Growing up Ronin

First let me say that I hope everyone had a very Happy Thanksgiving! Mommy and Daddy and I stayed home and in our jammies, and Mommy made a big dinner with turkey and lots of potatoes and veggies - my favorite were the butter croissants. I had three of them by myself! I was very tired after the excitement of the holiday - I didn't waste any time letting Mommy and Daddy know I was ready for bed!







I was SO ready to go upstairs for bathtime and bedtime!

I've been trying to learn as much as I can lately about what big boys do, like wearing shoes and feeding myself with forks and spoons. Some experiments have worked out better than others, but I've had lots of fun!



Daddy helped me tie his sneakers when I wanted to try them on.





It was much harder to walk around in Daddy's shoes than it is in mine! I still had fun, though!



One night, Mommy and Daddy let me eat my Jello with my spoon all by myself! It got a little messy, but it was yummy!






Sometimes it's just easier to go for the Cheerios!

My Daddy and I have been having a lot of fun together, now that I'm walking and running better! I like to play around on the floor and wrestle, and sometimes Daddy will surprise me and tickle me!



Daddy got me good with the tickling one day... but I'll get him back one day :)



Until next time, enjoy the turkey leftovers and remember: it's okay if you make a mess, because it can always be cleaned up :)

Tricks, Treats & Pumpkins

Well, it's been a little while since I last posted...and it's getting kinda late now, so this might seem a little short. But don't worry, there will be plenty of pictures. So where to start?

So I have this blanket... it's a polka dot blanket with a knot in one corner and let me tell you, I don't know what I would do without it. I carry it with me wherever I can get away with it. Mommy and Daddy even go so far as to try a replacement blanket when they need to wash this one, but they aren't foolin anyone.




What do you mean you have to wash it?
And you think another blanket is going to do?

Earlier in the month (of October) Mommy and Daddy took me to Catoctin Mountain Orchard to play in the pumpkins. It was soooo much fun. I was still getting used to my new shoes and walking in the bumpy grass though. I'm much better at all of it now.











Oh yeah!!! I am learning to eat with what Mommy and Daddy call "silverware," but mine are plastic so I don't get it. It's fun though, and I get to make a lot of noise so everyone's happy!! I'm still learning about patience, so the spoon doesn't always do the job.







I also got to dress up and "trick or treat" for Halloween this year. I was too young, says Mommy and Daddy, and it was too yucky out last year. This year I had to be a Lion and stay out after bedtime!! My Green Lantern costume Mommy and Daddy got me last year was too small this year. But guess what? So was the mane to my Lion costume. I really didn't like having that on, so Mommy and Daddy took it off right away. To be honest I wasn't completely thilled with the rest of the costume either, but I guess a kid has to do what a kid has to do to get candy. But now Mommy and Daddy are saying I can't even have any!! Really? What's that about?











As you can probably tell from the pictures it's been a full month. Halloween, "silver"ware, pumpkins, blankets, not to mention walking around with a bowl on my head, and giving Giraffe some cuddles. You probably also noticed my binky in a few of those photos. Mommy and Daddy were trying to keep me from using it, but then 5 teeth started to pop through my gums and it doesn't feel too good. So I get to use my binky for while longer.

It's way past my bedtime now, so I better go before I get caught using the computer after bedtime. I will try real hard to get more pictures and more posts up soon. Bye.

Athlete or Artist?

Mommy and Daddy wonder sometimes if I'll be an athlete or an artist, but I say, "Why choose?!" I really love playing and running, and I'm glad it's football season, as you can see by my choice of outfits every now and then!



































They may not be off to a great start, but I still say, "Go 'Skins!... And
Steelers!"

But I also recently learned how to draw with crayons in the bathtub, and I think being an artist is really fun! This is my very first drawing:


















I used red and orange washable crayons to create my first masterpiece
on the bathtub wall. I think I'll just call this, "Number One."


















Drawing is really fun! I can't wait to try it with real crayons and paper!

Oh yeah, and check out the cool giraffe my mommy's Aunt Doris and Uncle Wayne gave me - it's so soft, and I like to snuggle up with it.


















Sorry the post is so short this time - I've got lots of places to go and things to do! Until next time!

The Last Days of Summer

Hi, there! It's been a few weeks since my last post - my birthday, I believe. I've been very busy practicing my walking, so I haven't had much time to do anything else! I'm getting really fast, too!

I had my one-year doctor's appointment after my birthday, and I'm still in the 10th percentile for weight (20 lbs, 6 oz), so that means I'm growing at the rate I'm supposed to. I've been trying lots of new foods lately, and have really liked plums, kiwi, rice, and cheesy scrambled eggs! I also got some vaccinations at the doctor's office, and a week or so later I had a reaction to my varicella (chicken pox) vaccine... I got a rash all over my body, and I had a little fever for a few hours. It was really irritating, and I was cranky for a few days, but it eventually got better. Now I'm just fine!























This was taken only two weeks ago, and now I don't even need to hold Mommy's or
Daddy's hands to walk around!

