I hope you like pictures, because here is month #4 in pictures!

(As much as you love them, my witty comments sadly end with the title of this post because I'm really trying to get the blog updated as I have lots of other projects on the list with the holidays here!)

September 24th: another day at Grandma's house, time for some cute family photos!

September 25th: a trip to the pumpkin farm (early in the year because Michael would be gone traveling for work for the next couple weeks)

September 29th: Dallas gets to try on his Halloween costume for the first time (again, early, but this way Michael could see him in it before anyone else)

(The dogs didn't really want to cooperate)

October 5th: Grandpa (or Poppy as we sometimes call him) visits Appleton during the day and has time for lunch with Dallas!

October 9th: Little Jonny has a football game, and mama has another photo op!

October 14th: 5 months old!!!

October 19th: The first time trying out a sippy cup...we didn't start using them regularly yet, just wanted to give it a go, Dallas did pretty well.

October 20th: A little pajama play time with Cousin Ella while her mama and daddy buy some new cars!

 

October 31st: "Dallas's First Halloween", spent shopping at the mall with Grandma, Auntie Katie, and Cousin Ella? That's an interesting time for shopping!!
(Sorry no pictures for this event!)
November 2nd: Dallas's first time trying cereal, yummy!!

November 6th: LSU gear for the first time, mama is surprised that daddy let Dallas wear this, but when the kid looks cute in anything, how can you say no??? (Thanks Auntie Erin in Louisiana for the great outfit!)
Notice the game on TV that he is straining his neck to watch!!

 (Had to include this one, who doesn't love a little baby skin??)

Geaux Tigers!!!

This week's highlights for our little man....

Watching TV with Daddy and tasting the remote! (on September 12th, 2010)

And exploring a new toy that mama waited and waited to get (on September 17th, 2010)

Trying to find his mouth....

Almost there...(it ended up in there eventually, and trust me, that remote gets sanitized often

just like the rest of the toys!)

Now, for the other exciting event...mama was probably more excited than Dallas:)

I saw this toy in Parents Magazine and thought it looked pretty cool.  I proceeded to call the website they were advertising the toy from and they were sold out and had a waiting list to get one shipped to you.  I tried toysrus.com and sadly saw the phrase "out of stock", sad baby mama. So, I decided to look on Amazon.com and low and behold, they had some available for shipping right away!! 

You better believe I had it ordered that very day. 

Why so adamant to get the toy, you may ask?  I just thought in Wisconsin playing with water only happens in the bath tub and outside, well for about 3 months anyway...see this post  about how we can't even swim at the local pool in the end of August!!

The toy also promotes tummy time, which we know strengthens the neck muscles!!

Can't you see the excitement in his face already??

Checking out the little boat floating in the water...

Posing for a picture

And another...I believe there is a picture very similar to this one of me (Alyssa) as a baby somewhere

and if I find it, I'll share it with you!

Gabbana checking out the toy or (licking Dallas's hand, whichever doesn't

gross you out if you aren't a dog lover)

Taking a break to get a kiss from Gabbana (if you are one of those non-dog-lovers, close your eyes!!)

I think he likes it

Now for a couple more pictures because this is one of mama's favorite outfits

and because he's maybe the cutest kid you've ever seen.... 

If you switch back and forth between these two, it might look like he's dancing!!

Finishing our photo shoot off with some baby toes, because who doesn't LOVE those???

Monkey and The Bean Take a Dip!

August 29th was the first time Dallas attempted swimming, well it was more of sitting, in the pool.

Katie, Alyssa, Ella, and Dallas got all SPF'd up and headed out on a very hot August afternoon to the neighborhood pool...we walked.  Little did we know that ALL of the pools in Northern Wisconsin have their last public swim day on August 22.  August 22nd??  I know sometimes it snows in September, but what happened to the last week in August?

We were so disappointed, but decided...why not air up Ella's pool and swim in the comfort of

The Hoetschl's backyard?  Great idea.  Well, by the time we got back to the house, both babies were out cold, snoozing in their car seats.  The mom's decided to make the most of the quiet time and air up the pools, get towels ready and be prepared for when they wake up.  So, after wrestling with the air compressor for a while, because we were not about to blow the pool up ourselves, we got everything set up.  

*Note to self, learn how to use one of those before your husband leaves for work if you have ANY intention of possibly having to blow up a pool, bike tires, or anything else that takes "air" to work! 

And just in the nick of time..the babies were up and ready to cool off with us.

We had a great time just sitting and relaxing for quite a while, in fact I'm pretty sure we all had wrinkly toes when it was time for some lunch. 

PS: Diapers can hold A LOT of moisture...I'm pretty sure those things weighed as much as a small puppy when we got out of the water.

Raise your hand (or fist) if you want to go swimming!

Scream if you're ready to go swimming!

Lift your leg if you want to go too!

And now he's sleeping...

As is she!

Who's pretty silly over there, Dallas?

Hey, hey you, are you ready to go swimming yet?

Hey, how do you sit up like that all by yourself?

Ok, stop with the pictures and put me in that pool!! 

Yummy, pool toy.

Chilaxin'

Mommy and her little Monkey:)