Putting up the Chrsitmas Tree

Since it was snowing when we got our tree, we had to let it dry a little, so Mommy spent all of my nap time and then some getting all of the lights on our tree today. She did a really good job!

Daddy had already brought the tub of ornaments upstairs, and I realized that the tub was the perfect size for me to crawl up onto, and sit! I got up and down many times, and had a good time playing up there, before Mommy decided it wasn't a good idea and I had to get down.

I did get to help Daddy put the star on top!


This sure is pretty Daddy!

Once the star was up, I got to help put the ornaments up. Mommy unwrapped them, I carried them to Daddy, and he put them on the tree! I did try to put a few on the tree myself, but they didn't stay when I just laid them on the branches, so Daddy had to help me!

First snow of the winter!

Mommy and Daddy decided to start a new tradition this year...going and cutting our own Christmas tree (there are a couple of farms just a few miles away)! The only problem was, they decided to do it this morning, even though we are getting the first snow of the season! So it was a little wet, a little slippery, and pretty cold, so Mommy wasn't able to take pictures of Daddy cutting down the tree, because she was with me in the warming room, trying to stay warm and dry.


Here is what the snow looked like this afternoon!

It sure is pretty with just a few inches of snow. The neighbor kids tried to go sledding, but there just isn't enough snow for that. Maybe we will get some more soon!

17 months

I'm getting so big! And there is so much that I can do now...I am very active! I really enjoy being outside when it is warm! I like to run and Mommy has been teaching me how to do a somersault! I also like watching pictures of myself flash across the screen saver...Mommy says I'm watching the "Savannah Show"!




See my bottom teeth!


Now you can see all four! I really like having four teeth, because now I can tear my food with them! Maybe for Christmas I will get some more teeth! (I hear it is just around the corner!)

Daddy is a little worried that I don't have a lot to say, but I know a few words, like Mama, Dada, dog, stop, all done, ut oh, ball, Papa, and purple! I can shake my head yes and no, and shake it no a lot! I wave bye-bye, and blow kisses. I'm a really good hugger and when I give kisses, it is almost always two, one on each cheek!

I love dogs and cats and point them out when I see them. I also love to help, any way that I can. I'm really good at helping pick up toys! I love play kitchens, and now I don't mind when Mommy and Daddy leave me in the nursery, as long as there is one for me to play with!

I have become a big fan of french fries and chicken nuggets, but I don't get them very often. I also love pasta, cheese, and most fruits and vegetables. I am a really good eater most of the time, and Mommy constantly wonders if I have hollow legs!

Fun at Thanksgiving

We went to Nana and Papa's house for the long weekend. We left after Daddy got home from work. Mommy had me in my pajamas, so that I could sleep on the way down and be easy to transfer into my bed when we got there. I had other plans! I stayed awake for the first 3 1/2 hours of the trip, finally falling asleep just north of Lynchburg. I slept until we pulled into the driveway at Nana and Papa's house (I have a really good radar for knowing when to wake up). Mommy got my bed set up, and then I went right back to sleep.

In the morning, I got to play with Nana's fun toys. We ate a big meal later in the afternoon, and I had to try some new things...I wasn't a fan of the cranberry relish or the sweet potato casserole. I'm not a big fan of mashed potatoes either, but I ate the bread and the turkey very well!

Here I am, playing in the basket that holds the toys. I decided it would hold me!


Uncle Philip thought so too, so he picked me up. I was a little scared at first, but then I thought that it was fun!!!


Look at me!


On Friday, Mommy went with Nana, Grammy, Aunt Lindsay, and Aunt Anna to a craft show, so I got to stay with Daddy, Papa, and Uncle Philip. We watched a lot of football, and we all took a nap together too!

Saturday was a relaxing day, just hanging out with everyone. I also got the opportunity to work on my musical skills on Nana's piano. I am now quite competent at climbing onto the piano bench and sliding back and forth on it, so that I can reach all of the keys. That is a really good thing, because when I play, I like to use the entire keyboard!! Mommy was excited that I was playing music...Daddy tried to get me to play ball with him. (Don't worry Daddy, I still like playing ball with you!)



We went to church Sunday morning, and then went to one of Mommy's favorite restaurants, Smithfield's, for lunch. Then it was time to head home. I was a good girl on the way home, and slept for two hours. It was really fun to go to Nana and Papa's house. I hope we get to go again soon!

