2 Years!!

Well, and just like that, in the blink of an eye, I'm 2!!  I mean, can you believe it?  Mommy can't!  We've done a whopping 64 of these pictures now and this is the final one.  Yesterday was my second birthday and while we didn't do a big shindig like we normally do, I'm going to end up having about 27 smaller birthday parties, which is fine by me!!  Let's spread all the cake and ice cream out over the entire week!

At two years old, I have a personality all my own and so many little words coming out of my little brain each day.  Having all those older kids around at daycare has sure given me a whole new vocabulary that cracks everyone up.  Mommy says I'm the sweetest, funniest little girl with a toothy smile and a hug for anyone just about anytime they ask.  I love my "racoooon" from Auntie and I take her (or the other version of her) along with me everywhere.  See, you can even see her here in this picture, albeit, with her dress over her face.  I still eat all. the. things and love snacks more than life itself.  And water...water is by far the most requested item in this house these days.  Now, "Waerrrr....with ice" (eye roll).  Most of my sentences start with "A"...so "a waerrr?" "a Abby at?", "A cookie"...."A sucker?"  You get the drift.  I know lots of songs, or really just melodies, I get the words mixed up but I know how they are supposed to sound.  I'm trying to count, though I get the numbers wrong and I'm trying to learn colors too.  I say most things are Pink or Blue but someone always corrects me and then I repeat the right color.

I love dolls and animals more than my sister ever did and I love reading books.  Abby uses it as a delay tactic, but I really do love reading them.  I'll pull one from the shelf and bring it to anyone that will sit down with me and read it.  I'm much more adventurous and dangerous than Abby was, but I think that's because I have a big sister to follow around and learn from.  I'm a good sharer, most of the time and I'm starting to love coloring and stickers.

While this is the final post from me in this book, Mommy promises to share tons and tons of pictures of me over on our family blog.

23 Months

My sister talks about her birthday NON-stop and it's getting me super excited to celebrate my own.  I am only ONE month away from being two years old!!!  I am one silly girl with a ton of personality.  I'm becoming a "repeater" just like my sister...I mean, it's hard to get people to listen to me...I'm kinda small, so I just repeat and repeat until someone acknowledges me.  I love to ask for water and snacks...and my paci.  Mommy says it's probably time to take them away, but I think she'll let me keep them for a little longer.

I'm a great sleeper and a great eater.  I love sweets and snacks a little too much sometimes, but I will eat just about anything you give me...so Mommy can't complain too much.  I graduated into another new swim class (the one that Abby started in back in Jan) and I'm really good at doing my floats in the bathtub (which is GREAT for washing my hair...Mommy loves it!).  I can't wait for the pool to finally be warm enough to swim in...I want to show off all my new tricks.

Two things I hate lately are bugs and dirt.  My sister got me started on it...and now I scream really really loudly whenever I see bugs and dirt.  Mom loves it...just loves it.  I don't really get to pick what we watch on TV, Abby does that.  So, I mostly like whatever shows she likes.  Being a second kid is rough sometimes.  Here's to summer weather, popcicles, watermelon and my birthday being only one more month away!

22 Months

Hi guys!!  Just checking in for my 22 month picture.  I was super excited to do my picture this month and Mommy got this one in just 10 shots!  You can't tell, but I've been feeling sort of yucky for the past few days.  A fever here and there and I've had a runny nose and cough for pretty much the last 6 months.  I can't wait for warmer weather and sunshine to kick this cold out of my system.  We've had a few teaser days of warm...but the last week has been nothing but cold and rain and I'm ready to do summer things!  Mommy let me have a Popsicle the other day, but inside, in my high chair, not outside in the sun like it's supposed to be.

I've got four huge molars (two on top and two on bottom) but an missing my insizers so I've got this toothy little grin that makes me look a little like a red-neck.  I'm talking more and more each day and have lots of phrases.  And boy oh boy, I'm becoming a repeater, just like my sister.  You know, it's hard to get a word in edgewise around here with my chatty big sister so I've learned her technique and I just repeat and repeat until someone acknowledges me...and then sometimes I just keep right on repeating anyways.  Mommy loves it! (I think....).  Swim lessons are going great, I've moved up to Big Kid Swim which means I'm in the pool alone without Mommy and Daddy and they said I might be ready to graduate from that class soon too!  I'll be catching up to my big sissy soon!!  And, once summer finally hits, I think we'll be swimming in our pool a ton which will help too!  I can't wait to be a great swimmer like Daddy.

