My Little Ari

My little lion. = D (Ari means "lion")

(These are probably the only Halloween picture I will get up here. There's a couple more at the end)

Ari is just so darn cute. = D

I was looking at him today, chunky legs smooshed into his Bumbo seat, and I thought to myself.. wow, he doesn't look like a baby anymore. He looks like a little toddler! When I stood him up, the Bumbo seat stayed attached to his bum. LOL! Luckily he can still cram into it without it being uncomfortable because it is so handy for putting that antifungal cream on his scalp for his cradle cap. It doesn't have a tall back like his high chair, so I can easily get at him from all angles.

I swear to you, that little boy is sooo close to walking. Drew was telling me today that he thinks Ari will start walking over our little Thanksgiving vacation to Branson, MO coming up. I wouldn't be surprised. He is getting better and better at walking around the house holding on to us with only ONE hand now! It's adorable. He gets so proud of himself. = D

I also wouldn't be surprised if at least one of his top front teeth comes in by the end of the month. He has been teething like MAD. His new favorite thing to do?... bite my knee caps and shoulders with his two bottom front teeth. Ouch! The funny thing, is that it kindof tickles too, so my "knee-jerk" reaction (pun intended) is often laughter when I get caught unawares. Not good. Now he thinks it's a joke and tries to get away with it more often. So I'm trying to stifle my laughs to teach him right from wrong, while busting at the seams inside. Isn't that what a lot of being a parent is about?

Ari's also figured out how to crawl down backwards off my lap from the rocker to the floor. When he first started attempting this, I was like, "Man.. this boy sure is squirmy all the time now!", which was really nothing new. He's been a mover since in utero. But over the period of about a week, I started to discern his motive. I realized that the stinker could not wait to part with me after he had got his fix!! Now, almost immediately after he's done being burped (and often during) he starts squirming to back his way off my lap and onto the floor so he can go play. *sigh* The baby stage is SERIOUSLY not long enough. I need a new one. ; )

Ari is such a goofball. He has such a quirky, weird, and fun-loving personality. It blossoms more and more each day. I know he's going to be very quick-witted when he grows up. I am looking forward to the day when he starts telling jokes. You know the stage.. when their jokes aren't funny, but they're trying to figure out humor? I think he'll master it very quickly. But I can wait. This chapter is so awesome too. = )

The saddest part of it all is that he doesn't want to snuggle with me almost at all anymore. He wants to play with me, and joke with me, and be tickled by me.. and sometimes bring me a wide-open, drooly mouth for kisses... but not snuggle. I miss it a lot. Lately I have been milking the time (another pun) after his last feeding for all it's worth. He normally falls/stays asleep during it, so I'm able to just sit there rocking my not-so-baby baby, cuddling his still-baby-cheeks, for as long as I want.

*sigh* Man. It really does go by sooo quickly. I'm glad I listened to the mothers before me and haven't taken these baby months for granted. It's the only time in my life that I feel like I've succeeded in not rushing towards the horizon. It was worth the patience. = )