Santa Comes to Town

Last night Santa came to the village of Whitesboro via the Fire Truck. We were running a little late with dinner and then we walked down there. I opted to leave my camera home in exchange for Matt bringing his, as it was smaller. On the trip down there I asked if the battery was charged. Matt said he charged it yesterday. You can see where this is going right??? Well, we arrived and pulled out the camera for our first picture of Dominic and Pupo in front of the fire truck and the battery was dead. So, there will be no pictures of this event. I was crushed as I am a fanatic with the camera and events, especially as Pupo is not home so very often that I can catch some photos of him and Dominic. Matt did however take a few with his camera phone.

Aside from the loss of photos, it was a great time! When we first arrived Santa plugged the lights in to light the village tree. Dominic however, was far more interested in the bright colored fire trucks then he was either Santa or the village tree (lights and all). Pupo enjoyed showing Dominic the trucks and then we went and saw the parade of trucks that were decorated. The best by far was this old fire truck that had an open cab. It was a post card photo.

The line was far to long for Dominic to see Santa, so we had some cider, visited and then headed home. It was a very pleasant evening for the end of November here in upstate NY. It was around 50-55 degrees out. A sweatshirt was all that was needed.
A very enjoyable evening!

Dominic's Chair too

This chair that little Dominic is in, first belonged to Pupo's brother Dominic who passed away before our little Dominic was born. Pupo got the chair out and cleaned it up for little Dominic. Little Dominic loves this chair. It is his size and he can rock in it! Thank you Pupo!!

Then vs. Now

The little stinker never really took a bottle (a few times when he was small, maybe,but that was it). So, it would make sense that he would be chewing on this toy bottle right?

Mini Me

I was getting Dominic dressed one day and couldn't help but try on the tie that Grandma Mo bought for him. The way he looked all dressed up, coupled along with the fact that he was sitting next to his father and looks just like him, made me title this mimi me. In appearances and actions he is definitely his father's child!!!

Thanksgiving Day

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day. It began with a trip to Grandma Cindy's house where we had turkey with Grandma Cindy, Grandpa Ron, Aunt Mandy, Uncle Chris, Cousin Christopher, and Imagin, Harley, and Uncle Mark. Then Great Grandpa Caswell and Great Grandma Caswell came for desert. It was a great time filled with laughs, family and wonderful food we were so fortunate to have.

Our day did not end there! Next, we packed up to go to Grandma Mo, and Pupo's house. There we had dinner and visited with Uncle Anthony, and Aunt Angie. Everyone played with Dominic who would run around the house in circles, and pulling everything apart. No, not really, let's just say he has his favorite things to pull out and apart. :-)

Finally, Pupo and Grandma Mo watched Dominic while Mommy and Daddy got to go out to a movie with Aunt Angie and Uncle Anthony. We thought he would be sound asleep when we got home because he didn't have a nap and was exhausted at 6pm. However, Dominic had other plans. I guess he found out that we left and he was going to enjoy himself. He was awake sitting in the chair with Pupo when we got home. Soon as he was home in his own bed he was out before I even left the room! He just wanted his own bed I guess. I think he takes after his father on that one!!!!

It was definitely a day to be thankful for!




Grandma Cindy enjoying her time with the little man.










The little man and "the old man" (as my grandmother refers to him).



Aunt Angie with Dominic. Check out the hats!




Grandma Caswell with Dominc. I think he believes he can drive that thing. :-)


Grandm Mo & Aunt Angie & Dominic.......Pupo where are you????? Pupo????

Reading

Reading while driving!




As you can see, reading is a very important aspect of our lives and this is also true for Dominic. He loves books. He will pick a book out now and bring it to you to read. He also will drop what he is doing if you pick up one of his favorite books and begin reading it. It is so funny to see him scramble as quick as possible to climb into your lap. Animals are a favorite subject right now, especially horses, dogs, and cats. We supply the cats, of which Jezzie is a saint with Dominic. I can't believe the crap she puts up with. Aside from that, Grandma Cindy supplies the horses and the dogs (among other animals).

There are so many to choose from, I don't know what to pick!

I'm walking!

Well it took me long enough to post these pictures of Dominic walking. Here are a few of the little guy walking in the morning. These were taking around Nov. 18th.

Drunken Sailor

Dominic can now walk from the coffee table in the living room to our bedroom office chair. He is building his confidence as well as his skill, however, he still looks like a drunken sailor walking. He is a rocky walker, but adorable non-the-less. I think he is really enjoying the fact that he can now hold objects and take them where he wants to go while walking. I really think that this is one exceptionally large motivator as to him walking.

Another thing he loves to do now is turn the light switches on and off! He will play with the lights each time we walk past them.

Pictures 11/09-11/13

Here are a bunch of photos from the last week. They are in no particular order. Dominic is 10 months old in all of them.

The Vacuum is going to get me!!! Dominic is very afraid of the vacuum. Every time I turn it on he goes crazy and panicks. He is afraid it is going to get him and when he feels safe he thinks it is going to get me. :-)

Help!!!


Who says wipes don't taste good.


I'm hiding in the cabinet.





Dominic and grandma Mo


This was a cute photo I caught of Dominic reading the instruction manual of my D-70. He really looked like he was interested in it.




Daddy put me in the laundry bucket, but it is fun!!!

11/13-Walking!!!

