Some interesting conversations...

I am quite the chatterbox these days. This morning, when we went to the kitchen for breakfast, the conversation went like this:

Me (in a sad, pouty little voice): "Some cookies?"
Mommy: "No, we're not going to have cookies for breakfast. Would you like an egg sandwich?"
Me (still sad and pouty): "No."
Mommy: "Would you like a muffin?"
Me (as sad as I could make it): "No. Like pancakes."

Of course, I got the pancakes :-)

A little while later, as Mommy was helping me put on my jeans, I looked at her and said, "I LOVE you." (Emphasizing the "love." A first! Daddy says Mommy is bragging on this one, but I have said I love you to Daddy before, just not to Mommy.)

Happy Halloween!

Hammertime

I've got some sweet moves to go along with this. (The song, not the spaghetti.)

Pumpkin Patch

Penguin

I totally know how to walk like a penguin. Sometimes I like to watch Mommy and Daddy embarrass themselves for a while before I play along. This particular episode took place as half a dozen plumbers working in our backyard watched.

Bath Time with Daddy!

Woohoo!

Peace Out, Homies

Sometimes you just gotta dance

I really don't even need music to dance.  Sometimes I just feel the music.

Turkey Trot

The only thing I like more than running is dancing, so you can imagine how excited I was to go out dancing Saturday night.  I picked up a couple of new moves from some other kids, but the backbone of my routine is totally original - Daddy calls it the "Turkey Trot."

Lazy River

So they had this thing called a Lazy River, and it was pretty sweet.  I had my own little baby boat with a covered bottom.  I am not actually sleeping in this picture - I was taking turns wearing Mommy and Daddy's sunglasses and pretend relaxing.  I put on the glasses, then leaned back and said , "ahhhhhh."  This is the life.

Running

Mommy, Daddy and I went on a little vacation this past weekend, and it was so much fun it will require several posts for me to show you everything that we did in just three days.  First of all, I got to be REALLY good at running.  And I LIKE it.  

One morning, Mommy and I were sitting on our patio, enjoying a milk and a latte, when I saw a couple of grown-ups jogging.  I turned and asked Mommy, "Running?"  Mommy said, "Yes, they're running.  Do you want to go running?"  I thought about it for a second (a very short second), and said, "Yes."  So we went inside and strapped on our running shoes.

We encountered some really cool stuff on our little adventure.  First, I saw a field mouse having a snack in a garden near our room.  Luckily, we have a book at home called "What Do You Say?", so I knew exactly what to say to a field mouse.  I leaned towards him and quietly said, "Eek, eek, eek."  He looked at me for a minute, and I think he smiled before he scurried off into the bushes.

We kept walking, and I found all kinds of cool stuff.  Thank goodness I was wearing my pocket shorts to hold it all.  I had at least three pecans, and two really pretty leaves.  You can see the leaves in my hands in the picture above - in my left hand is a big green leaf and in my right is a small yellow leaf.  Daddy came outside to meet us, and he took this picture as I was running to show him everything I found. (The picture is a little fuzzy because the camera fogged up as Daddy came out from the air conditioning.)

Reading

I got a thank you card from one of my teachers at school, and tonight after dinner I read it to Mommy and Reba.  Don't ask me why I am turning the card as I read it.  If you don't know, I'm not going to explain it to you.

Swimming!

I went swimming at Grandma and Grandpa Mihalick's house this weekend.  

It was so much fun - I learned to surf on the pool raft!

Picasso

My Papa Bush's birthday was last weekend, and I made him a picture for his present. I didn't post a picture of the finished product - it's a surprise and he hasn't seen it yet!

Table for Two

I do not eat vegetables. Ever.

Not only will I not eat my vegetables, I do not even want them touching other things that I might want to eat.  (Mommy put the green beans in the main part of the tray, which was obviously unacceptable.  When she wasn't looking, I quickly moved them.)  

Party Girl

My Daddy is the Greatest

On Father's Day, Daddy put together this awesome swing set for me.  He was up pretty late finishing it, so the first chance I had to try it out was the next morning before I went to school.  Thank you, Daddy!