Today, Mommy and Daddy and I went with Uncle Tarl and Aunt Rosemary and cousin TJ to Sugarloaf Mountain, and hiked up a big trail to the top of the mountain! It was really cool to walk through all those big tall trees, and to see so far once we got to the top. My Daddy carried me the whole way - he's really strong and has great balance! Mommy got some pictures of us on the mountain.


















It was a lot of fun hiking to the top of the mountain!




















































Well, I'd better get to bed - I'm exhausted after all that hiking today! Sweet dreams!

My Birthday - Part Two

After two whole days of celebrating, I can finally wind down and post the rest of the pictures and stories from my first birthday!

Yesterday, my Mommy made me a cupcake to eat after lunch, and she and Daddy even put a big "#1" candle on it for me. I was a little tired, so I just had some of the icing and then took a nap. When I got up, I played for a little while with all the books and squishy sports balls they got me for my birthday, then I had my dinner. We went for our normal after-dinner walk, and I had my bath and went to bed.

I was so tired from all the fun yesterday that I slept in until 7:00 a.m., but when I woke up and Mommy brought me downstairs, I saw that Daddy had put up even more streamers and balloons for my birthday party! We had breakfast and I played for a little while, then I took a nap. When I got up from my morning nap, my Nana D, Pap, Mom-Mom and Pappy were all waiting for me downstairs! Then lots more family came over, including my Nana K and my other Pappy, my Uncle Tarl, Aunt Rosemary, and cousin TJ, my Uncle Scott, Aunt Pam, and cousin Megan, and my Aunt Beth, Uncle Jay, and cousin Ava! Everyone had a yummy lunch, then I opened some presents... well, Mommy and Daddy opened most of my presents since I wanted to practice walking and visiting with everyone.

Then I got to have my very own little cake with a picture of Elmo on it! I was pretty tired by then, but I had some icing (that's really the only part I like) and then I took my afternoon nap. By the time I woke up, my Nana K was the only person left downstairs, so I got to say goodbye before she went home. I had a lot of fun at the party, and I played with the toys I got after my nap. I also got a lot of really cool clothes for when the weather gets cooler - it almost makes me look forward to the cold weather!

All-in-all, I think I really like this birthday stuff. I got to spend time with my family, I got to play a lot, and I got to have icing two days in a row - if that's what birthdays are, I'm really glad I get to have one every year! Anyway, here are some pictures from the past two days - thank you to everybody who made my first birthday so special!!! I love you all!!!!


















I was being a ham at lunch and having fun while Mommy took some pictures - my birthday puts me in a good mood!























































































These were the cupcakes that Mommy made for me - I ate the icing off the one with the candle on it! Daddy took a video of it, but I was tired and cranky so I prefer not to post that piece of footage, if you don't mind.... :)


















I got a few really cool books from Daddy and Mommy, including one that has a picture of a big purple cat in it! Crazy!


















Mommy and Daddy got me a really funny Elmo "jack-in-the-box" that talks!


















I had some fun with my own cake today at the party - the icing was really good!


















This is me and Mommy - she's helping me open a big present from my Aunt Michelle and Nana K. It was a big red "Cozy Coupe" for me to drive (as soon as Daddy puts it together!)


















This is me and Daddy looking at an awesome card from my Uncle Scott that plays music from an ancient video game they were talking about called "Pacman."


When we went on our usual after-dinner walk tonight, Daddy took some cool pictures that I wanted to post for everyone. As you can see, I was a happy boy after all the celebrating for the last couple of days. Being 1 year old feels pretty good so far... :)






































































Until next time... here's to another awesome year!!

My Birthday... Part One

Good morning! Guess what - I am one year old today! This past year has gone by very fast, and I've learned so many things, like how to roll over and crawl, how to eat solid food, how to say "Mama" and "Dada," and... drumroll, please... how to WALK! That's right! I took my first steps last Saturday, and Mommy and Daddy have been so busy ever since trying to spot me as I stumble all over the place that we haven't had time to post the news :) I love practicing, and we even got some video of my practice today!



Here it is folks - you better hide the breakables! I'm coming over!


I was really excited this morning when we all came downstairs and I saw the pictures of Baby Elmo that Mommy and Daddy put up around the living room. I even had a pile of presents waiting, and Mommy and Daddy let me open one up after breakfast - it was a little Elmo!


















Mommy and Daddy put up streamers with Elmo's face on them, and a big banner that they
told me said, "Happy Birthday!" on it!


















One of the hanging decorations had a big picture of Baby Elmo on it, with a big number "1" -
hey, that's how old I am today!


















These are the rest of the presents I get to open after my nap - I can't wait!


















Isn't he cool? This is Elmo - he was the first birthday present I ever opened :)


















This is me and Daddy, having a blueberry muffin for breakfast. It was a yummy beginning to
my first birthday!

Then we played and took a walk in the neighborhood, and now I'm getting ready to take a nap because all this excitement wore me out! More later!