I am enjoying the crunchy leaves...they make noise, feel funny and even taste good. Yeah, I gotta taste everything!
We have been busy over the past month!
We celebrated mommy's birthday. Mommy said it was extra special because it was her first with me! On Mommy's birthday (10/10/10), we drove out to an Apple Orchard. While we were there, we picked out some pumpkins, some apple goodies and walked around (or rode around in my Radio Flyer)! Daddy tried to get a few pictures of me while we were there, I was facinated by the hay...like the leaves, I had to feel and taste everything. Yum!
The next day, Mommy got a call from daycare that I had a fever. Daddy took care of me that night while Mommy was in class and the both were scared when it hit 102.5. The nurse said to call when it hit 104. That made everyone nervous. Luckily, I was tough and my fever didn't get that high. I did wake up with swollen glands and still at 102.5. So Mommy was able to get me into the doctor and on some medicine that made me feel better within 24 hours. Whew!
Mommy and Daddy also got me moved into a bigger car seat. After Daddy adjusted the straps to fit me as a big guy, it worked great. That car seat came in handy when we took a long trip north a few weeks ago.
I also had my 9 month check up at the end of October. I weigh 22 pounds and am 28 inches long. The doctor was very impressed with my strong muscles, my talking (I had a lot to say to her) and how busy my arms and legs were. She did tell me to start crawling and showed Mommy and Daddy how to help get me going. They have moved my favorite far away, try to get my puppy to entice me and even tried using the iPad to get me going. So far, I am content with staying in one place. Most parents say to enjoy that now...once I start moving, I will discover so many new adventures (good and bad) that will keep Mommy and Daddy on their toes.I dressed up as a bear for Halloween this year. It was a nice warm costume with the cool fall weather creeping in. I went trick or treating on Main Street in Ames and got my picture taken in my costume, got a lot of candy and even got to pet a baby alligator and a ferret that the bank had brought in from the zoo. I wasn't scared! It was too cool!
We also got my 9 month pictures taken by myself, with my Grandma and Grandpa Kramer and with my cousin Kinnick. It was fun.
Just this past Monday, I took my first (and we all hope, only) trip to the Emergency Room. I woke up at midnight with Croup, again. I was in the hospital for 2 days when I was 2 months old with croup. Normally, babies don't have to be in the ER or hospital with croup, but I was really struggling to breathe. Mommy and Daddy sat with me in the warm steamy bathroom and even out in the cool night air, but nothing helped. So we packed up and heading into the ER at 12:45am. We got in right away and the doctor said this was the 2nd worst case of Croup he has ever seen...whew, glad mommy and daddy followed their instincts. After a couple of breathing treatments, I was feeling better but they decided to have me spend the rest of the night in the hospital. 
When I got to the peds floor at 3:30am, I started flirting with the nurses and was all smiles. I knew that they were going to keep me feeling better. Mommy stayed with me in the hospital (sleeping in a child-sized bed right beside me like the last time). Daddy went home to take care of my puppy, Emma. We all got about 2 hours of sleep and then saw the nurses and doctor all morning. We got to go home at Noon. I was so surprised when I work up from my nap that I had gotten a delivery. My teachers and friends from daycare sent me a huge balloon bouquet and stuffed monkey. That was so, so nice! I am feeling better now.Finally, I waiting for my new cousin to arrive (Daddy's sister is expecting a baby in mid-November). I will soon have 2 boy cousins when Kinnick's little brother comes along and I already have 2 girl cousins. How fun!
Can't wait to meet the little guy!
Thanks for reading! Will write more soon!
Love you! Aidan Russell Kramer
