One Year Old

Lots of things happened in the month of May. My Mom and I got to celebrate our first Mother's Day. Daddy and I took her to lunch and for a walk. Daddy even said he would play with me for a few minutes and let Mommy take a nap.
I got to help get Mommy a present for Mother's Day. I got her a whole lot of my favorite thing. Paper! Daddy got all these new dishes for her and put them in my paper. I didn't think that was very nice to mess it all up like that. We had much more fun with my present just like it was.

Guess what else? I finally found what I wanted for my birthday present. I thought this house would be a fun new toy. The sign was pretty cool. I get whatever I want, so my parents bought it for me.

We had a lot of stuff to do before we moved into my new house.

First of all, we had to pack up our old house. Mommy said that she wanted to pack up the kitchen first. So, Lucy and I helped to get all of the dishes out of the dishwasher. I would not let Daddy use my paper to pack these up.

We had a lot of stuff that we needed to pack. I wanted to help out, but it really got in the way that I couldn't carry anything while I was crawling. There was only thing to do. Learn to walk. I talked to Mommy about it, and she got me this mail cart to help me learn. I thought about letting go of my cart a lot, but then it seemed really scary to just walk around in thin air like that, so I chickened out a lot. Then one day...I figured I had to do it sometime! This was great! I could walk one or two steps at a time! The only problem was that everytime I picked something up in my hand, it made me fall over. No worries because I had my handy-dandy mail cart. I knew that it would be such a help with the move. I unpacked all of Mommy and Daddy's DVD's and helped to carry them around. I did such a good job, that I thought I would help Mommy and Daddy out with a lot more stuff.Mommy did not know where to put my books on the shelf. I took them all off for her, so that she could try again to do it the right way. I helped out at both houses. I checked out all of the toilets in the old house to make sure they worked for the new owners. I couldn't decide on my own because I have never used one. I sent my rubber ducky in to check it out from the inside.While I was hanging out in there, I noticed that Mommy had a lot of left over toilet paper. I took care of that, too. Back at the new house, things were really in full swing. We were even getting a new roof. Mommy felt I had worked so hard with the books and the DVD's that maybe I should take a break from unpacking. She told me to stand right here and keep an eye on those workers for her. Boy, oh boy, that was an important job.When the furniture was delivered, I inpected it for any damage. It looked pretty good to me.Yikes! I am glad I remeasured. Daddy would have made a very big mistake with that rug!I even decided to try my hand at decorating. I brought Mommy this lovely shelf paper to line the drawers in the bathroom. I found it right on the living room table. I was so excited that she liked it.

It wasn't all hard work. We all took some time out to play a little, too. One Saturday, we took a break to go to the Walk for Cystic Fibrosis. I was very excited to see that my friend, Ben, was there even though it was raining.I also got to see my friend, Molly, and her grandma. We usually walk for Molly's big sister, Maddie's team, but this year we were on the Bradly Arant team. I didn't know that guy. I was a little afraid that I wouldn't know anyone, but I was excited to find out that I knew everyone on it! Here is our team. We walked around the whole lake even when it started to rain. Ben and I got to stay dry in our strollers, so we didn't mind much. One day, I got mail! I never get mail in the mailbox, but it was just for me. It was a card that said that my birthday was coming really soon. I hoped this is one of those times like Easter and Christmas where I get more toys!My Mommy and Daddy gave me a birthday party at my new house to celebrate my first year. I had a monkey t-shirt and monkey cake and a monkey balloon for my birthday. I had never heard of a cake or a balloon before and boy were those two things fun!After everyone had played at my party for a while, they all stood around me and sang me a song with my name in it. Then, it was very strange, but they gave me that monkey cake and told me to eat it. I wasn't sure what to do at first. I thought it was a little funny to have everyone watch me eat like that. Mommy showed me what to do.

It only took one bite. I didn't care who was watching after that! This was delicious!Ben, and Helen, and I had so much fun with my toys. We all got to play with the big exersaucer together. Apparently, there are rules that you can't play with girl's hair and you can't pat other little boys in the face. I am working on this, but it is so hard to remember. My Grandma and Helen's Mom hung out with us for a little while to help me know not to do that. Ben and Helen really liked my alphabet animal wheel.

I found out that a birthday is even better than Easter and Christmas! You get all kinds of new toys.It was hard to open them all. I was so glad that Helen was there to help me. Look! Everyone is watching me again!

Presents aren't as much fun if you don't get to share. I couldn't believe it; Mommy's head was even bigger than mine! I loved all of my toys and have been playing with them all week long since my party. It was very fun to see all of my friends and family and share my birthday. I played so hard and talked so much. I finally just had enough.I couldn't even swing anymore.

