Forgot pics of pumpkin patch!

Mommy forgot to post pictures from the pumpkin patch. Me, mommy, and daddy went to the pumpkin patch the weekend before Halloween. The pumpkin patch had animals and I had a lot of fun looking at the sheep and the goats. There was also a calf and some chickens. After we looked at the animals, we went on a hayride to go pick our pumpkin. I had fun wandering through the pumpkin patch trying to help mommy and daddy pick out the perfect pumpkin!

Halloween

For Halloween, me and mommy went to St. Louis to visit Grandpa and Grandma Stahlschmidt and my aunts. Daddy was in Notre Dame for the weekend watching a football game. I had a lot of fun in St. Louis! For Halloween I was a flower and I went trick or treating to a few houses. At one of the houses there was a mummy that made noises and I really liked that, I wasn't scared at all! On Saturday, some of mommy's aunts and cousins came over and we all played together outside. It was such a nice day. We all ran around the yard chasing after Aunt Mindy's dog Charlee. And then on Sunday me and mommy went home.
I've started talking and can say turtle, football, baby, ball, and avovado (I actually say ca-ca for this but mommy and daddy know what I mean!). It makes mommy and daddy laugh every time I say turtle!

Sorry It's Been Awhile!

Mommy says to say sorry that it has taken us long to post an update on the blog. We've been pretty busy. The last update was back in August after daddy came home. We love having daddy home and I have lots of fun with daddy. In September, we went to Milwaukee for Labor Day and stayed at the beach on Lake Michigan. I wasn't really sure what to think of the sand, but I loved the water!

One Saturday afternoon mommy and daddy took me to the park and we had lots of fun. I love the swing!

On another Saturday morning, mommy and daddy took me to Gymboree for a class. I had a lot of fun running around and playing on the equipment.

I'm trying really hard to talk, but right now the words coming out of my mouth sound like jibberish to mommy and daddy! I love reading my books and I especially like picture books. If mommy and daddy ask me where something is, I am able to point to it in the book. My new favorite toy right now is my cabbage patch doll. I am learning how to wrap her up in a blanket and I rock her to sleep. I am also trying to learn how to dress her.

Daddy and I rooting for our favorite team, Notre Dame!

Daddy's Home, I'm Walking, and Much More!

Daddy has been home now for 3 weeks and I love having him back! It didn't take me long to remember him and now we're best friends! We picked daddy up from the airport at 6:45 a.m. on Saturday August 9. It's so great having daddy back home. We play together a lot and he always makes me giggle! Some very exciting news!!!! I am walking now!!! I took my first steps a week before daddy came home, so he got to see me when I was still wobbly and watch me progress over the next couple of weeks. Now I'm an expert walker! I like walking everywhere now.

I also have three new teeth. I have two of my back teeth that came in about a month ago on the bottom. I also just got another one on the bottom next to my front teeth.

Mommy and daddy had a belated birthday party for me on Saturday August 23. It was so much fun. Lots of mommy and daddy's friends came to celebrate and so did Shamim, my nanny. Everybody sang happy birthday to me which I wasn't too sure about all of these people staring at me and singing. But I loved eating the cake!

Aunt Mindy's Visit

Mommy is sorry she is a little late in posting pictures from Aunt Mindy's visit. Aunt Mindy came to visit mommy and me from Thursday July 24 to Wednesday July 30. We had so much when she was here.

On Friday we took mommy to work and then me and Aunt Mindy walked around the city for a few hours. Then we met mommy for lunch and ate lunch in her conference room at work.

On Saturday, we all went to Claire's birthday party. That was lots of fun! I got to eat cake! I spent the rest of the weekend just hanging out with Aunt Mindy and mommy!

On Monday mommy didn't have to go to work because there was a fire on her floor, so we went shopping. Mommy bought me some walking shoes! After that we went to dinner in D.C. at Aunt Mindy's favorite restaurant, Luigi's. Aunt Mindy watched me on Tuesday and then Wednesday morning, me and mommy took Aunt Mindy to the airport. I was very sad to see her go because we had lots of fun playing together while she was here!

Visit to Milwaukee!

Mommy and I went to Milwaukee for a week from July 11 - 18. Mommy had a conference there for work, so I got to spend time with Grandpa and Grandma McCormack, Aunt Mary, and all of my great aunts and uncles there. Great Aunt Marilyn and Great Uncle Dan had a barbecue for us one of the days we were there. It was a lot of fun! I got to go swimming with mommy. Grandpa and grandma did lots of fun things with me while I was there. They took me to the zoo, an art museum, and took me swimming again.

I am starting to babble a lot and can say a few things that mommy understands such as cat, dog, and what's that. I am still trying to walk, but I am definitely getting closer. I now let go of things and stand on my own for about 10-15 seconds. I just stand there trying to steady myself, so mommy thinks it won't be long until I've steadied myself enough that I'll try to take a step or two.

