Tuesday Drive

Yesterday, my family went out for a Tuesday Drive! Back in the day, families used to do Sunday Drives, but we did a Tuesday drive. The drive started out as a trip up to Iowa to show off Jude to the family. We got about five miles into Iowa and suddenly something crazy happened to the car!! We were driving five miles per hour down the highway! So we exited as soon as we could. I told my parents we better get back home and get rid of this car! (It breaks down way too often for my liking.) So we started off towards home... It should have taken us about 1.5 hours to get home and it took almost four hours!!! Whew!!

Haley's Shower

This is my mother and one of her high school friends named Haley! She's pregnant, due in November, so we went to a baby shower for her! Several other youngsters were there, and I made friends with a girl named Savannah! And ironically, her mom was named Shelley! We had fun playing together and watching the little Yorkie dog!

Boots are made for walking!

Gramps simply adores going to garage sales. And luckily for me, he likes to buy me things!! The other day he came home with my new boots!!! I wore them for two days straight and love to take them off and put them back on repeatily. So Mom had to take this photo while I was napping (and refused to take them off to nap!)

At Grandma's House in Iowa!

Iowa is pretty fun! I just spent a whole week all myself at Grandma's house! She wants it to be a summer tradition for me to come up by myself and spend a week with her. I was nervous before I went up there that I would get homesick, but we had too much fun! In the backyard, Grandma set up a little chair just for me and a little swimming pool!

And one day Grandpa and Great Grandma came over to visit!! I was getting ready to swim again, so I have on my bathing suit here...
And for the whole week, I got to sleep in a BIG GIRL bed!!!! It was as big as my parents bed at home! I loved it!!!
And my favorite photo of them all - me and Grandma in our PJ's!!!!!! I love you Grandma! Thank you for letting me come visit!

Around Town in Iowa

During my week up in Iowa to visit Grandma, I didn't miss my parents at all! Grandma was so much fun!!! One day we went to the park and had a picnic! I'm chowing down on some chicken here!!

And then we road the carousel! On the giraffe, you can see my Aunt Leah and my cousin William. Grandpa is holding me on the next animal over!
And then another day we went over to Aunt Missy's house. Great Grandma came with us! We had fun playing outside on their deck!
Here I am with my cousin Joel. When he was a little boy, he was the ring bearer in my parent's wedding! Look at the gorgeous cloud behind us!

More from Iowa

While I was up in Iowa visiting Grandma for a week (my own escape from my parents - I had to get away for a bit!) I really enjoyed my time with Grandma! We did lots of things! Grandma has a wooden high chair at her house and I really liked sitting in it and feeding myself! At home, mom just puts my food right on my tray. But at Grandma's I feel like a real kid, because she put my food on a plate!!

And we also went to the Iowa State Fair! I really love to people watch, and let me tell you...the Fair is a haven for people watchers!!! I won't even start to tell you all the food I ate!!!
Grandma thought this photo was cute - I'm sitting in the "Livestock Area!" Am I livestock?
Grandma is always doing something in her kitchen - whether she is cooking a good meal or cleaning up after the meal. And I wanted to help - so she pulled over a stool and I would help! My mom cracked up at this photo - because she thinks I look "big" in it.
Speaking of big - in a few days I'll be 19 months old. Can you believe it? Well, I went to the doctor the other day for my 18 month checkup and I'm only 23 pounds. That puts me at the 35 percentile for weight. And I was 31 inches tall - in the 30 percentile. So even though I look chunky, I'm below average for height and weight. And my mom realized that - she bought a bunch of cute 18 month size dresses for me and they are all too big!

My first trip away from the Parents!

After my little brother was born, I thought I would give my parents some time to get to know Jude. So I packed my bags and went to visit Grandma in Des Moines, Iowa for a whole week!!! We had a lot of fun up there! Grandma has a big backyard that is all fenced in, and she's done a lot of gardening and planting back there. Much different than my plain Jane backyard at home! And there are a lot more trees! I like the big tree in the middle of the yard...

I feel like I was able to play in my own "Secret Garden" at Grandma's!
Look! I must be an Angel!!! Or I was exposed to radiation and now glow...
Grandma's house has an enclosed front porch. I must have enjoyed sitting out there and looking out to the street. I'm not used to being in a city - my house is in the country and off the road - so I can't watch cars and people like I can at Grandma's house.

Funny nap

Soooooooo tiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrreeeeeddd. Caaann nottt keeeeeep mmmyyyyy eeyyyyyyyeeeess oppppppeennnn..... (even in the strangest funniest position ever!)

I heart Jude

I simply adore my new baby brother!!!!!!!!!! I love to hold him and hug him and kiss him! He's just so darn cute, who couldn't love him??

I fly? No, you fall...

About twenty years ago a cartoon dinosaur movie was made and the cute little flying dinosaur couldn't fly. One line in the movie was him saying, "I Fly? I fly?" And another dinosaur answered back, "No, you fall..."

Well, I fell..... And I got a black eye. I was trying to climb this huge tower (aka, the kitchen barstool) and it toppled down on top of me!!!

18 month Photoshoot

Since I just turned 18 months, my mom tried to do a photoshoot....but I wasn't quite in the mood. Mom did get maybe one or two she liked, but here is a random sampling of some of the cute or funny ones. I wanted one or two with Jude, but the little man wouldn't stop crying... Maybe next time.

In the Pool...finally!

On my backporch sits a blue whale...which a cleverly disguised swimming pool. I have been terrified of this contraption, but the other day I went outside to play with Gramps and the dogs... It was really hot out, and Gramps took off his shoes and stood in the pool and splashed around. I was curious what he was doing and before I knew it, I was sitting in the pool playing myself!!! What a cheap little trick Gramps pulled on me to get me swimming!! But it worked and now I love my pool - even if I was fully dressed at the time!

More Gifts for Me!

A lot of people brought gifts to the hospital for Jude, but a lot of people brought me gifts too!! Thank you so much everyone!!

Above I am coloring with some of my new colors in my giant coloring book! And below I am playing with my Bubble Slot Machine. I pull the handle and bubbles come out! I got another fancy bubble, too, that I can't wait to play with!

Adjusting to Changes

On the day lil Jude was born, I got a new baby too! Mom and Dad gave me my very own Cabbage Patch Kid! Here is the moment they gave it to me, Daddy with his baby and me with my baby!

And our new family! (including my new baby of course!)
But all the excitement going on in the hospital room sure wore me out...so much that I climbed up in bed with my mom and I took a two hour nap!
On the next day, that comfy hospital bed called my name again. But this time since Mom was feeling better and was up out of bed, I got to sleep with baby Jude!! Aren't we a pair? I love my new baby brother!!!

Taking it all in.....

There's been a ton of activity the last week or so.... Mom and Dad were both gone to the hospital to have my baby brother, so I got to stay at the house with Grammy, Gramps, and Grandma! It was fun, but I sure missed my parents. So whenever we went up to the hospital, I made sure to get in some good cuddle time with them...