Adam and Eve had many advantages, but the principal one was that they escaped teething.

I know this is a little late, but, better late than never :) I am currently 13 months old and toddle about 12 hours of the day. Mom feels like I grew up over night. This month I went with my mommy and daddy to Hawaii to visit my Auntie Tara and Robert and my great aunt and uncle (Margrit and Steve). It was an amazing trip (apart from the 7 hour plane flight). I did great on the plane though and all the people kept telling me what a great baby I was. The way home was a red-eye so we slept and cuddled the whole night.
In the last month I played in the ocean for the first time and ate some sand, I danced on the beach and hung out at some posh places, I saw a Buddhist temple, meditated (well, sorta) and ate some delicious food. I tasted (and hated) sushi and played some great games. I truly enjoyed my time in Hawaii but am happy to be home.
I am doing some amazing things now and embody everything that is involved in being a toddler. I walk, run, talk (mom, dad, nana, no, yes, please, thanks, hi, hey, ruff, meow, darth, baba, juice, snack, yeah...), dance, play with my toys, turn on and off electronics, climb, go up and down stairs, zip and unzip, put toys in their place, put my toy balls in the holes that they go in, remember what I need to press on my toys to make them go, I throw big fits and temper tantrums, I eat anything that you put in my face, and, among some other things that I can’t remember, I blow bubbles with my spit.
I have also...fell down the stairs, crawled out of my crib, dumped liquid all over myself, ate miscellaneous items from the floor, ate wet cat food, chewed a balloon until it popped in my mouth, fell into the bath, fell into the table and got a knot on my forehead, got time out (for the first time), laughed so hard I snorted (in public), tripped on a cord and got a forehead rug burn...the list goes on and on, sadly.
My birthday party was amazing and most of my friends came. It was so nice of them and I loved to spend the time with them, I only wish that I could have spent more time with them! My family birthday party that weekend was also amazing and I was reminded how blessed I am to have been born into this family.
I have spent a lot of time with my mommy and daddy this month so it was hard when we got back from Maui and I had to go back to hanging out with the sitter. I had some rough separation anxiety and spent a lot of time attached to my mom’s hip during the last week, however I am working through it. I love to share with people and try to get the cats to eat my dinner regularly.
I am eating solely big kid food, but I LOVE strawberry Pediasure. I drink it not because I necessarily need it, but because I like the taste of it. I would rather suck one of those down in the morning than eat something. Mom has to regulate when she gives me those because I will fill up on it.
I got so many great things for Christmas that I can’t find the time to play with all my new stuff. I have it scattered EVERYWHERE and every time that mom tries to clean it up, I just make a mess elsewhere; Grandma says that’s my job.
We got Christmas pictures done this year and outside of my and dads complaining, they turned out pretty cute, although mom did forget to send out our Christmas cards :) ha. I also got my birthday pictures done and those turned out GREAT! I am very proud and have decided that i need an agent, interested? Please call 1-970-631-895*.not really
Mom and Dad are going on a cruise and they leave this week and even though I am sad to see them go, I get to spend the time they are gone with my Grandma and Grandpa and I can hardly wait! They give me so many good foods that mom wont feed me! It’s going to be so fun together. It’s the longest that I have been away from my parents and mom is getting a lot of anxiety about it. She keeps telling daddy and she feels bad...feels bad?! For what?! She is such a wuss! I hope I got my big girl genes from my daddy :)
I am starting to repeat what people tell me and everyone thinks its so adorable. I know where your belly, nose, eyes and mouth are and point them out when you ask me. I like to show off my belly button too! It’s very cute, especially when we are in public. The term "hussy" has been thrown around. I also like to take off my clothes and diapers.
I am getting two new teeth, and they are doozies! I have been far crankier than I was with any of the other teeth and I chew and drool more than ever. I am getting through it though and mom says we just have to ride it out, but I can’t really trust what she says because she also says that my teeth make me look goofy and we all know that isn’t the case. I now have 11 teeth, 6 on the top and 5 on the bottom.
We are getting ready to move next month and I can hardly wait. We are going to be in our own house and then dad says that mom and I can get a doggie. We are going to get a really ugly one from the pound. We are hoping to get a house near my grandma and grandpa but we wont know for sure for a couple more weeks. I am going to have a play room to keep all my toys in.
Anyway, I trust that everyone else is doing great. Lovelovelove Ms Amira

I can levitate birds. No one cares.

