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.

Life's a Beach

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.

My One Front Teef

Apparently there is some kid who sings about "All I want for Christmas is my two front teef". Well, just a coupla nights ago I was slippery and bonked my head a little in the the tub, but was wailing for sympathy since Mom was around. To my surprise, she and Daddy both started cheering. Apparently they could see that my first tooth was just over the surface of the gum. I coulda told them that if they would have listened! For days I've been repeating: "Dadadada. Yayaya." But I guess they had to see it for themselves.

Mom compares me to Wile E. Coyote, because I have pulled myself up to stand without any assistance or grabbing onto anything, but the minute I realize I've done it I fall. She already moved her jewelry up one shelf in her closet. Well, this morning I got on tippy toe and yanked some stuff down. So she moved it up to the third shelf. Dad mocked me: "You'll have to grow a lot before you can reach THAT, Vie." Mom said: "Please don't cheat and just learn how to climb either." Which gave me an idea...she didn't appreciate it when I climbed up the shelf and yoinked down some more bracelets. Gotta share those accessories, Ma!

How Time Flies...6 Months

I turned 6 months old on September 3rd. That same week I started crawling, pulling myself up to stand, and figured out how to shake things to make noises. My main method of communication was lots of raspberries.

I am now 7 months old and very busy. I have climbed a couple of the stairs on the flight of danger that intrigues me so much, and stand at the gate that keeps the dogs in the kitchen so I can scream at them. Every day I must also find time for eating a variety of fruits and veg, though squash is still my favorite. I have finally figured out how to let Mom know when I want to nurse now that I can turn my body and lunge at her, and love to nurse sitting up, or crawl around and snack on the go!