Bath Time is Supposed to be Relaxing

Bath time has sure changed in just the past few weeks.

Dane loves to play in the water. He splashes and plays with his toys. I sit by the tub with either a magazine or my phone and watch him play while I relax a bit. He likes to play for quite a while in the tub.

In the past few weeks his play has gotten quite a bit more active. He is so active that gone are the days of looking at a magazine or reading facebook or blogs on my phone. I have to be up on my knees at the side of the tub waiting for his next move at all times. The pictures are a little fuzzy because 1) I was using my phone and 2) I was too scared to put the camera up to my face and take a picture, fearing what quick move he might make when I did.

He has started to try to pull up on things and of course the slippery, wet bathtub is no exception! He is still working on pulling up though, so these pictures are when he is pretty much on his knees, slip, sliding around, which makes me nervous. He likes to take his stacking bath cups and bang them against the side of the tub as he squeals loudly.

Bath time is not a quiet time!

He loves it if there is water in the cups. He pours it over the side of the tub, usually onto the magazine that I thought I would try to read while he was in the tub. Luckily I have kept my phone out of harms way.

He also likes to reach for the faucet and pull on my shower curtain.

So needless to say, when bath time is over I am wet and tired!

Bits and Pieces of Our Weekend

Friday afternoon we headed up to St. Louis for lots of family fun!

We started the weekend by meeting at Aunt Katie's house for dinner before the adults headed to the park for the Kirkwood Adult Easter Egg Hunt! Dane stayed with Taylor, Trey, and Delaney and we went to try to win big prizes! Last year I was pregnant with sweet Dane so I wasn't the fastest hunter and then this year I have a hurt ankle, so I wasn't the fastest. I will thank my mother, not my husband, for always sticking with me when the others take off!

Several in our group had head lamps on and Tom dressed to make sure we wouldn't lose him in the dark!

The Girls!
After the hunt, getting our tickets ready for the drawing!

Mom was the winner this year. She won $20 from lottery tickets and a dozen bagels from Einstein Bagels. Katie won a $2 off coupon to Tropical Moose Snowcones. Even though we all didn't win big prizes or find the green frogs that are worth $100, we still had a lot of fun! Ready for next year!

Saturday morning Uncle Darnel, Dave, and Papa were replacing the brakes on Mama's car. We decided to get some Dunkin Donuts! Dunkin Donuts opened in Kirkwood abotu 3 weeks ago and there is still a line out the door every morning!

Eating his Dunkin Donut and loving it!

Saturday afternoon we had big plans to go watch Aunt Katie coach her

Missouri Baptist Women's Lacrosse Team.

We had visions of it being sunny and warm and Dane enjoying being outside. Well it was cloudy, cold, and windy. Dave, Tom, and I huddled together and watched the game, which they won, while Mama and Papa watched in the warm car while Dane took a little nap.

After the game we all headed over to Aunt Amy and Uncle Darnel's house for a BBQ and movie night. We had BBQed Hamburgers and Brats and french fries and onion rings! After dinner we all sat down to watch The Blind Side! It was a great movie!

Playtime!

Mama was really shocked when Dane started to reach for the bowl of popcorn.

The Frost Family always has lots of toys to entertain Dane.

Aunt Katie came by to say hi!

Aunt Amy found this bus with blocks in her basement and gave it to Dane to play with.

Aunt Amy and Dane

Daddy and Dane Playing

Sunday morning we got up and headed to church. Dane did pretty well during the service. Mama held him most of the service and he played with his toy keys. He would drop them on the floor and look at Uncle Darnel, who was sitting right next to him. Uncle Darnel would pick them up and hand them to him. He would play for a few minutes, drop them again, and look at Uncle Darnel. This game went on for quite a bit. About five minutes before the Morning Message ended Dane decided he wanted to talk quite a bit, so Dave took him out for a few minutes. They were able to return just in time to see an artist that painted as we sang the closing hymn. It was really neat!