Well today is my birthday. A day that will live in infamy...or something like that. I have grown and changed so much my family hardly recognizes me. Alright, so thats an overstatement, but it is solely for the purpose of emphasis. My life has changed so much in the last 365 days here and I don’t know how to take it all. I have regressed slightly, and advanced greatly. I am independent, strong willed and have a temper. I am funny and happy and oh so dramatic and I have the sad face DOWN; no doubt about that. My parents are throwing me a big birthday party and although they say it’s for me, it’s clearly for them. Either way, we are going to have a blast with all of our friends and family. I am so excited to see my baby friends that I haven’t seen in awhile and anxious to see how they have grown; and although I must admit, there are some of my favorite people who will be missing this big event, I understand their need to be away and am looking forward to celebrating when they return. First, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty; things that I am doing new: Walking/semi-baby-joggingEating solely big kid foodDancing crazy to musicClimbing up stairs and work on getting down themSaying so many new thingsThrowing HUGE temper tantrumsGetting 4 new teethFiguring out how to work my toys like they are supposed to workTurning on and off the TVWave bye byePlay patty cakeDrink from a big kid cupPlay ball with youListen and respond to what is being told to meTurn pages on her booksBring spoon to her mouth and try to feed herselfPull of socks and shoes...and well, the rest of my clothesPlays with her friendsCan show me pictures of animals in booksGives kissesStruggling with separation from mommy and daddyDEMAND that I feed myselfGet into a standing position from squattingAttempts to climb out of the playpen by climbing on top of her toys

In regard to my temper tantrums, they are vicious. I throw such a big fit. Although this has been on the up and up for the last couple of months, now it is in (what mom hopes is) full swing. My scream has been perfected and my fake cry is nearly flawless. Mom tries not to give in, but I can be convincing. I am going to try to get away with murder. I can already see it; my teenage years are going to be rough for mom and dad.

My first Halloween was amazing and mom and dad and I went out trick or treating in Grandma and Grandpas neighborhood. It was so neat to see all the kids in their costumes and to get to show off my beautiful fairy princess outfit. I sure looked cute, everyone said so. Dad dressed up with me and mom really flaked out.

I love music so much now that I will stop what I am doing just to listen to whatever is playing. I love to hear the beats and I try to mimic them. Dad and I continue to have special time on his guitar and I can’t wait until I get one of my own to bang on; just like dad!

Bath times are getting rather interesting. I love to lay down in the tub on my back. I just throw myself back there and hope that mom is there to break my fall, I am a good swimmer though and can maneuver in that water better than I can on dry land. I get so anxious when it is bath time and I slap the tub until mom puts me in...what can I say? I know what I want.

My cats are still my favorite (Boris still doesn’t like me) and I chase them around the house attacking, er, I mean, loving, them. I cuddle and romp and slap and pinch and pull and tug and any other describing word that you would like to use and typically they just take it. Which really makes it convenient for me because chasing them around can get so tiring. Sometimes after a long chase I just rest my head on their backs. They are just so cuddly.

I still see my Nonnie every other weekend and we have SOOO much fun. She was making me laugh so hard last weekend because she kept putting on my hat. I knew it was mine and she KEPT putting it on! She did look very cute as a mouse though.

I am still hanging out with my friend Keegan and we LOVE to be together. We get sad when I have to leave, but I am pretty happy to be back with my mommy after a long day at Miss Cassies house.

Otherwise things are fairly normal in the Thomas household, aside from the rush of things to get done before my birthday party. Mom is making dad clean the carpets...ha.

Mom Calls Me Bird Cause I Skwak

So, although this is a little late, I am now eleven months! At the present, there are a mere 21 days until my birthday. I continue to grow and change every day and although mom says I don’t look a day over 6 months, most people we meet say that they thought I was over a year old. I couldn’t imagine why because I remain in the 5th percentile in my weight. I am, however, very tall and can fit into (length wise) most 18 month pants.

