Almost 9 Months Old!

Today, had my 9 month doctor's appointment. Based on my stats, I'm such a big boy! I am 29 1/4 inches long (80th percentile) and 18lbs. 15oz. (28th percentile). The weight measurement made mom really happy since she's been worried about it. But she must be feeding me well since I gained a whole pound in just 2 weeks. Keep the oatmeal and sweet potatoes coming, mom!

But the big news is our upcoming trip to Michigan! We are leaving this Friday after dad gets out of work and driving all night. Hopefully Emma and I will sleep the whole way so mom and dad can concentrate on driving. I am so excited to see the whole family and catch up with them in person. It's been way too long since I've seen them and I'm sure they feel the same way. And I can't wait to find out what all the Santa hype is about! Hope he knows how good I've been all year!!

My New Favorite Beverage

Mom has been working with me lately to get me drinking out of a cup (supposedly I need to be able to do this by the time I turn 1). We've been practicing mostly with water and I'm still pretty messy, letting at least half of the water run down my bib (thank goodness for drool-proof bibs!). But I'm glad we keep trying since I just love cups so much. I love chewing on the sides and making noises into them. Today, I happened upon mom's coffee mug and of course I had to try it! Check out how cool I look enjoying a cup of joe!

What Is All This White Stuff?

We had quite a little snowstorm last night and into this morning. Mom thinks we got about 4 or 5 inches of snow and it sure is pretty! Mom took me and Emma outside this morning to play in it, but it was too cold for us. I think I take after mom in that respect since she hates the cold. But I know how much dad likes it, so hopefully I'll grow to like it. Here are some photos that mom took of me in my cool snow suit. I ended up falling backwards and that made me sad, but mom quickly dried away my tears and I was all better after a long nap!

Cool Music

I've recently discovered music. I've definitely heard music before, but now I'm really appreciating it. I love when mom sings "Wheels On The Bus" and "Itsy Bitsy Spider" to me. And I have lots of toys that play music when I interact with them. They all make me laugh. But my favorite of all is the guitar, and lucky me, my dad is the best guitar player in the world! He knows all the cool songs and looks like a rock star when he plays. I just can't help but shake my booty when he starts playing!!

Where Have I Been?

Holy cow, it's been a crazy week! Sorry I haven't posted in a while, but we've been super busy. Aunt Karrie and uncle Matt came to visit us last week and we had so much fun. I was pretty sick at the beginning of the week, but by Tuesday I was back to my old self and could finally enjoy my company. We did a little Christmas shopping, hung out at Patriot Place (uncle Matt loves football so I was happy I could show him where the Patriots play), and even went to the aquarium in Boston. It was almost 70 degrees that day so we walked around and enjoyed the warm weather and got a couple of lobsters for them to take home. I was sad to see them leave on Friday, but I'm happy I get to see them again in a few weeks (I miss you guys soo much already!!).

On Friday, I met up with a few friends and went to see Santa Claus. I still really don't understand who he is just yet but all the other kids there seemed really excited to see him. Guess I'll find out what all the hype is about in a couple of years. On Saturday, mom was gone all day at a cookie baking party so I got to spend the whole day with dad. I had a blast climbing all over him all day long. I really could climb on him forever, he's the best toy ever! This afternoon was Emma's turn to see Santa (apparently, pugs just adore Christmas!). There were a few other dogs there and even 3 pugs in dresses. I hope we both get exactly what we want for Christmas since we've both been so good this year!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! We had such a great time today at Sayra and Jeremy's house and are thankful to have such good friends. I had so much fun hanging with all the beautiful ladies (check out how I impressed them with my charm!) and smelling all the delicious food (too bad I'm too little to eat it, but just wait til next year!). Dad and I hung out on the couch for a little bit and watched the Lions game (hopefully they'll win next year Uncle Matt). I even got to hang out with my friends, Spencer and Charlotte. Oh, and they let me borrow their activity table so I'm really thankful for that! Thanksgiving sure is a great holiday and I can't wait for next year!

Getting Ready for the Long Weekend

Dad says that tomorrow is Thanksgiving and it sounds like a lot of fun! Mom says it's a day to stop and ponder the little things in our lives that make us happy and thankful. Dad says it's a day to watch the Lions on TV and eat a ton of yummy food, especially turkey. Mom hasn't let me try turkey yet, but maybe tomorrow will be my lucky day. Anyway, as mom suggested, I wanted to say I'm thankful for my wonderful mom and dad and Emma (of course!). I'm also thankful that dad has a long weekend so he can spend a lot of time with me! Mom is going shopping with her friend Christina on Friday so I get to spend all day with him and Emma. I can't wait, I just adore him!

8 Months Old!

On Saturday, I officially turned 8 months old. I can't believe how grown up I'm getting! For example, I clapped all by myself for the first time yesterday (mom was my only witness, but dad believed her anyway). I'm still working on it, but it's such a cool thing to do! My other cool trick is my impression of Emma. Everyone knows how much I love Emma and I love watching her do funny things, like when she carries her toys in her mouth. One day, I decided to start carrying various items in my mouth while I crawl around the house. For some reason, I chose a sock this time!

