Mexico -- Day 1

We headed out on a 6:00 flight, connecting in Chicago. Quentin did really well. He slept for the entire first flight, but was alert for takeoff the second time. It didn't seem to bother him at all (although he was ready to be out of his carseat by the time we landed!).












By the time we got to Cancun and managed to find something to eat, it was late afternoon. We headed out to the beach as soon as we could. Quentin absolutely loved swimming, although he wasn't very fond of having salt water in his eyes.

Mexico -- Day 2

First thing in the morning we went for another swim in the ocean. Then we went for a stroll along the beach.

Then it was time to head inland. Quentin did very well in the car. It worked well to schedule activities for the mornings, then drive in the afternoons when it was too hot to be outside anyway. Quentin took advantage of the opportunity to nap.
That afternoon we visited a cenote (basically an underground waterhole). Matthew really had to stoop to keep from hitting Quentin's head on the rocks while climbing in and out.

Mexico -- Day 3

Chichen Itza

We headed for Chichen Itza first thing Saturday morning. Quentin, still not able to give up his morning nap, slept in the backpack for a while, but he was ultimately happier being carried. He had a pretty good time, but it was very hot and humid.












After Chichen Itza we drove to Merida, where Quentin got to do some more swimming.

Mexico -- Day 4

Uxmal

Uxmal was probably my favorite of the sites we visited. The ruins are really impressive and it didn't hurt that the weather than morning was not too hot. We discovered that attaching Quentin's pacifier clip to his hat helped to keep his hat from blowing away (the pacifier was also good for keeping foreign objects out of his mouth).

Mexico -- Days 5 and 6

Day 5:

Ek Balam This was a very busy day. Our first stop was Ek Balam, a smaller site near Valladolid. Because it is not as popular as some of the other ruins, we actually had the whole site to ourselves part of the time!

On the steps of the pyramid at Ek Balam. Mommy and Daddy took turns climbing the pyramid (Quentin decided he would rather stay at the bottom and play).

TulumWe weren't originally planning to visit Tulum, but we had some extra time and decided to try to squeeze it in. The views of the ocean alone made it worth while.

Quentin watching a lizard at Tulum. We saw many lizards throughout our trip, although there seemed to be more at Tulum than anywhere else.

Day 6: Back at the Airport At the airport in Chicago waiting to board the flight for home. It was a fun trip, but we were all happy to get home.

Lazy Saturday

We went out for a while late Saturday morning, returning a little after noon. By the time we got home, Quentin was fast asleep (even though he had slept well the night before and had already taken a nap in the morning). Fearing repercussions if we woke him up, we just brought him inside in his carrier and left him in the hall, thinking he would wake up in a minute (he won' fit in it for much longer, so we might as well take advantage of it now). He slept for over an hour. I guess the cats have taught him well. Unfortunately, Mommy and Daddy had work to do and were not able to join the rest of the family.




This picture is from earlier in the week. Although you can't tell from the picture, he is wearing his train pajamas.

We're off to Mexico on Thursday, so we should have some good pictures and interesting stories next time!

Drinking from a Cup

Although Quentin has finally learned to enjoy traditional baby food, he still loves his Cheerios! (actually Kroger brand Toasted Oats cereal, but he's not brand-conscious yet). His favorite thing to eat is banana-flavored fruit puffs. Just seeing the container is enough to make him smile.

Quentin is also working on learning to drink from a cup. He's actually getting pretty good at it--much of the time he is able to successfully pick up the cup by himself (the rest of the time he tips it over or picks it up sideways or upside down). With a little encouragement, he even remembers that he needs to hold the cup up and tip his head back in order to actually get something out of it.

Of course, even then he doesn't always succeed!

Updated Statistics (and more)

Quentin had his 9-month checkup on September 29th. He had a bit of a cold at the time (which he generously shared with Mommy--Daddy has been spared so far), but was otherwise in perfect health. No immunizations this time, but he did have to have some blood drawn, which was even worse as far as he was concerned. His new stats are:

Height: 27.5 in (27th percentile)
Weight: 19 lbs (28th percentile)
Head Circumference: 18 in (65th percentile)

Two months ago his height was closer to the 50th percentile, while his weight and head circumference were both at around 25%. It's interesting how the proprotions change. His next visit will be after his first birthday. Hopefully the rest of his body will have caught up with his head by then!