I continue to be curious and have mastered the art of throwing a fit when I don’t get what I want. Mom thinks it’s funny. It’s not. It’s a serious matter. I arch my back and scream scream scream...then I whip my head back and I demand attention. It’s very disarming if I do say so myself. I feel as though this is going to be a very useful tactic as the years move forward.

I point at everything. Things I want, things I dont want, things that I want you to see, everything. I also say "that." Mom and me walk around the house and i p

oint at things and say "that" and she tells me what it is, most times I want her to pick it up for me too. It is one of my favorite things to do.

I still go to my friend Keegans house for babysitting, and that is really fun. Keegan just turned one so we went to his birthday party, it was a blast. I got to eat some cake and play on a kids swing and I even ate some homemade Mexican food, which I really enjoyed. Keegan said that he is going to come to my birthday party! I also get to hang out with my Aunty Chelsea some days and that is so so so fun. I love being with her, she loves me so much. My favorite people in my extended family are still my grandma and grandpa...but grandpa holds a special place in my heart...I can tell he is going to be a total sucker ;) But he laughs when I throw a fit too and that is just SO

FRUSTRATING!

I can do a lot of neat things now. I walk all over the place, but I do hold onto things. I have taken some unassisted steps, but I still don’t trust myself enough to get around well without a wall or couch or table. I do stand all by myself though and I really love to do that.

I say some things, like "down," "that," "darth" and the obvious, mom, dad, and baba. Sometimes mom says that i say other things but really, I think I am just babbling. I play ball and give kisses and high fives. I come to mommy when she says that she wants me to "come here" and I can give things to my mommy and daddy when they ask for them. I hide toys and I am a huge fan of cat toys.

My top two teeth came in this month, so I have been a little cranky. I am also waking up occasionally at night again, it drives mom nuts. I woke up last night at 330am, hahaha. Mom doesn’t feed me because she doesn’t w

ant me to get into the habit so sometimes it takes me a little while to get back to sleep. Last night mom ended up bringing me into her room to cuddle her, which I really loved, but only for about 20 minutes and then I had to go back into my own room, just because I wanted to play.

I drink regular milk now and eat the same food that mom and dad are eating. I don’t like baby food much anymore, but I do eat yogurt in the morning. I LOVE wild berry YoBaby!!

I love dancing and music. Dad and I have special time when he plays the guitar for me. I really enjoy it and I get to play on my guitar. We make beautiful music and it is a special time for daddy and me.

Mom and dad have been look at houses. Mom says that we might move. I am excited to be in our own house, and then maybe I can get a doggie! Dad is really nervous though and is having second thoughts, hopefully mom wins this one, I can bet that she will.

I crawl up the stairs and try to get down them, with little success. I can point out some animals (dog, cat, monkey and bear) and love to turn pages and read to my mommy. I drink out of a big girl cup and dance when music comes on. I party like an animal and sing like an opera star.

I play on my rocking horse and mom plays dress up with me..But I don’t really like that game. I like to take off my clothes and would rather be naked than clothed. I hate diapers and love to brush my teeth. I try to feed myself with a fork and with moms help; I can actually do it pretty well.

My daddy is my favorite person and I chase him around the house. I get to spend Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights just me and him. I love that time. We play the guitar and dance and sing and fly around the house and dad lets me go through EVERYTHING in the house.

Mommy started making bows for me so I am constantly bowed up looking slick...and stylish.

My birthday party is rapidly approaching and it is pretty much birthday mania in our house. There are princess tiaras and dresses and plates and cups and neat things to give to my friends EVERYWHERE. I always want to play with the stuff but mom doesn’t let me and it really sucks, it just sits there mocking my very existence. Mommy has finished my pretty birthday dress and says that I look SOOO adorable in it. All of my friends are so excited to dress up like royalty and hang out with me for the day! It will be a pretty great weekend, although the following Monday I have to go to the doctor and get shots and that pretty much STINKS!

The weather is getting pretty chilly here so we had to break out the winter attire. I really like how comfy most of it is and mom says that I look so adorable in my long sleeves and sweater pants. I get to wear a lot more comfortable clothes in this season. Mom just picked out our holiday pictures outfits and she says that our family is going to be the cutest on the block in our snowflake sweaters; dad says we look like freaks (whatever that means).

