Our yard

Mama says our yard is just like me - full of potential. Mama and Daddy have been working hard to get grass to grow, weeds to go away, trees to grow and flowers to bloom - it's starting to look promising. I really like the talking plants Mama got - see I'm listening while it talks to me.

Here is our yard with our Maple tree, grass and our new flower beds. On many nights we see bunnies in our yard AND we even have fireflies..

Welcome to our humble abode! Here are the plants mama got from our friend and the wall Daddy and Mama made - we have lots of perennials (lamb's ear, lilies, irises, hostas, mums, primrose, elizabeth, clematis and other pretty things) Come visit any time...

CHICAGO!

We had a great time with Daddy at his conferences. While Daddy was in meetings all day Mama and I swam in the hotel pool, played in the pretty park behind the hotel, walked the streets and explored the city on foot. One day we went for a big tour of town - Navy Pier was first on my walking tour (guided by Mama)

The beach was next...I really liked to play in the sand at the beach, crawl and make sand fly everywhere and eat the sand! Mama let me jump in the water and I liked to feel the water of Lake Michigan on my toes. I cried when Mama said we should go. I was so tired after playing I took a nap in the stroller on the way to the next park (I've never done that before)

Next on our tour was Millineium Park in Grant Park. We heard the symphony play while they practiced for their evening performance (they are behind us in that metal structure) and I crawled in the grass while mama sat on our blanket.

Buckingham fountain was our last stop of the day. I was more impressed with the pink gravel at the fountain than the fountain itself but the water flying everywhere was interesting.

Finally at the end of a long day we headed back to the room where I played some more and then Mama got me ready for bed. One of Mama's friend's watched me while I slept so that Mama and Daddy could go out and have dinner together. This was the first time Mama and Daddy have left me with anyone but Grandma! I like Chicago and can't wait to go back.

Olivet University Conference and fun outside

After Chicago, we went to Bourbannais, IL (where the Chicago Bears practice) for Daddy to go to another conference. Mama and I played outside on the lawn under the beautiful trees on campus all day long. We had so much fun! One morning Mama walked around and we found a farm with ponies and donkeys. We are home now and I'm glad to be in my own bed.

Ps - looks like the chicago trip will make it up on the blog tommorrow - enjoy these pictures from the conference after the conference.

Picnic at the Park

We went to campus and had a picnic lunch with Daddy yesterday. I enjoyed chewing on the plastic containers while mama and daddy ate their sandwiches. I also got to play in the nice green grass.

Safari Sam on the prowl...

One man pan band

Look what I found in the kitchen - my very own pot and pan band. My new job while mama fixes dinner is to play some upbeat music.

Weekends are fun!

I went for a walk with daddy in our neighborhood...
I helped mama with the laundry...(usually she puts the basket under the dryer so that I actually get the clothes out of the dryer all by myself)
and today it's raining and in the 60's today so our trip to the park was rescheduled for a sunny day so we went indoors to Menard's (a regional Home Depot) and played on their display toys and the little kiddy area. I had lots of fun with mama and daddy - here I am on the roller coaster....

And on the fire truck...

Funny Faces

OOOOOO - that cheerio had some prunes on it!
OOPS - I'm caught. Minutes after mama finished cleaning my room and putting my books back on the shelf, she returned to an empty shelf and my cute smile! The books are on the floor behind and the floor is covered.

Shoes

Shoes ... who needs them? They only get in the way of sucking on my toes and they are a burden to crawl with. I just don't like them but today I humored my mama by actually letting her put some sandles on me for our trip to the grocery store. Did I tell you I don't like shoes? I prefer to be barefooted and unless they can serve some other purpose- such as entertainment and distraction at my toe tips - I would rather leave them elsewhere.

And while on the subject of things I have opinions about - why should I only use one hand to eat Cheerios when I can use both hands ... at the same time?

