shakin that little booty.

Dad's been learning some Coldplay and we've both been working on a Regina Spektor song... and Jude is our biggest fan. He stands up and bounces and dances and sings his little heart out. He was singing along in church today, too. What a sweetie. 

He helps Dad with the pedals, too.

inman fall festival

We were promised the Hollywild animals at the Inman Fall Festival and were very disappointed when they "cancelled last minute" but we still enjoyed the

old guy bluegrass band,

antique stores,

Baptist church handouts, balloons, invitations to church, free snow cones and compliments,

antique tractors,

GOP booth,

our little picnic,

&watching Jude's (first) balloon fly away into an unknown future.

Jude &the girl next door.

a skeptical, bamboozled little man

"whatttt isss thattt..............."

"look, mom and dad, i know what you're tryin to do and i'm just not goin for it this time."

"you're holding my hands down to get me to eat now?! this is just not right."

"NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!"

"MOM??!!?! you're just standing there laughing with that camera in your face?! please, do something!!"

He chewed for a minute, then realized he liked it. Then he ate more. That's what he usually does. We have to hold his arms down and shove the food in his mouth, then once he tastes it he will eat a bunch. He is the funniest, cutest ever. Thanks to WIC, we get 32 jars of baby fruits &veggies and 16 jars of meats. I have given him all homemade food to this point, and he wasn't all that interested in it.  While at Walmart picking out our little glass jars, I made several calls to the Gerber Help Line and grilled the dietitians ("Wow, we've never gotten that question before...") until I felt comfortable with their products and now Jude is eating real, live baby food. He really is the Gerber baby now! He is eating better, too. I could never get my purees that pureed, so I think he likes the consistency. I also think he likes all the variation too. Peas with turkey sneaked in and bananas in one meal?! Sweeet.

better out than in.

Jude recently had his nine month birthday, and a few days later he surpassed his in utero time with his out-in-the-world time! You go baby. I think he enjoyed his time in the warm little womb, but it can't hold a candle to everything he has experienced out here! He is the sweetest. I most often call him baby, lover, little Jude, my sweet boy, my love, my little boy, my little one... all names trying to keep him as "mine" and "little" as long as possible. Because he seems to be getting so big! Dan usually calls him "son" and "big Jude" or "my big boy." It's funny how I call him little and Dan calls him big.

Every time I take him anywhere everybody always asks, "Is he always this good?" or "Does he ever cry?" or "What a good baby!" My sentiments exactly. I am with him all day every day so I know his true colors and yes, he is that good. He is a very content baby. He doesn't fuss often, but the most common cause is probably that he is tired or bored. So we will change rooms or go outside and he's happy.

Sleeping has become soo much better. He goes to bed at 6:15-6:45 every night, eats around 2:00 and then gets up around 6:00. Those few hours every night are soo nice for me to be able to do computer stuff and clean and run errands and get things done and I know he is sleeping soundly in his little crib. He even goes to sleep without crying more often than not! It is sooo nice to be able to just set him down in his crib. He rolls over on his side and is happy.

He loves to climb up on everything he can, let go and stand for a minute. He is really getting to be a fast little crawler. He has even stood up a couple times without holding on to anything! He loves Dan so much. Jude will be in the kitchen and he will find Dan in the office and want to play. But when he's sad he still wants his mama. And I love that I am always here for him any and every time he needs or wants me!

He scratches his eyes when he's tired. It's more like clawing; it's the worst!

We go on a walk every morning with our wonderful neighbors, Meghan and Joslin, who we love! We always have so much fun together. Jude is such a good sport. I will put him in his stroller and mow part of the lawn or garden or power-wash the house or weed-wack and he just patiently sits there and observes.

He loves the shower. He will look up towards the water and open his mouth. He loves his little blood pressure cuff. It squirts out air when you squeeze it and he sticks his tongue out and tries to eat the air. He's so funny. Yesterday Jude was nursing and Dan pretended like he was taking over and Jude got fiesty and BIT DAN'S NOSE!! He was protective of his food. It was the best. He keeps everyone at church entertained. He goes with Dan to Young Mens and all the deacons play with him. He will let anyone hold him and be perfectly content as long as he is outside or there is something entertaining going on around him.