Well on the 12th aunt Mandy and the cousins came over for a sleep over. Which was very fun, not only for the kids, but moms as well. Needless to say, when they first arrived Dominic was so excited that Christopher was here that he just started walking after him. I think that this caused him to build up his confidence. The children had fun destroying the house (actually, just playing with everything, but making a huge mess) and playing together. Everyone destroyed the house except Imagin, as she was just entertained watching everyone. After dinner, which was eaten especially well by the children, it was bath time. Both Dominic and Christopher got to share bath time. This was interesting to Dominic as it meant that he had free range in the tub and not confined to his ducky. At first, I think this scared him a little. Then he realized that he had a friend there with him and was content to continue playing. Finally, after an exhausting day of play it was time for bed. Then, aunt Mandy and I got to watch a movie and talk. :-)



On the 13th, Dominic really started taking off with his walking. He first walked half way across our bedroom and he did it on his own without me starting him off walking. He continued to walk throughout the day and taking bigger challenges. He would go distances that he had not tackled before and go between objects that he hadn't attempted before. So, after our walk to the post office, and then to the library (where Dominic flirted with all the girls who know him so well and showed off his new walking skills to them) we spent a bit of time outside playing. The temperature and weather here were so nice yesterday it was impossible not to spend the time outside. Finally, Matt called and said he was on his way home. I told him that I had a surprise for him.

When Matt walked in I told Dominic to go and get Daddy. He took off walking across the kitchen to get Matt. It was adorable and memorable. He repeated the episode with grandma Mo who came down to see what the little man was up to.

The last bit that of news that I have is that Dominic has been weaned from his 5am feeding. He now waits till he gets up in the morning. The best part is that this weaning was the easiest to do and it eliminates the morning nap feeding. We are down to three times a day and soon the night one is going to go as well. (He doesn't mind taking a cup of milk at bedtime.)

November 10th

I don't know why some nights Dominic will sleep straight through and some nights he will wake up 3-4 times. All I do know is that I really like the nights he sleeps straight through. I really feel it the nights where he is up a lot and wonder how I managed for the past 9 months like that!!!

Yesterday we went to the library for story hour and he absolutely loved it. He loved looking at all the other children and listening to the songs, rhymes, and stories. It is an hour a week I really look forward to for him. Aside from the library, we spent two hours outside yesterday. The first hour we were outside Dominic enjoyed pushing his little mail truck all around the yard investigating everything of interest to him. Then he held my hand and we walked around the yard and house. He especially liked the front steps that lead from the sidewalk to the front porch. He would go up and down, up and down. One would have thought it was like an amusement ride. Then, since the weather was still so beautiful (have to take advantage of these wonderful days in Nov. here in upstate NY)I took Dominic for a walk in the cemetery. When we arrived home daddy pulled in and then shortly after so did Grandma Mo.

Thank you Grandma Mo and Pupo! Dominic loves his Christmas outfit, and daddy loves the tie!! (Grandma Mo bought Dominic a Christmas outfit and shirt and tie.) Daddy, Dominic and Grandma Mo had dinner while Mommy got some time to herself and went to the gym.


Aside from yesterday's news, Dominic loves when I sing Mary had a little lamb. He will stop what he is doing and smile. Another thing he loves is the book Room on a Broom. He actually will come over and sit in your lap while you read that story and it is not a short story either! In his room today he pulled the books off his shelf and began reading them to himself (babbling).

November 8th

Well, the news of the day. Mary, our neighbor below us celebrated her 99th birthday today. I can't even begin to imagine how much change she has seen in her lifetime.

As for news with Dominic there are a few things. First, he has two teeth popping through on the top next to his two front teeth and two bottom teeth next to the center two as well. This will make eight teeth in all!!

He will walk to me or Matt when he really wants to. For example at night when Matt has him and I have his sippy cup of milk that he gets before bed he will forget about crawling and walk right to me. His arms extended and totally focused on getting to the milk!!!

He has been talking up a storm lately and he loves to sing and sway with music. He also pays attention to things and how I move my mouth when I talk. He recognizes things after you repeat them about three times. For example nose, I said nose and pointed to my nose three times and his three times. Then I said "where is mommy's nose?" and he pulled on my nose. :-)

On Saturday the 11th we go see Nana. I'm sure she will be excited to see Dominic as she hasn't seen him since he was six months old. He is quite the character from what he was then!!

Nov.3rd, 2006

One day shy of being 10 months old. This is a photo that Pupo wanted taken of Pupo, Grandma Mo and Dominic. Looking back on all the photos that I have taken I did not realize that I had only two photos with all three of them together. It was time for another Dominic and grandparents photo!

Oh, and daddy is in the background going Ahhhhh..... to Dominic, which is why he too looks like he is saying Ahhhh.......

Halloween-Ducky

Dominic was an adorable duck for Halloween. We dressed him up in his costume and spent the next 20 minutes taking pictures of him. Then Matt stayed home and passed out candy and grandma Mo and I took Dominic around the block. He caught on to the candy thing after the second house. At one point he used both hands and grabbed the whole bowl!

It was a beautiful night for Halloween. The temperature was perfect for a light sweatshirt only. There was a slight mist of rain, but not enough to stop any trick-r-treaters!!!

It was a very memorable, entertaining night. The only down side was the Pupo couldn't be with us as he was out of town for business. We missed him and sent him some photos thought.

Finally to end the night (as Dominic as drinking his milk about to go to bed) aunt Mandy, Uncle Chris and the kids stopped over in their costumes with Jessica. So, out comes Dominic and back into his costume so they all can see him in it and time for a few photos. We visited for a bit and then it was off to home for them and off to bed for Dominic.