The Climb

Ain't about how fast I get up there, ain't about what's waiting in the chair, it's about the Climb!! That's right, I am attempting to climb up on everything, including the living room chair. The sofa, coffee table and the chair where Kacie keeps out of my reach, are just a little too high, but the leather chair in the living room is perfect height to give me a challenge. But a challenge I am up to. Although I am not successful every time I attempt to master the chair, when I do master it, I sure am proud of myself! As for the rest of the house, there is plenty that I am attempting to climb up on. I have even gotten a little bit smarter and started pushing things next to something so I can step onto that and pull myself up. Needless to say, I love to climb.

Got A New Job Climbing the Walls

This week has been a week of change for me but it could all be related to this last pesky molar that is attempting to pop out. I have had a difficult time sleeping alone and have been waking up A LOT! My parents felt the need to get me back in a routine, so they were going to let me cry it out in the middle of the night if I happened to wake up. At approximately 3:30 am, I woke up and decided that I didn’t want to be in my crib anymore; their bed is so much more comfortable. Well they let me cry and cry and cry. Next thing you know, I had been crying for all of about 3 minutes and then BOOM. I decided to teach them a lesson and jump. Now to remind all of you, I do not have a soft landing by any means; hardwood floors are not soft on a baby’s butt. My mom came flying in as I was kneeling at my door sobbing. She swooped me up and held me for about 30 seconds where I proceeded to stop crying, laid myself flat between them, where I stayed until I woke up in the morning. I know they missed me too :)

Rolling, Rolling, Rolling My Arms

All that money my parents have been spending at The Goddard School is paying off. I have been learning neat tricks to show off with. My latest trick is the ability to roll my arms. The parentals were surprised and trying to figure out what I was doing. After inquiring at my second home, they were informed that I was rolling my arms to represent the “wheels on the bus go round and round.” Next time you see me you will have to sing with me to get my arms a-rolling.

Here's a quick peek:

Heaven Is You

This weekend I spent a lot of time with Grandma and Grandpa Basner. On Friday night my parents had the wedding of one of mommy's co-workers down on the shore. So I stayed home with G&G B. We had a lot of fun playing outside, eating pizza for dinner and snuggling up before bedtime with a book. Before I was born my G&G B gave me a book called Heaven Is Having You. Interesting enough, there is also a song with a title similar to this. So I found it to be the perfect title for this entry. The book talks all about spending time with grandparents and at the end, the book ends with Heaven is Having You. I love this book and the bears are so cute.

On Saturday, my G&G B came to swimming lessons with us and then we went to lunch at Five Guys and a football game to see Josh's mom's marching band perform for the first time. Swimming lessons and then spending the day with Josh has become a ritual for our families. So it was nice that G&G B got to hang out with us. That night, we all had dinner together and then G&G B babysat while I slept and mom and dad went out with some friends. I woke up around 11:30 wondering if they were home yet, to only be told by G&G, not yet!

I awoke the next morning at 6:30, played with G&G, and then enjoyed breakfast with them. They left shortly after to drive home on such a gloomy rainy day. Being that the weather was so icky, we made it a pajama day and stayed home to watch the Vikings win! It was a heavenly weekend filled with lots of fun!

Time to Say Nite Nite!

Everyday my volcabulary is expanding by leaps and bounds, okay maybe not leaps but definitely bounds. I am beginning to pick up on words that are said around me, much to the chagrin of my parents. I can say lots of words but my latest one is No. When my mommy tells me no, whatever I'm playing with is now called no. I love playing with the fireplace screen and hanging from the floor lamp that could so easily tip over. Because of the dangerous propensities that these two "toys" could cause, my mother and father say no, whereby I say back to them "no, no, no, no, no." I have taught them the more they say no, the more I do it with a smirk. Its fun!

Before bed we have a nightly ritual of climbing the stairs and brushing my teeth. When I put my tooth brush away I say "good job" to myself. After we change into my pajamas I know right where the dirty clothes go...in the hamper, and I assist by throwing my dirty diaper in the diaper pail. Then its on to books where I tell her all about the "trac-tor" in my farm book that G&G K got me for christmas. I go on to "uf, uf, uf" when I see dog, and scream "kit-da" when Kacie comes in to join us.

The other word that just melts my mommy's heart is "star." At night when snuggled up reading Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, I have begun to repeat and point to the star on each page. At the end of the book, we say nite nite, and then I launch myself into daddy's arms to get a hug and kiss from mommy before heading into bed.

To keep track of all the words I'm saying mommy made me a volcabulary board that has most of my words but is missing the best one yet: NO! You will probably have to click on the picture to see all it has to offer. Its so much fun learning new words and seeing my parents reactions when I master yet another one.

Recently mommy and daddy bought me this neat device that hangs on the front of the refrigerator. It allows me to stick letters into it and then it sings to me about what the letter sounds like. For instance, A says "ahhh", A says "ahhh", every letter makes a sound, A says "ahhh". It even sings me the ABC's, which I have attempted to join along. I'm addicted to learning the alphabet!

