THE POOL!!

So, Laura Romano got Xander a little pool for his birthday.  Today, now that I have a few things moved off my plate, I was able to dig it out for them.

Watching Ainsley OCD out

At first, Xander didn't want to have anything to do with it. I put him in an there was screaming. Lots of it.  So he hung out on the side of the pool for a while.

The pool has these blow up butterflies that velcro to the sides of canopy thing. Ainsley, of course, fixated on placing and removing them over and over and over.  Xander watched and occasionally messed up her groove. He got in trouble for that from Miss A.

Then I let the dogs come out, and they were thrilled to have such a fancy water bowl. Boomer and Sadie got to hang out for a while, but they ended up annoying us by barking like idiot dogs at the neighbor's Jack Russell terriers.  Annoying Jack Russell terriers. 

In the pool!

At least Sadie's embracing the pool made Xander more amenable to it.

At one point, Ainsley decided it was time for them to dry off...so she got out her towel and started drying herself and Xander off. I was able to get the towel away from her before she threw the towel into the pool.

Ainsley decided to smell the flowers on the porch...and requested I take her picture while she was doing it.

"I want picture, Momma!"

Ultimately, the pool was a big hit with a little boy.  I got a lot of pix of his cuteness.  

Ainsley, of course, threw a *huge* fit when we put the pool away: "WANT POOL!!!"

Gates Are Bullshit

My children have a long history with gates.  This video was taken when Ainsley was 11 months old; she loved to try to go up the stairs, fall down them, and die.  So, we gated for her safety.  This was her reaction:  

Now, as Xander nears 11 months old, we have experienced a similar situation. Xander is protected from the kitchen, with its delicious dog food and joyful water bowl, by a gate.  However, the inherent differences between Xander and Ainsley are apparent here.  Whereas Ainsley will whine and cry to get her way, Xander attempts to POWER THROUGH THE GATE.

We keep that big bottle of fruit punch there to hold the gate closed when we're too lazy to latch it (if we're running back and forth between rooms, for example).  However, after this morning, it looks like we'll be latching the gate from now on.

Xander EATS

Mac n Cheese: WIN.

Up to these past few weeks, Xander was contented to have his bottles, the occasional Puff, and maybe some baby food.  Lately, however, Xander has decided that baby food is for suckers and losers.  All he wants is REAL FOOD.

Please, please feed a Boomer.

So, to appease Mr. CrankyPants, I've broadened his diet. He's trying all sorts of mashable foods now.  His current favorite is macaroni and cheese.  Bananas are also made of win.

The new food developments have made Xander much more appealing to dogs, of course.  He hasn't figured out yet that he can actually *feed* the dogs, but that'll come. 

Is this Ainsley's? AWESOME.

For now though, Xander is content to wander around the house in search of food stuffs.  His most recent discovery?  Ainsley's goldfish travel container.  He found it in the basement and played with it as a toy until he discovered the delicious goldfish filling!  Of course, right now he doesn't chew very well, so we have to keep a good eye on him so that he doesn't choke--but I don't think it'll take too long to develop his eating skillz--he's clearly taking after his momma in that respect!

"Dress Up, Momma!"

Today, Ainsley decided to play dress up.  I present to you now...the Ainsley fashion show.

Look 1: Two tiaras

Look 1: Ainsley surprised me with this look.  Luckily, I had the camera next to me.  I was laughing so hard, I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get the picture before she got bored with the look...

Look 2: Princess Dora

Look 2: Princess Dora.  Notice that she's allowing Boomer to sit on her throne.

Look 3: Crazy Diva

Look 3:  This is the photo that we'll use as blackmail.  She's all crazy Lindsey Lohan in this picture--sunglasses on inside the house, waving her shoe at me.

Look 3: HRH

Look 3: The heart-shaped glasses are courtesy of Sarah Sandman. She comes by the sass naturally.

Look 4: Butterfly

Bored with the princess/crazy lady look, Ainsley moved onto her butterfly costume.  Gorgeous.

Xander sneaking a nom

Xander snuck away with Ainsley's crown while she was watching the Upside Down show.  He found it to be delicious.

Xander Wants to Walk So Badly We Can FEEL It

On the belleh

Xander has taken to pulling himself up on anything and everything he can get his body to...a couple weeks ago, Xander army flopped into Ainsley's room and we discovered him doing this...

Slowly getting up...

He can't yet stand on anything, but he's king of pulling himself up and getting onto his knees...and then chillin'.

Victory!

I think he'll be walking soon. He just watches us and is clearly ticked off that Daddy, Momma, and Ainsley galavant around the house all day on their dumb two legs while he's forced to lay around...I'm pretty sure he thinks it's bullshit.

Sunday Morning: Ainsley Can Count and Xander Is Cute

This morning, Sean went to the grocery store and shopped hungry.  It's always a wonderful thing when Sean shops hungry because we never know what he'll come home with--and it's always awesome.  On this visit, he returned with a vat of Cuties--and they are delicious.

I asked Ainsley if she wanted some clementines.

"YEAH!" she responded.

A boy and his dog.

"Me too!" I asserted.  (Apparently we're very excited this morning...)

"Me THREE!" She added.

I about wet my pants laughing.

In other news, Xander has become INFATUATED with Boomer and Sadie.  He loves to grab at them, nom on them, pull their ears.  Boomer is a big chickenbutt and runs away.  Sadie, as you can see, takes it like a champ.

This is his loverboy face.

More Xander news: Alysse took Xander's 6 month pictures (technically a couple days before he was 7 months, but I don't care!) and I thought I'd share some of the cuteness.

Big boy!

Mr. Blue Eyes!

Taking a break from Sophie-nomming.

POSTURE!