Yay For Internet!

It took a while, but we finally got internet at our new apartment. Oh wait, it was new in December. It's June and I haven't blogged in 6 months. Time for a quick update!

Life moves pretty fast when you are a mom. I feel like I barely have time to breath and then he's almost walking!

Today was Lincoln's first birthday. Lincoln is Ronan's cousin, born 5 weeks before Ronan. They are pretty good buds, just what we hoped for. Biggest thing about today was realizing my tiny bundle of great big baby is now teetering on the edge of toddlerhood. He will be 11 months old on the 19th and I can't believe it. He is still tall, small head, weighed in at almost 20 pounds for his 9 month checkup a while back. I feel like he's gained 10 more, but maybe my arms are getting weaker.

Everywhere we go, people ask me where he got his hair color from. It is orange, people. My hair is auburn on a good day when the sun is shining right, and Tim's is a dark bronze to those who know him closely. In every other instance, we have dark hair and our baby has a vibrant plume of volcanic magma growing faster than I think it is appropriate. When I was pregnant, I didn't mind the questions about when I was due and is it a boy and all that, but now that I've got a red-head, I find myself wanting to make a shirt that answers the question, "Where did he get all that red hair?"

From us, is the answer. Don't you see it? Maybe we'll find some baby pictures and paste them on our faces so people will stop asking. Hmm...that may bring different questions.

When people do stop and ask us, Ronan usually smiles at them. He's starting to get a little more clingy to mom, but when he's in a good mood still, he'll flash his sweet little smile at strangers and they just melt. I disappear. There is no more mommy. There is only an adorable baby in a grocery cart who is pointing at the balloons, pleading with you in babbles to get that shiny floating thing before he bursts. I love that about him, though. He is so friendly to everyone. Other babies and kids, especially, which is so sweet it hurts.

When we go home, Ronan enjoys practicing. He practices crawling, army style and baby style. He pulls himself up on the couch and drops down over and over, sometimes using his teeth to bite down for more leverage. He practices hide and seek with the plastic ball-pit balls from the inflatable Lightening McQueen ball-pit tent his daddy got for him from Wal-mart for $20. I find those primary-colored balls everywhere. By the window, in the kitchen, in the laundry basket, behind the playstation 2 box, in the cupholder of the stroller tray...

He practices throwing those plastic balls across the room, but especially on the kitchen floor. It really goes far in there. And it bounces, which is neat.

He practices getting into trouble. Eating cords and stroller wheels and dog food and dead bugs looks like adventure to Ronan. Luckily mom is there to say no-no before he tries it.

He also practices walking. He will grab your fingers, your index fingers, and thrust himself upward any way he can. Once he's got you helping him, he will step in whatever direction he has decided to go. And you will go that way, my friend, or prepare yourself for the sad cry of frustrated babyness.

I think he is determined to walk in time for Aunt Melissa's wedding in September. She's asked him to be the ringbearer. At the rate he's going right now, it looks like he'll be walking in time for his first birthday, but you never know with babies.

It's late and I think I'm not making much sense so I'm going to bed. More post later!