As you can see from the photos, it has been quite busy at our house. Griffith has been working on perfecting standing and, as you can see, he does a pretty good job at it. He's even gotten pretty good at standing and doing something with one hand. Usually sweeping things off the top of the coffee table or swatting his brother. Those sorts of things. Occasionally he overestimates his abilities and tries to do something with both hands while standing or jerks around and then he topples over like a felled tree. And usually bonks his head. Hard. We need to get a helmet for him so that he isn't all bruised for the baptism.
Allan has recognized his peril, but don't worry too much about him. Griffith was balanced on his knees and pestering Allan Sunday night when Allan kicked Griffith in the side and knocked him over. He timed it just as Griff was overbalanced and had no way to save himself. Allan finds ways to accomodate. He isn't mobile, but he is sneaky.
Aunt Stephanie and Uncle Dick came for a visit yesterday and brought buckets of Easter treasures. (Paybacks for all of the crap I have given Bailey.) Some really cool clacker thing, Silly Putty, shovels to hit each other with. Wonderful things. Allan was asleep through the whole visit which gave Griffith a chance to got through not only his own bucket of goodies, but his brother's as well. Shades of things to come.

Tummy time

For Allan and Dad.

Swan dive

Griff doing a swan dive for the footballs. He is willing to sacrifice himself for what he wants.

Rowdy boys.

Roughhousing

The boys getting rowdy.

Roughhousing

Allan getting zerberts from Dad and Griffith trying to get in on the action. He can not stand to be on the sidelines.

Dad guarding the goal

And confusing the boys by calling it a rugby ball.

Griffith whacking the ball across the floor.

An early gift from the Easter Bunny

Griffith eyeing the football right before he gives it a mighty whack.

Griffith and his new football

Many thanks to Cousin Bailey. She's a good gift-picker.

Allan with a good grip

Not a bad life, chewing on one hand, holding a football in the other and watching American Idol. If only he had the remote, it would be perfect.

Allan and his new football

Courtesy of Easter Bunny Bailey.

Allan and his Easter card

He is very excited about meeting Cousin Bailey. No, really, he is. It is subtle, but there is a definite air of anticipation about Allan.

Griffith and his Easter card

From Cousin Bailey. He's looking forward to seeing her at the Baptism.

Griffith standing all on his own

but with Dad there, just in case.

The boys at play

Allan looks a little worried to me.

Griffith - a delicate balance.

Allan telling Griffith all about it.

Griffith and Allan at play

Getting along very well at this point.

The horror, the horror...

So, I turn around and Griffith has managed to pull himself upright to standing. This is really the beginning of the end.

Allan, looking directly at you.

Allan in action.

Grabbing the cow with his left hand and batting the ball with his right. A real multi-tasker.

Show us your front teeth, Allan!

Big Al

This tooth, right here, that's the one that's bothering me.

Bounce, bounce, Griffith (ii)!

Bounce, bounce, Griffith!

Wear yourself out, baby!

Griffith in his bounce, bounce baby

He has gotten good use out of it. Hope he doesn't wear it out before Allan can use it.

Allan - hanging out

Helping Mom clean and blog. He's the best little companion.

Allan on the front porch

It was windy and kept tickling his nose.

Griffith on the front porch

Sorry for the long time between posts. Things got a little busy and then I had trouble logging on. Today both boys were fussy and Dad was under the weather as well which means --well, it means a long time between posts.
So, for the update.
Allan has been a little show off for the PT (Miss Julie) and the speech therapist (Miss Edie). His head and neck control continue to improve and we have moved up to eating very small pieces of graham cracker. Miss Julie learned her lesson. Last week she came in and started in with the work right away. This is not the way that Big Al rolls. First of all, he doesn't get up until about 20 minutes or so before she arrives. Second, he needs a little time to ease in to the day. So when she came in with all of this activity stuff, he protested. This week she came in, picked him up, told him what a very big boy he was and how smart he was and what hard worker he was. After about 3 or 4 minutes of that, he was ready to go. Flattery will get you any where. Especially with Big Al. We are working on finding our feet. In the past couple of weeks he has gotten quite a lot better about being able to pick his feet up and kicking like a little frog. He can even rock himself in his bouncy seat by kicking out. Big Al is my little night owl. Griff fell asleep at about 7 and has been passed out since. Al woke up about that same time and has been keeping me company as I have been cleaning up the nursery and spare bedroom. He is right beside me now, just hanging out in his t-shirt and diaper (Dad is sick and let it get a little hot for our taste.)
Both boys are adjusting to bathing in the kitchen sink. Allan is still highly suspicious of the shower-spray aspect of the experience. Griffith still resists sitting in the water initially but once he is in there takes to splashing as if it were his job.
Three-quarters of the team is out at this point. Every thing has been tidied (for the moment) and the last load of laundry has been put in the dryer. All tolled, not a bad weekend.
Griff continues to be a most charming little monster. For Christmas Santa brought him these neat balls with different things inside them -- bells, rattles, lollipops, bugs, all sorts of neat things that move and make noise. I was certain that he would be fascinated. He could not have been any less interested. The newspaper (literally) held more interest. Well, this weekend Griffith learned about rolling. Balls roll. How neat is that? He knocked these balls around the walls of the nursery and out in to the hall, without exaggeration, for an hour. Transfixed. Amazed. Amused. For the next two days he has been trying to figure out what does and does not roll. His blocks don't, in case you were wondering. But he can still send them reeling if he whacks them hard enough. And he is happy enough to do that. He is worn tee-totally, utterly out. Griff has been asleep since about 7 tonight and was fussy before that. Which is completely out of character. He may have a touch of whatever Dad has. No way is he going to sleep until morning, though.
I will try to post some pictures later, but no promises.