MERRY CHRISTMAS

                                                                                                       Here's Bodie with his toy from Santa
                                                                                                         Here's me bright and early Christmas morning opening my gifts.  I hadn't gotten to my Sleeping Beauty doll yet, but you can see my hula-hoop.
Bodie and I are currently in the midst of our Christmas Festivus.  So far we have celebrated twice with four more coming this weekend.  We are so grateful to have so many people who we get to celebrate Christmas with and have so much fun over the holiday.  Santa came to our house on Christmas Eve - you guessed it, I was good all year long.  Then a few grandparents came down that afternoon.  Santa brought me a hula-hoop, Barbie cash register, and da-da-da-DAAAAA....... A singing Sleeping Beauty doll.  She is beautiful.  I get to brush her hair, and put her shoes on, and crown on and listen to her sing ALL DAY LONG.  I love her with all the love any little three year old girl could love a princess doll.  She has her own bed in my room.  And I kiss her on the cheek and whisper, "You are SO precious"  into her ear.  Then, I put her to bed.  Then, I get her up, put her shoes on, and start all over again.  She's perfect.  And the best part......  Mailey got the same Sleeping Beauty singing princess doll from Santa.  He must have known that we are best friends or something.  Mailey called me Christmas morning and we had our dolls sing to each other over the phone.  It was so much fun.

Mailey's Visit

                                                                                                               This is the face Gabby made when mommy asked her to smile.
                                                                                                           Mailey and I playing at the mall.
                                                                                                               Mailey and I shopping at the mall.
                                                                                                                          Christmas Pancakes
                                                                                                                     Matching PJs.

A little over a week ago, my best best best friend in the ENTIRE world came down for a visit.  It had been just about 2 months since we had seen each other.  Funny thing, we ended up having the same pajamas.  Then the next morning, daddy made us Christmas shaped pancakes and we went to the mall.  (CHAOS)  Then we just hung out for the rest of the weekend while our mommies took a much deserved break and headed a few miles away to check out IKEA.

Christmas Party

Receiving gift
Singing on stage
my dove mask
Christmas Party

 Today was the day we celebrated Christmas at my school.  All of my classmates did really well.  We did a reenactment of the Carol of the Animals.  I was a dove.  We had doves, and donkeys, and camels, and sheep.  There may have been more, but I can't remember.  Then we showed our parents all of the songs that we've been singing this year.  After that there was a little reception with treats and things.  And SANTA CAME!  He brought us each a present.  I was a little bit scared at first.  But then he called my name and I went right up to get my gift.  But I forgot to say thank you.  When it was time for Santa to leave I took off after him.  He turned around and I gave him a hug and told him thank you.  It was a big improvement from the last few years.  Last year I wouldn't even talk about going near him.  The year before that, daddy had to be in my Santa picture with me......  And I was crying.

Christmas Card Picture

Christmas Card Picture

So, mommy spent about an hour today taking several pictures of Bodie and I to get a good one to put into Christmas cards.  These are a few of them that didn't make the cut!

Cookie Extravaganza

Cookie Extravaganza!

Grandma Pat came down this past weekend to make cookies with me.  She brought me my own rolling pin (it's pink) and TONS of decorating things.  My rolling pin worked great and I am really good at making cookies.....  And eating the dough.  We made SO MANY COOKIES!  I can't believe it.  

What's been going on.

Bodie can stand up.
A friends' B-day.
First Sink Bath
Nice Day in Nov.
It's been quite a long time since I've posted anything.  So here are some pictures to get you all up to date.

Here are a few pictures of our first snowfall just to prove to those of you up north that we do get snow down here!  Yay!  I'm so "eksygged" -excited-!

WE HELP DADDY!

Yesterday was spent working out in the garage getting everything ready for winter.  I was able to help daddy a lot.  I even got to climb a ladder to see into the attic where daddy has some of my toys stored.

Halloween 2008.