My Boys Ready for Church

After church we headed back to Mama and Papa's house, along with Amy, Darnel, and the kids, and Papa made everyone breakfast. Dane loved Papa's French Toast. Papa making breakfast on the weekends is a

Rau Family Favorite!

We planned to feed Dane lunch at noon and head back to Ste. Gen. Mama and I decided to make some Easter treats, so it was a little later than we planned when we headed back home.

We will head back up to St. Louis on Thursday for four days of LOTS of Easter fun. We can't wait!

A Trip to the Park

Today was absolutely beautiful! One of the reasons I love our neighborhood is because we have a park and a pool right in the subdivision.

This afternoon when I got home from work Dave and I took Dane up to the park to go swinging. It was his first time in a swing.

Not quite sure what he is doing yet.

Once Dave started pushing him he absolutely LOVED it!
He would hold up his arms, squeal, and sometimes wave to us....so cute!

Today surely gave us a major dose of spring fever! We are excited about our summer off together and walking up to the park and pool for some fun times!

Bath Time

Dane still loves bath time. Dave usually gives Dane his bath each night. However, Dave has been working ALOT! Thursday night he went left at 9:45 p.m. and got home at 3:30 p.m. Friday afternoon. He did the same thing last night and is getting ready to head in again for round three in just a bit. I am sure they are missing their play time.

Last night Dane was sleeping peacefully when Dave left at 9:45 p.m. I got a few things ready for today and headed to bed about 10:30 p.m. At 11:30 p.m. I woke up to a huge boom. I thought it sounded like a transformer blew, but we didn't lose power so I am not sure if that was it or not. Then I had a flashback to when we lived in Chester and Dave and I woke up to a huge boom in the middle of the night when someone hit the house down the street on their way home from a party. I heard Dane crying and went to look outside, hoping he would cry himself back to sleep while I did. I didn't see anything and as I headed back to bed I could still hear Dane. I gave him a little bit, then went in. He seemed pretty wide awake, not a good thing. I rocked him a bit, not happy that whatever made such a sound had woken my baby. I laid him back down and he fell back asleep and woke up crying on and off for quite a while. He doesn't do this often anymore, so it was quite a shock to my system. I think I finally drifted off about 1:30 a.m.

Dave had to sleep when he got home at 3:30 so that he could head back for another double at 10:00 tonight. It was just Dane and me and I was TIRED!! We read a ton of books, played with many toys, he jumped in his jumperoo, but it was not quite bedtime. I figured it was a good time to head to the bathtub for some playtime. Dane splashed around, chewed on some of his bath toys, and I sat by the tub, watched him play, and relaxed.

He is just so happy and cute he kind of makes you forget how tired you really are.

Dane is 8 months old today!

As you can see from these pictures, Dane is a very busy boy already!

This is as still as he would sit. He was holding onto his feet and rocking back and forth.

Then, even as I yelled his name, he decided to check out his shoe.
Decided he wanted to play with it instead of wear it.
Of course it had to go in his mouth.
He finally had enough of sitting and was ready to take off.

As he scooted, he lost a sock as well.

So busy and soo cute! (Can you see those two little front teeth?)

**Weighs 21 lbs

**Size 3 diapers

**6-9 month clothes

**Eating 3 meals a day- cereal or oatmeal and a 6 oz bottle for breakfast (and not until 8:00 AM), fruit or veggie for lunch and a 6 oz. bottle, meat with a fruit or veggie for dinner and a 4 oz. bottle, and a 6 oz. bottle right before bed.

**Started feeding himself a snack of Gerber Puffs or Yogurt Melts.

**Using a sippy cup, but still preferring his bottle

**Has tasted an avocado, potatoes, bread, a Dunkin Donut, and pistachio cake off of mommy's and daddy's plate.

**We are trying to stay up a little later at night. Usually will make it until 7:45 p.m. now. Sleeping great at night. Sometimes Mommy has to wake him for daycare and when he doesn't go to daycare he will sleep until 6:30 or 7:00 sometimes.