He started dancing this past week! If Dan is playing the piano or the guitar he will climb up on something and hold on and bounce up and down and shake his head back and forth. It is our favorite thing ever. He is still pretty selective about his food. The other day he ate avocados mixed in with his rice cereal and peas mixed in. He will eat bananas, honey dew, or pears without being pureed. He has plenty of teeth to bite down... I think he's still at seven.

He is the most precious little sweetheart. We absolutely love him. I am so, sooo thankful that I am his mama, he is my best little friend, and I get to be with him every day... I wouldn't and couldn't have it any other way!

potty&trout.

We are potty training in this house. Thanks to this awesome article. It really makes sense. We need to redo how we "potty train" in this society. I guess there is literature out there about this method of potty training, but I'll stick with the 5 step overview that can be read in a few minutes. Definitely a must read!

So, Jude had his first BM (bowel movement) and potty in the toilet the other day. On his nine month birthday to be exact! I could tell he was pushing so I undiapered him, set him on the toilet (that has a really convenient smaller toilet seat that pulls right down and then magnetics back up every time you put the seat down) and away he went. So proud. I sat right in front of him and was holding on to him/hugging him and encouraging him. He is sweetest boy ever to be born. Be proud babe. It's an accomplishment to be proud of!

Bathtime! All is well again.

Friday afternoon we went fishing! Dan took us to Cleveland, SC (population: 1,128). We pulled off of the interstate and we were there. Literally. We passed the restaurants people have out of their RV's, crossed the bridge, and enjoyed the Middle Saluda. Jude played with his blocks as I contained him in our camping chair. He was cuddly and the most precious. He loves being outside... and being outside watching his dad trudge through the water flying a pole around in the air?! Best ever! We waded around since I had my trusty rain boots on and Jude splashed his little heart out. He loved stickin those little fingers and hands in the water!

Playing with his new block toys. CUTIE.

Jude caught his first fish! He helped Dan reel it in. He wanted to catch one his size for his first one. He was so intrigued and was grabbing at it as it was flipping all around.

View across the street...

not pictured to the left... a stroller. my heart worried for that child.

I forgot to get a picture of the F-Mart! Jude and I ventured over to the F-Mart to keep ourselves entertained and the owner talked to us for a while (he talks to everyone).

(these are all condensed versions of our conversations)"What do you do?

Well, I worked as a nurse...

Where'd you work?

A little hospital in Alabama.

You get some medical knowledge while you're there?

Yeah...

My leg hurts, can you make it stop?

No...."

"So, why is it called the F-Mart?

Forrester. F-O-double R-E-S-T-E-R. That's my name. I been comin here since I was seven years old and by the time I was 40 I saved up enough money to buy it."  

Earlier this sweet man trudged all the way down the river to find us...

"There some trout up there... I thought you might be able to catch em with your waders and all. Y'all should come up here and see if you can get em."

Off we went. Well, Dan went. Jude and I checked out an antique/live bait store.It was... interesting. We eventually made it back to Dan and his new friend...

"You not from around here, are you? Where you from?

California. I'm going to school out here.

What for?

VCOM. It's a new medical school in Spartanburg?

What you studying?

Medicine.

So what are you going to be?

A doctor...
Oh, I never fished with a doctor before!"

He was the sweetest guy. He was so humble and had no teeth. He was so nice and called me ma'am at least 15 times. He gave us one of his fishes and his stringer and all sorts of good advice. I love that we have been blessed to meet such wonderful, humbling people that we never would have if we wouldn't have moved out here (and it helps that we go on adventures in the backwoods). 

Dan caught his limit! Some real nice trout from 12 to 16 inches! There's a happy man.

I can NOT handle how cute he is in that outfit.

How precious is that face? He was so tired but being such a good sport. 

DINNER!! It was delicious. 

It was a good day. A much needed day!