I took a long, long nap to recover from my party. When I woke up, I was sad to see that everyone had gone home. There was one friend that stayed to play with me. At first, he was really shy and stayed really high up in the air, but everyday he gets a little bit closer to me. We walk around and around the house together. He makes me laugh! When you are a big boy, you have to do big boy things. Since I had turned one, it was time for my first big boy haircut. Mommy had to talk Daddy into letting me have one. She said that I looked raggedy, and Daddy said that I looked cute. Finally, Daddy said that I could have a haircut after my first birthday. I really liked getting my haircut. It tickeled a lot and made me laugh. It was really hard to stay still for so long.

I think I look very handsome with my new hair. Daddy says I look like a little boy. That is because I am not a baby anymore. I am officially a toddler. Daddy saved all of my baby hair to keep forever and ever. I really like being one year old. I enjoyed by first year a lot, but now I know how to reach things that are really high, and move into really small places, and open up drawers and other hiding places to get into anything I want. You won't believe the stories I will have for you this year.

Movin' and Shakin'

Now that Spring is here, I have decided to try some outdoor activities. Mom took me to the park with my friend, Helen. We decided to play on the swings. I did not like them. I was a little frigtened, and I also do not like anything that makes me have to stay in one place. Helen loved the swings. I decided that I couldn't let her show me up, so I would have to make the best of it. Okay, so I kind of liked it once I really gave it a chance.

I went again the next day just to try it out again. This time, I went with my friends, Grant and Davis. They are bigger boys than me. They can even walk! I thought they were so funny. We met them for lunch before our park visit, and I was so happy that I couldn't even keep my spaghetti down!At the park, Helen's mom told us that we needed to try out the zoo. Helen liked the zoo as much as the swing. So, of course, I had to go to keep up with her. I can't have her thinking I can't do the things she can do. We went and got a season pass so that we can go whenever we want to.It was really hot and sunny at the zoo. I couldn't concentrate on anything because Mom kept making me wear this hat. I kept taking it off and she would just put it back on. It was so frustrating! I finally had to give up because she is bigger than me and was determined. I drew the line at putting that sun lotion all over my face. No way! Hat or lotion, you just have to pick.I hung out in my stroller for a while. We stopped by and saw these animals that they call chickens. This does not look at all like the chicken we have at home. I was not very impressed. I kept thinking that Dad was going to really, really think we had wasted our money this time.

We finally saw some real animals! This giraffe was really nice and let us take its picture. I told it about my giraffe, Sophie. We saw some other animals, too, but they were all in cages and behind glass. You couldn't talk to them or pull their tails or anything. I think it is more fun to stay home and chase Lucy. On Easter Sunday, Mom and Dad took me outside for a special surprise. I got a great big basket of toys from the Easter Bunny! He is not as generous as Santa Claus, but I won't turn him away. He gave me a bunny with my name on it, a big ball that makes cool noises, and a book about mommies and their babies that my Mommy and I read all the time. I wore my Easter Bunny outfit. We did not get to go to church because I was getting over a cold and the croup. I was very snotty there for a while and Mommy didn't want the other children at church to see me like that. My doctor did not think it would be a very idea either.

Just because you are too snotty to go to church doesn't mean that you can't eat. Mommy and Daddy and I met Granna and Pops in Homewood for brunch. We got all dressed up and everything! I couldn't believe it! The Easter bunny came to Tria, too. Two Easter baskets in one day. I got a chick that sqeeks and a bunny that moves when you pull the string. I also got a farm that goes on your refrigerator. Mommy is still making me keep it in the box until we move to our new house because I make too many messes as it is. When I got home, Lucy stole my chick. Mom tried to get it back from her. She chased her and thumped her on the nose and yelled at her alot. She would not let it go. She kept it in her mouth the whole day! Mommy wouldn't let her go outside because she had the chick and wanted to bury it in the ground. Finally, Lucy decided she would rather go to the bathroom than have the chick. She gave it back, but it was really gross so I couldn't have it anymore. Lucy won. It turns out that Granna gave me that second Easter basket. That was sneaky! I am going to tell her that Lucy got my chick! I know Granna will buy me more stuff later, so I won't be too upset about it.When it was time for my nine month photo, I caused a little trouble. It was so funny to watch Mommy try to take my picture. I have been watching Mrs. Jennifer at my professional photo shoots, and I thought I would help Mom with some action shots. At first, I thought it would be fun to pretend that bear was attacking me. But she didn't like that pose.