Here are some pictures from our visit to Milwaukee.

Here is me and grandpa in the pool:


Here is me with grandma and great aunt Marilyn at the pool:

Here's me and mommy hanging out one night at great aunt Maureen and great uncle Jerry's house:
And here is a picture of me in the pool with mommy:

Fourth of July!

Last weekend was my second Fourth of July and I spent it with mommy, grandpa and grandma stahlschmidt and aunts meghan and molly. I had lots of fun hanging out with them. I especially loved playing with grandpa, he always knows how to make me laugh! Grandpa also taught me how to push my walking toy on my feet. It probably won't be much longer until I'm walking. On Saturday night I watched one of my neighbors set off fireworks and everytime mommy said "ooh pretty," I would imitate her and say "ooohh."

My new favorite toy is a little piano with a microphone that the nanny gave me for my birthday. I now know how to talk into the microphone and it makes mommy laugh every time I do it! I also got to play in my pool last weekend. Mommy bought me a frog pool that has a sunshade on it. I only sat in it for a little while. The water was a little too cold for me.

Mommy has started a countdown until daddy comes home. He comes home in 32 days and we are very excited! We miss him very much!

Me and mommy are leaving on Friday to go to Milwaukee for a week. Mommy has a conference there next week and I'm going to spend each day with grandpa and grandma mccormack and all the rest of daddy's family. I am very excited to see everyone!

My First Birthday and much much more!

Mommy says sorry it's been awhile since we've been able to update the blog. We've been pretty busy. First let's start with my first birthday! On the day of my birthday uncle John came over and we had cupcakes. Mommy wants to wait until daddy gets home to have a big party for me so that daddy can be a part of it and celebrate with us.

A couple of days after my birthday me and mommy went to St. Louis for aunt Meghan and aunt Molly's graduation. Here I am helping mommy pack!

I had a lot of fun visiting with grandma, grandpa, and aunts Mindy, Meghan, and Molly. While in St. Louis, I got two new teeth on top. So now I have six teeth, four on top and two on bottom. I went to Meghan and Molly's graduation and the next day there was a party for them at grandma and grandpa's house. Great aunt Louise made a birthday cake for me.

Mommy stayed in St. Louis with me for six days and then she had to go back home for work. I stayed in St. Louis for another 4 days. Grandma and grandpa then drove me back to D.C. I had a lot of fun. Grandma and grandpa fed me all kinds of new foods, including spaghetti o's.

I have said a few words. I say uh-oh when I drop food on the floor and then I laugh! I have also said dog and the nannys says that I say cat too but mommy hasn't heard it yet.

I'm still trying to walk and getting stronger on my feet everyday. I will pull myself up on things and let go and can stand on my own for about 30 seconds before I fall.

Yesterday mommy and I got to go to daddy's work to have a video telephone call with him. It was so much fun seeing daddy and I really miss him a lot. I watch the videos he made reading the books every night. It's the only time of day that I'm relaxed and I sit still.

For my birthday, mommy got me a pink polka dot chair. Here are some pics of me in it.

That's all for now!

Happy Mother's Day!

Sunday was mommy's first Mother's Day. We celebrated by going to brunch with mommy's friends Julie, Woody, and Scooter, and Uncle John. I had a lot of fun at brunch eating eggs, french toast, and some fruit. After brunch me and mommy went home and just hung out all day because it rained all day.

Saturday I went shopping with mommy and Julie at the outlet mall in Leesburg. Mommy got lots of new clothes for herself and for me. We had a lot of fun, but it wore me out! Then Julie came over and her and mommy hung out last night.

I now have my own cabinet in the kitchen that mommy put tupperware in for me. So my new favorite thing to do is go into my cabinet and empty it all out! It is so much fun!

Me and mommy are really missing daddy. We watch one of his videos that he made reading me a book everynight. Mommy emails with him every day.

A Fun Day at the Park

Me and mommy survived our first week without daddy, although we miss him a lot and wish he was here with us! On Saturday me and mommy took the car to get its oil changed and then we just hung out all day at home. Uncle John came over to help out and cut the grass for mommy. Then Uncle John played with me for awhile before he left.

Today me and mommy went to lunch with Julie and Woody. I was a pretty good girl. I ate some of my fruit, some cookies, and french fries! I love french fries! After lunch, we all went to the park because it was such a nice day. I got go on the swing with Julie, down the slide with mommy, and I sat on the see saw with mommy's help. But my favorite part of the whole day was crawling around the grass while watching the other kids run around. I had so much fun crawling around and I even tried (sometimes successfully) to eat the grass!

Time for me to go to bed now. I am wiped out from my day at the park!