Billy and Santa

After waiting in line FOREVER at the mall, Billy met Santa this weekend. (Please click on the photo to see it in full view. ) He wasn't too sure what to think of the big guy. But he wasn't afraid.

Billy's 7 and a half months old. Developmentally, he's reached some major milestones this month: he can sit on his own, crawl and can pull up onto his knees. He's also managed to pull himself to a standing position in his crib - but he hasn't learned to get back down yet. Instead, he just lets go and keels over backward. He's already cracked his head several times. Hopefully he's a fast learner!

Also this weekend, Jeremy put up the tree and Billy is enchanted with all the ornaments and lights. We'll snap lots of pictures and hopefully video Christmas morning so everyone can see how much fun Billy has on his very first X-mas!

That's it for this update. Sorry it was so quick. But we hope to give you lots to look at next time.

Hopefully everyone has a safe and magical Christmas this year!

Love to all,

Karyn, Jeremy & Billy

Big Halloween & First Veggies Update!

Hi, gang! It's been a while since I updated the blog, so I have quite a lot of ground to cover, including Halloween and some Billy milestones: his first foray into the world of veggies and sippy cups!

As some of you already know, Billy was a monkey for his very first Halloween! He was a very good sport as Daddy dressed him up and took him around our neighborhood Trick or Treating. In these photos you can see Daddy in one of the Halloween t-shirts Mommy designed for her online store. And the trick or treat tote bag is also one of Mommy's designs. Below are some closeups and all of Billy's "loot."











This month, Billy turned 6 months, and he got the O.K. from the pediatrician to start adding veggies to his diet. The first one we tried was peas. He was willing at first - until he got that first taste! After only a couple of bites, he threw up all over mommy (We think he gagged on the spoon...oh dear, that's close to a bad 80s reference, isn't it?).











We tried again the next day (notice the different bib?) but still, Billy still turned his nose up at the yummy goodness of peas. His daddy, who is a meat and potatoes guy all the way, walked around looking smug for the next couple of days. So we tried him on carrots next... Billy thought they were pretty yucky too. Now, however, Billy's expanding his palate, and will tolerate sweet potatoes. And he will choke down applesauce and bananas...but he makes a face with every swallow.










Below are photos of Billy trying his first sippy cup of water! He wasn't quite sure what to do with it at first. He enjoyed licking it. And banging it. But after a while he grabbed it and started chewing on the spout. He seemed surprised every time water came out of it!




Finally, Grandpa Bill and Grandma Dar sent Billy a surprise Thanksgiving present! Billy really had fun opening his first gift-wrapped box. He even tried to eat the wrapping paper!













Despite a bit of itchy eczema in his elbow joints and ankles, Billy is doing really well. He's even started to crawl, and can stand up by himself if he's holding on to something!

The other news is that we bought a webcam and can now do live video chats with anyone how has the technology - and Windows Live Messenger. Granny Lyn was our first guinea pig and successfully chatted away with Billy. If anyone wants to get in on the act, send me an e-mail, and we'll hook up.

We hope everyone has a happy Thanksgiving!

Love,

Karyn, Jeremy & Billy

Billy's Mad Creeping Skillz

Just a quick update. Our new Webcam arrived in the mail today, so I thought we'd test-drive it with some video of Billy scooting around the floor. Mommy's webcam operating skillz aren't as mad as Billy's creeping skillz!

You can see the video below or view it directly at YouTube here...



One last note: Billy turned 6 months old today! He's started eating oatmeal cereal, and next week, we're going to start him on veggies.

Until the next update,

Karyn, Jeremy & Billy

Billy Eating Rice Cereal Video

Just a quick update.

Billy got to meet his friend John for the first time this month. John, a loyal UK fan, brought Billy an adorable UK bear. John also helped teach Billy to crawl, and the very same weekend, Billy started creeping across his Grandma Peggy's floor! He can now move his body a couple of inches at a time, so John must be a great teacher!














Billy's been eating Rice Cereal for a couple of weeks now, and he's really enjoying it. I took two quick videos of our lunch-time today for you guys to see just how well - and how messily - Billy eats.

Here's Part One:



(If you can't see it, watch it at YouTube...)

And Part Two:



(Again, if you can't play it, try viewing it at YouTube.)

Hope all are well!