Riding the Rails

Quentin took his first train ride today! Grandma and Grandpa (Hay) are in town from Denver and we all went down to Baldwin City, KS and rode on the Midland Historic Railroad. Quentin was very interested in watching the engine hook up to the passenger car and also enjoyed watching the scenery, but the best part was playing peekaboo with Grandma.

Quentin with Mommy and Grandpa waiting to board the train.

Daddy and Quentin watching the scenery.

Laughing at Grandma.

General Update (with bonus cute picture)

It seems that for every advancement Quentin makes, we lose ground somewhere else. In addition to working hard on standing, Quentin has finally come around to solid foods and actually eats full servings of applesauce, sweet potatoes, and, most recently, mixed vegetables (the ambiguous green stuff that is all over his face in one of the earlier posts). At the same time, his sleeping habits, which had been improving, have regressed to where we were about a month ago (not terrible, but he wakes up too often and it is difficult to get him back to sleep). He still goes to sleep fairly easily around 8:00, but he usually wakes up sometime between 11:00 and 12:00 (usually shortly after I fall asleep). He seemed to have broken that habit a few weeks ago, but apparently the improvement was only temporary. Tonight he decided to wake up even earlier (around 9:45) and is actually sitting in my lap now as I write this (10:30) because I couldn't get him back to sleep. So much for actually getting anything done tonight, but, on the bright side, at least he isn't waking me up (yet).

Taking a Stand

Quentin has embarked on his newest project: learning to stand unsupported. He started it in earnest last Saturday and practices daily. He often manages to stand for several seconds before falling.

Household Perils

There are so many things to watch out for around the house! You could grab on to a laundry basket and accidentally topple it over on top of you. Or, some mischievous spirit (AKA Dad) might hit you over the head with a frying pan (then again, that could be fun...)

Furry Friends

Quentin has recently become very interested in the cats. He usually smiles whenever he spots one, then crawls in the general direction of the cat in question. As you can see, Spike has a tendency to put himself in harm's way. (Spike was rescued in both instances--we really don't just let Quentin abuse the cats without intervening.) Sufi is usually a little bit more careful. Hedda is the smartest of the three. There's a reason you don't see her in any of these pictures!

Hippo

Quentin has started dragging toys along with him as he crawls. One of his current favorites is a purple hippo pull toy (compliments of The Blue Dandelion, Lawrence, KS--one of the perks of being the New Years Baby).

Hangin' Around

Now that Quentin can sit up on his own (he really only mastered it within the last month, around the same time he learned to crawl and pull up to a stand), he can use the baby swings at the playground. His reaction has varied from indifference to extreme amusement. Here he is looking quite satisfied with himself.

Messy Eater

Quentin started on cereal when he was about 4 1/2 months old, and then on pureed fruits and vegetables when he was 6 months, but he never really took to being fed. He started on finger foods about a months ago, and enjoys feeding himself cheerios and small pieces of bread or toast and the occasional green bean. Since he always grabs the spoon when I try to feed him baby food, I figured I would let him try to feed himself this time (this was a couple of weeks ago). Quite a mess, but he ate at least as much as he got on his face, which is more than he usually takes! We had a breakthrough with applesauce yesterday, so perhaps there's still hope.

Ready for Bed

Quentin still doesn't sleep through the night very often, but he's gotten a lot better in the last week or so. He seems to do a lot better dressed warmly with the temperature in his room a bit cooler. Since we've started having cooler temperatures at night, he usually only wakes up once, and sleeps much longer at a stretch than he used to. Here's a picture of him dressed for bed (but not quite ready for sleep).

Background

Stats:

Name: Quentin Matthew Candelaria, aka “the squid,” “the critter,” “Q,” and various other aliases
DOB: January 1, 2006
Weight and height at birth: 5 pounds, 13 ounces, 19 inches long
Weight and height at last doctor visit: 17 pounds, 3 ounces (August 1, 2006)
Number of teeth: 0
Astrological signs: Capricorn, Rooster (Chinese Zodiac)

The Squid