Wee, Wee, Wee all the way home

Well at least I didn't go Wah! Wah! Wah! all the way home. I like flying on airplanes - they put me right to sleep. I did great and mama was so glad that the pressure didn't seem to hurt my ears. As you can see fromt eh picture above - I had a great time smiling and making friends at the airport. We enjoyed our trip to Raleigh and will put more pictures up when we get them.
I got to see my Great Granny and Grandpa Kinsey this weekend. My Great Granny read several books to me. I really like books!

AND I got to play with Camden Harvey while mama visited with his Mommy and Daddy - Kevin and Amy. We played with his toys and I really wanted to taste the cat food but mama wouldn't let me. We had a great visit and I'm glad we got to spend some time with them even though they are moving this week.

More later about my time with Grandma and Grandpa Kinsey and our adventures to the children's museum without mama...

More Projects

Mama and Daddy started painting the inside of our house last weekend. I like to watch them do things around the house and I even try to pitch in. (I sure wish I could climb the ladder - it looks like fun up there.) This weekend while Mama and I are in Raleigh, NC for our cousin Angela's wedding, Daddy is going to finish painting the living room and kitchen. It's also warming up and Mama planted lots of plants she got from her friend's mom (thanks Kathy!). Mama seems really excited. I can't wait to see what the flowers look like when they bloom.

Pray for my ears when we fly - I still have a little fluid in them even though there is no more infection. Pray with Mama that the people on the plane will remember me as the cute redheaded boy NOT the little boy who screamed the whole flight.

Rain, Rain go away...

Yesterday mama and I bundled up, put on our rain coats and trekked to the mailbox to get the mail. Its been cold and raining off and on since last Tuesday and I'm ready to see the sunshine! Today the temperature should get into the 50's and we might venture out again between showers. This used to be my cousin Thomas's raincoat - thanks Thomas - I really like the dragon coat.

Tongue, Ears, Hand, Foot and Mouth

This week has been rough - after falling at the coffee table, hittting my chin and biting my tongue so hard it bleed and blistered on Sunday - I found out on Monday that I had two more ear infections AND the strange rash that appeared on Monday morning was Hand, Foot and Mouth disease. Mama has NO idea where the HFM disease came from - and she's glad its on the mend today wtih no new blisters or rash. BUT mama and daddy will be spending their 5 year anniversary this weekend with me! (I'm still fussy and hurt) YIPPEE! Here are some pictures just before I bit my tongue on Sunday.

bad day

My mama got this shirt for me at a garage sale last weekend..........it came in handy today!

Hard at work

We've been working hard around here this weekend. We built a flower bed wall on the front of the house and I got to help Daddy with the level Grandpa Noonan gave us. For several weeks we've working in the yard - trying get the grass seed to grow and plant trees. I can't wait to be able to play in the yard. I did enjoy my first mud pie this weekend while mama and daddy weren't looking. The dirt wasn't all that bad!

Nose-y

I like to have my nose in everything these days - and as you can see my nose looks a little orange from all of the carrots and sweet potatoes I've been eating.


Agile and swift - I am ready to be where the action is at all times. I'm crawling, sitting up and pulling myself up to check out whatever I find curious in our house. I also know what the word NO means...even though I test mama sometimes to see if she really means it.

Vroom, Vroom...

Mama finally got me my first truck - she found it at a used car place (a thrift store). I think my Uncle Casey would like this truck too!

No stopping me now!

This week I have really taken off ... I've been scooting/crawling for a while and finding my way around in one room but this week I traveled across several rooms in search of mama. I found her brushing her teeth in her bathroom even though she left me in the living room! And like my friend Camden I really like the springy door stoppers - I like to flick them and play with them all over the house.

I had my 9 month appointment yesterday and I'm a tall, skinny guy weighing in at 17 lbs 13 oz. and almost 2 1/2 feet tall at 29 inches. I also found out I have another ear infection! The antibiotics are starting to work and I hope I'm on the road to recovery. Yesterday while mama tried to make dinner I got to play on the floor - there is so much to get into and many more things to explore.

Christ is Risen!