Love,

Karyn, Jeremy and Billy

Billy Went to New Jersey

In mid-September, Billy went on his first road trip to meet his Great Grandmother and his Aunt, Uncle and cousins. The trip had several firsts in it for Billy - his first long road trip, first night spent in a hotel, and he started on Rice Cereal! His first solids!













Billy was really excited about the food, and kept grabbing the spoon and shoving it as far as he could into his mouth. Most of it ended up on his chin, but what he got in his mouth he really enjoyed.

Billy stayed for several days in New Jersey. He got to meet his Aunt Deanna, Uncle Richard, cousins Cristopher, Alexis and Elizabeth, as well as Paula, John and Baba (aka Nicky!). Here he is with his aunt and Uncle, and Elizabeth.










Alexis caught a cold, so we just got a picture of her alone, giving us the all-thumbs-up!

On Tuesday, John took Daddy, Uncle Richard, and Nicky to see the Yankees play the Orioles at Yankees Stadium. Jeremy was so excited to go, because it's the third oldest MLB ballpark (built in 1921), and he wanted to see the Yankees play there before it's torn down (The Yankees are building a new ballpark that will open in 2009). Above you can see Jeremy standing next to a plaque dedicated to Babe Ruth that is on display out in center field with all the other Yankees greats. Billy was too little to go, but hopes that he'll get to go to the ballpark next year!











On Wednesday, Uncle Richard took Mommy, Jeremy and Billy to the Jersey Shore. It was Billy's first time at the beach! Here you can see him in his Point Pleasant hat that we bought on the boardwalk. He also got to go to the aquarium - he'd never seen such big fishies before! Billy really liked the seahorses, but by the time he got to the penguins, he was really hungry. The penguins were getting fed, and Billy was a little jealous, I think. He was certainly telling anyone who'd listen about it!




















But best of all, Billy like spending time with Nan, his Great Gran. She made the funniest faces and smiled at her whenever she paid any attention to him. He certainly told her lots of stories!















Billy's now 5 months old. This weekend he's going back to Ohio to hang out with Grandma Peggy and his Bonfiglio cousins! He also just got his Halloween costume in the mail - he's going to be a monkey for his first Halloween.

We'll be adding more photos then, and possibly even a video of Billy eating. Until next time,

Hugs!

Mommy, Daddy & Billy

Labor Day Visit!

Hey, gang!

Billy's now 4.5 months old. He had his 4 month pediatrician's visit, and he weighed 16 pounds, 11 ounces! That puts him in the 90th percentile for his weight. And he's now shot up to the 95th percentile for his height! He's quickly outgrowing his 3 to 6 month clothing, and will probably be in 6 months in a couple weeks.

Billy had his second round of vaccinations, and was a little trooper. He only cried when the shots were going in and stopped crying quickly as soon as it was over. Billy lost a lot of the hair he was born with, and what is growing in is a lighter brown color. Some days it looks red, somedays blonde. Daddy and Mommy are really curious to see what color it ends up.

Over the Labor Day weekend, Billy's Auntie Kris and Elm came to the Bend for a quick visit! Billy really enjoyed the company, and smiled and squealed a lot. He really liked being held by Auntie Kris, and thought Elm was a pretty funny guy. Here you can see how big Billy looks next to his "wee" Auntie:













On Labor Day we all went to the Studebaker National Museum in South Bend. The museum traces the Studebaker legacy, from the company's earliest days as a blacksmith shop (which opened in 1852 in downtown South Bend) to the 1960's, when the company was making the famous Avanti sports cars. Elm in particular enjoyed the museum; especially when he got to check out the Studebaker Hawk - a car he thought was really cool when he was a little boy collecting car magazines in the fifties.













Billy enjoyed looking around, but got hungry halfway through the first gallery. While Auntie Kris and Elm looked at the cars from the 1930s - 1940s, Mommy and Daddy ducked into the museum's coat closet for a quick nursing! Luckily it was summer time, and no one needed to wear a coat that day. Billy slept through the rest of the museum.











Here's some more touristy shots:











Finally, Billy has discovered his toes! He loves to play with them, and now, every time Mommy changes him, he tries to stuff them in his mouth and suck on them. He takes this whole business of sucking his toes very seriously.












That's it for this blog update!

All our love,

Karyn, Jeremy and Billy