Dada's back...

Here are some pictures of me with Mama and Dada taken at Thanksgiving!





So, I'm slowing figuring out this communication thing. Yesterday morning, when Mommy laid me down to change my diaper, I signed "eat" to her and she knew right away what I was saying. She asked, "Do you want to eat?!" And I don't know how to say "yes" yet, so I just starting fake wailing... which I've learned means anything I want it to mean! ;)
I couldn't believe how fast she picked up on my sign! I might have to try some more signs soon! After I had figured them out, I had done away with the couple of words I know (like Dada), but after yesterday morning, I decided to bring Dada back, it might help me to learn other words if I keep saying the ones I already know... it's worth a shot, I guess.
Mommy and Daddy are really happy to hear me saying Dada again, with the occasional Mama. I like to hear them talk so highly of me all the time... they are SO obsessed, but I'll allow it! :D

Here are some pictures of the new way Mommy likes to style my hair. Daddy thinks it makes me look just like Mama...




Today, I am going to get my picture taken with Santa Claus. Can someone please explain to me how Santa can be at our mall, but also at every other mall in the world!?! Oh well.... I had a picture taken with him last year, but I don't remember it, so I'm not sure how I will react to being sat on his big Santa knee, with his bearded mouth breathing down on me. (Hey, that rhymed!) I will post the handsome picture tomorrow... well, that is if it turns out handsome, and I don't decide to scream my head off! ;)

SN: We are getting so excited for our cruise... only 1 week left!!

I love walking! :D

Sorry, it's been forever, I know. The holidays seem to be stressing Mama out... she kind of runs around like a chicken (or should I say turkey?) with her head cut off. We do have a lot on our plates... Thanksgiving is tomorrow, followed by Black Friday. (Mommy hopes to get all of her shopping done on the computer... and she means ALL! All gifts will be bought by the end of this weekend.)

There is something on the calendar for December 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 9th. Then on the 10th we leave for our Caribbean cruise!! (Well we first have to drive to Florida, but then we will be on the ship for a week!) I can't wait to see so many new things! Mostly, I'm looking forward to all the yummy food I've been told so much about. There will be a LONG blog about the trip when we return!

I've been walking for over a week now! More independence is making life much more fun! I've taken a liking to pulling my Lego dump truck around the house and throwing the Legos all over the room! Mommy just doesn't understand that if she keeps picking them up (Like she ALWAYS does), I will just have to do it all over again... :/

Not only do we have so much going on right now, Mommy and Daddy are discussing moving to a new, and much bigger, home! It would be a great move for everyone... including the dogs! I don't think we will move until the new year, but I am looking forward to more space to run around and spread my toys! :D

Today, I want to tell you what I am thankful for this year. First, I am thankful for my Mommy and Daddy who take such great care of me and give me no reason to cry....I may still do it from time to time, but I admit I have no reason for it! :) They are the best Mommy and Daddy ever! I am also thankful for my puppies who have grown to love me more than ever before! We are friends now! I'm thankful for my toys, which keep me happy and entertained when Mommy needs a break! I'm thankful for my family who loves me more than anyone else. (Yeah I know, I sound a little full of myself... but it's true!) And finally, I am thankful for being a year older and MOBILE! I love walking! :D

Here are some pictures to keep you entertained until next time...

I love to read!


Oh Wheel of Fortune's on! *closes book*


I like to lounge while I watch Wheel of Fortune!


Yes, I am a toddler now people! :)


Steak N Shake was yummy and fun! :)

Halloween Weekend!

Halloween weekend was so much fun! I got to wear my costume 3 times... which was fun, but also annoying at the same time. I didn't really like wearing my puppy head hat... it kept falling over my eyes when I looked down. But, I had a blast, regardless!

Friday, I met up with my friend Inez at the Mall for a play date. I love to play in the play area, but there was a big kid that kept yelling, so I wasn't as happy as I normally would have been. Sorry Inez, I promise I will be more fun once I master this body of mine! I'm getting so frustrated with not being able to walk and run like my peers... it's not fair! :( Also, I got to see Inez that night for Bloomington's Halloween event. We got out picture taken together in our costumes! Inez was dressed as a pig. Mommy and Darcie (Inez's mom) thought it was cute that we could both fit into the "Old McDonald" song! I must admit we look pretty good next to each other. :P


Friday was also Papa's birthday, so after our picture, Mommy and I had to go, so we could meet up with Papa for dinner at Joe's Station House Pizza Pub (It's Papa's FAVORITE place!) I enjoyed eating all that Mommy and Daddy would give me. They are quite generous with their food, which is awesome because I LOVE to eat, and a lot of it! I had some wings, fries, meatballs, and a lot of my own snacks while I waited for the good food.

That night, Mommy and Daddy went to a friend's Halloween party. However, I didn't know that until I woke up Saturday morning... Mommy didn't come in to get me! Aunt Erica did, but she was in her glasses, which I've never seen before, so I was a little freaked out. (Maybe Mommy could tell me next time she plans on staying out all night. I thought she knew that I'm in charge around her by now!)

Mommy and Daddy got home around 6:45am on Saturday, which I suppose was okay. I sure was happy to see them! Don't get my wrong, I love my Aunt Erica, but in the mornings I need my Mama!

Saturday, was spent inside the house, which was fun! I love playing with Mommy and Daddy all day!

On Sunday, I got to go to the Zoo in my puppy costume! It was fun to see all of the different costumes, but I had a bit of a tummy ache, so I wasn't in the best mood. Mommy and Daddy did I good job of trying to keep my happy, though. (I just love them!) Not only did I get to see some really cool animals, but I also got to ride the carousel! That was just what I needed! :D (Of course I had to ride on the dog...)



