Lovin the exersaucer

(Originally posted on Monday, November 27, 2006 by Cathy)

Here's a photo actually taken today. I know you're shocked. Thanks again to Gail and Walt for the exersaucer - we're getting lots of use out of it!

More on puudge

(Originally posted on Friday, November 24, 2006 by Cathy)

We were at Mill Mountain today for lunch, where we met a six month old, whose grandma proudly announced that he was 14 pounds and 25 inches. And I thought (but managed not to say) "Yeah, he looks small to me, too."

In today's picture (er.. taken Wednesday), Tim works on teaching Dalton to sit. I'm sure he's working on something witty to say about how he wants Dal to meet or exceed all of his monthly milestones.

Not so pudgy

(Originally posted on Wednesday, November 15, 2006 by Cathy)

Dalton's 4 months checkup was on Monday. He's off the charts (>95th percentile) for both length and head circumference. He's 70th percentile for weight (16 pounds 4 oz). I guess we're going to have to stop calling him pudge, huh? We're off to Florida with aunt Jes this evening. Looking forward to seeing some of you soon, although I wish it were for happier events.

The photo is from Oct 19th, our last visit to Florida.

If anyone's thinking about buying clothes for Dalty, think 12 month size and warm. 9 month stuff is fitting pretty well right now, and summer is definitely over here.

Phyllis Tidd Catotti (1929-2006)

(Originally posted on Monday, November 13, 2006 by Cathy)

My grandmother died early this morning. I'll have more to say later, but the obit will do for starters.

Phyllis Tidd Catotti of Gainesville died November 13 at North FL Regional Hospital. Mrs. Catotti was born in Bennington VT on January 27, 1929, the daughter of the Charles and Gladys Page Tidd. She moved to Gainesville with her husband and children in 1963.

Mrs. Catotti was a homemaker, loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She will be dearly missed by Arthur, her husband of 58 years; five daughters Carol Sarisky of Gainesville, Donna Catotti of Haines, Alaska, Claire Warren of Miami, Jan Catotti of Aiken, South Carolina, and Anne Butler of Knoxville, TN; two sons, Charles Catotti of Durham, North Carolina, and Christopher Catotti of Oviedo, Florida; four sons-in-law; two daughters-in-law; 18 grandchildren; one great-grandson (that's Dalty); and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her brothers Charles and Lawrence Tidd and her sister Anne Kiersznowski.

She was an active member of Holy Faith Catholic Church and the Hofa Craft Group, where she was known for the small hand-sewn bears that she created. She also enjoyed many other needlework and craft projects, collecting antiques, birdwatching, reading, word puzzles, and watching Gator sports. She was an accomplished cook and baker, and her family continues to enjoy many of her special recipes. Mrs. Catotti suffered with rheumatoid arthritis and several other illnesses for many years and faced physical pain and increasing disability with both courage and acceptance.

Dalty vs The Dragon II

(Originally posted on Sunday, November 12, 2006 by Tim)

Things have been busy here. Halloween is two weeks gone and I'm finally managing to post about it. We've had my parents visiting and Brian and Aduin as well. Everyone had seen Dalton before this visit and enjoyed the new, more interactive Dalton. He has developed the coordination to grab things. My favorite is when he tries to pull Cat's placemat (and plate) off the dinner table. For some reason, she suggests that I need to hold him more when we eat when I express my amusement.

The other cool thing he has started in the last few days is that he is kicking things in a directed manner. He has a "baby gym" in his crib that has a few hanging toys. The gym has two arches. One hangs things over him at roughly shoulder level and the other dangles a ball with a few inches beyond his feet. Our little soccer player has begun looking at the ball and then kicking his foot at it to make it fly. He only kicks at it when he is looking at it. I am, of course, smitten with the behavior. It?s really a joy to watch his coordination skills develop.

Ahhh, but this post is supposed to be about Halloween. Some people go all out on decorating their yard for Halloween. They put up gravestones, hang scarecrows, and put out hand carved pumpkins to make the trick or treaters feel welcome. They really get into the spirit of things. Cat and I, we have a different strategy for Halloween. We turn out the lights and pretend we?re not home. If we?re planning ahead, we pile dog poop on the side walk as a biological deterrent.

With Dalton on board, our Halloween activities (or lack thereof) are going to have to change. We decided to warm up for Halloweens to come by dressing Dalton up this year. We were assisted in this endeavor by our friend Kris, who made Dalton a chain mail shirt. As you can see from the picture, Dalton was a knight this year. Cat and I have been discussing whether or not Dalty will get to play with toy guns. As you can see from his costume, we?ve compromised. He won?t get to play with toy guns, but we?ve started him on knives before four months.

For more Dalton Halloween photos, check out the album.

Well, at least one of us looks cute

(Originally posted on Wednesday, November 1, 2006 by Cathy)

Here's another photo from our trip. The hat was made by my aunt Donna, who was visiting from Alaska the week we were there. I love his face, but am considering photoshopping myself out!