It was POOtastic!

Well, today was interesting.... It was my last day to go to Miss Diane's for daycare and I went out with a bang... I think she'll always remember me. I had a POOtastic day...

I went down for a nap as usual. I woke up a little early, well, beause I had a to poo. So I did... And I did some more. And a tad bit more. Needless to say, I had quite the full diaper. So, I did what every baby should, I tried to empty the diaper. I had to work at it, but I finally got into my diaper and pulled out as much poo as I could. But once I got it out of the diaper, I wasn't sure what to do with it.

So I wiped it anywhere I could. A little on the sheets, some on my blanket. My shoes got in the way, so I decided to paint them brown.

Then I had an itch on my head, so I ended up smearing poo on my face and in my hair. Then my binkie got in the way, so I used it to wipe up a bit. Before Miss Diane heard me, I literally had my entire body and my bed covered with poo. It was pretty fun! It was POOtastic!!

Oh Christmas Tree

After Thanksgiving...comes Christmas! No wonder they call this the "Holiday Season!" This month it's Thanksgiving, next month is Christmas, the next month is my FIRST BIRTHDAY, then the next month my cousin will be born!!!

Mom and Dad spent some time together on Sunday decorating the living room with Christmas stuff. They put up this big tree in the middle of the living room. A TREE INSIDE?? (I told you my mom was daft!) But it didn't stop there. They put LIGHTS on it. Then they put all these little decorations, too. Oh my...

Then they put these giant socks above the fireplace!! Maybe they are trying to get them warm before they put them on or something. But they are sure big socks... And none of them match. One has this man walking through the woods in a blue cape with a bag of presents. It must be Dad's because it says his name at the top. Mom has one with her name, too. It has a lady with red hair wearing a really pretty red dress. Mom said something about Grammy cross-stitched them. So I wondered if one would have my name.... I didn't see one yet, but there is this pale green one with a baby giraffe on it. It reads, "Babies First Christmas 2007" at the top. I guess that means me... Maybe next year I'll have a fancy one like the old people.

But anyway....Here's that tree that sits in the area where my toys used to sit....

And I laughed when I saw this next picture, I thought mom messed up with her camera like the time she had me surrounded by Zombies. But she kept talking about how she did this photo on purpose. She has a similar one like this real big on the living room wall with the Plaza Lights. I guess she likes this style of photo...
Remember how I told you they put all these decorations on the tree? Well, I was looking at them and I'm quite surprised! This one says "Marlene 1966" on the back! That's my Grandma! 1966!! Wow, that's a really old ornament!

And there are a whole bunch of these snowmen... My mom said her friend Mica showed her how to make them. She said she made several dozen, but people kept buying them from her, so there are only about six or seven left for our tree.

And this one is a Polar Bear and it says "Ian 1987" that's my Dad!!! 1987??? Wow, my dad's old. Xbox wasn't created yet, I wonder what he did back in the Eighties?
Then another one to note I tried to play with, but my mom grabbed it and said "Don't touch." So I haven't touched the tree since. But I was confused because this one looked like a baby toy. Except there is a photo glued to the side of a little red head girl. I looked closely and I think it's my mom! I asked her and sure enough, she said she made it in Kindergarten when she was five years old!
The tree is loaded with sentimental ornaments. I saw a Giraffe wearing a tutu, an trumpet with a photo of mom in college with Jackson's mom and Selah's mom, two kissing snowmen with a sign that says "Our First Christmas Together 2002," and a bunch of wooden German ornaments that I guess my Grammy had from the 70's. I wonder what type of ornaments I'll be adding to Christmas trees over the years to come???

Two little pigtails

Some call it Black Friday....I called it GRANDMA DAY! Since both my parents had to work and my daycare was closed, I got to hang out all with just Grandma! In the afternoon, we tried to drive from our house to my Grandma's friend house. Kansas City has a highway called 435 that makes a complete circle. Grandma was supposed to get on 435 going one direction, but he actually got on it going the wrong direction..... So we took the LONG route to her friends house. That's okay, I enjoyed the extra moments alone with Grandma!

Then on Saturday we decided it was a good day to go shopping. So Mom, Grandma and I loaded up and off we went. But my mom decided to try and make my hair look all cute... So I got two little pigtails!!!!!! Aren't they just the cutest thing you've ever seen??

All day while shopping people were commenting how adorable my little pigtails looked. I think they were more shocked to see three redheads shopping together... Red head babies get all the attention!

Second Thanksgiving!

On a happy Thursday morning a week ago, I woke up and was surprised to find out that even though it was Thursday I was not going to daycare. My mom woke me up and started to tell me of a wonderful day of gluttony we call Thanksgiving. She tried to tell me a story of pioneers and Native Americas around two hundred years ago who grew corn and hunted or something like that. Then she tried to explain to me several Thanksgiving traditionals including watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade and football on TV. My mother is insanely daft in my opinion.

