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.

Happy Valentine's Day

After getting antibiotics on Monday for my ear infections I was feeling a little better by the time Daddy got home on Tuesday. I thought the best Valentine I could give him was me!! How do you like my hat? (It's Friday and I'm still pretty yucky and fussy with my cough and snot to aggravate me)

sNOT again!

Don't be fooled by these pictures - I'm feel miserable. I just found out after hours of screaming last night and lots of snot and coughing that I have two more ear infections (I just finished antibiotic for my last infection a week ago Friday) Here are some more numbers

132 (or close) - # of times mama has sung to me in the past 4 days
5 1/2 -# of times it has worked
10 - # of days I will have to take my second round of antiobiotics
8 - # of snot bubbles mama counted, at one time, on my nose during breakfast
7 - # of months old I will be on Thursday
6 - # of teeth I have (the four middle and the top and bottom teeth to the left of center)
2 - # of ear infections I have (I would have more if I had more ears)
3 - # of foods besides oat cereal I will eat - peas, spinach and applesauce
3 - # of bandaids I got last Thursday to cover my vaccine sticks
3 or 4 - longest # of consecutive hours I slept in the past 3 days
0 - # of times mama has thought of sending me back

Overflowing with happiness...and other things

This scene has been frequent around my house lately - a combination of antibiotics for my ear infection and getting my appetite back has led to some messy times and dunks in the tub. This particular scene was a two man job with mom and dad working together to contain the spill (this picture was before the real messy part was over.) I know my Mama and Daddy love me to clean up after all my messes!

My top teeth broke the surface last week, finally, and now there is just enough tooth out on the top to grind my bottom teeth and my top tooth nubs together - Mama says it makes her skin crawl to hear me do it - but oh it feels good.

my froggy and me

It's just my frog, my mama and me this weekend. Daddy went to be part of Kevin Manous's wedding to Charity in North Carolina (May God richly bless thier marriage!). Here I am having fun with my frog at bathtime - you can't tell from the picture but 'Old McDonald had a Farm' is playing in the background...this is the life.

I have the yucks!

This week has been a rough week. I had my first real cold and ear infection and had to take pink antibiotic Mama says she remembers taking when she was a little girl. I didn't want to eat anything and lost 1/2 of a pound while I didn't feel good. Two days ago I started feeling good enough to eat and sleep again - Daddy and Mama are grateful and look forward to me feeling like myself soon! Here are a couple of pictures of me

My Mema is great. She sends me great things that she finds on ebay - here is the latest cute thing she sent - a Pooh hat. Thanks MEMA!

This is an oldie but I'm so cute! This is a picture of me at my great Aunt Vicki's house taking a bath in her sink. We stayed with her when we were in Atlanta over New Years.

What's up Doc?

My new favorite thing is to chew/gnaw/slobber on a carrot while Mama and Daddy eat dinner. Forget those fancy teething rings - just a carrot for me. I've gotten used to eating cereal but I just won't eat anything else. Sometimes Mama tricks me into taking a bite of Sweet Potatoes or Bananas or Squash but that only happens once and then I'm on to her. Anytime after that when she tries to give me some veggies I purse my lips and won't let her get that spoon in (Mama has even tried for a whole 15 - 20 minutes before - I'm persistant). If she puts the veggies away and only has cereal out I'll open my mouth again after some convincing. Mama can't figure out how I know what's on the spoon ... Mama keeps trying and I keep my secrets.

This is me with my carrot and me trying to eat sweet potatoes. I managed to get the sweet potatoes everywhere but in my mouth. When Mama tried to put them in my mouth by trickery I contorted my face, gagged and then slyly let them slip out of my mouth onto my face. After this day I wouldn't even let Mama get them into my mouth but once - then the pursing of lips began!

A Busy Two Weeks

I have been so busy since we returned from our southern Christmas tour. I was going to write about Christmas but I'm on to other exciting things to share. I started eating rice cereal (my poop really stinks now!), sitting up all by myself, imitating daddy's "B" sounds, and beginning to get my top two front teeth (boy, do they hurt!). I like to jump and squeal in my johnny jump up and play the piano with daddy (we got a piano from our church last week) I've taken several trips to the grocery store and I sat in the front of the cart all by myself that last time we went - I can't wait to drive one of those car carts when I get older. AND I think I'm beginning to like my carseat (or atleast put up with it) Mama and Daddy and I went to visit our friends the Gregory's last weekend in South Bend, Indiana and it was a pleasant ride and fun time for our families. Whew! a busy two weeks.

Back home in Indiana

Whew! We made it over the river and through the woods and down the interstate to visit friends and family on a two week tour of Atlanta and Lee, FL. Mama and Daddy were so excited that I slept well on the 13 hour drive to Atlanta (the 6 hour drive from ATL to FL wasn't as pleasant). Thank you for praying for me to not scream so much in my car seat! I am recovering well from my first long journey and will post more pictures later this week. But for now I'll let you know that I had a wonderful time riding with Grandpa Kinsey in his Ranger and petting the cows, going with Grandpa Noonan to the new Georgia Aquarium and seeing his big dogs Marley and Avery, and seeing many of Daddy and Mama's friends. Time for a nap!

Over the river and through the woods ...

Well, we are off to warmer weather tomorrow. Mama and Daddy are taking me south for a couple of weeks for my First Christmas to see friends and family - we are grateful to have this opportunity. I made this trip once before with Mama and Grandma but I was so little I don't remember it. Pray for my Mama and Daddy that they would be able to concentrate on driving if I cry a little bit (I still don't like my carseat). So far I like Christmas and the Advent season - the lights are fascinating, Jingle Bells is a close runner up to Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and the story of Baby Jesus is exciting. I don't really understand it all yet but I think I'm going to like Christmas. Have a Merry Christmas!!!

A special day

What a special day! Today I was baptized at our church. When Pastor Henderson poured water over my head I didn't even cry and many people told Mama that I was precious. My Mama and Daddy are so thankful for me and pray that one day I will come to know Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. They look forward to loving me and teaching me about Jesus and raising me in a way that honors God. Please pray for my Mama and Daddy to have wisdom as they raise me! I was glad that Mrs. Gould was there to take pictures and that Daddy's classmate Odessma was there too.

LOTS of SNOW!

Here are some more pictures of the snow - Look how deep it is! Daddy cleared the driveway on Saturday so that we could drive to church on Sunday morning. There was a deep blanket of snow (about 7-8 inches) and more fell on Saturday night and Sunday and ... Mama and Daddy didn't put up a Christmas tree because we are traveling for Christmas but this tree in our backyard is a real Christmas tree with real snow - only the best for me mama says.