What 11-month olds like to do all day.

We have been and will continue to be really busy (what else is new, right ;-), as Michael has his first job interview this coming Friday at 1pm and he's turning in an outline for his thesis this week! We are hoping he'll get a job offer, so if you are inclined to pray we definitely appreciate it! His final defense is scheduled for November 2, just two days after Liam's first birthday. Speaking of that, I put Liam's invitations together and mailed them out this past Saturday. I will post pictures soon, but want to wait for our immediate family members to get and see them first! Liam has also been really busy, as you will see below!

After getting bored with his normal toys, he creates his own toys out of things like this rod from some mini-blinds he found under something (don't worry, we don't let him play with things like this on a normal basis, but he does go after them on a regular basis! These photos were taken to capture him in action!).

I assure you, he's not shoving it up his nose... though it looks like it! ;-)

He already acts like things like this are swords a lot of the time...

Or javelins...

Liam the mighty (cute) warrior!

Video of him in action... pay attention to his face when I take it away (those eyes say a lot!)...


He's also still very into emptying drawers and making big messes! I am starting to wonder if we have a little engineer on our hands after watching him get preoccupied with figuring out how to get around our "childproof" devices. His primary focus was the cabinet under the sink where cleaning products are. I caught him straining to reach his arm in and pull things out. Once he got a can of Pledge that I thankfully grabbed right away! Then when I moved everything out of reach, he figured out how to undo the latches!! We will need to find better latches if it keeps up, but at least they are still effective deterrents with proper supervision.

He loves to eat now, and is able to eat more and more things! His current new favorite foods are broccoli (it doesn't make him gassy!) and steal cut oatmeal. We tried steel cut oatmeal for the first time and I gave him some, and was impressed he ate at least a fourth cup of it. I can barely get him to choke down more than a tablespoon of baby oatmeal (and it has to have applesauce in it), and he won't eat rolled oats. But he loved steal cut!
I love how he usually crosses those little feet while he's sitting in the high chair!!

Still is a big fan of chicken too, and really any meat so far including fish (he's recently tried tilapia, salmon, sausage)
Enjoying Chinese jiaozi (dumplings filed with ground pork mixed with minced bok choy and a few spices)!
We were amazed he liked asparagus too, even though he had some trouble chewing it!

Still learning to walk and going short distances at a time:



In Liam's world, everything is more funny at nap time!

You can't make me!

Finally, here is Liam's adorable new fall jacket Mommy picked up with a hat on clearance for under $20 with one of Liam's gift cards!!! It looks just like a Chicago Bears jacket, only without the price tag, and Daddy was very pleased :-) Mommy is pleased now he can be warm for his walks. The funny part is today, Aunt Katy called me and we realized she was trying to buy the exact same one for the same reason (great minds think alike)!