Happy 10th month birthday to Hammie! Unbelievably I did actually manage to take this photo on the 30th, but only because my parents were here and kindly reminded me that it was Hammie's birthday. (Sorry Hammie). The problem is not so much that I forgot he was about to turn 10 months, but rather that lately I am not sure what day of the week it is, much less what day of the month. It was also lucky they were here since Hammie was, in true Hammie fashion, totally uncooperative about having his picture taken and spent the entire photo shoot trying to crawl off the chair or rip his 10 month sign down and eat it.

Aside from Hammie's birthday there has been a whole lot going on in the McBeth clan lately. So much, in fact, that I am having some trouble keeping it all straight. So, since it is easier for me and you effectively have no say in the matter, here is what has been going on with us presented in reverse chronological order...

Today Hammie went for his very first hair cut! (Read: Mommy finally got tired of telling people he's not a girl). He was a total spaz of course, and all his hair is totally uneven now, plus the hair over his ears is still long, but at least he looks a little more boyish now.

Fraser also had a trim, just the back and around the ears, and he was very good as usual. So good, in fact, that he got his very first lollipop at the barber which he ate happily in the car, pausing only to inform me that it was sticky.

In other Fraser-related news, last night when Andy got home from work Fraser ran up to him and said "How was work Daddy?" and Andy replied "It was okay" to which Fraser responded "Just okay? Not great?" Andy seemed to think this was a perfectly normal conversation to be having but I just stood there with my mouth hanging open. Of course I'm not counting on his scholarship to Oxford just yet since 15 minutes later when Andy was in the mudroom Fraser wanted to see him so I told Fraser "Go in the dining room and knock on the door and Daddy will let you in." Fraser proceeded to walk into the dining room and stand in front of the door yelling "KNOCK ON DOOR DADDY! KNOCK ON DOOR!" Um, kinda missed the point there tiger.

Before dinner Andy set Hammie up with one of the walking toys, and Hammie was off. I included a video of our little tin man because (1) it is so cute watching his jerky little walk and (2) I love how proud of himself he looks!

Earlier in the day yesterday I took Hammie to the doctor for his 9 month checkup (yes, it was a month late). So, Dr. Monkey Butt impressed me once again by announcing that Hammie must have seborrheic dermatitis and not eczema, and I must habe misunderstood the dermatologist. When I asked him to explain he pointed at Hammie's eyebrows and said "See this flaking skin? That is a classic symptom of seborrheic dermatitis." So I looked, and responded, "That is dried cookie. He had a cookie in the car and must of rubbed his hands on his face." Dr. Monkey Butt answered "Oh yes, oh yes I see it is cookie" and just went on with the exam. I don't know how I can continue to be suprised by things like this, but I am.

In other news Hammie is now in the 5oth percentile for height(I don't remember) and weight (20 lbs), which the doctor thinks is fine. Apparently Hammie is just adjusting down to where he is comfortable, and will probably just be a smaller guy than Fraser. Hammie's head, however, just like his brother's, is still off the top of the growth chart. In running through his checklist of items Hammie should have been doing at 9 months the doctor was concerned that Hammie does not wave bye bye, play pat-a-cake, or imitate noises. So, once again, we are awaiting a phone call from Early Intervention to set up an assessment. These people are apparently going to get to know our family really well.

And, in case you can't tell from the picture above, we just recently returned from a family vacation to Italy! Andy's parents rented a villa in Tuscany and the entire crew went for a nice, relaxing, if somewhat crazy vacation. The boys seemed to enjoy the villa, dealt pretty well with the site seeing, but were undoubtedly most excited about getting to spend so much time with

family, especially their cousin Lily. In the picture of the three cousins Fraser is trying to make Lily took at the camera since we told Fraser he couldn't use our camera to take any pictures unless we got a picture of all three of them looking at the camera at the same time. This one, we decided, was close enough.

It is unfortunate that neither of the boys is likely to remember this vacation since after the 9 and a half hours of plane rides, 3 hour layover in Germany, the fact that all our luggage including the car seats was still in Florence when we landed in Boston, the car accident that shut down the entire highway on the drive home, the broken fan belt in the car half way through the drive home, the hour in the car in the pouring rain trying to find a cab company to come get us and then the final 45 minute cab ride home, I think it is highly unlikely we are ever going anywhere on vacation ever again.