Fenway Fun

On Friday, dad took the day off and the three of us went to Fenway Park for a tour with my friends Lydon, Max, Desmond, Sam and Ava. We had so much fun seeing all the historic memorabilia, plaques and, of course, the Green Monster (we even got to stand on it!). We had great weather for it and I loved showing off my mom and dad to my friends. Afterwards, we went to Desmond's house for some playtime (and snacks for everyone, yum!). I got to meet my first cat, Luna, and watch Desmond chase him around the house. Luna was great! I even pulled his fur a bit (don't blame me, I had no idea how soft and cuddly cats are!) and Luna just laid there and enjoyed the attention. I think Luna should get together with Emma. I think they would have so much to talk about!

Here I Come!

Crawling around is so much fun and there is so much to explore! But my favoring thing to do is sneak up on daddy and attack him. It's so much fun! Check out my stealth moves and look out the next time I see you!

Mad Skills

I'm learning how to do new and exciting things everyday. My latest trick: pulling myself up to a standing position. I just love seeing the world around me from a new vantage point. Plus, it gets me that much closer to Emma when she's sleeping on the couch!

Horsing Around

No one loves having a good time more than I do and this weekend was no exception! I started the weekend on a high note with a drink in the tub on Friday night. On Saturday, mom, dad and I went to my friend Ariv's house for a cool party with all our friends (including Max, Juliana, Julia, Desmond, Sam and Ava). All the moms and dads got to hang out while I played with my friends. Mom was blown away by Ariv's mom's cooking since mom just loves Indian food. Maybe she'll let me try it someday since it sure does smell yummy!

Sunday was mom's birthday so dad and I spoiled her as much as we could, including breakfast in bed and sushi for lunch (I don't understand why anyone would eat raw fish, but mom seemed really happy with her selection). Later that day, Emma and I played around and made mom and dad laugh. Actually, I think I laughed the most since Emma is just so funny. Check us out!

Funny Daddy

My dad is always going out of his way to entertain me. His latest bit is hysterical! It's made me laugh 2 days in a row which is a new record. Check it out!!

Fun with Friends

I just love hanging out with my friends! Mom and I went to my friend Julia's house and our other friends Max, Desmond and Ava were there, too. The moms got to eat some yummy food (mom just loved the pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting!) and we all got to play with Julia's fun toys and catch up with each other. Max and I are definitely the big crawlers in the group, but Desmond and Julia are quickly catching up to us! And Desmond can walk like a real pro when his mom holds him up. Eventually, we all got a little hungry ourselves so our moms broke out some snacks. Max had these delicious Mum Mums that I just love and I have to say, I was a bit jealous. Jealous enough to steal it from him! Mom didn't catch the actual theft, but she did film the aftermath and my little victory taunts. Good thing Max didn't hold it against me too much, he's such a good friend!

Feeding Frenzy

As a big kid, I think I really need to start feeding myself. Dad was such a good sport tonight to let me loose at dinner! Mom only lets me play with a clean spoon but that's O.K. Less cleaning that way, and I hate having my face cleaned. Check out thhis cool video to see how good I am at feeding myself!

Growing Up Update

Hi everyone! Mom thought I should write an update on how much I'm growing since I'm changing so much. I now have 6 teeth but there might be another on on the way. The biggest news is that I've gotten bored with crawling and decided to start pulling myself up to stand. It's fun to climb all over mom and get closer to her hair (so much fun to pull and chew on!). I can also kind of climb back down the step to the family room. It makes mom nervous since she's not sure if I'm going to break my neck or just do a major face plant and end up with a rug burned face. Thankfully dad is there to help her relax. And I've decided it's time I learned to feed myself. I love using a spoon and making a huge mess with my oatmeal. It's also fun to grab puffs with my fingers and shove them in my mouth. Hopefully I'll be a lot neater when I see everyone at Christmas!

Busy Weekend!

It was definitely nice to get an extra hour today since we all needed it for rest! On Friday, dad took the day off and we all went to the aquarium in Boston. I loved showing dad all the cool fish, especially the jelly fish. Afterwards, we walked around a bit and got some yummy pizza in the North End (well, mom and dad had pizza and it sure smelled yummy). And of course you already heard about the Halloween party on Friday night and Emma's party on Saturday. Later that night, mom took Emma and me out for trick or treating. It was fun seeing all the neighbors and watching the kids dressed up and running around. Dad was pretty happy with all the yummy candy we collected. Too bad he had to stay home to pass out candy to all the other kids. Today, we raked and picked up leaves in the back yard. I hung out in my new stroller (it was pretty comfy!) and Emma did her best to keep the squirrels out of the yard. But Emma rolled in something stinky so she had to get a bath. Then we all settled in for some well deserved naps so we could be refreshed for the week ahead.

Happy Halloween!

So far, Halloween is the best holiday ever! We went to a party last night and had a blast. There were a few big kids there and I loved watching them run around and seeing all the grown-ups in their costumes. I can't wait for next year when I get to have the yummy snacks that everyone else was having!

