time in December!

Videos

This video was taken in early August of Thomas signing milk.

This was taken Monday morning of Thomas smacking. Not sure where he learned it, but he does it all the time now.

Thomas' First Football Game!

If you know Michael and me at all, you know that we LOVE some MSU sports. Behind family, that's probably the biggest reason we moved back to MS. So we were VERY excited to take Thomas to his first football game Thursday night! I think he had lots of fun, but Mom was exhausted when we finally made it home around MIDNIGHT! CrAzY!! But Thomas was a trooper. He made it through the first quarter and a little over half of the second before he was tired, hungary, and overwhelmed with the stadium. Then Nana and I took him back down to the tailgate where I fed him and he got a cat nap, and we watched the rest of the game on the TV. I thought he might sleep in the pack 'n play. No cigar. He did lay in there and talk to himself for a while. Eventually I let him out to visit with everyone. Needless to say, when we got in the car he was fast asleep before we were on the highway good, and he slept until 8:30 the next morning (with feedings at 5:45 and 7) But Friday night he slept from 7:45 PM until 8:30 AM with NO feedings! WOW!

Of course we had to have a photo shoot with the boys!

Thomas really wants that water!

Thomas is so excited that Luke shared while Luke is not so sure that was a good idea!

Discussing football strategy before the game.

Riding in the wagon with Papa at the tailgate!

In the stadium with his noise protective ear muffs

We have FOUR teeth!

So I posted about a week ago that Thomas cut his first tooth right before we went on vacation. Well, the next week, he cut three more! I have to say he was a real trooper! He was only a little more fussy around nap and bed time.

Who Knew?!

That a bucket of socks could be so entertaining? Thomas spent a considerable amount of time...

inspecting...

tasting...

and tossing...

his socks the other day!

Swimming in the Backyard!

I just love all of his expressions! I couldn't choose just a few to post!

Thomas Goes to the Park

Thomas and I met Michael for lunch last week, and we went to the park to play. Really all Thomas could do was slide, but we still had fun! It was nice to get out in the sunshine!

I'm gonna open my mouth as wide as I can and squeal!

Watch Me Grow!!

Excuse the terrible picture. I fell down on the job this week and had to make do with what I had.

I love this expression! It sums up his personality! I just wish I knew what he was thinking!

So Thomas is now 7 months old. Yes you read that right SEVEN months! He has been out of me for almost as long as he was in me!? Craziness! It has been a whirlwind of a month with lots of travel, firsts, and progress towards settling into a home...more about that in another post. This one is all about my Tom-Tom!! So here are his latest tricks:

• He sleeps for a glorious long time. Usually from 7:30-8 until 6-6:30 (eats) and then sleeps for another hour.
• He takes 2-3 naps a day depending on what time he gets up and whether or not he goes to school
• He really likes school. I think he has a crush on his teacher, and she might just have a crush on him! He makes flirty eyes at her when I drop him off.
• Are you ready for this one?? HE SLEEPS IN THE BABY BED!!! Yay! This is a new development. Just in the last week. But he transitioned like a champ! It just reinforces my belief that when they are ready to make these changes, they will do so easily. There was absolutely no screaming and crying it out required. I just laid him down in the pack 'n play swaddled in his Woombie, and he went to sleep. Now try it without the Woombie, and he screams. So for now, we have the Woombie.
• Another great development: no more medicine!! I've been slowly weaning him off his acid reflux meds since July. At his 6 month check-up, the doctor told me I could quit giving it to him whenever I felt like it. So I forgot a few days last week and over vacation, and he didn't seem to notice. So we just quit. No problems! He still spits up,  but not as much and he doesn't complain of pain.
• He eats table food. We sort of just skipped the pureed baby food and went right to table food. He ate some pureed peaches and avocado, but since we waited until he was 6 months, he was okay with table food. We just give him really small bites. He is adamant that it must be the same thing we are eating. If I fix him some veggies that we are not eating, he refuses to eat them even though I know he likes them. Silly boy!
• He has eaten: peaches, avocado, carrots, peas (a fave!), butter beans, apples, bananas, yams, black eyed peas, green beans, chicken, and hamburger. And he gnaws on corn cobs. That's his favorite!
• Not only does he sit alone, but he spins around on his bottom to get to things. 
• He can lean over to pick up a toy and get back to a sitting position.
• He can get up on all fours and rock back and forth. He can't quite figure out how to move his hands in order to crawl. I'm firmly convinced that after one day of playing with Luke, he will be crawling. I'm trying to find a time to go to Tupelo to arrange this.
• He's not quite sitting himself back up if he topples over. He gets up on his tippy toes and hands in order to attempt this, but just falls right back on his tummy. This is a great source of frustration for him and mommy.
• He's madly in love with his mommy. Seriously, he's kinda connected to my hip. He cries when I leave the room. Glad to know he loves me, but it does get kinda annoying. We are working on this playing independently stuff. I really think crawling will help.
• He has one tooth, and 3 more look like they will break through any day now. 

I think that's it! I'm sure I forgot something, but you probably really don't care!

Videos

A couple videos for your entertainment this morning...

We have a TOOTH!

Thomas cut his first tooth on that corn cob you saw him chewing on! 

It came in just before we left for vacation!

Playing in the Sand and Surf!

Loaded up and heading to the beach for the 5 minute break in the storm!

Family fun time in the sand!

The Beach!!

I have been SO excited about taking Thomas to the beach. I grew up going to the beach every summer. I kid you not, I have been to the beach at least once every year of my life. I am in love with the beach, and so I wanted to share that experience with my son! Silly Tropical Storm Lee seriously messed up my vision of what this trip to the beach would be like! Despite the endless rain, we had a great time with our parents and Thomas. I think he thoroughly enjoyed being spoiled! I am now having to convince him that he is perfectly okay sitting in the floor playing by himself. He thinks someone should either be in the floor with him or he should be on someone's hip or lap! Here are some pics! Enjoy!

Swimming at the Westmoreland's

Thomas loves to swim! Last week, Michael took the CPA exam Monday morning in Jackson. So he met us at the Westmoreland's house on his way home, and we went swimming with Thomas! He had a FABULOUS time! They have a tanning ledge that was just perfect for him when I set the chair in it. The water was just deep enough on the chair for him to play on his tummy!