As I scanned back through some of my old posts, checking to see what Fraser was up to when he was about Hammie's age, I realized that I haven't been very good about keeping a record of Hammie's important milestones lately. For example, Hammie is walking very well, and only occasionally crawling. He's also riding his rideon toys all by himself (and thoroughly enjoying doing so.) Hammie has been "bottle free" for well over a month now (but I don't see the pacifier following suit for some time). Hammie isn't talking yet, but his favorite game is ready set go, in which you say "Ready, Set, ..." and he screams "DAAAAAA." He has also come close to saying Dog, All Done, Duck and Dada, but as these are all combinations of his two primary noises "Ah" and "Da" it's a bit of a stretch to say any of these are words. He also says "Mama" but he says it when he wants me and also when he wants food or to be picked up or a certain toy (basically anything I would generally provide.) So again, not really sure we can count that as a word until he narrows down the meaning a bit. (Fraser, incidentally, has learned a new phrase "Damn it." He decided to practice this by yelling "Damn it Mommy!" repeatedly in the OBs waiting room after I told him not to rip up the magazines, until one of the other women waiting looked at me and said "Is he saying..." and I cut her off "Yes, I believe he is." Thanks a lot Fraser.)


Hammie is going to experience another important milestone tomorrow when he goes to UMASS for his very first surgery. He is having his hernia and his undescended testicle fixed at the same time. This, of course, requires knocking him out, which I am feeling apprehensive about the say the least. And that, of course, requires him to not eat after midnight tonight, which I am feeling possibly even more apprehensive about. Luckily his surgery is scheduled for 7:30 a.m. and we have to be at the hospital by 6:00 a.m., but since Hammie gets up every day at 5:00 a.m. and likes to eat breakfast absolutely no later than 6:00 a.m., that still means we will have to endure at least an hour and half of hungry Hammie screaming. I think we will definitely be breaking the "pacifiers are only for bedtime" rule tomorrow, not that I think that will even really help.

So, wish us all good look and please send Hammie your prayers and postive energy and good thoughts tommorrow!