We had a great Halloween.  We learned that trick or treating starts a good hour and a half later down here than it did up north.  At first we thought we had the wrong day.  And man, was I gonna be upset if I didn't get to go trick or treating.  It was a BEAUTIFUL night.  It was almost 70 degrees when we started out.  Poor Bodie had his polar bear costume on and was pretty hot.  Mommy took him back inside and took all of his clothes off and put the costume back on just over his diaper.  It was great weather for my pineapple costume.  I didn't have to wear sweatpants or my coat under my costume.  I remember that last year my mommy put me in my pajamas and then my dinosaur costume.  But this year we didn't have to do that.  Once I was done trick or treating, I was able to stand on the porch and hand candy out to the older kids before I was FORCED into bed.  My costume was such a hit.  There were even some middle school aged girls that stopped me while I was out to give me candy out of their own stash just cuz my costume was so cute.  I decided I wanted to be a pineapple really early this year.  I started talking about it in June or July.  So, as the day got closer and I still was talking about a pineapple, mimi Becky came up with the costume.  Then, once the costume was done, I decided that I was a pineapple princess because of my crown of leaves.

Army of One!

Well, Bodie has found a better way than rolling to get from one place to another.  He has perfected the "army crawl".  Ahhhh!  Mom!  Time to batten down the hatches and get the baby-proofing in order.

Me and Mailey

Papa Bodie and I

Mailey, Gabby, Jet, and me

Noel Up North

So, I actually was up north last weekend.  We visited a few friends, family, and our last stop was my old house.  We had a great time and great weather up until our last day.  We went for a couple of walks, to a pumpkin painting party, to Sunday school, to the casino for brunch, and to an apple orchard.  (We did the apple orchard in the rain - of course it would happen that way.)  We had a GREAT visit.  

Bodie's measurements:

At the doctor office last Friday, Bodie weighed 16 lbs 7 oz and was 27 1/4 inches long.  Too long for his car seat, but mommy's not sure she's ready to give it up yet since it's so convenient to get him in and out of stores.  He only received three vaccines this time.  Then mommy scheduled the three others ones for a few weeks down the road.  I will be getting a flu mist - live vaccine when we go, too.  That's one where you breath it in instead of getting a shot.  

Bodie and I playing
Bodie at 6 months

Bodie is 6 months old now.  You already know that he can sit up for short periods of time.  He also says, "Mamamama!"  (He seems to say it conveniently when he wants mommy, too.)  But what he's really good at is clapping.  He claps ALL the time.  We say, "Clap, clap, clap!"  And he smiles and claps.  What a genius!

Bodie laughing at me.

                                            

Bodie clapping.

Isaac and I riding a turtle
Looking at the bear fountain.
In between a bear's legs.
Eating a snack.
Playing with Bodie.

We had some visitors this weekend.  The Spratkes came and I was able to meet Isaac for the first time.  We had a pretty good time.  We went to the zoo and did a ton of playing.  We had a lot of fun and only a few problems with sharing.  (Quite often I was found walking around with my favorite toys of the moment above my head - out of Isaac's reach.)  But everyone kept telling me that it was fine to let Isaac play with my toys because he wouldn't take them home.  So, once I was reminded of that, I would share.  By the end of the weekend, one of my very favorite toys   -monkey- could be found with Isaac.  I was that giving.  BUT DON'T YOU DARE LET THAT BOY HAVE MY MAGIC WAND!  Isaac brought a few of his own "Choo-choos" so we were able to play great together on my train table.  Isaac is really good at teasing girls already.  He kept trying to tell me that MY mommy was HIS mommy with the cutest little impish smile that I've ever seen.  I'm so glad they were able to come for a visit.

Look what Bodie can do!
There he is again.

You've seen it.  Bodie can sit on his own.  Not for hours and hours yet.  But long enough to get a new perspective on the world.  And he's so happy about it.  He will be six months old on the tenth.  So it's about time he mastered this ability.  I could do it when I was four and a 1/2 months.  The slacker!

Ducks that WERE swimming but then got out.

THE HAPPIEST BABY ON EARTH

Running The Bases

We went to the Tigers' last home game on Sunday and I had another great time.  We were in a suite and had tons of great things to eat and drink.  From there, you could see all of downtown Detroit and it was a great view of the game.  Once the game was over, I was able to go down on the field (with about 8,000 other kids) and run the bases.  I was in the last group to go around, so mommy and Bodie had to wait a while to see daddy and I.  But we did it.  Paws was waiting at second base so I got to say hi to him again.

