I love JBF!

Yes, I realize JBF is not Dan's initials.  Have no fear - I'm not pronouncing my love for another individual.   It stands for Just Between Friends, an enormously huge consignment sale - which I love!!!  Dan watched Camden for me this afternoon so I could go to the pre-sale event, for which my exceedingly kind and thoughtful next-door-neighbor had procured a ticket for me.  I had so much fun!  

To shop for kid stuff without my kid!  Oh, joy, oh, rapture!

Anyway, I was quite restrained in my purchases.  But here is a picture of the items I couldn't resist. 

And I didn't spend all that much at all!  I got a walking/riding toy for Camden, a ball-popping toy, 3 nifty rattly trucks, 2 bags of 1/2 dozen socks each, a tub of large Duplo legos (or whatever they are called), a wooden puzzle and 4 tactile-interesting balls.  Oh, yeah, and a shape-sorting toy, too.  I'm a little sad I didn't get to see everything, but I'm not sure it was possible to view all the options.  I picked through about 20 of the walking/riding toys (this exact same model) to find the cheapest one in the best shape.  I made out like a bandit too.  The most expensive item was $6.

I'm going to bed now to dream about good deals on toddler toys.

Likes to eat

My boy really enjoys food.  Although he is proficient at grasping tiny items with thumb and forefinger, he is often so ravenous, or so gluttonous, he stuffs food in his mouth by the fistful.  

But here he is enjoying blueberry pancakes.

It's a little messy, I agree, and his face and fingers were blue for the rest of the day.  But he really enjoyed it!

One small step for man

Well, it's beginning!  Camden is starting to take a few steps all by himself.   I find it completely adorable.

You can judge for yourself, if you like to watch the following video.

Camden thinks this is the best game!  He does better at the beginning - after that he laughs too hard to get very far.

We started this game about two weeks ago, but only recently did he really start to get the hang of it.  Yesterday, he actually voluntarily let go of my fingers and walked off on his own, not to someone but something.  I was so proud!  Unfortunately, his brave solo ended after about 4 steps.  Just as he almost reached his destination, he lost his balance and face planted, bashing his head on the way down.  Somehow, I don't think he found his new independence all that rewarding.  He hasn't tried again, except to walk from me to Dan or someone else.

He is a pretty great boy!

Sickies, Snow and Stats

I got to start my day super early - about 4am - for an experience I didn't feel prepared for and can wait an awfully long time to have again.  I got to provide moral support for poor little Sarah as she retched out her guts.  

I kept hoping each time would be the last and that I could go back to bed.  I can tell I'm not that many rungs up on the ladder to perfection, because, yeah, I felt bad for her, but I also felt really bad for me!  Not sleeping!  Trying to think up some stories to take her mind off the writhing agony of her belly.

She did feel better as the day went by, but she pretty much spent the entire morning watching our stash of princess movies.  Fortunately, she did conk out for a while while the babies were napping.  Woo hoo!

We actually did get snow!  The prediction was so impressive, that I doubted the storm could really be that great.  But I was proven wrong!  The forecast actually said "Blizzard".  

   

  We did get A LOT of snow, but it's tricky to say actually how much because it drifted pretty high in some places.  It wasn't sticky snow, so it's all on the ground (but maybe that's because Lucy on Peanuts is correct - Snow comes up, Charlie Brown, snow comes up!).

Sarah and Steven both wanted to play outside, but the wind-chill made it feel like -7 degrees Fahrenheit.  I let Steven out just for a few minutes and he was quite happy to come back inside.    

Yesterday Camden had his 9-month check-up at the doctor.  He's still doing great.  The doctor was amused at the unusual way his teeth have grown in - like 2 fangs on top.  (The middle top ones just popped through today - yay!!! finally!)

Weight:  16 lbs 14 oz  4%
Height:   28.5 inches    50%
Head:    18 inches   61%

Poor kid was yucky sick and miserable and feverish over the weekend.  Doctor said he had fluid in his ears, so he probably was suffering (still suffering) from an ear infection.

Some fun things Camden is doing now:

• He's discovered that things open and close.  Stuff like drawers and cupboards.  And now he likes to pull everything out.  Which is good because he is entertained, and bad because I get frazzled having everything all over the place.  
• He likes to help when he gets dressed - stuffing his arms into the sleeves and putting his feet in the footie parts.   He'll also step out of his footie pajamas.  It's so much easier now!
• He loves peek-a-boo games.  This comes in very handy when I don't have anything for him to chew on, er, play with.
• He is noticing other babies more and likes to play with them - which typically involves a lot of head bonking and climbing on/over them.
• He gets angry when you take away something he is playing with/chewing on.  I'm glad he's more aware, but he's so undiscriminating that I feel like I'm often stepping in to remove an ineligible object.  *sigh*  mean mommy strikes again.
• He doesn't really talk, he still just growls or giggles or yells or screeches or belly laughs.  No real recognizable consonant-vowel sounds.
• Camden loves cruising.  If you hold his hands, he doesn't just walk; he practically runs!  He's getting pretty darn good.  His zombie shuffle has evolved beyond ape walk to more of an Egger walk (you know, from Men in Black).  He's almost good enough to do it on his own, but he's not willing to try yet.  Nice to know he inherited a bit of my caution.  :)
• He is the most marvelous boy!!  So fun and great.  I'm just so grateful for my boy!