New Trick

Milo has a new trick!

I had almost given up on getting him to do it. He waves hello and bye-bye to everyone, so I figured that was great progress, and the clapping thing would come on its own. And it did!
Yesterday Milo clapped once but didn’t really repeat it. Today, however, it was clapping all day. And the best part is, he laughed so hard the first few times after he did it, probably because I was so excited. But we had a very bipolar day… Milo is cutting another tooth and seems to be in a lot of pain this time. So it’s been whining, crying, then clapping and laughing. All day.

Ah, the ups and downs of motherhood never seemed so up and down!

Oh, and if you are wondering why my kid is always in the stroller, he isn’t. I had to strap him in to get him to stop grabbing at the camera. You want video of this stuff, it might have a red background for a while, at least until the camera obsession ends!

Giddy as a Schoolgirl

Oh, who am I kidding?! I can’t stay away from blogging right now… I’m way too excited about this house, this neighborhood, this move! Today was the inspection and it went perfectly. There is nothing wrong with the house, save for a few minor scratches and dents. And the wood-burning fireplace is ready for use, despite our thoughts to the contrary. We even discovered attic space and fantastic water pressure!

Milo came with us, and after a lot of exploring inside (he found a cat toy that could compete as his new favorite), I decided to take him for our first walk around the block while Andrew, Crystal, and the inspector finished the details. Milo is obviously very excited about the house as well…

… And still laughing 5 minutes later. Can you tell we are excited?

And last but not least, our first family photo in front of our house-to-be.

Closing is in two weeks… all should proceed smoothly from this point on!

More Pictures of House

Instead of emailing everyone separately, I will answer the requests for MORE PICTURES! of the house here (sorry they are different sizes, don’t ask me why or how that happened):

Living Room w/ Wood-Burning Fireplace (Yay!)
(also there is a window behind that big armoir)
Dining Room Overlooks Back Deck, Garden, and Woods
Dining Room Looking into Living Room

Kitchen with Sliding Glass Doors to Back Deck

Back Deck with Garden & Woods Behind
(Woods lead to Rock Creek Park, Zoo, etc.)

Finished Basement
Back Bedroom
Front Bedroom
Office/Nursery
(I know, lovely color)

The great thing is, we don’t have nearly as much stuff as the current homeowners… so the house will look even bigger when we’re living there! Also, there’s a small garage in the back, but since street parking is very easy here, we will probably turn it into a little cottage/office for Andrew. Or, as he would call it, his “man cave.”

Inspection is Saturday. Wish us luck!

Home Sweet Home?!

In two weeks, if all goes as planned, this will be our home!
Okay, get a good look, because this picture has a copyright and that probably means I should not have posted it on Milo’s blog… so I’m going to take it down fast! (I will post my own photos of it soon). It’s in a really great area next to Rock Creek Park in Chevy Chase, DC… woods in the back yard & so cozy!
We are really, really excited and amazed at our luck. Thank you, Crystal, family friend/realtor who really worked her behind off to get our offer in early and aggressively! We were patient, but she was even more patient. And our patience/anal retentiveness has finally paid off! Really, I know I am gushing, and it’s still early in the game…. anything can happen between now and closing… but we are so excited. This place is perfect for us… this place is perfect for us in 10 years!

So if my next post isn’t for a while, it’s because I am organizing, selling, packing, and getting all of our ducks in a row. But stay tuned for more pictures and updates!

Mr. Busybody

Recently, Milo has become the busiest of busybodies. He often gets so engrossed in his activity that it is hard to get his attention. Just a month ago, merely saying his name would cause him to look up from whatever he was doing and reward you with a huge, dopey grin.

But now…

He has put two and two together.
Case in point: my keys.
I didn’t have the heart to tell him that was the car key.

He also really “gets” books now.
I’m telling you, this kid is a bookworm to the fullest extent of the word. All day, it’s books, books, books. I have sat with him on my lap and read 17 books in a row before he started squirming. 17 books! He turns pages, he points at the pictures, he chooses books, he carries them around the room, he looks at them on his own. Today I got really worried for a minute because he was too quiet… until I found him under the table in our living room with a good book.

Waiting for the Library to Open

No, he shows no interest in throwing or rolling a ball back to me, but bring on the books!

Not that Milo is lacking in the physical department. He is on the verge of walking. He now cruises along furniture pretty quickly, and climbs everything. He also stands on his own, and can get into standing position with nothing around him to pull up on. It’s so exciting to see him just standing in the middle of the room for a few seconds before PLOP!

Milo now also throws some pretty sweet tantrums. Most revolve around me taking my cell phone or camera away from him. Today, after I took my camera away (he was trying to eat it) he could NOT be distracted from his devastation. I mean, there were tears, and tears, and pleading looks, then spiteful looks. I had my first taste of how he might look at me when he is a teenager and I won’t let him stay out until midnight with his friends, even though everyone else’s moms let them.

And while we’re on the topic of teenage years…
Milo’s hair had gotten out of control.

So I did what any other good-intentioned mom would do.

I made him look worse. I know, I know. I am so ashamed. But YOU try to cut an 11-month-old squirmy little boy’s hair while he tries to grab the scissors and look at them while also trying to crawl away! Really! Try it, I dare you to. And then come make fun of my little boy’s haircut.

Moving on…
The best news of this whole post is that Milo is officially sleeping through the night! He goes to bed at 7:30 and sleeps all the way until 5:30, has some milk, and goes back to sleep until 7am! Yay! It only took 11 months, but by George he’s got it.

And because this blog is as much about milestones as it is humor, Milo is feeding himself Cheerios and other little finger foods like cheese and canteloupe. Believe it, this kid is somewhat normal. Well… somewhat. He does still enjoy a good gag session now and then.