One of the New Chicago Bears Outfits

As I've posted before, I will have photographic documentation of Christopher's new Chicago Bears/Cubs athletic attire. This is a two-piece set that we got while we were in South Bend. I have to be honest...he kind of looks like he's singing some crazy Broadway number and he's posing right before the onset of the "jazz hands" section.

Below are some other cute pictures of "The Kid". We're demonstrating his amazing ability to climb...and climb everything possible he does. He has shown an affinity for climbing onto the recliner (especially when I'm sitting on it) sitting down for a few seconds, then climbing down. This is typically repeated about 4 or 5 times before he moves on to climbing something else. If one of us isn't in the recliner, he'll climb onto it, then sit there for a few minutes until one of us pays attention to him...then he laughs and climbs down. He is also now climbing on our kitchen chairs. Colleen had given him a juice by our fireplace and stepped over to our refrigerator to put the juice away. When she closed the door, he was sitting in a chair like a big boy with a sippy-cup. We didn't get a picture of the funniest kitchen chair climb to-date. He had apparently climbed onto the kitchen chair while it was pushed in...so he was trapped between the seat of the chair and the bottom of the table unable to get himself out of the "kneeling" position he'd gotten himself into. Being reasonable parents, we opted to save him rather than take advantage of the photo opportunity...regrettably.

Piano for 6-Hands

Just a good photo of Christopher and his compatriots (Colleen's cousin's children Ben (top) and Max (bottom).

Christopher's Bed Time Ritual

I finally got a decent video of Christopher's bed time ritual of the last month or so. He was a bit more distracted than he usually is (I'm chalking it up to the presence of the camera by his "cheese!"..."cheese!" verbalized clear as day during the video). Thought some people might like to see this video...its pretty cute stuff...

Christopher's Latest Trip to the Park

A while back, I believe I made a post where Christopher was pictured in a swing for the first time....around 11 months...

He wasn't at all interested in the swing at the time, but things have changed...a mere 7 months later....

...and some bonus footage of Christopher on the slide. To set up the scene: Colleen was posted at the steps of the slide while I was posted at the slide-end. Colleen would chaperone Christopher up the stairs, he would walk to the top of the slide where I taught him to sit on his backside before sliding, then the push-off. He would go down the slide, I would help him down, he would run around to the step-side of the slide where Mom was waiting to start the whole process again. We were successful in training Christopher the entire process...until....

Christopher Using a Fork...and all by himself...

We've been allowing Christopher to use utensils on his own (as noted on earlier blogspots)...and I am proud to say that he has officially "mastered" the fork. The spoon still gives him the figits, but the fork? No, the fork is yet one more obstacle that "The Man-Child" has conquered...behold while Christopher crams his mouth with freakish amounts of watermelon...as if he were a squirrel gathering acorns in preparation for the up-and-coming harsh winter months. He has obtained the official "Watermelon Forker" award...watch and behold his mastery...

New Piano Pictures

I discovered late last week that Christohper can now climb up on the piano bench. His height has kind of snuck up on me, as has his ability to climb pretty much anything. So we just made a time of it and I let him play away, but I now make sure the piano bench is pushed in when I'm done playing. I'm thankful that he has pretty decent balance for such a lumbering and tank-like child.

The First Notre Dame Game of the Year

For those who might not be aware: my in-law family are all HUGE Fighting Irish of Notre Dame fans, while I am a mere fan-by-proxy. There is a get-together with every televised game where the food is plenty (although not healthy) and the drink flows as free as the mighty Shenandoah. The family are all brightly adorned in Notre Dame blue and gold (sometimes pink). Cheers and jeers are shouted and yelled with eager hearts and souls whose invested moods hinge on the success or failure of the mighty Irish while they battle through the trenches under the watchful eye of "Touchdown Jesus". Yes, these are the Saturdays that Fall brings...and these are the festivities that encompass this glorious day.

(I only took pictures of the kids...who wants to see a bunch of pictures of grown folk drinking and acting foolish! Sorry about the blurry shots up top there...Christopher had stuck his thumb on the lens of my camera and I didn't know it until it was too late. The kids were posed and the shot had to happen right then and there.)