21 Months

Better late than never!  These past two weeks daycare has been closed, so I've been staying home with Mommy and Abby full time.  I think Mommy is ready for us to be back to daycare, but I've sure loved spending some one on one time with her.  A few days, Abby went to pre-school while I stayed home with Mom so we got to spend some morning playing just her and I.

I have all kinds of new words and many many phrases - I'm putting words together to get sentences "Open this?", "come on...", "I don't want it" (this last one is courtesy of my very picky sister and Mommy hates when we get on a roll saying it over and over again).  I am still the best eater of all - I love everything!  Honestly, pretty much anything you give me, I'll eat.  Mommy loves it...now to get Abby on the same program.

20 Months

My goodness, time is flying and it's almost starting to feel like spring around here.  I mean, it's only March so we can't get too excited yet, but every so often we get a warm day and Mommy says we'll be playing outside on summer nights soon enough.

What's new with me since we last chatted?  Well, I started swim lessons (so did my sister) and we're both loving it!  I don't even really mind being dunked.  Daddy is still in the pool with me but we're hoping that it won't be long until I'm doing the lessons solo with the teacher.  I continue to expand my vocabulary all the time.  Mommy was gone for work for about a week and when she came home I had so many new words.  I say "Peeze" for please and "ank yooo" for thank you.  I say Sorry when Mommy makes me and many many other things.  It's getting easier and easier for people to understand what I want but I'm really good at saying "Dat" and pointing when you can't understand me.  I'm still a great eater and will try just about anything you'll let me have.  I want to eat what everyone else is eating including the treats my sister gets for finishing her dinner.  Mom says that she'd have never let Abby eat treats this early, but I guess that's the benefit of being #2.

19 Months

There are no babies in this house anymore.  I think maybe it's the pig tails or maybe it's the explosion of words...or maybe it's the little molar I got in my bottom row of teeth - I'm not sure what it is...but Mommy has been looking at me with sad eyes the past few weeks and commenting on how I'm not a baby anymore.  Now all she wants to do is snuggle me close or ball me up like a tiny baby again so I can fit in her lap...but I'm not having it!  I've got too much to do and way too much to learn these days.

It's getting easier and easier to communicate with everyone and I'm learning new words every day.  I'm obsessed with a little raccoon Auntie Erin actually bought for Abby when she was a baby and she got me my very own matching one for Christmas.  Her name is Gwendolyn but I call her "dollie" or more closely pronounced as "daa-ee".  She goes with me everywhere and I love her (both versions).  I love love love animals of all kinds.  I'm obsessed with my fish tank and I love the animal books best of all.  Mommy says that I'm much  more interested in reading than Abby ever was and I'm quick to grab any book in sight and back my little butt up into your lap if you'll let me.  I want you to read to me and I love to point at all the pictures.

I'm also great at taking these pictures now.  I've got the routine down.  As soon as Mommy spreads the fabric on the ground and gets me into this white outfit I know just want to do.  I toddle over and lay myself right down in the middle.  This time I even caught on to saying "cheee" whenever Mommy snapped a picture. (Adorable!)  This month's fabric came from Mommy and for no other reason than it's funny and fun to use a fabric that may not fit into most quilts Mom makes.

18 months

Happy 2017!!  Just a few days late, but the holidays have kept us really busy and well, here we are!  Let's see - let me tell you about my new words!  I've got Momma and Dadda down pat. I say "NighNigh" when I'm ready to go to bed.  "Sheeeeee" means fishy and I do a cute "woof woof" for dog and sometimes a meow for kitty but they sound pretty similar.  I say "gah" for ball but "shoes" is very clear.  I've said "sissy" for Abby and "Chee" for cheese but those may have been flukes.  I also say "Hiiiiiii" in a really cute high pitched voice but my favorite word?  The word I use for EVERYTHING no matter what I mean, is "no".  I'm great at it.  And I love to yell at the dog saying "No, GO" whenever she gets close to me when I'm eating.

I just saw the doctor for my 18 month appointment and I weigh 22 lbs (in the 40th percentile somewhere).  I'm right on track for everything else and don't have to go back until my two year appointment.  Can you believe we've been doing this for a year and a half now?  I'm not really a baby anymore and I think that's just sort of settling in for Mommy.

One last little update - Mommy is starting my quilt soon.  She's got the pattern all picked out and the fabric for the sashing is on it's way.  I can't wait til I have my own special blanket just like my sister.

17 Months

Hi everybody!!  Well, one month closer to my half birthday.  Can you believe it?  My hair is getting longer and longer and crazier and crazier.  I think it might be time for Mommy to figure out some sort of clip/pony tail situation because I'm starting to look crazy these days.