Only hours later did I realize the good part of Thanksgiving... the part I cared about... FOOD.

Since Dad was at work, Uncle John came up to help Mom and myself with the turkey frier. (Mom saw too many of those insurance commercials showing the % of people who burn down their house on Thanksgiving because of friers and got freaked out) So Uncle John and I braved the cold and the construction men next door mouth's were watering as our turkey's aroma wafted over to their building pads.

Meanwhile, Mom was inside doing what she always does... Taking pictures. Well, that is what it seemed like to me. Actually, she was cooking her tail off, too. But here are two Thanksgiving bibs I got this year!

When it was almost time to drive up to Uncle John's house to eat the big dinner, Mom got me dressed up all cute (with a pigtail up on top if you look close!) I was sitting there cheesing for her to take a photo, and then she admitted that the turkey we were getting ready to eat weighed more than ME!!! So I have a shocked look in the photo....
Before we ate, I got to hang out with my Cousin Ethan a bit. I like hanging out with him!

Between carrying food out to the table, Mom and my cousin Katee shared a photo op.
Then soon it was food time!!!!!! Aunt Kathy pulled out the wooden high chair that she used for both Katee and Ethan for me. It still looked brand new! Every night I sleep in their old crib, so it only makes sense to use their high chair, too. I sat next to Dad and he shared bites of almost everything! I spit out most of it, I prefer to feed myself.

Ethan sat on the other side of me and tried to give me a bite of Stuffing. He put it in my mouth..... Hmmm, I wasn't sure what to think. I turned it over a few times with my tongue then decided I didn't like it so I spit it out with a funny face. Suddenly the room erupted with laughter, and I became well aware everyone was watching me...
Just as we were pulling out desserts Grandma showed up!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think I like Thanksgiving... Good food and Grandma! Maybe next year I'll actually listen to the whole pilgrim story...

My first JOHN DEERE tractor!!

Just before Grammy and Gramps left on their snowbird adventure to Arizona for the entire winter, they decided to give me one of my Christmas gifts early since they won't be here with me on Christmas morning.

Can you take one wild guess what Gramps would have given me? I think he reads my blog because just last week I asked for it......my very own John Deere Tractor!!!

I love it Grammy and Gramps!!!!!!!! I love to sit on it and have one of the old parents push me around. Or I try to stand up behind it or in front of it and walk. But since it's on wheels, it rolls faster than I can walk, so I normally end up giving the carpet a faceplant. The seat opens up to reveal a farmland with several animals that make sound! And the red button on the steering wheel makes the distinctive "putt putt putt putt" John Deere sound! THANK YOU GRAMMY AND GRAMPS!!! Look how much I love my Christmas gift!
And I just had to post this photo to prove I finally have hair coming in! I think I am going to have wavy hair...

These boots are made for walking...

These boots are made for walking, and ONE OF THESE DAYS they're gonna walk all over you! I can't wait until I can walk!!! I'm so close! So far I can "cruise" which is the term for being able to walk using items as crutches. For example, I can walk all around the coffee table and back and forth along the couch edge by myself already! I can even switch from the coffee table to the couch! And I love to walk while holding adults hands!

My Grammy found some red boots at a garage sale, they are WAY TOO BIG right now, but my mom thought it would still be fun to do a quasi photo shoot with me and the red boots. She doesn't have any backdrops, so she used the back side of a quilt that Grandma made for Dad! Look close and you'll see my little ponytail, too!

Look! I have boots for a head!

First Thanksgiving

Every year for the past five years my parents have had a special Thanksgiving dinner with their bible study group. It's become quite the little tradition and this year I was able to join in!! We enjoyed a nice hearty meal of turkey, green been casserole, homemade rolls, spicy corn, cheesy potatoes and about 50 other things! I tried as much as my mom would allow, but some things I spit out. I'm getting to not like green beans, which is horrible according to my parents since they cook them a lot.

After eating, it was nice for dessert! There was also about 50 kinds of desserts, but before we enjoyed them, we went outside to Andrew's deck to enjoy his built in firepit for s'mores! Here Mom and Laura might be enjoying them a little too much!
And here was a test to see how many people could fit into one of my mom's traditional "hold the camera yourself and shoot" photos. Six people attempted, but as you can see, only five are truely in the photo. (Nate, Amy, Laura and mom in middle, Dan up high and Lori [or Lora - mom just met her that night] is down low)
First I chilled at the firepit with mom....
And then later with Dad!
After we all had our fill of s'mores, we moved inside for pie and Amy's apple cider brewing in the crockpot! And then it was game time! I hung out with my fellow red head Julie!

