Chicago - My First Vacation

Day 1 - Lincoln Park.  They don't call it the Windy City for nothin'.  This town is cold.  I had to wear serious clothes like a scarf and hat, even though I went swimming a couple of weeks ago back home.  In the park, some old men were feeding the birds and game mom a roll so I could feed them too.  But most of the time if I saw her throw some bread down, I'd scoop it up and eat it myself. 

Day 1 - Lincoln Park.  Playing in the dirt.  We went to the zoo and the conservatory, but my favorite part was a little dusty patch.

Day 1 - Lincoln Park.  Sharing a rock with Mom.  We saw roaring lions and giraffes with tranq darts in them at the zoo too.

Day 2 - Garfield Conservatory.  So many cool plants inside, and then a huge field outside.  I need a break with Dad on the lawn now and then.

Day 2 - Garfield Conservatory.  I love running free, especially up hills and then back down to challenge my balance.

Day 2 - Navy Pier.  We rode the ferris wheel and had amazing views of the city.

Day 2 - Navy Pier.  Getting sleepy, guys.  I took a nap and woke up at Adams Park, which is a cool local playground.  I learned how to steer using a push toy there, and this is the first time I've ever loved being in a swing.  Mom stood in front while Dad pushed me, and she pretended I was kicking into her and knocking her back, which I think is comedy gold.

Day 3 - Chicago Children's Museum.  I can play the piano.  I am a musical genius!

Day 3 - Chicago Children's Museum.  Dad and I sat here together for over 20 minutes.  I really got the whole concept of a slide today, too.  There was a slide that would make chiming noises as my hiney slid down.  I would get off, run around, climb the steps, then sit down and slide again. 

Day 4 - Millenium Park.  Mom and Dad dared to spend part of one day at the Art Institute, which was not an activity that revolved around me!  Then we went to the Cloud Gate, also known as "the bean".  It was cool and all, but I enjoyed chasing a pigeon.  It was very surprising to me that he didn't stand still for me to touch him.

Day 5 - Shedd Aquarium.  I'm a penguin.

Day 5 - Shedd Aquarium. In addition to learning how to slide, this week I popped out tooth number seven, learned how to open a zippered bag, say "Toot toot!" when I hear a car horn, wave my hands back and forth for windshield wipers, and steer things when I'm pushing them so they don't bump into anything.

We're Goin' to the Zoo zoo zoo

I run to Dada.

Then back to Mama. I repeat this a lot, because inclines make me giggle.

I pressed the goat to see what would happen. Poke. Oh, some berries fall out!

At the zoo, I showed Dada the animals.

This is at Boston Children's Museum. I spent hours there.

Unc said, "Tickle tickle!" and grabbed my belly. I laughed and ran into a plastic tub of toys. I blame him for what happened to my lip.

The zoo has a water park that is just right for me. I get to run around and grab at the jets of water. Nice way to cool off. I got very excited about the birds and also liked some monkeys and a bongo. The butterflies were pretty, but calming for me.

So, I've had a surge of comprehension. If asked, I can now point to my nose, belly, and foot. I now say Ball and Book. My favorite word is "Dohp" which means "give me that" or "do this for me". If you sing "Doo doo doo", I'll often sing back to you.

Mommy asked me to put some clothes from the dryer into the hamper, and I did it for her. I also like to help put food on the magic sliding thing at the grocery store that takes it up to the lady who slides it over something that makes it go beep, boop, beep.

Strangers are fun. When we flew to Boston, I crawled into a nice lady's lap on the airplane and we played together for a while. Then on the way to the zoo, we stopped at a gas station and I ran up to a man who was eating a sandwich and jumped up into his lap. People seem to like me.

I like to take the broom around the house and push it back and forth on the floor. I carried around some cinnamon Life cereal while sweeping this morning. Mom called it counter productive, but I call it delicious!

I want to ride my tricycle, I want to ride it where I like

Discovered a world outside the windows.

Mom and I step out in jungle patterns and red.

I hop on pop at the beach.

Grumpaw and Meemaw visited.

Exploring at Jax Beach.

