Before I get into the goings-on, and development of Felix, I'd like to post about Megan and her magnificent performance as Hermia in Nelson Middle School's rendition of A Midsummer's Night Dream. Here is a picture Grandma Deanna got while I was busy video taping. Megan is a very good actress. I always thought she would be, but, to see her acting out this play as if she were really involved with this scene and these characters, I have to admit that I got a little misty. So cheers, Megan.


As some of you may have read on Rooney's blog, our house (the House of Howard) was afflicted by a bug over Memorial Day weekend. Oddly, this flu seems to have only affected males: Felix, Rooney, Mike, Cuyler, Jim, and myself. I don't know if any females got it. >>>Renae has to interject and say that yes she got sick and took care of sick Felix without moaning and groaning like a MAN. >>>Anyway, it caused me to vomit for the first time in I can't remember how long. Vomiting hurts. Poor Felix could hardly keep anything down. He hardly ate, he was cranky, and at times could only be pacified by his mommy. He is much better now, he is eating more than he ever has and has regained his sunny disposition.

Okay, so aside from illness what else has Felix been up to? I'm glad you asked; if you've read earlier posts, you may remember me writing about Felix crawling under the gate we put up to block off the the mudroom. Here you can see Felix foiling our efforts to keep him out of the dog food (the dog food is on the other side of the wall out of view). Actually, we did keep him out of the dog food, so in your face, Felix. I have a story I'll share with you as it was told to me by Renae. I wasn't home at the time. The other day, Felix was in the entry and saw his shoes in a basket by the front door. He fished both his shoes out and set them on the floor. He called out 'mommy' and once he got her attention he pointed to his shoes. After Renae acknowledged him, Felix picked up his shoes, walked over to Renae, gave her his shoes, turned around and backed into her and then sat on her lap. He then lifted his right foot for Renae to put his shoe on, and then his left. Once his shoes were on, he hopped down and walked over to the front door and tried to open it. All of this happened without prompting from Renae. He wanted to go outside and figured out what he needed to do to make it happen. It's really incredible watching him progress. I am constantly amazed at what he can now do. I can see the development of personality and character in him. New mannerisms that become increasingly sophisticated. I am actually watching him incrementally shed babydom and become a little boy.
On a rare string of sunny Spring days here in Seattle, Renae bought Felix a little inflatable pool. Felix is such a good helper, he took the initiative and filled his pool up. Initially it was a little colder than he likes, so he let the sun warm it up before he played in it.



Here he is helping his momma wash the car. What a good little guy.

I'd like to take this opportunity to pat myself on the back. As you can see, I'm teaching Felix to play the guitar, and I don't even know how to play. Pretty incredible, huh? That guitar(?) was a gift to me from Annie. She got it in Hawaii. With all his practicing and my teaching, Felix is as good as me now.