Splish Splash, I was takin' a bath!

I LOVE taking baths!  Daddy says I got that from my Mommy.  I get all excited when Daddy brings me into the bathroom and I see the water running in the tub.  I'm too big for my baby bathtub now, so I take my baths with Mommy.  I try to be polite and not pee in the bath water, but most of the time I can't help myself!!  Mommy and Daddy have been loving hearing me use my words lately.  Yesterday, I wrapped my arms around Mommy's neck and said "mama" when she got me up from my nap.  Tonight, when Daddy was holding me after my bath, I said "dada".  My two favorite people, and my two favorite words!

Hi Mommy! I'm so excited for my bath!

Can we get in yet?

Ahhhhhh...

Smiling at my reflection in the drain

Getting ready to kick and splash up a storm!

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter!  He Is Risen! I was pretty tired today because I've been feeling a bit under the weather.  Mommy and Daddy got me up earlier than usual so that we could go to the 9am Easter service at church.  I wore blue and white striped seersucker pants with a little button up cardigan sweater. I took a two hour nap after we got home, and then we went to Great Aunt Alex and Great Uncle Mike's house for lunch.  Everybody from Mommy's family was there except for Great Grandma Ellen, who is in the hospital, and Uncle Joe, who is in Chicago finishing up school.  We had a good time!  Now I am tuckered out, and snoozing away in Mommy and Daddy's bed.

First Easter for me and Mikayla!  

Playing with the camera...

Look closely and you'll see my 1st tooth on the bottom left side!

A sunny day...finally!

I turned 7 months old on April 3rd.  A few days earlier on March 30th, I got my first tooth!  I have a little tiny bit of my bottom left tooth peeking through the gums.  The bottom right is on the way, and has been making it hard for me to get a good night's sleep.  I was up every hour last night. Daddy had a big cup of coffee with breakfast, and by lunchtime Mommy was in desperate need of caffeine too.  She chose Coke instead of coffee!  Today was the first really nice day we've had in awhile.  We went to the beach.  I love it there!  I like to people watch and put my toes in the sand.  I fell asleep in my stroller on the walk home, and am currently parked in my nursery finishing my nap!

In my stroller on the way to the beach

Sitting on a log with Daddy

Me and my Mommy

Can you tell I'm starting to get sleepy? Naptime started about five minutes later!

Monkey business

I am six and a half months old now!  Everybody who sees me comments on how big I am.  I inherited my daddy's big feet... I am now wearing 12-24 month sized socks!!  Mommy just packed up all of my 3-6 month clothing.  I am now wearing 6-9 month in most things, and some 12 month jammies.  Mommy SWEARS that I said my first word the other day... "mama", but Daddy said it didn't count because I was babbling and just happened to slip it in several times in a row! I am eating two solid meals a day in addition to continuing to nurse.  I like fruits much better than veggies.  My new favorite is banana and mixed berries. I also like the pears with raspberries.  I am drinking apple juice out of a sippy cup now too.  I can't quite tip it myself to get the juice out, so Mommy and Daddy have to help out!  As for sleeping through the night... I don't really understand the concept yet.  My current feeding schedule is midnight, 3am, 6am, and 9am.  I get up for good sometime between 9:30 and 10:30 each morning.  Oh, and the king sized bed is still my favorite place to sleep.  It took Mommy 45 minutes of pretending to be asleep on my crib railing for me to decide to fall asleep in the crib instead of trying to play peekaboo with her the other night!

Playing in the pile of clean clothes!

What?  Why are you laughing at me?

Peek a boo!

Monkey business

Yummy yummy toes!

Grandpa Earl: One Year Anniversary

Yesterday was the one year anniversary of my Grandpa Earl's death.  Mommy, Daddy and I went to his gravesite and left some daffodils.  While we were there, Mommy told me about how excited Grandpa Earl had been when he found out I was on my way, and how he had prayed for me.  She told me he would have loved me very much.  Later that day, Mommy returned to the gravesite with a large flower pot so that she could plant the daffodils.  You are not allowed to plant anything in the ground there, but they will let you have a "mini planter box".  Even though I never got to meet my Grandpa, my Mommy and Daddy will make sure that I know all about him as I grow older.  I feel very lucky to have his name as my middle name!

Grandpa Earl's gravesite

Playdate with Mikayla!

I got to meet my cousin Mikayla for the first time today!  She was born to Mommy's cousin Rachael on February 2nd.  Mommy thought I looked enormous next to her!  I thought all of Mikayla's little grunts and cries were very fascinating.  I stroked her hair, and tried to nibble her fingers while we were sharing a blanket on the floor!  In other news, I got up on all fours for the first time last night.  I still can't figure out how to actually move anywhere though!  I'm spending a lot of time sticking my back end up, and accidentally face planting on the couch or bed these days!

Trying to decide what I think of this new face in front of me!

Saying "hello"

Mikayla: 9lbs, 22inches  Me: 18lbs 6oz, 26.5inches

Stroking Mikayla's hair

Okay, I'm up on all fours... now what?

A musical evening with Daddy

Daddy and I have music time together a few times a week upstairs.  He piles all the pillows in a circle around me so that I can sit up and have a soft landing if I flop.  Tonight, I played with my tambourine and maracas that Grandma Edna gave me while Daddy played his guitar. Empty plastic water bottles are my other favorite noisemakers. Mommy and Daddy love that I'm a little singer too... I like to harmonize when Daddy is playing electric guitar, and Mommy and I sing together all the time during the day!  My favorite song is "Hey Diddle Diddle".  The word "dish" makes me laugh every time!  

Singing while Daddy plays

Chewing on my maraca

Sitting up, surrounded by pillows and things that can make noise!