Today we went to Emma's pug Halloween party. She dressed as a dog catcher and won best homemade costume! There were about 10 other pugs there and they were all running around like crazy. Then we went to the park for a quick walk since it was so warm today (mom says it was around 70 degrees). Thankfully Emma and I had enough time to get a nap in before we go out for trick or treating. I can't wait to see all the spooky costumes and get candy!!!

First Halloween Party!

Yesterday, mom and I went to my friend Juliana's house for my very first Halloween party. As you can tell, there was a full house and all my friends were there! I loved dressing up with all my friends and playing with them. I think Tyler had the best costume (he killed with his lobster outfit!). Tonight, we're going to another party at dad's friend's house. Tomorrow, Emma has a Halloween party (she's going as a Dog Catcher to match my costume) and then we get to do something called 'trick or treating'. I don't know what it is, but mom seems excited about getting more Milky Ways. I'll definitely be posting my review of Halloween this weekend!

Messy Eater

I'm really getting into this whole solid food business. Mom and dad give me really yummy oatmeal twice a day and then throw in a super yummy fruit or veggie to help me grow my palate. Sometimes, mom even makes me some home cooked food that she purees in the food processor (this weekend she made me cranberry applesauce with ginger and it is soo good!). Tonight, I got to have some carrot, apple and parsnip puree with my oatmeal and I loved it. Then, since I was getting a bath anyway, mom gave me a maple teething biscuit for dessert. Mom likes that I smell like French Toast when I'm done eating it. I just love the taste. Watch this video for my honest review of maple teething biscuits!

Disappearing Act

When mom needs a break, I spend some time by myself just hanging out with my stuffed animals or playing with my toys. But I recently discovered something new: magic. Witness my first great illusion as I make myself disappear!

The Big Race

Since I am now soo grown up at 7 months old, I've decided to take up racing with Emma. Sure, she has 4 legs and all but I am now a crawling machine. I'm so glad this is another fun thing I get to do with my pug! I won't tell you how the first race ended, you'll just have to watch the clip. But let's just say we're going to try for the best 2 out of 3. See you at the finish line!

Snow in October?

I haven't seen mom this grumpy in a while (I think the last time was when I wasn't sleeping through the night). Today is the second day so far this season that we've had snow (the first was this past Friday morning). From what I can tell, mom hates snow and is really mad that we're getting it so early this season. I didn't think too much of it since I had my warm bear suit on when dad took me outside to investigate. Emma went with us, too, and I think she really liked that mom heated up her blanket in the dryer for her. Hopefully the snow ends soon and doesn't come back for a while. I need my mom to be un-cranky (I think dad needs it, too).

Lip Smacking Fun

My mom can be so funny sometimes. Her latest funny bit is when she smacks her lips loudly. For some reason I can't explain, it is hilarious! She should definitely go on the road with this act! It kills with me and my friends!

Emma is Soo Cool!

Happy Friday everyone! I wanted to take a few minutes and talk about my love for Emma. We have such a good time together and are such good friends. We roll around on the floor together and she helps keep my face drool-free. Plus, she's so soft and cuddly I just love to hang out with her. Everyone should have a pug!

Making A Break For It!

As much as I love to hang out with mom and dad, I'm ready to start breaking out and exploring the house on my own. Too bad they caught me trying to climb the step into the dining room. I didn't quite make it on the first try, but that's not going to stop me. Look out, world!!

Fall Fun

Sorry that this post is a little out of order, but I just had to write about the Pug Social first since it was soo exciting! On Friday, mom and I went to a real live pumpkin patch to pick our own pumpkin. We went with 4 of mom's friends and their kids. There were so many big kids there, I felt so young! That night, we went to dinner at dad's friend's house. They have 2 boys and I had so much fun playing with them and watching them play, they can move around so well (it makes me a little jealous!).

On Saturday, we tried to go to a fair but the traffic made mom and dad a little too cranky so we ended up at Rockport instead. It was my first time there and I loved it. It was really crowded and everybody was enjoying the fall sun with warm cups of coffee and cider (though there were a few crazy people walking around with ice cream). Mom showed me some sea gulls swimming in the harbor and dad pushed me in my stroller while mom window shopped. We had such a good time and I was glad we were able to rest up for the Pug Social the next day. Mom and I took Emma to the park today, but it was an effort since everyone is still soo tired from our busy weekend!

Pug Love!

Today was the Pug Social and it was a blast! A little chilly, but so much fun! There were so many pugs there and Emma loved it. Her friends Norman, Vince, Doug-Doug, Henry, Marty and Ollie were there and I loved getting to meet them. There were about 100 pugs there and it was crazy! Some were in costumes, some were running in the fastest pug contests, and Emma even tried her paw at the obstacle course. And of course there were tons of treats for Emma to enjoy (I think she even gained a pound during the day!). After, we went to McDonald's so mom and dad could have some lunch. Emma and I slept the entire way home since we were so worn out from all the fun and excitement. I can't wait for next year's Pug Social!!

Laundry Fun

Since I'm so grown up these days, mom thought it was about time that I start helping around the house. Today, she had me help her with my laundry. I only helped fold since I can't reach the washer or soap just yet. But I also took a few minutes to goof around, just like any 6-month old should!