My new tricycle! Daddy put it together for me. He told Mom, "I'm not going to pay anyone $10 to put something together when I can do it myself!" So it sat around for a while, but I enjoyed smacking at the box, because every time I did Mom would roll her eyes at Dad. We finally got it out this week. I hold onto the handles like a natural and enjoy looking around while Mom and Dad chatter about boring stuff behind me. Sometimes Mom loads a shovel and rake in the back and we go exploring in the forest. I like to smack dirt with a rake now like she shows me.

We went to Ponta Vedra beach with Ray and Deb when they visited. I love the sand now, but the cold water scares me. I tried to eat the sand but for some reason Dad wouldn't let me. Greedy, probably just wanted it all for himself.



Unc has been trying to teach me his name since we met. I finally have it down. I point to him and say his name loud and clear: Gum. He says his name is Unc, but I know it's really Gum.

Mom takes me to the playground and story time at the library often now. I enjoy playing, but really love watching others. I love playing classic peekaboo, but also reach for someone like I want them to hug me or pick me up, then turn away at the last minute and laugh. meetings are tough because I have to sit still when I would rather press buttons on the water fountain or help Dad with the microphone or sound assignment he is given. When will they let me up on that stage?

I got my fifth tooth this week, bottom left just next to my front left. I wonder how many of them things I need. I can already incise cereal poofs. My favorite thing to eat is fruit, especially peaches and strawberry. I also love beans and veggie buffalo wings.

Mom keeps talking about how she wants me to start scribbling. She shows me how to do it, like every stinking day. So finally when she gave me a big purple crayon I ran into the foyer and made a long mark on her wainscoting. She was less thrilled than I expected. Make up your mind, lady!

Twinkle Twinkle Little Muffin Man

So I got my first top tooth, on the left side just like my first one on the bottom. I'm starting to look more like a bunny than a bulldog, which is fine by me. We are saying goodbye to a lot of friends right now, to Lisa and Mark R. who are moving to Colorado, to the Kims, to the Hendersons who are going back to English, and to Rebekah who is headed to Mexico to help where the need is great. But there are a lot of firsts this month too!

I am not walking, I am running. I do it all day long. I have started stacking cups, opening containers to put things in them and closing the lid again, saying "look" and pointing with my index finger, calling "Dad" when he comes home, what else? I sit and flip through board books and "read" them out loud, and I will sit still for mom or dad to read to me at night, but I'm the one who turns the pages when they tell me to. Impressed? Me too.

Mom finally convinced Dad to let me play with the ride-on firetruck they got me a long time ago. It plays two songs: "Do you know the Muffin Man?" and "Twinkle Twinkle", but I never let them play through. I like to press the buttons again and mix it up. Unc says I'll be a DJ mix master. Fo shizzle.

Hey, Bulldog

Hangin with Unc before the meeting.

Trying to escape.

My pretty little headdress.

This is my first time in tights, for the CO visit.

Safari so good.

I just sprouted my second tooth, also on the bottom. Mom says I look like a little bulldog. Nice. This morning I figured out how to make fart noises on Mom with my mouth. It was an instant hit with Dad. It was also some grim foreshadowing. Minutes later, Mom was putting Dad's back in on the floor. All that pushing on his belly made the inevitable happen, and he released some evil right by my face. So I crawled over and stood up, then puked on his head. It was an instant hit with Mom.

Now when I get angry I use my fingers to make my lips go "Bulluh bluh bubble". I also stick my tongue out to sing "Deidel deidel die", which I think is from Fiddler on the Roof "If I was a Rich Man".

Just the past few days I have started taking a couple of steps to grab at something. But I'm like Wile E. Coyote, and the minute I realize I'm walking I fall down.

Country Girl

With Aunt Nikki after her jog with Mom.

With Uncle Tim. Not as high as Dad, but thanks for trying.

On Thanksgiving weekend, we drove down to see my Uncle Tim and Aunt Nicole, and Grandma Patty was already there too. I don't know how far it is from home, because I slept the whole trip down and the whole trip back, and also because I'm a baby and don't understand the concept of miles yet. They live somewhere called, "Oak, holla!" Makes sense, since there's pretty much nothing there but trees.