Today we celebrated Jesus' ressurection from the dead! It was a beautiful day to celebrate my first Easter - the flowers are finally starting to bloom and the trees are budding (and I'm 9 months old today). In the morning Mama, Daddy and I went to church with our neighbor Mr. Derric and then we went to our friend's, the Gould's, for lunch, singing and an egg hunt.
Here I am with my mama.

I got one! There was candy inside this egg and I liked shaking it to make noise.
Here I am with my friends, Lilly and Sadie, after the hunt - next year we will be running around!

I played with my friend Sadie - well, actually, we both played with her shoes - they were great for chewing on.

This is my Daddy and the Gould's cherry tree.

Here I am with our palm like bush at home getting ready to go to church - my mama says I look just like her when she was a baby!

Row, Row, Row your boat...

My mama seems to always be doing laundry - washing diapers, clothes, sheets, towels - and it never seems to end. I like to watch her shake the clothes and I REALLY like sitting in the laundry basket while mama scoots me around from room to room to put the clothes away. Here I am with my new sailor hat grandmama sent me and my new laundry basket/boat.

Finger Foods and other yummy things

Mama started letting me eat finger foods in the past several weeks and I really like being able to feed myself. I can't grasp things very easily and some of the things Mama gives me are slippery - like the avocados she gave me last week (picture above). I REALLY liked the avocado but it was squishy and slimy and hard to get to my mouth - but yummy! I also like asparagus, broccoli, beets, carrots, zucchini and spinach. I do not like fruits though - I might take a few bites of applesauce or prunes or pears but I don't eat more than a few bites - oooo! OH. I'm also learning how to drink out of a cup and through a straw.

Speaking of finger foods - my Aunt Kimmy sent me this Noah's ark and I think the little animals make good finger foods. If I were Noah I think I would have eaten quite a few animals. I like playing with the ark - throwing the animals in and taking them out, chewing on them and bablling to them. Thanks for the ark great Aunt Kimmy and for the outfit great Uncle Pat and Aunt Ann.

Grandma and Grandpa were here!

Grandma and Grandpa Kinsey just left yesterday after being here for one whole week. We miss them all ready - Grandma was a BIG help and Grandpa kept me laughing - he is funny! Here are a few pictures of me from when Grandma was here. I don't get to wear the sailor outfit my great Mema gave me yet because it is still snowing on and off here - maybe I'll be able to wear it out soon!

Grandma and Grandpa took me to the Indy Motor Speedway and we saw the museum of the Indy 500, we traveled to Anderson to see one of Grandpa's old friends, we went to Walmart several times, went outside and laughed lots at my crinkle nose smile, new noises (my syllable for the week was NaNaNaNaNa) and excited hand motions. I can't wait to see them again.

Let the Sun SHINE!

I can't wait for spring! This Saturday was a beautiful day (a glimpse of spring) and we went outside to enjoy the sunshine. Not far from where we live is a reserve/research park for wolves called Wolf Park. There was an open house on Saturday and we got to see wolves, bison (you can see them behind Daddy and me in the picture) and foxes. I really like being outside and look forward to more spring adventures in the great outdoors.

Working and Playing Hard

I'm beginning to feel better after my latest ear infection and Roseola this weekend. Here are some new things I can do - I am experimenting with new sounds - a cough/laugh that tickles me but sounds rather strange and I'm learning how to turn the pages of the books when mama reads to me - I'm pretty good at this. AND I'm getting good at screaming when mama leaves the room - she's not going to trick me into staying by myself.

My Scooting abilities are growing and I'm pretty good at getting around where I want to go even though it looks nothing like crawling. The floor is a great place to be!!! Here I am with my John Deere tractor.

Jumping for Joy

Well, I have been sick for soooo long it seems. I ran a fever all week long and was miserable again this week. Mama took me to the doctor yesterday and I found out that I have another ear infection - yes - this is my third round of ear infections in the last month. This medicine seems to be working and this morning I am jumping for joy in my johnny jumper, smiling with my 6 teeth showing (and numbers 7 and 8 that just broke the surface in the past two days) and babbling my dadadadada's and squeals. Hopefully my medicine will work and I will get better soon.