Let It Rain!

I was in the back of the house as it started to rain this afternoon. I heard Caden whining, "No, no!" A few seconds later, Antoinette (our houseworker) came to tell me, "Caden just ran outside in the rain and refuses to come in." I told her it was OK as long as it was just rain and no thunder/lightning. I, being the good blogging mommy, grabbed the camera and ran to the door.
If only we all had Caden's attitude about rain...run and enjoy it before it's gone!Within a few minutes, he was completely soaked. Love it!

And a few more reminders of why I chose to be a stay-at-home Mommy...
I love that I am at home to catch these moments exactly as they happen. It's hard work that is rewarding when you witness the joys of childhood!!!

9 months

smiley Corban

laughing Corban

typical Corban

Our blue-eyed baby

At nine months, Corban is...
crawling like a champ
a jumping maniac
pulling up on everything
cruising
trying to do everything by holding on with just one hand
trying to be as tall as he can with his reaching skills
taking toys from his brother
never meeting a stranger
smiling at everyone
19.47 lbs. (8.85 kilos)
29.5 in.
50th percentile for weight & height
nursing and eating lots of baby food
still sporting 4 top teeth and 2 bottom ones
always chewing on his fingers
saying dada and other fun sounds
waving bye-bye & signing "all done"
(using the same cute opening and closing of hands)
scrunching up his nose for a funny face
simply a joy!

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Uploaded by emersonstogo

"Teddy Bear Drink"

Well so much for not being able to share life as it happens. Just tonight, maybe 30 minutes before this is posted, Caden walked into the living room with his teddy bear, which is affectionately and appropriately named "Teddy Bear". April was in the boys' bedroom nursing Corban, and Caden walked from that room to the living room where Brett was and declared, "Teddy Bear Drink!" while holding Teddy Bear up to his chest in a ridiculously accurate nursing position!!!I guess we've got a few years to teach about gender differences, right?!?!

So Much For Life As It Happens

3 weeks after lightning struck our house and fried the phone lines, we are finally back online. Depending on your perspective, that's either a really long time or just about right; whether or not you live in Africa is the variable :) We usually try to update as life happens, but being a few weeks behind will have to suffice. 3 weeks is a long time on the life of a 9 month old!So we'll get the 'ol blog updated with some new pics of the boys, which is what we know everyone stops by for. Here's a recent one of Brett with his pride and joy. Pride is on the right, joy on the left, and vice versa :)

Corban - 8 months

That's right, our little baby is EIGHT months old and closer to one than I would like. Although he is just one month away from my favorite baby stage (9-12 months), I still feel like he is too much of a baby to already be 8 months. He's wearing 9 month clothing except when he has on a cloth diaper(...those things can give a baby such a ghetto booty), in which case he can't wear anything smaller than 12 months. He seems super long (just like Caden) but has more to him than Caden did at this age, which is nice because we don't have to roll his waist bands over to keep his pants up. He is making more and more sounds and even has quite a cute fake laugh. He gets frustrated/upset when he can't accomplish something he has set out to do and will protest when things are taken away from him. He's a fairly good eater and although he doesn't always like what we put in his mouth, he doesn't spit it out (I wonder how long that's going to last). He doesn't quite have the hang of sippy cups since he's rarely had a bottle. And, as you know he has 6 teeth...so biting occurs occasionally, but he is learning what "no biting!" means. Oh, and he loves to put anything and everything in his mouth, which can be quite a problem when thinking about Togo germs. When he gets up from his nap, if you show him a new person, he will lay his head on your shoulder in a cuddling manner...I love this trait! He loves Antoinette and will smile at her the moment she pays him any attention...but he loves it when she talks to him in French or Kabiye.

And he still thinks Caden is the most hilarious thing...in the world!

Love you sweet little boy!