Be Our Guest

Today we went to the Red Bank Food Festival in Red Bank, NJ with Josh and his parents and Kate and Andy Ro. It was really fun because we were outside all day. We spent the afternoon strolling from one restaurant to the next, trying different varieties of delicies that Red Bank has to offer. I would have loved to try everything but we were limitied to four hours for over 30 places spread throughout Red Bank. So what we did try I think my favorite was the smoothies from Smoothie King. I also learned that Red Bank is not the most kid friendliest places to bring a kid because the bathrooms in most of these establishments do not have changing tables! This left me to the wild and showing my bum off in an alley. I guess you gotta do what you have to do to stay fresh in hopes of maintaining some privacy. Overall, the day was really fun because Josh and I got to play outside on the sidewalks pushing our strollers and petting every uff, uff, uff, that went by. I can say dog, but I prefer to imitate "what a dog says" when I see one.

I Gotta Love You Rosh Hashanah

Shalom my followers! Its time to convert to Judism for a short period of time. On Friday we rushed a home-a for Rosh Hashanah. On Saturday, we were graciously invited to Sabbath dinner at Josh’s grandparents home to celebrate the Jewish New Year. With my Yamaka in tow, we headed down to Aberdeen, NJ to break challah (bread) and eat apples with honey. Josh has this cool wagon that allows him to drag around his blocks. This allowed me to work on walking and pulling things behind me. I had a great time but my third molar is coming in so this was gnawing on my last nerve. After a good dinner that I didn’t really eat, and great company, we parted ways with a Shalom. My first Rosh Hashanah was really fun!

Bumping Up and Down In My Little Red Wagon!

Tonight was an awesome night! My mommy brought me home a little red wagon that I can push and pull around. As you all know I love to push stuff around, but nothing beats a wagon. Ever since I got to play with Josh’s wagon I have wanted one of my very own. My parents were dragging their feet on buying one, but the generosity of one wonderful woman on Freecycle has brought me this awesome wagon. When mommy got it out of the truck I was all giggles and could hardly stand it. Best thing about it is the door; I climb in and out, in and out. I also like to stand up on the seat. This didn’t last too long as my dad jimmy rigged a seatbelt from my highchair strap to pin me down. I think my expression says it all on how much I love my wagon!

Clap Your Hands, Stomp Your Feet

Today I went to my very first concert. It was an outdoor music festival held in Clark, NJ with a ton of performers called Union County (UC) Musicfest. It was really a dream come true for my parents as acts that they wanted to see when they were younger were performing. Bands included They Might Be Giants ("TMBG"), Gin Blossoms, Tonic, with the headliner as Pete Yorn. Not sure if you are familiar with these bands, but I really enjoyed TMBG. We arrived early and met up with Josh to get good seats for the kids show which was performed by TMBG as they just came out with a kids album. It was a beautiful day as the temps were in the mid to high 70's with lots of sunshine. Perfect for a day of singing along with all the songs. We landed some seats center stage a ways back but enough room to run around and enjoy ourselves. TMBG played a song titled "Clap Your Hands, Stomp Your Feet" and that's exactly what I did. It was a great time!

As soon as the kids concert was over, we headed towards the shade where we spent the remainder of the afternoon hanging out, teaching Josh how to push our strollers around, and toddling all over while listening to the other bands. We attempted to make it through TMBG's second show full of adult songs, but without any naps, Josh and I made a lovely pair of monsters by 6:30 pm. So we took off, missing the headliner, Pete Yorn, but maybe next we'll be able to stay a little later to see him...

I Dive Into You

It’s that time of year again, the outdoor pool closes and indoor swimming lessons begin. With my buddy, Josh, by my side, we started the next session of Shrimps and Kippers at the local YMCA. However, this time we have a new teacher so things are a bit different this time around. We’re doing a lot more than walking around in a circle singing songs. This teacher allows up to jump off the side of the pool into our parents arms, kick off the wall, and practice kicking our feet from one wall to the other wall across the pool. A big change for me is sticking my face in the water. When attempting to blow bubbles, I love to stick my face in at random times to only be shocked when the water hits my face. I’m also getting used to splashing and loving it. I’ll stay in this class for one more session, until I’m 18 months, and then on to the big kids section in January!

After swimming lessons we headed to the breakfast spot, "The Turning Point" with Josh and his family. We then headed home where I took a long nap. That night we went to Josh's house for the first time and had dinner. Josh's mommy made the best vodka penne that I didn't get to try because it was a bit too spicy. But we got to eat spaghetti with meatballs and french bread. It was so much fun playing at Josh's because he has a mini-sofa and a piano; although he's not too fond of sharing with me. I stayed and played until 9 pm, crashing on the way home. To repay Josh, he needs to come to my house and play now while my mom serves up her speciality...chicken enchiladas!!

Push It, Push It Real Good!