Extreme Makeover Home Edition - Day 6

Friday marked Day 6 of the Extreme Makeover House.... And listen to this - my mom went without me!!!!!! How dare her? And it was probably the best day of all!! She had to go way down south of town for a work meeting, and on her way home stopped off at the house. So I wasn't with her. And what happened? Well, she saw TWO designers and one of them she actually got to meet and talk to him!!! Do you see the progress on the house? My favorite is the copper gutters!

And here is the designer John Littlefield! And this is the builder Kevin Green! He's been the brains behind three local Extreme Makeover's!
While Mom was standing at the fence, she met two lovely ladies named Jennifer and Connie. Jennifer was there with her three children. Together the whole group thought that the keys would switch hands from Kevin Green to the designers and that furniture would get unloaded soon. The flatbed trailers holding all the rugs and couches was just up the street, so it was just a waiting game. After two hours, the trucks weren't pulling up. The three kids were starting to get anxious to head home, but Jennifer was sure something would happen soon.

And boy was she right... Jennifer's daughter soon noticed the newest designer emerge from the food tent. She yelled out to him, "RIB!!!!!!" He noticed her yelling and crossed the street to come meet her! He stood at the fence and talked to her for a few moment, as well as talking to my mom, Connie and Jennifer! Jennifer's camera batteries had died, so my mom offered to take photos for her. Only later did she realize that she didn't get of herself with Rib! But she wasn't too disapointed though, because those three kids were so excited to meet Rib. The daughter, my mom didn't learn her name, couldn't wait to get home and get the email with the photos so she could print them off. She couldn't wait to brag to her friends of her famous new friend!!
And Rib was so sweet, not only did he talk to her and take a photo with her, but he signed her shirt. My mom was very impressed with Rib and his attitude. (and I think she said something about his very muscular arms, too!)
Connie and her children were so excited and thankful that my mom was with them to take photos, they bought her one of the t-shirts the builder was selling to raise money to pay off the Gilyeat's mortgage.

On the shuttle ride back to the cars, my mom met another family with children who wanted to see my mom's photos from meeting Rib. My mom said that meeting all these people at the house that day was such a blessing from God. And even though I wasn't with her or she didn't get her photo with Rib, meeting these wonderful people made it all seem like her best day out there. The entire show has been set up to help make better communities, and she felt she made some wonderful friends this day!

Extreme Makeover Home Edition - Day 4

On Wednesday after my mom got off work, she loaded me back up in the car to head back out to the Extreme House. This time Grammy joined us! I know the tree seems in the way, but check out the big house!!! They moved the "spectator" area from the Demo Day so Mom couldn't get as good as a view. It was really cold this day, so I was bundled even tighter....

Grammy and I enjoyed watching all the "blue shirt" people working like busy bee's!!!
The local newspaper staff was out and about doing interviews, and they interviewed my mom!!! Her quotes ended up in two different articles published the next day! Here is a link to the two different stories!
http://www.kansascity.com/679/story/350331.html and
http://www.kansascity.com/115/story/351580.html

But they also videotaped the interview and you can view Mom and me!!!! Here is that link. http://videos.kansascity.com/vmix_hosted_apps/p/media?id=1556052

A photographer snapped a photo and it also was in the paper and on their website. Here's that photo.
I'm a star!!!!! I was in the paper and on video!!!!! We didn't see any designers this day though...

Extreme Makeover Home Edition - Demo Day

Extreme Makeover Home Edition has returned to town!!!! It's the second time this year! If you follow the show you know that they are doing the tour of the states, doing one home in each state. This past spring, they came to Missouri and did a home for the Jacobo family. Even though I was only about five weeks old, my mom and I went out to visit the home each day they were here! I got to see the designer Ed, too!

So this week they have come to Kansas! My house is right on the border of MO and KS so even though the house was in Kansas it was only about 15 minutes away. They are re-doing the Gilyeat family home. He's a Marine single dad with four children. And he served his country well, he lost his leg in Iraq. The five member family was living in a non-handicapped assessible 800 square foot house. Enter: Extreme Makeover Home Edition!

After Mom got off work on Monday, we drove out for the Demo Day. We missed the house getting torn down, but the work was still getting down as we got there. In this photo, you can still see the old front porch.

But the real reason we came on Demo Day..... Ty Pennington!! He's always there on that day filming stuff for the family. So of course we got to see him!! Marine's surrounded him as he filmed.
And I enjoyed watching the people more than anything.... And our new friend Susan kept me company. We met her in crowd, and she kept us company all afternoon. She actually knows the family!! And she thought I looked cute in my matching sweater, hat and mittens! Without meaning to, I even matched my stroller!
I enjoyed watching the construction vehicles, too.... BOOM!! Gone is the porch that was there moments before!

gods aren't angry

This past week has been one of famous people! How much fun is that? Last Tuesday, my mom and Dad went someplace without me!!!! I was upset for about .333256 seconds, until I realized that meant a night to hang out with Grammy and Gramps!!! Grammy read books to me and Gramps let me cuddle on the couch with him. We had a blast hanging out together! And considering they are leaving for Arizona in a few days and I won't see them again until next March, all the time I can get with them is time well spent!

