So Xander has been working very hard at sitting up and he is doing a really amazing job. He can sit up by himself now for short periods of time. He does better when he discovers his feet and therefore has something extra to hold onto. Typically he is able to stay upright for a few minutes and then he just sort of falls over. So cute! We've been practicin on nice soft surfaces like the bed so that when he does tip over he won't crack his head open! In the picture below he finally gets straightened out with a helping hand from mom...and then gives the camera his hey what's going on look!
We've also been working on tummy time with varying sucess. He would much 
rather be sitting or standing than lying down in any postion. I have found that the best time to get him on his belly is first thing in the morning. I get him up, strip off all his clothes and diaper and let him air out, and put him on a piddle pad on his belly. Then he doesn't seem to mind it as much. My son the exhibitionist! Here he is in a good mood on his
belly -picture worthy b/c it happens so rarely. The second picture I just love b/c he is working so hard to push himself up, plus the drool is so classic. He has rolled over a few times but it seems more of an accident than on purpose. He is an expert at rolling onto his side but he just can't seem to make it the rest of the way over- whether he is on his back or belly.
He has also fallen in love with the jumperoo. He wasn't liking the swing as much recently. I think it was too passive for him. He didn't mind the one at home b/c it played music but the one he had at the babysitters wasn't cutting it anymore so we tried out the jumperoo and i think we have created a monster. I am already sick of that stupid song but he jumps and gets it to play music and it sends him into hysterics every single time. I absolutely love to hear him laugh though, it is just the best sound, so i'll put up with the stupid song. now I am going to have to find a second jumperoo so he can have one at the babysitters too. I found a couple of used ones on craigslist for cheap so I'll have to find one close by.
This pic was taken by Connor this weekend in a fit of boredom, while he was shoe shopping with Frank and I. We took Connor with us to go buy new tennis shoes from Robert at Olympia Sports. Unfortunelty b/c neither Frank nor I have bought new shoes for years it took us over an hour for us to each find a pair of shoes that fit and that we liked. Poor Robert! He was great though and we each found shoes and the minute we got home I took great pleasure in throwing away Frank's old pair!
I carved this pumpkin for a pumkin carving contest at the 
hospital. It was entered into the Job Related category. I unfortunely did not win a prize! Oh well... We had fun at work one night last week carving pumkins on our dinner break for the Keene Pumkin Festival which turned in a dismal 22,000 jack o lanterns. Xander, Val, and I had fun when we went on Saturday though. The church ladies from Marlborough make a mean Pumpkin Whoopee Pie and I don't even like Whoopee Pies. After we got home we had to make a little emergency trip to the Seacoast b/c my brother James had a heart attack on Sat afternoon. I am happy to report after a couple days in the ICU and little surgery he is doing 100% better and is at home. He'll be back at work by next week it looks like. I am amazed sometimes at the healing power of modern medicine! He just wanted an excuse to see us I guess and we had fun with Riley and Connor- although it truly shocks me that the Friendly's Kids menu has a dinner option that included mozarella sticks and feench fries and that's it! I realize that dining out at Friendly's isn't going to be amazingly healthy but cheese sticks and fries- seriously!
