Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, everyone! Today I had my first Christmas experience with mommy's side of the family, and tomorrow we fly to Chicago to see daddy's side. So far I think its FUN unwrapping presents, but I'm fairly uninterested in what's inside. In a few days, I'll post pictures of all the fun I've been having.

Merry Christmas, Jesus!

Kubik Look-alike Meter

Okay so here's the deal. Mommy learned about this website from her friend Stephanie and gave it a shot. According to this, I only look like daddy 4% more than mommy. Me and mommy both think this is a bit inaccurate. If you've been reading my blog for long and have seen my posts called "Identical" (in September) - you'll see that I look almost exactly like daddy! Oh well...it was fun anyway. What do you think??

Golden Globe Nominee

Mommy tells me the nominations for the Golden Globe awards are in, and I'm on the list! I've been nominated for Best Camera-Loving Baby in a Home Video award. If I win, I'll definitely have to thank God first...then mom, for taking all of these videos.

Today I proudly displayed a few of my new skills: clicking my tongue, shaking my head "no", and inexplicably "roaring" at mommy (daddy taught me this skill). Check out my amazing cuteness below!

Video 1: Standin and Shakin

Video 2: Roar

9 Month Portraits

Okay, I know I'm 10 months old, but mommy just realized she never posted my portraits from 9 month session. So I told her to put these on...and we'll post my Christmas ones this weekend.

Thanks for the Shirt, Nana K

Trickster

Well I turned 10 months old yesterday, and it seems I'm learning a new trick every day! Here's a rundown of the new things I can do:

- Wave hello and goodbye consistently (and with both hands when I'm really excited!)
- Give kisses and hugs when asked
- Give "high five"
- Pull up on anything and everything
- Stand up from a sitting position, if I'm holding onto something (even if its a short something)
- "Walk" behind my Fisher Price walker
- Climb the stairs (with mommy hovering over me like a shadow)

Of course, I still say "dada" with every other breath I take and in response to any question I am asked, even if it has nothing to do with dada.

Mommy and daddy think I'm growing up WAY too quickly. Good thing I'm such a peanut....at least I still LOOK like a baby!

So Fresh and So Clean

My new thing when I'm feeling tired or frustrated is to rub my face all over with my hands. Unfortunately, when this happens at mealtime, I tend to get my food all in my hair. This picture was taken about 1 hour after mommy had given me a bath and my hair was all fresh and clean...until I got bananas and apricots in it!

I'm always keeping mommy on her toes!

Kissing Fool

In the last couple days, I've really perfected the art of kissing on request. Someone just has to say "Give Mommy/Daddy a kissie" and I lean in for a big open mouthed kiss. Its too cute. My secret was practicing on the refrigerator...although noone told me to kiss it, I certainly find something about that fridge to be totally appealing. Check out the video below to see me in action!

All Modeled Out

Today mommy dressed me up in my Christmas clothes to take some pictures. (I even took a picture for grandma and grandpa with their doggie Tucker). After about 15 minutes of posing, I melted down. No more pictures!

Speaking of Daddy....

We had some fun at dinnertime last night while mommy was out running an errand. This is what I looked like when she came home.

My Favorite Person

Despite the fact that mommy is the one who I have been with non-stop since I was born, I'm totally, 100% a daddy's girl. My first words in the morning in my crib (mommy and daddy hear me on the monitor) are "dada", and then I continue to babble "dada" not only when I see daddy, but even when I don't. I can tell its starting to make mommy sad. Today I was singing "dada" when I was crawling, playing, eating in my highchair, and then in the baby bjorn at the store.

Here's a few shots of me and daddy lovin' on each other.

Gobble, Gobble!!!

Today was SUCH a fun day - my first Thanksgiving. I got to hang out with my grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins all day while mommy cooked, and then I enjoyed the BEST meal I've ever had in my life (all 9 months of it)! I loved it all - stuffing, mashed potatoes, turkey, sweet potatoes, cranberries.... I stuffed my face full!

I was having such an amazing time at dinner that I made everyone laugh, laugh, laugh. Mommy took a video of my turkey-induced hysteria!

Happy thanksgiving...I can't wait until next year!

So Many Updates, So Little Time....

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile...I've been so busy! I have the best news! Daddy is now home from New York City. It was a long 6 weeks apart but some things never change...I'm still "daddy's little girl". I pretty much have Daddy wrapped around my pinkie, but that's okay - I'm just as crazy about him as he is about me.

Other big updates from my corner of the world:
- I can now stand up in my crib
- My top right tooth came in, but I didn't even complain
- I'm eating lots of table foods and am not too wild about bottles lately
- I like to scream and shout when I don't get my way, especially if my food isn't served quickly enough
- I have mastered crawling and now I zoom around, mostly looking for dangerous things to get into

I'll post again soon to tell you about my first Thanksgiving.

(ps - no, I didn't stick my finger into an electric socket - that's just my hair!)