Big Girl

This week I moved from the baby class into the toddler class at school. Mommy thought that my graduation deserved a little gift, so she got me a new backpack and lunchbox. I may not be quite ready to carry it all by myself - even when it's empty, the backpack can pull me over - but I sure do look cool holding it.

My Bike

How do you start this thing?

Dress Up

I really like to play dress up these days. I have a Snow White dress that I like to wear, and sometimes I dress up like Mommy - complete with sunglasses, keys and a grocery list.

First Popsicle

Mommy made some popsicles and let me try one today.  Outside, of course.

New Pool

Complete and Total Mastery

I have mastered the spoon. So much so that I can now double-fist my applesauce.

Kili

As many of you know, we lost our sweet Kili a little while ago. We miss her very much, but it makes me happy to remember all of the fun I had with her. She was a really good dog, and I am a really lucky girl to have gotten to know her, even if it was just for a little while.

Mommy and Daddy are talking about getting a new friend for me to play with. I am really excited about that, but I will always remember my first doggie and how sweet she was to me.

Bouncing Around the Room

My school had a carnival last night. Imagine a big fenced softball field filled with 50-something kids between the ages of 0 and 5, giant inflatable beach balls, inflatable zoo animals, sandboxes, and PONIES. That's right, I said PONIES. Real ones. Oh yeah, and there were hot dogs too, which weren't really my thing, but the buns were fantastic.

I got to try a moonwalk for the first time, and IT WAS AWESOME. Technically, I was "bouncing" more than "jumping" because my feet never left the ground. I'll get there...

Hats

A girl can never have too many hats!

Good Taste

These pictures actually go in reverse chronological order. I started with the flip flops, then moved onto Daddy's boots (Kaija made it look so fun!). Finally, I found them - the red high heels. Wonder why Mommy never wears these?

Peek-a-Boo: The Bathtime Edition

Those of you who know me know that I can't resist a good game of peek-a-boo. There is no such thing as a bad time or place to play peek-a-boo.

This picture also constitutes the obligatory embarassing childhood naked/bathtime picture, so Mommy - you can check that off your list.

Reunited

This picture marks the end of a banana strike that was several months in duration. Looking at this post, it's hard to imagine that I would ever have stopped eating bananas. Not to worry, though...bananas and I have been reunited and we are on such good terms that I have started calling them by name ("Nana").

Easter Bunny

This weekend I went to an Easter Egg Hunt in the park by my house with Mommy and Daddy and all of my grandmas and grandpas. I didn't really get the whole hunting thing, but the park was tons of fun-I go to try out the big kid swings! I also got to meet the Easter Bunny.

Be very still...you don't want to scare it.

In my ongoing quest to baffle and confuse my mommy, I willingly ate broccoli last night. Plain old broccoli - not pureed, not mixed with anything. Mommy would have taken a picture or video to prove it, but she was afraid that any sudden movements might break whatever magic spell I was under and ruin everything.

Also- I offered Mommy a piece of my broccoli and said, "Mama eat that." No lie.

Self-Feeding

I don't know what the big deal is - utensils are a piece of cake!

I can walk!

No picture just yet -I kind of caught everyone by surprise, but last night I took two steps on my own. And this morning I took five more!

The first time, I didn't even realize what I had done. I was at Grandma and Grandpa Bush's house and Grandpa came into the room where I was playing. I was so excited to see him, and I wanted to go over and say hi. I took two steps all by myself before I grabbed onto a chair with one of my hands. Everyone was clapping and cheering. I didn't know why - I get that reaction a lot.

Once I got to Grandpa, we played ball (back and forth) - another first!

Do Over

It must have been the pressure at the birthday party, but when I got a second chance at that cupcake, I really took care of business.

Almost Walking

I am so close - I can stand up by myself, and I actually took one step by myself tonight (just ask my Grandpa and Great-Grandma).  Stay tuned...

Birthday Madness

What a day! I knew when I woke up this morning that it was going to be a good day.  As you can see in the video, I was in a GREAT mood from the start.

I actually had to be coaxed into eating my cupcake.  Mommy was really confused by that.