I've really started to say some new words in the last month and most of them have come along in the last week.  Mommy seems to remember that by 18  months Abby had a lot to say (she still does....) and I'm starting to catch up now.  Just yesterday I said "chee" for cheese and this morning I pointed to my Dollie's eye and said "eye".  I know lots of body parts now including head, ears, eyes, feet, belly and many more.  I'm getting better at going down the stairs (I've been great at up for a long time).  I love love love shoes.  But I also love love love taking them off (and my socks).  I don't keep them on for more than 2 minutes once Mommy puts them on.  But, my favorite thing to do is grab my sister's shoes, or Mommy's and walk around the house in them.

And, I'm an animal lover.  Much more than my sister ever was.  I meow for cat, do a cute little bark noise for dogs and love to look at my sisters fish.  I often try to hug the tank (or maybe try to pick it up off the table, it's hard to tell).  I love getting up on the stool to watch them swim around.  Maybe someday I can have a fishy tank in my room just like my big sister.

I eat just about everything and LOTS of it!  I'm very different from Abby in that way.  She's super picky but not me...I love everything and I'm always ready for a snack.  Hey, I'm a growing girl!  I wear size 12-18 months clothes and size 4 shoes.  Oh, and I almost forgot!  My new trick.  Daddy taught me it this morning.  I can "jump" now.  My feet don't actually ever leave the ground but I crouch down, and then I bounce up on my tippy toes.  It's quite adorable, if I do say so myself.

16 months

Mommy's posting a few days late because things have been crazy busy around here lately.  We had Halloween on Monday (I was a dinosaur and so was Abby) and Mommy was in Texas for work through Wednesday.  Not a lot new to report around here these days.  I've gotten a few more teeth since I last checked in....I'm up to 8 now and Mommy thinks there may be a few more coming because my hands are ALWAYS in my mouth.

This "on the verge of tears" face I'm making in this picture pretty much sums up my days.  I'm not sure why, but I'm sort of a grump these days.  Whenever Mommy is around I'm crying or pulling on her legs unless she's holding me.  She says it's cute for awhile, but her back hurts!  I'm still eating really well....I like everything!  Mommy took bottles away from me this month which sort of made me mad, but I'm over it now.  At least I still have my pacis!

I have a handful of words that others can understand and another set that I repeat for things like "ga" means "ball" or "dog" so I'm getting there.  I can point to my belly, ears and mouth.  We're working on eyes, butt and toes next.  I understand simple commands like "go get your shoes" or "close the door" so Mommy thinks real words can't be far behind!

This month's fabric came from my Mom's cousin, Karen.  She lives in Colorado and she wrote me the sweetest little note to go along with the fabric.  She says she hopes that I grow up to love music as much as she does.  Daddy thinks I might be his little music girl because he says I at least have rhythm...which Mommy and Abby don't.

15 Months

HI!!  It's almost my 15 month birthday and I wanted to stop by and catch you up on what I've been up to these past few weeks.  I've got the beginnings of my third and fourth teeth, my top two to match the bottom two I've had since right around my birthday.  In spite of the fact that I've only got two real teeth I eat just about anything you give me.  I love to eat! But, I'm actually quite small still.  This onsie I'm wearing is a 6-9 month onsie and it still fits.  Though, to be fair, it's pretty tight and Mommy sort of squeezes me into it for the few minutes it takes to get my picture each month.

I've had a pretty bad cold for a few weeks now with a cough that scared Mommy enough to take me to the doctors office TWICE in three days.  But, good news, they said it's nothing more than a lot of snot so there's nothing to really do.  I've just got to work through it.

I'm a great hugger and I love to dance.  Daddy says he thinks I'll be his music baby.  Oh, and I'm really falling for this cute little raccoon doll Anutie Erin bought for Abby when she was a baby.  I love to carry her around with me everywhere and I snuggle her close when I'm sleeping.   I'm going to have to start working on name for her!

I don't have any  new words since last time we talked.  I say, Mama, Dada, Go, Woah (!!) and Baba.  Mommy's been working on teaching me Abby but I'm not quite there yet.  Soon though, soon!  See you next month!

14 months

Hi guys!  I'm a few days late because we've been busy (seems like we're always busy).  I've been growing and learning a lot in the past month.  I am pretty good at eating with a fork now.  I can stab things onto it and can get them into my mouth most times.  Mommy taught me how to sign for "more" but "all done" didn't go over so well.  I have my own way of signing "all done".  It comes it two stages.  First I start feeding Staley my food and then, if nobody's paid attention to that, I start twisting around in my chair and pulling at my bib to get it off.  When Mommy sees that's she know's what I mean.  I still don't have a ton of words but I did pick up baba for bottle this past month.

