Hammie is 11 months old! He actually turned 11 months yesterday, and I did take this picture yesterday, I just didn't manage to download it off the camera until today. However, it works out well since this way we can also wish you all a Happy Halloween!

This picture is particularly funny if you look at Hammie's left hand. Yes, that is Fraser's hand holding Hammie's hand. You see, Hammie isn't so great at the sitting still in the chair for a picture thing, so for the last few months someone (usually my parents) has helped to put Hammie in the chair while I attempt to snap a picture of him semi-upright. Apparently Fraser has been observing this pretty closely because as soon as I tried to put Hammie in the chair Fraser ran over and held his hand and started yelling "Smile Hammie!"

The battle for toys in our house has reached a fevered pitch lately, and I am wondering how long it will be before someone (namely Hammie) winds up bleeding. My plan now it that when Fraser hits Hammie with a toy or while fighting over a toy, the toy spends the rest of the day in the mudroom. I thought this system was working pretty well until yesterday. Fraser tried to run over Hammie with a dump truck which is one of Fraser's favorite toys, so I took the dump truck away and said "That's it, if you hit Hammie with a toy it goes into the mudroom. Bye Bye dump truck." Fraser flipped out a little, but I was firm and marched the dump truck out of the room. When I came back I realized the weakness in my plan. Fraser, who I clearly don't give enough credit in terms of his ability to formulate an evil revenge plot, had picked up Hammie's favorite toy, a dog-shaped vacuum, and was clearly waiting patiently for me to come back into the room. As soon as I reappeared Fraser lifted the dog-vacuum and ran directly into Hammie. So, as Fraser intended, the dog-vac joined the dump truck in the mudroom for the rest of the day. Damn it.

So, not only is this the day after Hammie's 11th month birthday and Halloween, it is also the day after the very first day I was completely outsmarted by a two year old.