Tommy at 3 months! (September 29, 2009)

At his three-month birthday, Tommy is a great big chunk of a baby. He's wearing 6-12-month clothes! About three weeks ago, he weighed 17 pounds, so we're thinking he's about 19 or so now. His new tricks include laughing (very rarely, but it's sooooo adorable), holding on to toys (we have to hold it next to his hand, but once he's grabbed it, he moves it around himself), and reading books (well . . . being interested in books that Mommy and Daddy read to him).

We had two visits from our heroes over the past week. First, Aunt Becca had a layover at Dulles on her way back to Afghanistan. We had a fun dinner at Harry's Tap Room on the departures concourse. Tommy received many kisses and coos and only had a minor meltdown.

Then, our good friend Patrick stopped in for an all-too-brief visit on his way home for R&R before he is deployed to Iraq as an army chaplain this fall. Patrick's stories made Tommy laugh *twice* -- only his second and third times ever -- which will not come as a surprise to anyone who knows Pat Van Durme.

We will be praying for both Aunt Becca and Patrick and counting the days until we get to see them again.

In between these visits, we traveled as a family to Carlisle, PA, to spend a weekend with the Mahers. We played and played (and indulged in delicious Belgian food)!


Over the past few weeks, Tommy has befriended his hanging caterpillar. He is all-too-believable as a rugby player!
Tommy has become enamored of the activity bar on his bouncy chair. He smiles at it and coos along with the music. It's very cute.Aunt Stallone sent Tommy this festive outfit from Hawaii. We think it makes him look like a party animal!
Tommy is very proud of his Cards, who clinched a spot in the post-season this week.
These overalls are marked for 12-month olds. They're snug on our boy!
Tommy is working on his sitting-up skills. (Very seldom does the lad look small, but we think we managed it here.)
Tommy loves Aunt Becca!!!


Aunt Becca and Mommy love Tommy a little bit too.
Tommy melted down at the airport and then mellowed out. We thought he looked particularly roly-poly in this pose. Here, Tommy worked on sitting up at the Mahers' in Carlisle, PA, where we spent last weekend.

Here, Tommy is hanging out with his good friends, the Chaunceys.
Chauncey V and Tommy are BFFs.
Chauncey V is devising clever plots for them execute once Tommy is mobile.
Chauncey V is a very sweet honorary big brother.
A rare -- and all-too-brief -- Uncle Patrick sighting!
Here, Tommy demonstrates how he barely fits in his crib width-wise.

Likewise, he has reached the length of his changing table.
We put the finishing touch on Tommy's nursery with the adorable, custom-made name plaques from Ashley!

Cheeks!
At three months, Tommy still hates tummy-time, except when he finds his thumb and settles in for a nice nap. Either way, he doesn't get a lot of head exercise!