Curls

Once again, Mommy thought that I was so cute all dressed up for church this morning that she had to take a picture. Plus, she had put mousse in my hair, so now you can really see the curls!

For those of you wondering, there is a little bit of curly hair in Daddy's family, and a little bit in Mommy's family, and I apparently got all of it. Lucky me!

Silly me

This morning while Mommy was trying to fold laundry, I was being a little bit of a stinker. (That only happens on very rare occasions, and usually when Daddy puts me up to it. But this one was all on my own!) Even though I was already dressed, in shirt, undies, and shorts, I felt the need to take the clean undies that Mommy was trying to fold and put them on. Yes, multiple pairs!

It's a little hard to tell from this picture, but I have on undies, shorts, another pair of undies, and then a third pair of undies, because you can never have enough clean undies on, I say.

Yes, Mommy thought this would be a great photo opportunity, one that I'm sure will haunt me in my teenage years. But I was having to much fun running around and climbing on the bed, and Daddy, to think about things like that.

(It's hard to see all the layers, but here is a hint: first pair of undies are covered by the purple shorts, second pair are white, and the third pair has Elmo all over!

Then, once I was up on the bed, I decided to try out something new...pouncing, on Daddy! And since Mommy already had the camera, she got a video of it!

Daddy is so much fun to play with!

Friends came to play

On Wednesdays, Mommy and I go to a playgroup, so that I can have some social interaction with kids my age, and Mommy can have some adult conversation, with some moms, to help keep her sanity. Today, we had a very small group, and so afterwards, Mommy invited Landen, Lexi, and Miss Jen over to our house! We had a fun time playing together (and I got a good lesson on sharing) and we had lunch too.

Just before they left, we got a greet group shot on the stairs!

Yes, Landen is wearing my purple Gingham sunglasses!

I have such a good time with my friends! Even if they are a little crazy!

Bows

Today was our friend Amelia's birthday and we went to her house for a party! It was really fun, especially since we hadn't seen her or her family for a few weeks. As part of the festivities, all of the girls put bows in their hair, including me!

Check out how good Mommy and I look!


We had a great time with friends. Happy Birthday Amelia!

So pretty!

Mommy wanted to take a picture of me in this outfit before church. She has been so excited about all the pretty dresses I have, that she wants everyone, not just the people at church, to see how cute I look! And once again, I have my hair all done up!

Aren't I just the cutest thing?!?!

I'm a big helper!

This afternoon when Mommy started making dinner (Scalloped Potatoes with Ham), I told her I wanted to help. So after Mommy peeled the potatoes, I got to help slice them with the slicer thingy (a mandolin, and don't worry, I was very careful)! Once all the potatoes were sliced, I got to help put them in the pan. We were about half way done when Mommy realized that this was a photo worthy event, and got the camera out!


Here I am, putting the potatoes in the pan.




And more potatoes.




There were a lot of potatoes!


Mommy put the ham in and spread the sauce over top, but I was a big helper with the potatoes, and I learned how to say potato too!

23 months

So, instead of taking my picture in the chair with the zebra, Mommy decided to use the pictures of me in my pretty ladybug dress that Nana gave me. I wore it to church today, and even had pretty barrettes in my hair!

What a good looking pair!

So, in case you couldn't tell, I'm growing, a lot! I'm also learning a lot too! Some of my new words...door, clock, my, bird. I'm learning new ones so fast Mommy can't keep up with all that I can say. It is so nice to finally be able to tell Mommy and Daddy what I want and what I'm thinking!!

I am working on my colors and making a lot of progress. When Mommy asks me to find a certain color, I can almost always get it right. I have a harder time coming up with the right word when asked what color something is, but I'm sure I'll master that soon too. I can say the eight basic color names!

I love to run and climb and I'm getting really good at jumping. I have strong arms and can pull my feet up over my head when I hang on the rings on the playground! I love to swing almost as much as I love slides, which is a big change for me!

I can walk down the stairs without holding on, but I'm not very confident about it, so I still hold on most of the time. Going up without holding on is a little tougher, so I'm still working on that.

I am doing a really good job of using the potty and I'm working on giving up diapers! In just a few weeks I have come a long ways, and now I get to wear big girl undies! I only wear diapers when I sleep and when we go out sometimes. I wake up at night when I need to go, and so Mommy and Daddy have to help me, but that means I am making progress there too!

Mommy told me that I am getting so big, that soon I will have a birthday, and a party! I'm so excited to turn two! I can say two, but I'm still learning how to hold up just two fingers. I'll get there soon!

Gigipa's Birthday

Today would have been Gigipa's 88th birthday. We miss that we cannot celebrate this day with him, but we know that he is in heaven, and therefore he is able to celebrate more than we can even imagine!


Here is a video clip from the first time I went to Gigipa's house, when I was seven and a half months old. I think Gigipa smiled every time we were in the same room!

I'm a cousin!!

Today at playgroup, Mommy got a call from Gma and Gpa, letting us know that Nick and Becky were at the hospital, and that I would soon be a cousin (and Mommy & Daddy would soon be and Aunt & Uncle)! When we got home, Mommy tried to get caught up on all that was happening with Aunt Becky. Then, while I was taking my nap, Mommy got the news that there had been some complications, and so Aunt Becky was having an emergency C-section. Shortly after that, my new cousin was born!

We new that it was going to be a boy, but Uncle Nick and Aunt Becky hadn't finalized a name...they wanted to meet him first. The family thought we knew which name they were going to choose, but they surprised us all!

Here is Maxwell Roydon Erdmann! (His middle name is a combination of my two great-grandfathers' names.)

Welcome to the family Max. I can't wait to meet you!

You can follow Max as he grows!

Fun at some friends' house

Since Daddy didn't have to work yesterday, because it was a holiday, we got to spend the morning playing together! Then, after my nap, we went over to Jenel, Danny, and Lexi's house! (Daddy and Jenel work together, and Lexi and I have played together a few times. She is a little older than I am, but that's OK, we still have a good time together.) We went to their house and got to go swimming, in a big pool!!

It took me a little while to get comfortable in the pool, because it was just so big, so I stayed on the steps and played for a little while. Then Mommy put me in this floater thingy, and I still wasn't too sure about it all. I was having fun on the steps. Mommy tried a couple of times before I was comfortable just floating around with her and Daddy, but then I realized how much fun swimming is!


After we got out of the pool, while Daddy and Danny were grilling, Lexi took me for a ride on her Gator! I wasn't too sure about it at first, but I quickly got the hang of it, and realized that it is a lot of fun!


Lexi got on her bike, and I thought I'd try driving, but I could hardly reach the pedal, and I don't really understand how to steer, so I didn't go very far.

After a yummy dinner, Lexi and I played on her playground while the parents talked.

Have I mentioned that I really like slides?

Later, I did decide to try my hand at driving the Gator again...

Just after Mommy took this video, I did straighten out the wheel, and took off for the front yard. Mommy came running after me, and it was a good thing, because then I turned and ran into the side of the garage! (The brick was fine, the Gator was fine, I was fine, Mommy had a hard time trying to help me back it up so we could get out of the mulch bed and drive around to the backyard.) I guess I still need to work on steering, and stopping. When do I get to have a Gator, Daddy??