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!