So while I was hanging out with Grammy and Gramps, my parents went to a speaking engagement of Rob Bell. He's a Pastor from Michigan who help found Mars Hill Bible Church. He's been in several bands, written and starred in a series of short films called Nooma, as well as authored two books that my parents own and have read. Here are some websites about him: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Bell
http://www.godsarentangrytour.com/
http://www.nooma.com/
http://www.marshill.org/
Needless to say, my parents are really big fans of him and his missions. So when they heard he was coming to town on his "The gods aren't angry" tour, they gathered up 15 of their friends and headed down. Call her a geek, but my mom went down to the theater way back in AUGUST to buy the tickets!! Good thing, because it sold out!

When my parents got there, they ran into several friends, too! My mom saw Emily, an old college friend she hadn't seen in probably four years! And they saw Justin, who's blog I followed all summer when he went to Africa. And they saw Pastor Fred and Steve Jones from our church! Everyone was excited to hear Rob Bell speak.
Photography was not allowed, but my mom ever the camera enthusists, snuck in her camera and took a quick photo. She didn't zoom in becasue she did it so quick, so pull out your magnifying glasses! After they got home to me, Mom told me all about his talk and how great it was to listen to. She said that he is one of the greatest thinkers she's ever met and an amazing public speaker. He spoke for almost 2 straight hours without ever cracking a peek at a note, and the time just flew by!

After he spoke, he signed autographs outside. Mom weaved her way to the front of the pack and had him sign her "Velvet Elvis" book. He asked her if she wanted a photo, but none of her friends waited in line with her, so she didn't get a photo. For the next three days straight, she said she regretted not doing one of her traditional hold the camera herself photos with him....

And finally....

While still in Nixa (the next million posts will start with this phrase if you haven't read the blog any from the past weekend....) I finally got to hang out with my cousin Clayton. He was born on my Mom's birthday, just ten days before me! I was supposed to be born before him, but I decided to hang out in the comfort of my mom's stomach too long, so he was born first.

The whole time we'd been in Nixa, Clayton was with his family in Hawaii! Must be rough. But our last day in Nixa, they flew home just to see me. (That's what I tell myself at least). I couldn't believe that even though we are only ten days apart, he was so much taller than me!! I bet he's got a good three or four inches to me! But he showed me around Aunt Cheryl's house. Little did he know I had been crawling all over it the last four days. I just let him pretend he was giving me a new tour. "And here is the bottom of the coffee table. The top is glass, so you can make faces at your parents!" He told me.
Then we tried to mimic a photo of both of us with Great Grandpa that we had taken when we were only a month old...but this time it didn't work so well. Neither Clayton nor I wanted to take a posed photo right then.
So Randall let us down and off we went... Clayton is a fast little bugger. I turned to look for mom, and when I looked back - Pffffft! He was already half way across the room!

Jenga Jenga Jenga

While in Nixa, after our bonfire, the whole family had a gamenight! Several games were being played by different family members around the room. My cousin Karly decided to opt out of a game and teach me how to make some funny noises with our lips and tongues. I enjoyed the attention from Karly, she's a pretty sweet cousin and not to mention, she gives me "hand-me-down" clothes!But across the room, a mean game of Jenga was on the table. They were shooting for the Jenga record (which according to the Hasbro website is 40 2/3 levels high!). Here Aunt Pam sang out a jubilee at the start of their 32nd level. It was the highest of the night so far...
Next up was Uncle John.... Was his hand steady enough? He slowly canvassed the tower looking for a loose block. He tapped here and there and finally decided which one to slowly pry loose. Just as he attempted to remove it, the tower started to wobble. Everyone in the room seemed to hold their breathe hoping the rocking would stop. But the moment didn't last long as two seconds later the tower toppled over!! Poor Uncle John....

Second Bonfire

While still in Nixa visiting family, I had the joy of experiencing my second ever bonfire! But this time I was able to partake in the food, too! Beleive it or not, I ate an entire hot dog!! My mom would cut up little bites for me and I loved it! I wanted some of the bread and that red stuff she had on hers, but mine was just the meat... I still enjoyed it!!!

Outside my Aunt and Uncle's house, they have a round copper pit. All us kids stood outside around the pit for some time. Mom held me though so I wouldn't get too close...

Here's a cute photo of Mom.... I was too enthralled with her button on her coat to be cute in the photo too.
One of my newest things is to stick out my tongue when I get really excited... As seen here...
After spending some time outside at the fire, I was just too darn cold. So I went inside to warm up with Dad.