I dance on cue now and it's sort of a little shoulder shimmy.  I especially love to dance when I hear music.  Mommy's working on teaching me how to point out my body parts like belly, nose, toes etc.  I'm not good at it yet, but I bet by next month I'll have a few mastered.  I figured out how to get out of the tub all by myself this month (Mommy is not a fan) and I find it quite funny to run around the house naked until someone catches me.  Oh!  And I've got one more tooth coming in.  It's my third and it's a top one.

But, the thing that Mommy is MOST excited about is that I  now give hugs.  The biggest, cutest, fully body hugs and she told Daddy it's her most favorite thing of all the things I've learned this far.  If you ask for a hug I just lean forward with my arms open wide and lay my whole body into yours.  It's quite adorable (according to Mom).

This weeks fabric came from Daddy's Uncle Bob and Aunt Kathy.  They picked it because they said that they can't wait to see the smarty pants I become.  Mommy thought this would be a good month to use it because I've learned a LOT of new things this month and because my sister is starting preschool next week.  I'm not really sure what that means, but she's really excited about it.  Someday maybe I'll be able to go to preschool with her.  I think that would be fun!

13 Months

I've missed you guys!  Can you believe it's already been a whole month since my last picture?  It's been a wild and crazy month with lots and lots of changes.  I'm sure you've all read Mommy's blog already about the move, so you know we've been busy.  I love my new room and have been sleeping so well up there.  I think it helps that Mommy can't hear me in the middle of the night.

You can see my two cute teeth in this picture, which is why Mommy choose this slightly blurry one over another picture.  I have a few words now too.  I say "hi" to almost everyone.  It was my very first real word and I definitely know what it means.  I'm also saying Mom now too.  What else?  Hum... I learned how to dance this past weekend.  It's more of a shoulder shake than anything but whenever someone starts signing I start moving along along and laughing.  And, Mom has totally realized that I understand more than I let on.  She can tell me to go sit down on my couch and I'll do it.  I understand when people tell me no too, though I don't always listen. Everyone says I'm wild and dangerous but I'm actually more cautious than people give me credit for.  I'm careful when I get down off of things (after being told "no, get down") and I'm very careful going over big bumps in the floor like transitions or cracks on the driveway.  I am also eating all real food now - baby food is for babies!  I'll still eat a squeezy every now and again, but I'd prefer to eat what everyone else is eating.  I eat more than my big sister most days....she better hurry up and get eating otherwise I'm going to catch up to her!

This month's fabric came from Auntie Erin.  She got it because she's always wearing her cowboy boots with shorts (Daddy says it makes her feet stinky).  I can't wait until I get bigger and can get my very own pair of cowboy boots.  Now that we live out in the country, maybe I'll start taking horse riding lessons (when I get bigger).

See ya in a month!

1 Year Old!

Well guys, it's here!  My first birthday and the very last of these weekly photos.  Mom doesn't seem to sure how she feels about this.  I mean, it means no more weekly photos to take and edit but it also means that I'm growing up way to fast.  See, I'm even holding up one finger to show you that I'm 1 year old.  I'm pretty smart, huh?

My birthday isn't actually until Wednesday but we had a big party this weekend for me.  I got lots of toys and clothes but more importantly I got to see all of the people that I love a whole lot....and eat my very own cupcake.  I wasn't too sure about being the center of attention during my song but once I had the first few bites of that frosting I was set!

This week's fabric came from my big sister.  She used this same fabric for her first birthday and she was super excited when Mommy pulled it out for me to use.  It has cute little cupcakes on it just like the one that Bubby got me for my birthday cake.  They look so yummy it has me hoping that maybe Mommy will get me ANOTHER cupcake for my real birthday.....a girl can dream, right?  Anyways, keep following along, I'll be back here posting monthly with pictures and updates for the next year.  Here's to being one!

Week 51

Well, after a couple months of just a few first, this week was a big one for me.  In the last 7 days I got my first two teeth and I learned how to walk! I'm confidently talking 5-7 steps in a row and Mommy says it wont be long before I've got it perfected. I just wanted to get all these things in before I turned one and we stop having these weekly chats.  One more weekly picture and then we'll switch to once a month.

This fabric came from Grandma.  You may remember way back to week 4 when I had some Hungry Caterpillar fabric.  She bought these two different fabrics for me because she knew that over the next year I'd grow and learn and change so much...just like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly.  Cute huh?  Just one more week left and next week, Mommy's using some fabric that my big sister used on her first birthday.  I'm so excited to be more and more like her!

