1/4 of the way done!

Report cards are due this week.... that means that I am 1/4 of the way done with the school year. It has really gone by pretty fast and lucky for me, Pete really seems like love going to Susan'sn house for his afternoons. He gives her kisses, gets to play and eat there.. could life get any better?

This is maybe why time is going so fast- we have had the busiest week ever!

First: Kim came to Winona to do the volunteer fair for Maggie's Place and Pete helped her recruit those college girls! While she was here, we played Monopoly, went for some hikes and walks and just had fun playing.

Then I worked 2 nights in a row and then we had a fun visit from Grandma and Grandpa! We went to SMU and played in the apple trees.

I climbed one to get some apples out and

Scout followed me up!

Pete showed him tummy and other skills off.

And then we spent time outside playing on his little playset. He had so much fun exploring all of the different areas and was even trying to climb up onto the platform... he isn't quite big enough yet though!

Hey- get me outta here!

Nevermind- I got it!

Whoa!!!

This is more fun to go down head first.

Pete just had the best time crawling in and out and up and down his play cube. We are going to set it up inside for him to crawl on all winter long. We decided that it was worth the space for him to have something fun to play on and get some energy used up!

BOO!

Happy Halloween! We did a costumed 5K in the morning- I was a cat, Pete a rate (is his jogger) and Garrick was a running cowboy. Pretty fun- it was very low key and mostly college students, but still a good time! Then we went to a few friend's houses to trick or treat and then to Chris and Lindsey's for their party!

The best costume there was one of their friends who dressed up with her daughter like they were kayaking... AMAZING.

Here are a few of Pete as the rat. He was so cute. He's starting to growl all of the time so he was a growling rat.

We took Pete out last week to take pictures in the leaves. Its lucky we did it when we did, because all of the leaves are now falling off of the trees. He wasn't feeling the best when we did it, but we still got some cute shots.

Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater...

Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater...

These are the pumpkins that I grew in our garden this year. As usual, they took over the yard, but luckily I got one that is big enough to stick Pete in which is what i was hoping for this summer!

Then we carved 2 of the other ones... you can guess who's is who's!

 

Brown Bear

Last weekend, Peter got his brown bear snugli to wear this fall. If you remember, last winter he was a white bear- this must be the natural aging process.

We wore it to Perrot State Park and to the HPT race that Garrick did. This was a 12, 6, or 3 hour mountain bike race. Which did Garrick do? The 12 hour of course! He's crazy. He said it was hard but not impossible and that he'd do it again... maybe, but he'd really like to try the 6 hour also.

This is Peter feeding himself graham crackers. This is a great activity for him to do when I have one more thing that I need to do and he's not being patient! He does tend to smear the mush all over himself- hence the bib. We have also moved to drying diapers inside since it is so cold and rainy outside- that's the rack behind him. It is not great for the waterproof covers to go through the dryer, so sometimes I put the inserts in the dryer and just hang out the covers and sometimes I hang everything- our house isn't very warm so it is hard to get them dry in a day when there is no sun!

I don't know what Pete is doing here, it looks like he's doing a little dance for you all. This was taken before one of his 2 days at day care this week. The first two days Susan's daughter was sick, then he went for 2 days and then he and Susan got sick! We took him to the doctor and apparently it is just his teeth coming in- 2 more on top! He and I were talking the other day and PEte thinks that the tooth fairy should come BOTH when your teeth fall out and when they come in! It is no fun at all.

This has still not Stopped him too much though! He is learning where all of the interesting places are in our house! †he steps are the newest place. He has made it to that his knees are on the bottom step- this is so much fun to try and do!

The Holey Grandparents came to visit today- more pictures up later from that!

Creeping Crawling and Climbing

That's what I've been up to! I can get where ever I need to go, but sometimes I end up under and chair or a table and then my mom has to come over and pull me out because I get a little disoriented. I do like to hide under the coffee table though and play peek-a-boo with her.

 

She also got a big cushion- I think it used to be Scout's bed!- for me to play on. I really like crawling around on it and up on pillows. I am so brave on the cushion because it doesn't hurt when I fall and it is acutally fun to crash once in a while. Sometimes I get too crazy and then I fall off of the edge- lucky for me it isn't too far down and mom is usually nearby to scoop me back on my play area! I don't mean to cry when this happens, but it is a little surprising.

I still really like to stand and play with all of the buttons on my block. Plus, since I've grown so tall I can see out the window if I stand on my tiptoes. I always have to see what's going on when a noisy truck goes by or if Scout starts to bark at another dog.

 Today I got to have a play date with my friend Finn, I know he looks bigger than me, but he is only 2 weeks older than me. He can crawl really fast though. I took notes today and am going to practice so that I can keep up with him- he is one tough guy! I got to show him all of my cool toys, he really liked my block too and we played together with it for a while while our moms gabbed away. It's nice that we get to play now instead of being in our own strollers.

Oh- and the BEST part of my week was when grandma came to babysit me ALL day on Wednesday. She told me that I was so good the other times that she couldn't wait to see me again. I was on my best behavior for her- we got to go for a walk, play for a long time and I got to introduce her to Susan, my babysitter. My moozie thought she was a really nice lady and that I was a lucky kid to go there every day! I got to wear mom's hat- it was a little too big (and a little too pink) for me, I look silly.

Another things that I got to show Moozie was my very best book- I love to look at the babies in the book that are hiding from me. My mom is so silly- she gave each of the babies in the book a name, she says we read that book too much- I don't think so, I just like to see my friends- Tomas, Lucy, Wendy and Benjy. I also got to show grandma how I can eat grownup food- scrambled eggs and cheese and graham crackers, and how I drink from a sippy cup when I sit in my high chair. I like it when she and grandpa come because they bring Payton and I like to pet her, get (a few) kisses and watch her play with my big dog.

Big kid skills- Little Boy Pete

New tricks!!!!

He is laughing the entire time, he is so proud of himself!

He has also been learning about baseball the last few weeks while we have been watching the Twins with our neighbors- unfortunately, it isn't looking good for them! Mike and Julie got him his little Twins onesie at the start of the season and he decided to see if it fit during the playoffs- with a little luck it will still fit at the start of next season too!

Happy October

We went to the twin cities this weekend and met up with Kristen and Kendall at a cyclcocross race. Garrick and Kendall raced and Kristen, Pete, Scout and I watched. Scout was barking and pulling the entire time since he saw Garrick go by multiple times- he was sure that he should have been running with Garrick, not stuck with me!

Here is Pete sitting with his bear at 7.5 months. We've said it before- it is so amazing how fast he's grown compared to the bear- I'm glad we took pictures like this...

Peter's new play place is the oval table in our living room- there are couches on each side so he can balance/bounce between the table and the couches and there is also a drawer to play in, on and pull up on! If the drawer is open a little he can pull it out and then grab on and pull up on it. Once in a while his feet aren't far enough out so he just dangles iNstead of standing up... He likes to look in the drawer and find the toys in there, take them out and then throw them on the floor. He also can creep along side of the table and drawer.

We also want to send out good baby vibes to Missy and Paul that they have their baby this week and that it is a healthy and easy baby for them!! Can't wait to hear about it!