Tired Out Little Kid

Linus fell asleep while eating his lunch one day last week. I had to take pictures because it was cracking me up how he was still sticking food into his mouth as his eyelids were drooping shut. He was so tired, he continued sleeping as I cleaned him up and then tucked him into bed for a much needed nap.

I just tucked him in for a nap after he fell asleep on me on the couch. We were playing a version of peekaboo and he fell and cut his cheek on the corner of a base board. I made him feel better with hugs and kisses and stories on the couch. Next thing I knew, he was fast asleep. There is nothing like having a sleeping baby in one's arms.

Wisconsin Visit

I can't believe we visited Wisconsin instead of living there! Here are a couple of pictures from just over a week ago when we were in Madison to see family and attend American Players Theatre. We had wonderful meals with everyone and Linus got to sleep in Brandon's room with him. Brandon also read to him. Linus spent Saturday with Sara and Billy. He got to sit in Billy's race car and had fun at the zoo. Next summer we'll get to spend more time in Wisconsin and see our Green Bay friends.

Guiness Book

Saturday night we took Linus to the Denver Art Museum for their free weekend of activities, including having the community stop by and paint on the gigantic paint-by-number picture. They were trying to break the Guiness Book of World Record's record for longest paint-by-number. All three of us painted on it. We also saw a fire dancer and checked out an exhibit that is finishing up at the museum. Linus was up past his bedtime by about an hour and boy was he irritable on Sunday. I guess we just tried to pack in too much in too short of a time.

There are so many fun free things to do in Denver. On Sunday I attended a free performance of Much Ado About Nothing performed by No Holds Bard and last night I went to see their performance of Hamlet while Matthew and Linus attended Mayor Hickenlooper's inaugural party at the Botanic Gardens.

Sprinkler Lesson

One warm evening last week, the three of us went for a walk and tried out an ice cream shop we hadn't been to before. Linus arrived back at home with chocolate ice cream dried up around his mouth. Matthew took Linus in the house while I turned on the sprinkler for the lawn. In Wisconsin I have never watered a lawn, but here we need to. Linus came back outside and walked to the sprinkler. He was shocked when it sprayed him in the face with water. I thought I would allay his distress by demonstrating how fun it is to run through the sprinkler. He still wasn't convinced, so I scooped him up and we ran through it together. He liked it better this way because I kept his face out of the water.

Four Firsts

Friday was a big day for Linus! "Why?" you ask. Here is why:
1. He crawled for the first time!!!! He crawled across his room in the morning and in the afternoon he crawled in the living room and Matthew witnessed it, too. We were both in shock.
2. He walked down steps by himself, using the handrail. I got a picture of it because I was taking pictures of him sitting on the steps in the back of our house and then he proceeded to walk down the stairs. This is the first time he did this by himself.
3. He was on television. We went to dinner at our Indian restaurant and a local news station was there filming a story about how the restaurant's business was effected by the closing of a nearby hospital. We were all on the news, but Matthew and I were excited for Linus to be on television. No one was as excited as his Aunt Stephanie, who LOVES television.
4. Linus brushed his teeth for the first time. Now that he has teeth, the doctor said it was time to start teaching him to brush his teeth. Matthew and I demonstrated for him. I got him a cute little tooth brush with Sesame Street characters on it. (They didn't have any without licensed characters.)

Latest Interests

As I mentioned before, Linus has become very interested in sitting in chairs. He also sits on the vacuum cleaner, my head if I'm lying on the floor, and the step stool. Over the weekend he figured out how to climb up onto the dining room chairs, but he dances around up there instead of sitting down. Yesterday the chair flipped over backwards and he hit his head. So far today he hasn't climbed the chairs.

He is also interested in eating out of little containers. I put his fruit or crackers in little bowls for him and he gets a kick out of it. He also enjoys pulling crackers out of ziplock bags.

Our realtor gave Linus a soccer ball and showed him how to kick it. He wouldn't kick it with her, but when we took it out to our back yard he kicked it around with me.

Linus is able to point to my eyes, nose, mouth, and sometimes ears, but he won't point to anything of his except for his nose. One day he'll suddenly be able to do it, as that is his way.

Cowboy

Before leaving Wisconsin, I procured a second hand rocking cow for Linus. He likes riding it, as well as sitting on it and looking at books now and then. The other night after his bath he ran over and got on for a ride. We were cracking up!

15 Months

Linus turned 15 months old on Tuesday and the very next day decided to try eating yogurt with a spoon, with some coaching from Matthew. He mostly sees the spoon as a plaything, but he's on the right track.

We went to the Botanic Gardens this morning and saw a duck with five ducklings. They were adorable. I was gushing over them and Linus acted as though we saw baby ducks every day. He was more interested in the kids that gathered around. (Linus' rash has healed so it was okay to be in public.)

Flirtation

Last week it was dastardly hot and so I set up a little baby pool in the back yard for Linus. At first he sat down next to it and played in the water with a boat. I told him a few times that he could get in and then he stepped in and played while standing. He eventually sat down to play and splash. It was fun to hang out with him back there in the shade. And I was very happy to capture his coy look. This is the look he gives to the neighborhood women when they call out to him from their porches. He also gives it to our realtor now and then. He had never given it to me before and I happened to be snapping a picture just then.

Linus has been sick since Saturday evening. He suffered from a fever of 101 and he didn't sleep well. He also cried a lot. His fever went away and it was followed by a rash. I took him into the doctor on Tuesday and he was diagnosed with head, foot, and mouth disease. He also had the beginning of his very first ear infection. So he is on an antibiotic for the ear infection and he can't be around other kids until his rash heals. That is when he'll no longer be contagious. It isn't very fun being stuck in the house. The temperature cooled down some and it would have been a good day to go to the zoo. We'll play in the back yard when he gets up from his nap and go for a walk this evening. We'll just keep him away from kids. He started feeling better yesterday. Thank heavens. It is nice to have my happy baby back.