Finally, Monday was HALLOWEEN! I was told I would get lots of candy (which I did), but I never saw any of it! (Again, not fair! Life at almost 13 months old isn't fair people! Let's change that!) Anyway, Mommy dressed me in my puppy costume for the THIRD time, and when Daddy got home from work we drove over to the mall! There were so many cool costumed people to look at, which made me forget about the candy a little bit (...But I remember NOW! Hand it over Mommy!)


After the mall, we went over to Nana and Papa's house so that I could get pictures with Edyn and Alayna in our costumes. They were fairies! It's hard for anyone to get a picture of all of us looking at once...


Great-Aunt Robin finally felt that I was big enough to hold now... HAHA she is nuts! She waited until I was almost 13 months old to hold me...she acts as if she didn't have 2 kids and 2 grandkids!


SN: Mommy has taken up crocheting! She is very new to it, and just completed hats for me and Daddy. We are proud of her! :D

I'm on the MOVE! Watch out! ;)

Well, I'm 54 weeks old now, but who's counting. Within this past week, I've really felt how powerful my body and brain have become! I've started to truly explore more of my world around me. (Which keeps Mommy on her toes!) Mommy has been talking about how much she loves watching me play alone with toys (something I have not been interested in doing, until now!) I love to take balls out of my ball-pit and roll them all over the house (I prefer the kitchen, where they roll the furthest!) Balls are so fun! But really, anything that rolls is just mind-bending!
(Looking for my ball that I lost under there hours before)

(Rolling the ball with my pups!)

(Rolling a tractor at the Children's Discovery Museum. I was there for my cousin Edyn's 6th birthday party!)

I'm walking around everything that I can hold onto! I'm not scared to walk, I just can't keep my balance for very long. My best performance comes when I am trying to walk to Daddy. (I want to show him that I am his big boy.) I've walked all the way across the room to him... 9 steps!

(At my friend Inez's 1st birthday party! It was puppy themed... hence my super cool Doberman ears!)

(Trying to walk)

(I prefer a stable object to hold onto...)

I've gotten to try my hand at crawling up some stairs! I first tried out Allison's (Mommy's friend) STEEP steps. Mommy was right there to help, so I wasn't too scared, but when I was 3/4 of the way up I looked back and decided that was where my adventure would end.

Saturday, Mommy let me try out our steps coming up from the basement. Actually, I started going up on my own when Mommy was putting Laundry in.... she immediately saw me (I can't get out of her view for long...) but she let me finish my climb! Climbing the stairs is a lot of fun!

Yesterday, I grabbed the remote off the coffee table and pushed the right bottom! The TV turned right on... just how I like it. ON! Mommy hopes it was just a coincidence... I guess she will just have to wait and see... :)

I'm really looking forward to Halloween! I'm being a puppy dog! Mommy and Daddy are going to take me to the Uptown Normal Trick or Treating if the weather isn't too cold.... or to Eastland Mall, if it is too cold outside! Either way I hear I will get lots of candy for being so cute! I've never had candy before... I do get to eat it right?!?

I LOVE TO EAT! Mommy and Daddy are amazed at how much I'm able to put down, now that I have more teeth! I will eat anything! There is nothing Mommy or Daddy has given me that I haven't devoured. They have been sharing their meals with me now that I am one, but I feel bad because Mommy has to ration her portions, because, as I mentioned, I can put away the food! For example, the other day for breakfast I had a 6 oz bottle of milk, ate my big bowl of oatmeal, followed by two helpings of cheerios, and some of Mommy's freshly baked cinnamon roll! Then, Daddy came upstairs and grabbed a cinnamon roll... I saw it and just HAD TO HAVE SOME! (I've noticed that if someone is eating in front of me... whether I'm hungry or not... I will beg for some, too!) Last week, Mommy and Daddy made two very large boneless-skinless chicken breasts. Mama shared hers with me. I ate 3/4 of it. Sorry Mommy and Daddy... I think you might just have to start making meals big enough for THREE!

Oh yeah, and my favorite word is still DADA! Ok... so it's basically my only word that I can say, but it's still my favorite! I love my DADADADADA! :)

Here's a great family picture... it makes me laugh because Mommy and Daddy both look ridiculous! You can see from my expression I could tell the picture was going to look like this...

I'm ONE!!

My 1st birthday party was SO MUCH FUN! It took place on Nana and Papa's back porch and it was decorated with all things DR. SEUSS! Mommy did a great job planning it, but she had help! Aunt Erica and Jamie made cake pops that looked like Truffula Trees, Thing 1 cupcakes, and a One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish book cake! Nana made the Schlopp with a cherry on top (from the book Oh the Thinks You Can Think!) which EVERYONE loved!, Grandma made Go Hot Dogs, little hot dogs wrapped in crescent rolls, and Great-Grandma Sandy made the green eggs and ham (deviled egg form). Papa and Nana did most of the decorating for Mommy.... it took awhile because it was really windy and nothing wanted to stay where it was put! Mommy was frusterated with the wind, but when the party started no one cared that some of the streamers were blowing off the railing or that some of the balloon were flying away.... they were all too busy looking at me!! ;)
I was dressed as thing 1! I had a Thing 1 shirt with Cat in the Hat flair on my jeans. Nana bought me Dr. Seuss Converse shoes, but they are just a little too big and were falling off. I had a birthday hat that Mommy glued a light blue boa to, so it looked like I had Thing 1 hair! I was looking good! I had red velvet cake to stuff in my mouth! It was decorated with The Fish in his bowl... HE was yummy! I opened tons of awesome toys and gifts! Some of my friends were there to help me celebrate, too! We got our pictures taken together. I cannot wait to see how they turned out!



My party was a success! Thanks Mama! I'm ONE!!