I can hardly wait for the next few months. I have a feeling that things are going to be very exciting based on the amount of wrapping paper that mom has hanging around our abode (I love paper).

As My Birthday Approaches

Color: Purple ♥ Number: 12,21,30 ♥ Stone: Amethyst-the sobriety stone to balance you and open up your perception ♥ Flora:Lavender ♥ Animal: Stingray ♥ Occupation: Dancer, Artist ♥ Key Features: Thrilling, spellbinding, fascinating ♥ Naturally Good At: Attracting attention while appearing to do nothing (That is absolutely NOT me!)

Character: You have a mesmerizing air and piercing eyes-others feel you look not just into their eyes, but into their very soul. You attract people who either love you or hate you but either way, are drawn to you like a moth to a flame. Because you have this aura, some will find you wonderful, others sinister.

Life Path: Because it is easy for you to have power over others, it is essential that you monitor yourself and check your motives regularly. Some people born on this day become very insecure and are not aware of their incredible hypnotic power. Open yourself up to a path of enlightenment and unconditional love, but keep yourself firmly on the ground.

Love: You are lucky in love and attract a number of special and lovely partners. Learn to receive their love and don't question them as to why they love you-you can over complicate relationships with your probing and interrogating. Chill out and enjoy. Find a Sagittarius.

Best Present: Book on spirituality

Birthday Share: Grace Kelly, Princess Grace of Monaco, Neil Young
On This Day: in 1859, in Paris, the first flying trapeze act was performed by Jules Leotard at the Cirque Napoleon without a safety net. The body-hugging costume he used was later named after him.

And we have Semi-Liftoff

I have taken a step. I say STEP, because it was singular, uno, only one; however, it was a step-despite the ungracefulness of it.

We were all so proud. I have not done it since, though I have made a couple attempts...failing attempts.

I am standing like a pro now though and love to do it. I get really nervous about it when I realize that I am doing it though, and then I sit down. Its going to make the whole fluid walking thing a little hard.

I have been doing so many new things lately though, but I will wait until I write my 11 month blog to divulge that juicy information.

Mommy finished my princess dress for my birthday party though and says that I am going to look so beautiful. We are going to send out my invitations in the next two weeks. I can hardly wait to see all my friends. It is going to be a little sad though because my Aunty Amira and cousin Cali will probably not be able to go because Aunty Amira has class. Even though they wont be able to be there, so many of my other friends are going to come and I cant wait to see them all!

Milk Poop Smells Bad

I have started to do so many things this month that mommy is having a hard time making sure that all my accomplishments get into my book. So many people say I am getting really big, but mommy says that I am still so small to her. I haven’t gone to the doctor since last month and I don’t have to go again until after my birthday, but when I do go, I am going to have to get lots of shots and I am scared.
I get to turn one year old in only a couple months and mommy and I hope that you will all be able to celebrate with us. We are really excited to dress up like princesses and princes and eat something called cake.
Let’s talk about some of the things that I am doing:
I started standing on my own in the middle of the month but I wasn’t able to get myself into a standing position, now I can get myself into a standing position and stay there. I am pretty excited about it and am getting very close to walking. Mommy doesn’t really want me to start walking because then she has to put gates all over the house and she says that she always gets hurt on those stupid gates. Either way, I am getting myself from point A to point B and doing it gracefully now. Speaking of modes of transportation, I have started crawling in the official way and am pretty proud of myself.
I point to things that I want and I can find the kitties when mommy asks me where they are. I know where my toys are and I am so anxious to get there in the morning.
I drink regular milk and mom says that my poop smells so bad because of it. I eat all regular foods now and sit at the table with mom and dad. I drink my milk from my sippy cup all by myself and I love love YoBaby yogurt and oatmeal. I eat three meals a day and two snacks; mommy says that I am so regular she can practically read my mind.
I just started to go to my new babysitter’s house and I enjoy it. Although I go there every time that I am supposed to be napping so it makes it a little rough for my new sitter. My sitters name is Cassie and she has a son who is the same age as me, we are friends. His name is Keegan and we love each other. He gets so happy to see me in the morning and he cries when mommy comes and gets me.
I dance to music when it comes on and I still say mommy, daddy and baba...I sing lalala and I try to say cat...but it usually comes out KKKAAAA and it’s typically followed by screaming and trying to eat his fur...I am a little strange.
I feed myself all my food and I don’t really like to be fed things anymore (unless I am REALLY hungry) or it’s liquidy. I like to eat things I have to chew. Cheerios are my favorite snack right now, or cereal bars.
I love to take off my shirt in the morning and complain when it’s time to put one on. I still enjoy smashing things and trying to bite mommies chin. I look at my belly when mommy asks me where my belly is and I play peek-a-boo by pulling the covers over my head and then surprising mom and dad (they get so scared).
I enjoy jumping in my crib in the morning before daddy comes and gets me and I think that it is hilarious to throw things around the house. My favorite toy right now is cat toys. I tried my first bit of cat food this month also and it was horrible, but for some reason, I keep going back.
I like to watch singing shows and even though daddy HATES mommies singing, we bought American Idol for the Wii and mommy and I sing all day long. We like to sing songs that daddy hates too, just to make the vengeance even more sweet. I laugh hysterically and mommy likes to cackle.
I got my first set of professional pictures and even though I refused to smile, my pictures turned out pretty cute. I did however pee on the photographers mat, which was pretty funny...mom felt pretty bad.
I love to do all kinds of things and am becoming more independent. I like to play things like "can’t catch me" and "so big." My hair is getting so long and mommy said that we have to take me to get my bangs cut already.
I am pretty sure that there are more things that I am doing but I can’t remember any of them so I am going to have close now and write another if I remember anything :)