Sweet Home, Chicago

Bundled up for a chilly night

Small group pals: Noah, Tyler and Callie

Me with Nana and Papa

Mommy and I just got back from our trip to Chicago. It was SO much fun! I got to see lots of people in just a few short days - Aunt Laura and Cousin Anna, our old small group from church, mommy's work friends, and our next door neighbors, the Scotts. But the best part was being at Nana K and Papa J's house again. It felt just right, being back in my old stomping grounds again, playing games with Nana. This weekend, I even learned how to "high five" from Nana's friend Ellen. Pretty cool!

Headbanger

Me and Mommy flew to Chicago this weekend and met Daddy and the rest of his family for a big weekend of partying. It was great grandmother Cecilia's 100th birthday, and boy what a party it was! I think it was the biggest one I've ever been to!

Anyway, tonight after the festivities were over, I was having a nice time relaxing with Nana K and Papa J, and he started bobbing his head at me. Much to everyone's surprise, I did it back. Check out the video!!

9 Months and Growing...

Today I went to my new doctor in Colorado and had my 9 month checkup. I'm 28 inches long (60%) and 16.5 lbs (12%). I continue to be a string bean!!!

Mommy took this picture of me last night while I was sleeping. I tend to sleep with one (or both) arms directly underneath me... Daddy fears I'll dislocate a shoulder, but its comfortable to me. Actually you can't see it in this picture, but when mommy went to move me after she took this, she realized that my hands were actually FOLDED in each other behind my back.

Monkeying Around

Ever since I started crawling over the weekend, I've been able to explore many things that I used to only see from a distance. One of my favorite new discoveries is the set of drawers on the built-in entertainment center in the family room.

Among my many nicknames, mommy always calls me her "little monkey".... hmmm, I wonder why???

I Did It!

I crawled today! Mommy's life is about to change, big time. Time to chase me all over!

Yummy Mail

Ever since we moved to Colorado, we have been swamped with all sorts of mail, many of them offering services since we are new to the area. Today I walked with mommy to get the mail and then when we got home, I helped her open it. Have you ever tried tasting the mail? I love it... and then I discard what I don't need behind me. Check it out in this video mommy took.

Happy Halloween

Cutie Patootie

One of mommy and daddy's best friends, Kate Sagehorn, and her mommy, both came to a baby shower for me before I was born. They gave mommy a bunch of beautiful gifts, but her favorite was a sweater and hat set from a small boutique in Chicago. (they also gave me a REALLY pretty and soft bib, but its so amazing that mommy won't let me wear it because its too nice to get dirty...kind of silly for a bib, but I can't talk yet so I can't convince mommy to let me wear it).

Anyway its a little chilly in Denver today so mommy put the hat on me when we went to the grocery store. Five (count em!) people walked up to us and told mommy what a cute hat I was wearing! She decided to take a picture of me in it just to show it off.

Thanks again, Auntie Kate!

Almost There

I've been practicing crawling. The books tell mommy I should be doing this in my 8th month, so I figured its time to get on the ball. Many times when she comes to get me from my nap, I'm practicing rocking on my hands and knees....so I thought I'd show you how close I am to crawling!

Water Baby

Mommy found this video of me taking a bath at Nana K's and it made her giggle... I told her she should probably let me post it on the blog so others could laugh too.


Publish Post

Cousin Love

Buddies

Lets both yell!

Why are you crying?

I'll cry too.

My Aunt Laura and cousin Anna came to visit me and mommy this week in Colorado. Anna is just one month old, so she can't really play with me yet, but I had SO much fun trying to play with her! I always wanted to touch her and laugh at her.... Mommy told me that in a few months, Anna will want to play with me back, but so far she just stares at me, poops, cries and wants to take naps. Mommy told me I was like that too when I was young, but its hard for me to remember.

We had a great week together and now I'm sad they are gone. Before they left, we took this picture together in our matching "Good things come in small packages" shirts that our great grandma Shirley bought for us. I think we're just about the cutest cousins around!

Home Depot

Ever since we moved to Colorado, it seems like mommy takes me to Home Depot almost daily. We've had to buy parts for our dryer, shelving, brackets, paint samples... I think my college savings is being spent at Home Depot. Bummer.

The other day I actually tried to fall asleep on one of the push-dollys. I was pretty desperate to get out of there and get my nap. So of course, mommy managed to (almost) catch it all on camera.

Practice Makes Perfect

Today was a pretty fun day. I'm refining my ability to say "DaDa", and also this afternoon I started clapping on command. Mommy's been working on that with me for over a month now. She claps first and then tells me its my turn (and then usually takes my arms and makes them clap). But today I totally surprised her by clapping back on my own. It literally made her jump for joy!

Mommy's response was so great that I'm practicing clapping at random times now. In these two videos she took of me, I'm practicing my "da da" and my claps.

Watch Video: Dada 1

Watch Video: Dada 2

Rock Chalk, Jayhawk

This weekend daddy was home and we had so much fun! Saturday we went to Boulder, Colorado where there was a football game between CU and Kansas. It seems like mommy, daddy, and all of my family out here are big fans of KU, so they're getting me started early on my fan experience. I guess I don't have a choice.

Grandpa Bill bought me this KU Cheerleader outfit, and then we all headed up to the tailgate party. I even got to see the KU band and the real KU cheerleaders (they thought I was very cute when I danced along to their songs).

My first KU experience was alot of fun. I think I'll have to be a fan now forever! Rock Chalk!