So, I tried it the other way around. I thought it would be more funny if I was attacking bear!My mom is no fun because she she said she wanted to see my face. So, I showed her my face.I don't think she liked me being a smarty pants. I decided I better cooperate. After all, I really have to have her to get food and toys.I can't jeopardize my cozy situation. I threw in a wave for good measure.I got sick for a little while in April, and we couldn't play outside. I had a really bad cold and a lot of snot. It was pretty gross, and I had a lot of trouble sleeping at night. Mommy and Daddy would have to take turns holding me in my chair so that I could breathe better. I got to see my doctor three times! One time, I had an ear infection. The second time, I had the croup. Mommy was at rehearsal and Daddy texted her that I had a little cough. She came home and told him it was not little! It was so much fun because I got to get out of bed in the middle of the night and play in my bathroom. Mommy made it really hot and steamy in there and we played with my bath toys and read books. You know what? It must have been so fun that I forgot to cough anymore that night! It came back again, but my doctor fixed it the next day with medicine. She heard my cough all the way in the waiting room and asked if that croupy baby was hers. While I was stuck inside with Mommy wiping my nose all the time with nothing to do, Lucy would stand at the door and taunt me. I though it was very mean of her to run around and show off that she got to go inside and outside. When she is inside, she likes to steal my toys and run around me in circles. She knows I am not fast enough to get them. She is such a show-off!

I spend a lot of time standing up and looking out of the window. I talk to all of the birds and trees outside. They seem to know what I am saying. I like to say Da-Da a lot. That and the "th" sound which is so much fun. I also stick to ga and da-de and gee and yeah. I used to say Ma-Ma, but I think it is funny not to say it anymore. I just like to show them that I can do things and then withhold delivery on them to show who is boss. I am also doing this with waving bye-bye. I can do it, but I won't until I am good and ready! I love to sing though. I woke Mommy and Daddy up at 4:00 am the other morning and sang them a lullaby song when they took me to their bed. They looked tired.

While indoors, I have spent a great deal of time developing my culinary skills in the kitchen. Here is one of my favorite tools. I know exactly where this one is. I have also found that the tops to the pots and the cutting board to be exceptionally useful in this room. I like to hang out in here all day. I was spending so much time with the pots and pans and watching Mommy and Daddy cook and eat, I thought that maybe I could start feeding myself. I can't be that hard.Okay, it was a little harder than I thought. I really do try to aim for my mouth, but I don't know what happens. I like to eat pasta, and peas, and chicken, and bananas, and mangos, and carrots, and all kinds of things. My favorite food is Cheerios. It is so much easier when Mommy feeds me my oatmeal or applesauce. Sometimes, I just lose interest in this because it is so tiring. I have worked out a deal with Lucy. She stands right under my high chair and waits for my alert. When Mommy isn't looking, I sneak her some food. I think this is going to make her like me. She has even let me pet her the last few days.

See? Here we are being great pals. Lucy promised that we could take a walk together. I was so excited! I can only take three steps at a time, so it was a very short walk. Lucy said that was long enough for her anyway. She is kind of lazy.Mommy made me a toy box for the living room. I like to play baseball with her. I give the ball to Mommy and she gives it back to me. I also enjoy a good game of peek-a-boo. She is under that scarf every time I look for her! The best toys in the world are not in my toy box. Under the T.V., Daddy keeps a lot of his cds. These are great! I get them out every day to throw around the room and chew. I also love the telephone because you can call people. I called my Granna and Mommy's friend, Laura, last week for a chat. Most of the time, I just call that lady I don't know. She tells me if I would like to make a call to hang up and try again. I do it, but it is still her!

Guess what? If you pull back the blinds in my room, there is a window there, too! I find lots of things to play with in my room. See the basket of toys? I don't ever even touch them because guess what is right next to it. A nightlight! Wow! It is funny, when I find fun things to play with like lightbulbs, plants, and electrical cords, they always disappear. I guess Mommy and Daddy have to save all the really fun things for themselves. I was very stir crazy when it was time to take my ten month photo. I really liked my ideas this time. Mommy wouldn't want you to see all of them, but since this is my blog, I am putting them in here. Grrr! The tiger pose.On the attack!

Not my best side, I admit.I am so funny! This one was Mommy's favorite. You gotta give her something every now and again.I was finally all well and ready to play. It has been so pretty outside. Mommy and I take walks in the afternoons and swing sometimes. Everyday we go and see our mailman at the street. Mommy counts outside activities as going to the fabric store and shopping for our new house. I am not sure this is exactly what I was looking for, but I hang in there.