This vacation was all about pushing stuff around. We flew out Friday morning and landed in Minneapolis; mind you I was fantastic on the plane. On our way to the MN State Fair, we stopped off at Mike and Amy's to drop our stuff off. While there I was able to push the lawn chair around the patio while the dogs grew petrified of me. On to the fair, but a nap in the car was a must! In between eating our way through the fair, I was able to witness the birth of lambs and pigs at the CHS Miracle of Birth Center. I even saw a baby lamb attempt to take his first steps, kinda of like me. After the fair, we headed back to Mike and Amy's to freshen up for my first NFL game - Vikings vs. Cowboys! After climbing several stairs, I found row 19 and enjoyed the view of the purple people eaters from way above. I loved the fireworks and the cheerleaders of course. I was able to stay awake the whole time. Thinking we had the game in the bag, we left at the beginning of the fourth quarter as mommy was growing tired of climbing stairs. Unfortunately we tuned in on the drive home to hear that we "threw" the game away! It was a long day, but a fun one!

On Saturday, I awoke to puppies and milk (best combo yet)! After spending a little time chasing my new fond friends crazy, it was on to South Dakota.

I slept most of the way as I lost some sleep over the Vikings loss! We arrived in Sioux Falls around 12:00 after several detours in Minnesota leading us through podunk towns. We showed up at Grandma and Grandpa Kappenman's house and there awaiting me was a nice red ride courtesy of Grandpa Kappenman. I loved this car, and this car loved me. I could sit in it and push it backward, and then get out and push it forward. A little while later my cousin Anna showed up with her parents and we headed to lunch at Jimmy Johns. I didn't eat much though because I was sprouting a molar that was bugging me. After lunch we headed over to meet Oscar, Anna's dog. Oscar is a minature pincher that barks non-stop and jumps constantly; this made me laugh non-stop. We ended the day at the grandparentals with dinner, pushing the red car and playing with my cousins. I even took a bath in a big tub and played with a tin cup thanks to Grandma's antiques. I stayed the night at my cousins Bryce and Danny's house.

Sunday I awoke to my cousins and lots of toys. I really liked the firetruck that is similar to my powerwheels at home. There was plenty of room to ride it around in the basement. I even got to feed the four kitty's. Although a bit skidish, I followed them around calling kitty and gentle, hoping one would give in and let me pet them. Later that morning, we ended up visiting Great Grandpa Johnsrud at the rehab facility. He fell and broke his hip a few weeks back so he let me push him around in his wheelchair. The rest of the time I spent wandering the halls looking for someone to tell me how cute I was. We left there to get ready for Grandma and Grandpa's 40th Anniversary party. I was very exhausted and not really in the mood for the massive amounts of people that showed up. Plus, I had a really bad diaper rash that was irritating me as well as my right lower molar. Regardless, it was a beautiful afternoon/night to push Bryce around on a scooter. Oh and my grandparents had a great time too.

Monday brought sun, fun and the Zoo with all my cousins. The monkeys kept me entertained as the baby and teenager were wrestling with each other. Anna, Bryce and Danny fed the animals at the petting zoo and I rode my first carousel. I wasn't sure at first what to think of the carousel, but its pretty clear that i'm going to love rollar coasters!!

That afternoon we headed to Uncle Jeremy's BBQ where Anna swam and I pushed my stroller

around. After tuckering myself out, I allowed my mom to stroll me around and eventually I was the first to pass out.

After waking up, we headed back to Grandma and Grandpa Kappenman's where I found a new push toy, an antique wagon. I loved this wagon because I could push it around, and be pulled around. I spent a good hour entertaining myself between the wagon and the red car. Lots of pushing tuckered me out and I retired for the evening to my cousins.

Tuesday was all about shoes for pushing. I have finally outgrown my shoes that I purchased back in the Spring so we went shoe shopping. After a quick stop to see Grandma, and of course to push the red car around, I fell asleep in the car on the way to buy shoes so my parents drove around until I woke up. We then headed into Shoe Carnival and picked out some Nike's and brown shoes that are "oh so cute!" I now stomp and clap on command so this makes it fun to watch my little Nike's stomp up and down. We then headed to the mall and picked out two new pairs of jeans and purchased two new finger puppet books: Little Lion and Little Giraffe. I love the finger puppet books and have been on the lookout for them (who knew we would find them at Gap!) Aunt Barb met us for lunch at this local Italian place with homemade meatballs and pasta...it was yummy. The afternoon was then spent next door at Kidtopia which is a fantastic toy store. We will definitely be making another trip back at Christmas to play. We finished our shopping with Gelato from the Italian place and a nap back at Todd and Barb's waiting for Anna to get home from school and playing with Oscar in the meantime.

That night we went to dinner with mommy's family at Pizza Ranch and said our goodbyes to head back to Minneapolis. After a 3 1/2 hour drive I finally found myself asleep in my pack and play laying vertical at Mike and Amy's...such a good feeling!

This brings me to Wednesday and packing. We spent the morning playing with Chloe and Poco...or rather I chased them and they ran from me ;) We arrived at the airport and our gate was right next to another toy store. Why can't that happen everytime? I played until it was time to board the plane. Once we took off, I was fast asleep to only awake for the last hour being completely content to be entertained by a plastic cup. We arrived back in Philadelphia to rush hour traffic that took us 2 hours to get home. Living on the East Coast definitely has its drawbacks! I was never so happy to get home and see my kitty, bathtub, and bed!

Overall, my vacation was fantastic all around and I can't wait for Christmas time!