**Has started sleeping on his side or will flip over to his tummy.

**Moved out of the infant carseat into the convertible carseat,

**Scoots all over the place. Loves to move backwards. Still working on crawling.

**Started to pull up and stand on mommy or daddy and tries to pull up on the furniture, but still working on it.

**Waves bye-he will wave to everyone in the store. He waves with his palm facing him, it is so cute!

**Started giving hugs and when we kiss him he smiles and giggles!

**Has two front teeth!

**Loves it when Mommy sings to him. If he is crying he immediately stops!

**Moves his hands when I sing "Itsy, Bitsy Spider" and raises his arms when we say, "So big"

**Loves Max (our dog) and Molly (Mama's dog). Only Molly returns the feelings though.

**Loves playing with his Uncle T.J.- he makes him laugh so hard

**Loves playing with his toys and will talk and laugh the entire time. He gets so excited.

**Is talking so much. Says Mama and Dada....usually Dada more.....

We are soooooo looking forward to summer. Only 43 more days of school for mommy! We have lots of summer plans!

We love watching him everyday. He is just amazing us with his happy personality and how much more he is doing everyday. Just when we think it can't get any better, it does!

Weekend Fun!

Saturday afternoon Dave, Dane, and I headed to St. Louis. Dave and I were going out with the "Carpe Diem" (young couples) group at church. It was DEMO BALL night. We met Amy and Darnel, dropped Dane and Max with my mom and dad (nothing like babysitting a baby and the dog), and headed to Adrenaline Zone in St. Charles. It was a blast! If you can't tell from the picture, we are in bumper cars and each person has a ball scoop. There are teams of 5 and you use the ball scoop to try to get the whiffle ball in the basket. It is like a combination of hockey, football, polo, and basketball in bumper cars! Crazy fun! I could even do it with my sore foot!

Dane had a blast with my parents. I received a video half way through the night of him playing and squealing in delight!

Sunday we had our traditional St. Pat's Dinner at my parents. The way we celebrate you would think we are 110% Irish.

What a love in his cute little St. Pat's Day shirt!

The leprechaun visited Mama's house and look a bath.

He left the water green, which made the grandkids sooo excited!

Delaney was in charge of passing out green beads to everyone.

Trey was counting his gold "chocolate" coins that the leprechaun left.

Our family in all our green!

Mama's house was all decorated in green!

The cousins waiting for Corned Beef, Cabbage, and Red Potatoes!!

Cousins!

The boys!

Playing with Uncle T.J.

Trying to give a little hug!

Mom had favors to hand out...green m&ms and a shamrock blessing!

I am hoping this shamrock blessing brings me good luck. Our laptop has a bad virus and will not do anything!! I am taking it to our tech people at school tomorrow. Thank goodness I was able to get all of the 1, 982 pictures of Dane's 8 months of life off and saved on flash drives. I will now be saving all of his pictures in more than one place! As I transferred the pictures to flash drives I tried to clean out the folders....sometimes I will have 10 almost identical pictures saved, but I just loved every single picture and could not bring myself to delete any. Gosh I love that little guy!

Some Unexpected Days at Home

I took Monday off work and decided that it was best to go visit the Dr. I went in and he checked out my foot. He determined it was not broken or fractured, just a VERY VERY bad sprain. He gave me two prescriptions, an order for an ankle brace, and a note for one week off of work.

I thought, "Really, I don't need a week off." Dave took me by school after visiting the Dr. and I went in to talk to my principal. I told her about my Dr. visit and said that I thought I would be able to make it in to work on Tuesday as long as I could sit down and keep my foot up during the day. So, I planned to return to school on Tuesday.

