Winter

I don't think it would be possible for me to live without these winter items in Chicago.

1. The Bob Revolution- this thing takes me anywhere in this city, in any condition-- snow, rain, poorly constructed/ falling apart streets. Tate wouldn't let me take him for jogs in it over the summer (b/c of his HATRED for strollers, but it's much better now and I'm glad this huge stroller is coming in handy in the winter! Maybe this coming summer he'll go for jogs!).

2. The Bob Weather Shield- take is snug as a bug with this thing. No snow, wind, or rain gets in the stroller at all!

3. Bundle Me- with the weather shield and bundle me, Tate wouldn't need any clothes. He stays so nice and cozy, even when there's a blizzard falling on us!

4. Hunter rain boots/ socks- LOVE these guys. I've been wearing them everywhere and my toesies stay OH SO WARM. I haven't slipped ONCE!

5. Lands End long puffer jacket- I now wish I had bought the North Face jacket when I moved to Chicago a few years ago, but this one works perfectly! My jacket is actually longer than the one in the picture!

9 Months

I'm so late getting this post up, but here goes...

• The weeks leading up to month 9 were difficult! Tate was sick for most of it! It started with a bad cold, then he recovered from that. After that, he got croup. Then he got the stomach flu (AWFUL!). During the stomach flu, he got an ear infection. During the ear infection and the stomach flu, he started teething and two new pearly whites poked their way through. It has been a ROUGH month!
• He'll cruise around furniture and pull himself up on everything. He'll also stand on his own for a few seconds at a time and he's loving his walking toy.
• His friends Lincoln Donavon taught him how fun it is to be chased around. Now when I chase him he runs away from me instead of toward me.
• He mimics our laughs and noises and thinks he's pretty funny.
• He loves other children and is getting more shy around adults.
• He opens drawers and cabinents now.
• He is very picky about food and it changes all the time. He doesn't like mashed food much anymore.
• He screams and squeals and is so loud!
• He loves animals and spent half of his time in Texas chasing the cat (let's hope this love of cats fades b/c I will never let him have one! YUCK! No offense, Mom!)
• He loves balls and cars and will push them around and chase them everywhere, along with any other object he can find.
• He figured out how to climb the stairs and hasn't stopped ever since.
• When he gets excited or angry he crawls backwards
• He dances to music by head bopping and bouncing up and down

Thanks for being the cutest, most lovable baby Tate Man!