Week 50

Well, we're getting close now guys!  I hope you all can come to my birthday party in a few weeks.  It'll be so much fun to see everyone that has helped make my quilt super special.  No steps this week but Mommy did buy me some new shoes for whenever I DO start walking.  She was worried I'd be scared of them like my sister was, but it wasn't a big deal at all.  No tears.  But - there was one first that DID happen this week.  I got my first tooth.  It's really tiny and just starting to poke through.  Mom saw it for the first time last night right before bed.  Just shy of my first birthday and I'm getting my very first chomper!!!

This week's fabric came from Bubby's friend Judy.  She and Bubby were friends since second grade.  That's a long time!  When she and Bubby graduated from college we worked together at the railroad...and, that's where she met Grandpa so it seems like trains are pretty special to them too.  Judy wrote the sweetest note to me and I can not wait to meet her someday.

Week 49

Guys...I'm SO close to walking these day!  I can easily stand up in the middle of the room without holding onto anything.  And, if two people sit across from each other I try really really hard to walk between them, but I get so excited that I start flailing my arms and swinging my head that I just plop right down.  I've take a step, maybe two before falling but Mommy isn't counting it as walking.  It's more like "not falling".

This weeks fabric is a bit of a mystery.  Mom's been SO good about keeping track of who gave me what, and why, that she can't believe she let one fall through the cracks.  So, we aren't quite sure who picked out this super cute school fabric, but we sure do love it!  If it's yours, can you let my Mommy know?  She picked it out for this week because coming up on my 1 year birthday I've changed so much and learned so much!  It really is quite crazy how fast a year flies by!

Update:  We figured it out!!  This fabric came from a friend of my Grandma's named Theresa.  He daughter and Grandma used to teach together for a long long time before Grandma retired and went to work at the local Catholic school.  Anyways, thanks so much Theresa!

Week 48

Happy Memorial Day!! What's new with me this week?  Well, I started standing.  I can go from sitting standing without holding on to anything.  I just pop right up!  Mommy says that means I'm close to walking.  What else?  Maybe for a change I'll tell you about the things that I'm not quite doing yet.  I'm not walking (yet), and I still have ZERO teeth.  I have lots of "words" but none of them mean anything yet.  Not even Momma or Dadda. I just like the way they sound.  Mommy thinks many of those things may change in the next month before my Birthday....we'll see!!

This weeks fabric came from Aunt Laura and Uncle Mike.  Mommy picked it for this week because she thought it looked a little like palm trees and this is the first week that it's really started to feel like summer.  I get to wear summer clothes all the time now and they are SO nice!!  Mommy says this summer I can go in the pool.  I can't wait!

Week 47

We're just ticking off the weeks, getting closer and closer to my FIRST Birthday.  Mommy said the invitations for my party should be here tomorrow.  I can't wait to see what she did with them.  And, how cool is that?  I get to have a party all about me!  And, eat cake?!?  I can't wait!

This week's fabric came from my cousin Nora.  She's the sweetest...she picked out this owl fabric because she thought it was cute and because she thought Mommy and I would like it.  She couldn't have been more correct!  Someone must have told her that Mommy loves owls...they are all over my room, so She's super excited to include this fabric in my quilt.  I love all the bright fun colors too!

Week 46

Hi guys...can you believe that we're rounding the corner on a year of these weekly pictures!?!  Only 6 more weeks left.  Mommy's been digging deep into the fabric basket to make sure that we get to all of the sweet people who gifted fabric for my quilt.  This week's came from my second cousin Nathaniel.  He wrote the sweetest little note that said " I chose this because I like sports and maybe the baby will too".  Well, I'm here to say that I already love sports.  One of my favorite games is rolling the ball back and forth with my sister.  She loves to play ball with me and I just laugh and laugh when Mommy helps me push it back.  We bought a soccer ball this weekend and I can't wait until I'm walking and can learn how to kick just like my big sister!

After one REALLY cold weekend, Mommy said it's finally going to start getting warmer and we can play outside more.  I think she said we're going to do some landscaping this weekend...not sure what that is...but I think it'll include me crawling in the grass and probably eating dirt...my favorite :)

Week 45

Hey guys - a little late this week, but we got the picture last weekend (like we always do).  Mom's just been really busy with work and didn't have time to get the post up on Monday like she normally does.  Like my fabric for this week?  It came from a really close family friend named Rhonda.  She is Parker and Reese's grandma and Mommy spent a LOT of time at her house playing with Nichole when she was little.  Kinda like how I play with Parker and Reese now.

Mommy picked this fabric this week because it's starting to feel more and more like summer around here these days.  There's been lots of rain, which is making all the flowers come out, but it's getting warmer now so we're starting to play outside more and more.  Someday I'll be able to ride on a big girl bike these these.  I can't wait.