Daddy decided to get in on some of the cereal action this weekend. I'm doing so great with it now. I am still a silly sucker when it comes to getting the food off of the spoon, but I manage to empty the bowl!
Mommy and Daddy took me to the woman's basketball game last Friday vs. Duke. It was super fun because we got to sit wherever we wanted! We chose to sit in the very front right behind the cheerleaders. I was so super cute; I immediately caught the Hokie Bird's eye. 
Daddy was quite entertained by the people on Duke's bench. He happened to stumble upon Leslie Nielson (well, it was a pretty funny look-a-like anyway)! Can you find him?
I just hung out watching the ladies... unfortunately we lost, but it was fun either way. 
I LOVE THE CEREAL! I can eat off the spoon... sort of... I mean I can suck the cereal off, but it's quite humorous; Mommy can't help but laugh at me. She was feeding me yesterday, and I shocked her by eating the entire bowl! 
Now Mommy is under the impression I am going to be a handful. Right after she took this lovely picture of my newest triumph, I promptly threw the bowl onto the floor... good times.
Awe man... you mean we're done????
Mommy has still been practicing this whole rolling over thing with me; however, like the whole head holding up shenanigans, she is getting quite disgruntled. Now I've told her a million times that I will roll over when I'm good and ready. I mean seriously she should try getting this little buddah to move anywhere!
She has gotten in to the habit of getting me to sit up. I can't wait to sit up on my own for real! Whenever I'm laying on my back, I try to lift my head to my belly to let Mommy know to lift me up. She pulls me right up, and I'm as happy as a clam. 
Here I am all by myself! Daddy says I look just like a linebacker! I'm not sure what that is, but I definitely think I'm hot.
I'd first like to start by saying... ONE MORE WEEK in our apartment in Abingdon! YAY! Unfortunately we have two more weeks there, so Mommy and I will be in a hotel, but we'll be moving up in the ranks to Bristol. Mommy is excited because unlike Abingdon where there is NO shopping, in Bristol there is OODLES of the likes. :) Daddy should be scared.
Because I was doing SUCH a lovely job, Mommy and Daddy (yes Daddy... I was ACTUALLY AWAKE during his lunch break!) added a prop, which I promptly put in my mouth.
In all reality, could this chair BE any larger?
Mommy bought me a super cool exersaucer! I'm still a little wobbly in it, but I'm getting the hang of it. It plays music and has all kinds of super fun toys on it! I love playing with it!!!!!
I LOVE CEREAL! It's super yummy... now that I figured out how to swallow it. :) Mommy thinks I was getting overwhelmed with the new food AND the new spoon, so she used her finger. It was so super great; she ended up sneaking the spoon in there later, and I don't think I even noticed. :)
Ummmm... so Mommy tried to give me cereal today... AGAIN. What is she thinking? Doesn't she know that I would rather play with the bib and try to put my hands in the bowl?
This go 'round did not end as super as it did last night. Apparently Mommy and Daddy aren't going to give up on this shenanigans... I tried to tell them OVER and OVER that I just wanted my darn bottle!
GET THIS BIB OFF OF ME STAT!
Now I'm going to kindly ask you again to get my bottle PLEASE!
See... that's all you needed to do for me. :)
Okay, now back to the witty stories and cutsie pictures.
We explained to her what was about to happen... so there would be no surprises... excitement turned to panic before we could batt an eye.
Here is the very first bite! Please pay no attention to the scary lady holding the spoon. :) Look at Reese... she's growing up so much. I feel like Bryan and I should be helping her fill out college applications... I just want to cry.
Overall the experience was nothing short of hysterical. Note the different emotions...
Disgust...
Shock...
Is inquisitiveness a word?...
Boredom...
Hark! Could this be a titch of happiness????? Overall, it was a success. Reesie may have had more food on her face than in her mouth, but it was a success nonetheless.
I later heard Reesie saying to Bryan "Hey Daddy, you remember when Mommy fed me that silly cereal... that was funny!"Rachel here. While I have some really exciting pictures and information to post about yesterday, I can't help but comment about the tragedy that happened first. As I sat watching television, waiting for Bryan to get home with our Valentine's dinner barely noticing the scrolling news on the bottom of my screen, I saw pictures that were way too familiar. Instead of a lovely, romantic dinner with my husband, I found myself peeled to the television anticipating any new information on the shootings at NIU. It honestly felt like someone stabbed my heart. At first, I couldn't catch my breath. I did exactly what I had done not even a year ago at the breaking news... I called my brother to make sure he was okay. I realize the news broadcasters and specialists only naturally had to compare NIU to Virginia Tech, but each time they said "Virginia Tech", I felt my heart sink more and more. The numbers were growing, the students were telling their accounts of what had happened and what they had seen. Deja vu. Just when the wounds were beginning to heal, and this amazing community was getting back on their feet... open wounds and victims again. While it was not on our campus, it happened all over again in our hearts. I feel for the families, students, faculty, and that community, but I'm thankful it wasn't worse. I was saying to Bryan last night that I hated the fact that they were comparing us, that I hated that this great school/community had to hold such an awful record. He said he was extremely relieved that we didn't lose that record yesterday. Noone should ever have to hold this record... and honestly I hope we hold it forever. Sending Hokie love to the Huskies!