NO MORE TEARS

When my mommy dropped me off at preschool on Tuesday, I didn't even get sad.  That's a big difference from all the other times.  I usually get a few tears and am sad when she leaves.  But on Tuesday, I really didn't even care if she said goodbye to me.  It was great.  And SO much easier on everybody involved.

More Fun!

We have been having such a great time lately.  I've been to the zoo twice this week.  On Monday, I went to the zoo with my aunt Teresa and Mommy.  Then on Wednesday, I went to the zoo with mommy, Bodie, and Papa Reg.  We rode the train again.  When we were getting on the train, mommy bumped her head VERY hard on the door frame.  She thought she was gonna have a goose egg.  But she didn't.  After my nap, we ended up going to the Tigers game.  I got to meet Paws and ride the ferris wheel.  What a WEEK!  

 Fun Times!

We've had fun getting into a preschool schedule.  I'm doing much better, only a couple of tears and a slightly quivery lip when mommy leaves.  The teachers tell mommy that I'm the one who had the most fun at school.  Even when I slip and fall and end up with a goose-egg on the back of my head.

Mommy and Daddy went to Lexington for a few days.  While they were there they were able to head to Louisville to see some of the Ryder Cup golf tournament.  They had great time and Bodie and I did just fine without them.  Mommy has some funny stories about daddy packing unauthorized things -shaving cream, and face wash- and then handing the carry on to her to take through security.  (She could have killed him!)  Then, as they were walking away, daddy says, "Well, why didn't they take my razor blades?"  Are you kidding me?  Just keep your mouth shut!  

Once my parents got back, I had some visitors come down.... Grandma Mabel, Papa Clinton, and Aunt Teresa.  Grandma Pat came for a day visit as well.  I wasn't feeling very well.  I had a cold and I was exhausted.  So I slept for 4 1/2 hrs before they woke me up.  Then the next day I was feeling much better and ended up taking Aunt Teresa to the zoo.  The polar bears weren't swimming yesterday, but I was able to ride the train for the first time.  

 

First Days of School

This is a video of me BEFORE we left for my first day of school.  Don't be fooled.  This is not how I looked when I realized that mommy was not going to be staying with me.  But it is what I looked like when she came to pick me up.  I had such a good time.  I haven't made any close friends yet, but I'm quick to add that all the kids are my friends.  I've also added a picture of my new Tinker Bell backpack.  I LOVE it.  I have a new lavender towel for rest time.  It is supposed to be left at school, but I keep insisting  that it will be lonely in it's little cubby.  (Even though everyone else's rest time towels stay.  MINE will be lonely.)  So, it comes home with me.  

I cried a little bit when it was time for mommy to leave me again today - my second day of school -, but she waited in the entry room and I only cried for a minute.  

Last Days of Summer

It's taken all summer, but I've finally gotten up the nerve to jump off the diving board of our pool.  This does not, by any means, mean that I'm scared of the diving board.  I will sit out on the end of it when no one is in the pool and without a lifejacket on.  But don't you DARE ask my to jump off of it into the pool with my lifejacket on.  All that has changed now.  I'm no longer afraid to take the plunge.

Another Busy Weekend

This weekend started out quick with trip to the airport Friday morning to pick up Aunt Heidi. (Pony-tail Heidi) Then we headed downtown to meet daddy for lunch. After lunch we came home for a quick, late nap. During my nap, Mimi Becky and Papa Reg came down to visit. They took Heidi to Alma with them that evening. We were supposed to head to the airport again at 8:30 am Saturday to pick up Heath. But because of the hurricane in South Carolina, had to wait until his flight came in at 2:14. As we were pulling out of the driveway, mommy got a text from Heath saying that he had already landed. 45 minutes early. So, we flew down the highway and made it to the airport just in time. He hadn't yet made it to the exit. Then we went up to Alma. Got there at 4:30. Had pizza at Pizza Sam's, then left to head back home with Heidi. Her plane left at 6:45 Sunday morning. (I didn't have to make that trip to the airport.) We had a pretty lazy Sunday morning. Just tidying up the house. But then, Grandma Pat and John came to visit in the afternoon and we went out to dinner. Whew!