Here are some pictures of Connor with Aunt Jeannie (Mimi’s sister), Uncle Kenny, and Poco while we were in Florida.

I think Connor wanted to take Poco home with us.

I was observing our “little man” (as Victoria likes to call him) tonight and he showed me a new trick with his walker. He was standing still and was sliding it back and forth between each hand. You will notice a few times he was actually standing on his own but probably did not realize it.

I think I reported on this around 6 month, but it was nothing that stuck with Connor.  On the last few days of our trip to Florida, Connor discovered his voice.  He mainly learned that he could open his mouth and start to scream.  This was more of an “aaaahhhhh” type of scream.  Something that if I did it as long as he was doing, it would make me hoarse.

Anyways, Great Grandmother said she heard Connor say “Da Da”.  We paid attention and sure enough he was saying it.  Of course, he does not know what he is saying or who to associate it with, but he loves to say “Da Da”.  I even heard him saying it Sunday morning as he was playing in his crib and Mommy/Daddy were still relaxing in bed.

Victoria was a little jealous that he was not saying “MaMa” but I explained to her that most infants say “DaDa” first because it is easier for them to say.  But believe me, Victoria was putting the “full course press on” trying to get Connor to say “MaMa” the previous few weeks.

Well, as most have read our flight down to Orlando went very smoothly and without incident with Connor (big sigh of relief).

On the returning flight, we had 2 seats in a row which contained 3.  This concerned us — remember how Connor loves to have his space (Please check your seat number…)  Victoria and I were concerned that the person next to us might frighten Connor leading to a long flight home.  So, Daddy and Connor crammed into the window seat and hoped for the best.  People kept boarding and no one was sitting in the seat.  Victoria looked at me and said no one was sitting there…I was still a little skeptical and was waiting for the doors to close and the plane to take off before I sounded “the all clear” to Connor.

The door to the plane shut.  Mini sigh of relief…

We taxied for takeoff and took off.  Big sigh of relief…

This should be an easy flight home and now we had a little extra room as well…

WAIT — not so fast!!!!!

As soon as the fasten seat belt sign went off, a middled age man was making his way to the front of the plane with his briefcase.  He passed by our open seat on the aisle and asked, “Is this seat taken?”  I sensed his anxiety level was running a little high.  I said no as Connor stared him down for a few seconds.

The man sat down and started to mumble to Victoria and I the following, “That woman back there is popping her gum.  I can’t concentrate and can’t sit back there for a 2 hour flight.”

Didn’t he notice what I was holding in my lap?  Did he think it was a bag of potatoes or something?  Didn’t he know this was “Mr. Hurricane” (the nickname now fits because of Connor’s screaming spells).

Victoria gave me a look like, what does he think he is doing? I gave her a look as if to say…”gum popping bothered you…wait until you get a load of Connor”.

Well, needless to say Mr. Hurricane was Mr. Perfect and soon fell asleep.  And Mr. Grumpy (the guy who stole our seat) finally returned to his seat when the pilot began his descent into Newport News.

You dodged a bullet Mr. Grumpy…next time sit and listen to the gum popping.

18lbs 7oz

27 3/4″ long

Connor continues to develop just fine and our doctor was very impressed with his ability to gather his pacifier and put it in his mouth.  He also gave Mommy kudos for teaching Connor how to turn his walker around.

The doctor told us that walking will be in Connor’s future since he has such command of push walker.  He says probably by 10 months if he had to guess, but he suggested we keep the video camera charged so we can capture those first steps.

After our trip to Florida, I noticed that Connor is much better around Grandpa/Mimi and Grandma.  In the past, he would sometimes cry hysterically (see theThe elusive “Loch Ness Connor”… posting).

I think being in a different environment and meeting quite a few people on our trip to Florida helped Connor get comfortable with others.  (I think his Great Grandmother must have had a talk with him and told him that there was nothing to be scared about.)

Anyways, he spent quite a bit of time with Grandpa/Mimi and Grandma this past week and all reported he was much easier to deal with once Mommy and Daddy had left.

Our doctor warned us that around 9 months, some babies start to experience separation anxiety and they sometimes don’t like to be separated from Mommy at all (even if Daddy takes them).  So, we will see what happens over the next few weeks.  We are hoping there will not be any relapses.  😉

As many of you already know (and have seen first hand), Connor has mastered walking around with his push cart/walker.  He loves this and can turn on a dime.  He has gotten so good that he knows when he is getting close to bumping into something and will stop and whip it around in the other direction.  I really need to take more video of this, but it has become so “routine” for him that we just forget how amazing it truly is.

Well, over the past week he has learned to start to balance and stand on his own.  It might only be for a short few seconds, but it is the next skill he is developing.  I counted him standing for nearly 6 seconds tonight.  He kind of gets distracted by what he his holding (pacifier or toy) in one hand and then takes his other hand off of his cart or the couch to touch the item with both hands.  He stands there for a second and then usually loses his balance.

Our little boy is growing up…

Connor is cutting his 3rd and 4th teeth (the upper two front teeth).  One of them has just barely broken through and the other one is just about ready to.  He has not been too fussy with them as of yet.

He is chewing on just about anything he can get his mouth on…

crib, coffee table, end table, tray table on his high chair, Mommy’s shoulder, Daddy’s leg, and many toys.