Well people... I'm officially 4 months old! 
I apologize for the lack of pants, but not only did I just turn 4 months, but I had to go to the doc's. He is a super nice man who always plays with my legs and my belly button... tries to make sure I'm nice and healthy. Unfortunately, he had to give me some shots. I got super hot band-aids. My legs were a little sore, so Mommy voted on no pants for the rest of the day. I would meander around in only a diaper all day if she would let me. The truth is though that I have enough clothing to dress all of the babies in SW Virginia, so we always wear our Sunday's best.
The doc's visit was quite interesting. Each time I've gone to the doc's office, they do tons of measuring. Now... I'm a big baby. I'm the same size as most 6 month olds. Mommy was a little worriesome about this finding, but the doc reassured her that I was growing well. Yes, I'm growing a lot, but I'm completely proportional, so all is well with the world. He also said that "festively plump" babies take a little longer to learn to roll over. I'm well on my way... I can roll onto my side, and then I grab Mommy's hand and pull myself over the rest of the way. Doc said it won't be long!
I love to suck on everything! My hand, Mommy's fingers, my burp clothes, my rattle... and now Poodle's ear.
Eh... I'll stick with my fingers. :)Oh my goodness! So yesterday we went to the Hokie's basketball game. Now Daddy takes me to them all the time with Mommy's ticket, but we're starting this whole "Pattison Family Fun Day" shenanigans, so they got me a more inexpensive ticket from a very nice man on the street so we could all go. :) Mr. Weaver has some very questionable antics and his philosophy is... if it has a heartbeat it needs a ticket... we say pooh on that. But we did have a blast let me tell you! I was on my best behavior the entire game and didn't even cry once.
Now Mommy had already checked to see if Frank was in his section. Usually he's not because of recruiting and whatnot, but he was SOOOOO there! Mommy has wanted to go up to Frank hundreds of times before to get a picture with him, but she never had the courage. She's talked to him a couple of times, but she was caught off guard during both occasions.
Pattison Family Fun Day was super fun!
So with my recent interest in toys, Mommy put some of my crib toys in my bed with me. Now at first I just stared at them. I have a doggy that makes noises when you pull his chain, and a big mirror so I can look at myself. Usually when I wake up from naps or bedtime I babble a little bit, and then if noone comes in to "rescue" me I tend to scream once at the top of my lungs. I'm not crying or in distress... just trying to get their attention. :) Well, I woke up from my nap yesterday and Mommy was downstairs and was ignoring me. (In my defense... I heard her, but she sounded like she was having a party up there... so I embraced the few extra moments of "me" time... which was really just me playing on the computer. :) There I was just talking to myself saying "Mommy... hellllllloooooo down there... come and feed me... I want to play with you." She didn't seem to budge from down there, so I pulled it. I pulled the chain of my doggy to see what it did. I had seen Mommy and Daddy do it 74983072589475210345 times before, and now was my chance, so I pulled it. Not once, not twice... I'd say a good dozen times. It barked at me, it told me some colors, it sang some songs... it was a good time. FINALLY Mommy decided to join me. She must have gotten a kick out of it because she came in with the camera laughing at me! Her and that silly camera of hers. :)
Here I am summoning my Mommy.
THERE YOU ARE! I was worried that you may have abandonned me!
Now I'm feeling slightly miffed! Here I am trying to get you to come up here, and all you do is come in with a camera! I have used the restroom, and I'm starving! What is your problem woman!?
Don't worry Mommy, I'm only 4 months old... I don't stay angry long. :) So Mommy and I were getting sick and tired of being locked in our apartment in Abingdon. It's so super cold, and it can sometimes be a bit of a production to take me out. My Daddy has been working until about 11:30 every night, so we weren't getting much time to play with him. Mommy and I had a great idea. We decided we were going to ask Daddy if we could stay in Abingdon for the weekend and enjoy the sights. He obliged seeing as how he truly didn't have much choice. :) We started Saturday by going around town and taking some pictures. 
Here is the little banjo man near the Barter Theater. Mommy wants to take him home and put him in the backyard to scare away all the little gophers that eat all the veggies in the Summer. :)
Super cool picture Daddy took of White's Mill.
Here's a picture of Mommy posing at Bristol Motor Speedway.
I basically slept and just looked cool all day. :) I was a definitely more active on Sunday. Mommy and Daddy wanted to take me to the library... I LOVE THE LIBRARY, so away we went. While at the library I played with some of their toys while Mommy picked out my books.
I needed to make sure I liked the books Mommy picked for me, so she let me take a sneak peek.
I liked "David Smells", so I knew this one would be good. I APPROVE!
After the library we went on a walk on the Creeper Trail. We saw a train and ducks. I just had fun riding and looking around. :)