Tuesday was absolutely miserable! I thought I was doing ok. Dave loaded Dane in the car for me since I can't walk down the stairs and hold him at the same time. Then Miss Sue met me in the driveway and carried Dane into her house. I got to school. The walk into school alone was long and painful. Why is my classroom the very last room in the main hallway? It seemed like the longest walk in the world. Well I will say that my kids were excellent on Tuesday. But, by lunch I was needing my Tylenol with Codeine, which I couldn't take at school. I was so uncomfortable from sitting in the exact same position with my my foot propped up on a hard chair. It is easier said than done to sit while you teach all day. I either tried to stand for a bit and then my foot throbbed or I sat down and taught and totally bored even myself so much that I wanted to scream. When I limped out of school I thought, "Maybe the Dr. knows best and I should stay home for a couple of days."

I got home, unwrapped my foot, and propped this bruised, swollen foot up for the night.

The bruising even started to creep up to my toes!

Today the weather has been beautiful. Even though I have been stationed on the oversized chair we have had the sliding door open and the sun shining through. I keep thinking I need to sit here and recover so that I can take my walks when the good weather is here to stay. I think it is supposed to rain later this week so that will make hanging out on the chair a little easier.

I have enjoyed having Dave home today to hangout with as well as to cook, CLEAN, and DO LAUNDRY. (I got a towel out of the closet and it wasn't folded quite the way I like, but I am trying to ignore it and be thankful that he is helping so much)

Dane has been playing and smiling all day, that itself makes anyone feel better! He seems to want spring to be here as much as I do. He loves to stand by the sliding door and look outside. He also is sporting his Cardinal Onesie. Better stock up on some more Cardinal clothing though, we realized this is his last Cardinal outfit that fits!

Every so often he would come snuggle with me for a bit. He is getting busier these days and won't stay in my lap for long. Guess I better enjoy as much snuggle time as I can get. I am sure he will just get busier and busier.

Bits and Pieces of our Weekend

There are now two little teeth poking through. Dane chews on everything!

From the bath to the changing table and he finds something else to put in his mouth!

Acting like a big shot holding his bottle with one hand!
Saturday morning we had great plans for our day.
Our morning went well so we headed out to grocery shop.

It was our first trip without the infant carseat carrier. Dane loved it! He sat up in the cart so well and smiled at everyone as we walked through Walmart. I did a TON of grocery shopping and he was so good!

Worn out from the shopping trip

When we got home from Walmart we had a plan: carry in groceries, eat lunch, and then a walk in the beautiful weather! We couldn't wait.

But.....I was heading back down the stairs to grab the last of groceries and I had Dane in my arms, singing him a little song and I think I must have thought I was on the landing, but I was actually on the bottom step and I fell! Poor Dane was scared and started to cry a little. Then I realized I couldn't get up. Dave was sleeping. I yelled for him for about 5 minutes. Finally I think the dog heard us and scratched on the door for Dave to let him out. When Dave got up to let him out he heard me yelling. He got us up and we got my shoe off. Wow! My foot was already starting to swell so bad. It wasn't broken, just very badly sprained. I can't walk.

Bruising and swollen

Then the bruising started to stretch from my ankle all the way up my foot to my toes and then around to the other side.

After an hour or so with my foot up and iced we realized it would probably be a while before I could move around much. Dave had to work Saturday night, so Aunt Katie came down to take care of Dane....and me, of course!

Aunt Katie got here right after Dane's bath so we had some time to hang out before bedtime.

Aunt Katie is leaving for spring break with her lacrosse team tomorrow so she was making treats for the road trip. Dane and I hung out at the island while she baked away!

Dane fell right to sleep for Aunt Katie on Saturday night. He woke up about 12:30 and she went in and picked him up for a minute. She had a hard time putting him down because he snuggled right up to her and fell right back to sleep....so sweet!

Sunday morning Dane rested on the couch next to Aunt Katie while we hung out and talked.

We are so happy Aunt Katie was able to come down, help out, and a play a bit!

Mommy still can't walk so we will both stay home tomorrow and hopefully with another day of ice and elevation we will be moving a little better soon.