Crawling is like hard labor...right?!

I got to spend the weekend at the cabin with mommy, daddy, Jill, Dan and their kids, Micah and Jayme. Jayme is two and is every bit a two year old. Micah is only two months and as boring as they come, of course he does cry a lot, loudly. It was a fun weekend though. I got to hang out with mom and dad by the fire and play around in the dirt. We enjoyed hanging out with one another and eating lots of good food. I am doing new things every day so it was a great place to investigate my new found abilities. I am becoming very proficient at scaling the furniture and at feeding myself (mostly inediblee foods).

Jayme didnt like to share her toys with me, but her mommy said she had to so she reluctantly gave me the dumb toys. Regardless, it was nice of her and we had fun playing together.

Jaymes little brother Micah is still pretty small so he doesn't do much. He does cry though, pretty much all the time. He has a set of lungs on him though. All jokes aside though, he did do pretty well for camping at two months old. Jayme and Micah (and their doggie, Tigger) all slept together and it was so funny to see them all crammed in a bed! My mommy and me giggled at Jill to see her a zig-zagged to try to accommodate all those living things in one area!

Mommy always wanted to take family pictures and even though daddy did a lot of complaining about it, we did get some cute pictures! Mom says that we have to send them out in Christmas cards, but I still dont understand why we would send out pictures of us dressed up in goofy clothes and un-bathed. I guess I am just too young to understand the whole "family pictures" things.

Daddy doesnt like to ride me on the ATV (mom says its because he is a wuss) so I couldnt go on a ride this time, but I did get to sit on it and play with the buttons. Mom says that when I am a little older we are going to get me a power-wheels that I can ride. I dont know what that is, but I have a feeling that I am going to love it.

While we were camping I got to play with some cards and watch some really neat movies. It was raining on Sunday night so we were cabin-ridden and we got to do a lot of fun stuff together. It was hard for me to nap while we were there so I was rather irritable by the second day. No one seemed to mind though, which was nice of them.

Mom cooked us really big and great meals throughout the day and I got to eat so many new things. I got to taste pancakes, sausage, bacon, toast, different fruits, and CHOCOLATE! I have developed a love affair with chocolate. I kept trying to steal peoples cookies and hersheys kisses!Dad says that I am naughty, which may be true, if I knew what "naughty" meant.

I have to go and see the babysitter tomorrow and I really dont want to. Mom says that she doesnt want me to either. Its hard for her to leave, I cry sometimes. But the babysitter has a little boy, named Keegan, who is the same age as me so that makes the transition a little easier.