Look Daddy!

Later in the afternoon after Nana and Papa left, I got to see something really neat. These little windows are in Mommy and Daddy's bedroom, and they are the perfect size for me to sit in, although they are way too high for me to get to on my own! Daddy put me up there to see what was outside.

Daddy? What is that thing?

Oh...its a deer, right outside our windows, and I got to see it!

(There were actually two, but one was hiding in the tall grass and Mommy couldn't get a picture of it. I sat in the window watching them for a long time, until they wandered away.)

Played so hard...

I wore myself out!

Yes, this is exactly how I slept for 45 minutes!

Mommy had gone to get ready so we could go out to eat for lunch with Nana and Papa before they left, and when she came out of the bedroom, this is how she found me. I had been playing with my crayons, but I just got so tired all of a sudden. So I walked over toward the door, put my crayons down, and laid down just like this. It only took a second and I was fast asleep. I was just so tired!!!

After 45 minutes, I stirred a little, and tried to find a little bit more comfortable position. That's when Daddy picked me up and let me snuggle with him. I fell back to sleep, and so did Daddy. Needless to say, we didn't go out for lunch, we just made sandwiches, after our naps!

After we finally ate, Nana and Papa had to leave. I was sad to see them leave, because I had a lot of fun with them. But they said I would see them in at few weeks, for Thanksgiving, so I am looking forward to that!

A battlefield for Daddy's birthday

What Daddy really wanted to do for his birthday was to go and visit Antietam National Battlefield, which is only about 20 minutes from our house. It was the site of the single bloodiest day during the civil war, with more than 23,000 killed or wounded. The battlefield is really big, and includes a church, multiple farms and fields, Antietam Creek, and a couple of roads.

Me and Daddy outside the church. It was a little windy, so I was all bundled up!

After we drove through the battlefield (during which I took a nice nap) we stopped at the Antietam National Cemetery. It was my first time in a cemetery, and I enjoyed the open space so I could walk. I had been in the car way too long!

Mommy just couldn't get over how cute I was in my little jeans, with my hat and mittens on! (I must admit, I am pretty cute in these pictures. But I'm pretty cute every day!)

Mommy took a picture of these two tombstones because they were for the two men from Iowa who died in the battle.

Here I am, looking so cute again.

I was trying so hard to push the stroller, just like Daddy was doing. I just couldn't quite reach.

So I figured out how do push it from my vantage point!

After a long day at the battlefield, we drove into downtown Hagerstown to eat an early dinner at Daddy's favorite restaurant, Bulls and Bears. Then we headed home, to rest and play. Just before I went to bed, we got to sing to Daddy with his cake! (Special cake made by Nana, Mississippi Mud Cake, Daddy's favorite!) I helped Daddy blow out his candle...he only had one, because that was all Mommy could find, and because I don't think we could have fit 30 on the cake!!!!!

What a fun day to celebrate Daddy's birthday!

Nana and Papa are here!!

They came for the weekend to see me, and to see Daddy since it is his birthday. (I think it is funny that Daddy thinks part of the reason they came was to see him. They really just missed me!) They got here last night, and after dinner Daddy and Papa left to watch a football game (it was way to cold for me to go) while Mommy, Nana and I played for a while before I went to bed.

This morning after breakfast, I found a laundry basket to play with (a really great toy) and Papa thought it would be fun to push me around the house in it!



OK Papa, I'm ready!


And don't I look cute in my purple panda pajamas!

Helping Mommy

My new favorite thing to do is help Mommy. I really like helping with laundry! I'm pretty good at putting the cloths in the washer and dryer. I try to help fold sometimes too, but Mommy doesn't seem to like it when I try to help with that.

I like to help unload the dishwasher too. I take out the silverware piece by piece and hand it to Mommy. I try to get the plates too, but Mommy takes care of them. Maybe when I get a little bigger I can help some more!

Combine? what's a combine?

Oh, it's like a really big tractor!

Here is the combine, in the field alongside our driveway. Mommy wanted me to see a farmer working in the field, so we went and watched for a few minutes. The grain elevator is right at the end of our driveway, so lots of times when we drive past we see big semis unloading grain! Mommy says it reminds her a lot of growing up in Iowa!

But there aren't any 'mountains' like this in Iowa! (They call it a mountain here, but is really isn't. It is really pretty, though, and we can see it from our house.)