Lots to be thankful for.

It's become increasingly evident over the last month or so that Liam has become a little sponge. I was saying to Tara earlier tonight it's just amazing that not long ago he was a tiny baby, entirely dependent (still is, but to a slightly lesser, but really significant degree, you know). He seems to pay attention to things - to objects in the house and to both verbal and physical communication, and is irrepressibly curious. He'll actually stop, listen, and crane his neck and head in one direction or another to get a better view of whatever he's checking out, or to get a better view from around Tara's or my legs. Every once in a while, we catch him doing something completely independent. For example, he'll climb up on the couch, grab a picture book that is sitting on the cushion, and enjoy the book all on his own. He'll also pick up a book and back himself into my lap if I'm sitting on the floor. I don't want to take for granted some of the small but really wonderful things he's learned to do and say:

• Call out loud for 'Da' or 'Dad' to ascertain his location or ask for attention
• Growl like a monster from Where the Wild Things Are
• March around the house waving a little flag
• Say goodbye with a wave (still working on blowing kisses)
• Use his legs to shake off his pants when we're getting him undressed for the tub or for bedtime
• Say an approximation of Thank you
• Pretend with props- tonight we were pretending to mix up and taste using a mixing bowl and spoon
• Is *much* more easygoing about diaper changes. He now only cries and tries to escape about 50% of the time. Probably close to 0% at daycare, too.
• Can pull himself up into his highchair, turn around, and sit down
• Say the number 2 and understand it comes in sequence after 1
• Kisses

We're so fortunate. . .

Here's a new video from a hike we took this weekend in the Park.

Haircut

The other exciting event of the weekend was Liam's second haircut. I took him to Ray's Barber Shop (affectionately known as Razor Ray's), where we waited about half an hour for our turn. The fact Liam sat relatively still on my lap for 30 minutes waiting his turn was nothing short of astonishing. Unfortunately, the long wait + haircut extended through his lunch and into his naptime, so the moment he sat in the chair, it got a little dicey. Unfortunately, the best I can provide a is a photo from the waiting room, and then a video from this evening, so you can see a before and after shot (the before shot gives a nice view of his chompers, too). Liam was flailing around and having a fit for most of the haircut, so pictures were out of the question. It's amazing how a haircut can make him look so much older...

Before













After

Halloween!

Well, we may be a little late but here are some pictures from Halloween. Liam, as you can see, was a bumblebee. He wasn't sure about the costume at first but soon seemed to forget it was even on. We weren't sure how Liam would like going out and about to join in the trick-or-treating festivities but he loved it. The town of Bar Harbor wisely blocks off the most popular trick-or-treating street. Thus Ledgelawn takes on the air of a festival. People who live on the street go all out with decorations to make the event that much more fun. The street is so overrun by costumed children that there is literally candy donations for those who live on the street. A house could easily spend over 100 bucks on candy each Halloween. Anyway, as soon as we let Liam out of his stroller he darted off down the street. He had no fear and didn't care about us, he only wanted to see the other kids as well as the Halloween lights. He was so cute walking down the street in his little costume. So many people commented on him. We went to a few houses with Liam's friends Emma and Anouk and their parents, Carolyn, Natalie and Rich. Following our trek down Ledgelawn we went to the Lompoc for dinner. Liam had a ball their playing on their bocce court. All in all Halloween was a great night.

On a separate note, Liam has really continued to love books and reading. I am including a couple of pictures of him curled up with a book as the pics were too cute not to share.