I do my little turn on the catwalk

Ahh

Planes, Games and Automobiles

So many things have happened this month it is hard to recall everything! I recently went to the doctor who told my mom that I am 15.5lbs and 27in. long. I am very long and very small, despite the image that my pictures may portray. I am healthy and although I do have a cold (contracted from my cousin Tanner in Illinois) am in tip top shape.

I have learned to do so many new things and mom and dad are so proud of me. I now officially "scoot" in the proper way and get very proud of myself. I am a standing machine and love to walk with you when you hold my hands. I love to walk to the couch and blow raspberries on the leather, mom says that I am strange, but I just think its fun. I spend as much time doing this as mom allows.

I went on my first airplane flight and was so good! I didnt cry at all, in fact I slept most of the flight. I made quite a few friends and everyone on the flight raved about how cute I was, I think I should start charging for peeks! My trip was so fun though and I got to meet my family. I spent time with my Great Grandma Meanie, Great Aunt Vickie, Great Uncle Pincher, and Great Uncle Terry. I also got to spend a lot of time with my cousins Sierra, Savannah, Skyler, Sheldon and his girlfriend Toya. Toya and Sheldon also have a baby named Tanner. He was my favorite, I always wanted to play with him, but for some reason he wasnt interested in me, despite how adorable I am. I kept trying to touch him and play with him, stupid four month olds! One day mom says that he will be able to play with me, until then, I have to be patient. I got to spend a lot of time with my cousins Savannah and Sierra and I just love them to pieces, Sierra even sleeps like a rock so that was just perfect for when I threw massive fits at bedtime. Speaking of throwing massive fits, during my vacation I learned how to throw a bonified temper tantrum. It is the best thing I have ever learned how to do, most people cave to my demands. I guess I am just that good. I threw several fits while in Illinois, namely when it was time for bed or when mom walked out of the room. Mom said that the funniest part of my being so naughty was the fact that while I am home, I rarely cry.

Mom says that because I am changing and growing and learning new things everyday, its hard to dissern exactly what is new and what I have been doing for months. I like to sing when people sing with me and I love to dance. I can feed myself food and take bites from things that are given to me. I have started to eat YoBaby Yogurt and I LOVE it, it is some of my favorite foods and because it is cold it feels good on my teeth.

Speaking of teeth, my bottom teeth are coming in at an astonishing rate, I have official teeth. They are plainly obvious and I love to figure out what new noises I can make with them. Mom says that she thinks that I am getting my top teeth, man, I am going to look so cute with my two top teeth too. Mom is making me an appointment to go to the dentist for the first time so that I can see what is going on in there.

Mom also made me a tutu (thanks to the suggestion from my Aunty Nisha) and she is going to take me to get my pictures taken in it, I am so excited. Mom says that we are going to go and do that sometime this week, I can hardly stand the anticipation. Dad says its cruel and that mom is simply doing it for future blackmail, but I really think its cute. I look so adorable in it and I love to eat it.

I am occassionally clapping my hands and getting into a sitting position when I am on my hands and knees, I am obsessed (as every girl should be) with cell phones and still try to eat everything in sight.

Mom is getting ready to start her last semester of undergraduate work and she is so thrilled. We are going to be able to spend so much time together in the spring before she starts graduate work. Mom says that I am going to go and spend time during the days with a girl named Cassie and her nine month old son, Keegan. I am nervous and not very excited to get to know someone new, but I suppose I will have to adjust. Mom says that she was a teacher so maybe I can learn some more new stuff while I am there. We are going to go and hang out with her and Keegan tomorrow.

I cant believe that my birthday is only a couple months away, mom says that even though she is excited to plan my birthday party, she doesnt want me to be one yet, she says that I am growing up too fast...I dont think that I am growing fast enough.

We had some baby birdies living in a nest outside of our door. I loved to play with them and laugh and scream and them and point at them like pointing was going out of style...but those little birds learned how to fly and then flew the coop. It makes me sad to not hear them anymore! I sometimes look at the door like they are going to come back, mom says to not hold my breath, whatever that means.

I can hardly wait to see where the next month takes me, I will be sure to keep everyone up to date on my progress and hopefully I will have more exciting things to report next month.