The pre-swim.

Anders goes skinny dipping.

Sorry the compressed video doesn't let you see all the nice smiles and other facial expressions he does...

A Visit with Grandpa and Grandma

My parents came out from Colorado this past Saturday and spent a few days with us.  They hadn't seen Anders since March, so he was quite different from the last time they saw him.  They came with lots of stuff - mainly clothes loaned to us from his cousins (it sure is nice to be the youngest of 4 boys when it comes to clothes - his wardrobe has tripled, at least).  Oh, I'm supposed to let everyone know that we don't need any more clothes.  

They also brought a big box, which was very exciting to play with...

Until Anders discovered the DVD from Netflix, after that he moved on to the stereo and the other stuff on the entertainment center.  He especially likes the blue lights on the DVR.  

Grandma did a very good job of following the no plastic rule.  As a bonus, she bought this fun Brio clown at a garage sale, thus saving part of a tree.  Anders loves the clown. 

Bath time is more exciting now with toys.

It is nice that the weather is warmer so that Anders doesn't freeze after his baths.  

Anders has this new exciting morning thing.  He loves to crawl to the end of the bed and see that baby in the mirror.  

He thinks that baby is pretty darn cute.  

Sadie was here too.  She really likes to lick.  This was a new experience for Anders as Lucy tended to avoid him.  Sadie seemed to be unable to help herself - she would see him and MUST LICK! 

There were several lick-free moments as well. 

Touchdown!  Anders is very excited for football season to start.  

I call this next series: Furniture, what furniture?  

Ta-da!  

This week Anders really started doing So Big - it is pretty funny.  He also has been clapping for things, appears to have signed the word more a few times, and also seems to be waving at appropriate times.  Tonight when I got home from work he was busy crawling all over the place.  

Oh, he had his 9 month appointment yesterday.  It is hard to believe we have been doing this for 9 months already.  Anyway, he is still skinny - not even 16 pounds yet, despite all the food he eats.  But again, his doctor is not concerned.  She was happy that he hasn't gotten sick and felt that he was on track developmentally.  She noticed how busy he is and feels that he is burning off a lot of the calories he is taking in.  

Happy Birthday Zach!

Zach is 4 years old today.  When I talked to him earlier, he said, "Can you believe I am already 4?" To be honest, no Zach, I cannot believe you are already 4.  That is too crazy.  So far, Zach is the only kid to have taken a bath in our sink.  We were remodeling our kitchen at the time. 

I bet the best part about today is that he gets to open his own presents, as opposed to helping others, like his cousin Cam.  Hope it was a great day Zach! 

The Next Day

Anders seems to be waving these days.  We aren't totally sure, but he loves to look at himself in the mirror and lately it seems like he waves to himself.   

And...the real news you have all been waiting for:

This is so cool to me.  The caterpillar was still a caterpillar this morning and this is what I found when I got home.  Actually, it was caterpillar still when Will got home from work about 5 hours before I did.  I haven't zoomed in on this picture, but when I was looking at this up close, I could see where the legs used to be.  I don't know if I mentioned this yesterday, but this is right outside our back door, so we will be able to see the changes take place easily.  Hopefully we will get lucky enough to catch the butterfly coming out.   The other caterpillar on the garage door is not there anymore.  

Nature Notes

Anders and I were taking a walk around the back yard and found some interesting signs of insects.   There are lots of bugs that change the shape of leaves, make tracks or tunnels on the leaves, and lay their eggs on leaves, but this is one of the coolest changes I have ever seen.  It almost looks like a flower.  It is on a walnut tree that has volunteered in a most unfortunate spot - in between our house and our neighbor's house.  Unfortunate because it is only about 12 feet from our house to theirs and that isn't enough space for a great big walnut tree, so alas, it will have to go.   I did a cursory search online but don't have time to do an in depth search to figure out what did this to the leaves.  I will have to watch for the bug...

Here is more of the damage or art depending on how you look at it.  I think it looks pretty cool, but Will is creeped out by it.  I feel bad taking the tree down as I am not only killing the tree (and we all know we need more of them) but also the insect's habitat. 

These next three shots are from our elm tree.  When we moved into the house, the tree was about two feet tall and about the circumference of a pencil.  It was obviously a volunteer in the middle of a peony.  We let it grow and now it is taller than our house (35-40 feet) and at least 10" in diameter.  This is our 10th year in the house.  Elms grow quickly.  I think that is why they were so popular.  We are hoping that this one is super special and resistant to Dutch Elm Disease.   Anyway, these bugs rolled up the leaf.   I'm 99% sure this picture is damage from the Woolly Elm Aphid, though there are insects known as leaf rollers, this is not leaf roller damage - the leaf is too messed up. 

Here are some eggs under the surface of the leaves.  I haven't figured out what they are from, but they aren't from the Woolly Elm Aphids, as they lay their eggs on the bark. 

This picture is out of focus, but you get the idea - lots of Woolly Elm Aphids.  These give me the creeps.  Poor tree.   I think it also has some sort of scale.  

Yesterday when I came home from Pennsylvania Will had two caterpillars in a jar in our kitchen.   There were several in our yard - all climbing our house for some reason.  Apparently to find a place to pupate.   I wish I had taken a picture of this one earlier in the day.  I found it in the morning and it spent about 5 hours just hanging out with all of its legs touching the bottom of the gutter from which it hangs now.  I knew it was getting ready to pupate, but failed to get a picture of the early stages.  This is what it was doing when Will got home from work.

I imagine this is one of it's siblings.  I suspect that tomorrow it will also be hanging upside down.  It is on our garage door, which seems like a bad place for two reasons - we go into the garage daily and the sun does beat down on the door for several hours per day.  I wonder if cocoons are insulated? 

Same one, different angle.  These caterpillars are Spiny Elm Caterpillars which will become Mourning Cloak Butterflies.   We haven't noticed these before, but we have seen the butterflies around.  It seems like we should see lots of butterflies this summer.  We will try to keep up with their life cycle over the next few weeks - too bad Anders isn't older.  

 

Ok and now what you all have been waiting for: Anders.  He dressed in his camo outfit so that he could hunt for insects without being detected.  

These next few pictures are from while I was gone.  I went to Pennsylvania for work EARLY Monday morning.  Will and Anders seem to have really enjoyed the time they had together, which is good because I have one more trip in August.  

Will was a really good husband and sent me a picture of Anders every morning.  This one was my favorite.   Anders is 9 months old today - can you believe it?  It seems crazy.  I can see how people forget the rough times in those early days.  I haven't forgotten them, but I don't feel them anymore.  Does that make sense?  In those first few months we were so tired from the night wakings and he was cute and all, but I just was tired and emotional and unsure of what I was doing.  Now he sleeps through the night (most of the time) and is way more fun than he used to be.  He is crawling tons and stands up at things so quickly is it amazing.  He eats likes crazy - today he tried cranberry-orange muffins and went crazy for them - and he laughs and smiles tons.  I suspect he is still on the small side for his age - we will find out on Tuesday, but he is healthy.  

He is very busy these days.  He really likes the stuff on the entertainment center.  

And his favorite TV guy (I'm not proud and I don't know why the font is blue now).