Best of intentions

Celebrating the coming of 2008 sounds pretty cool, but I'd much prefer to celebrate ever last second of what I think is the greatest year ever, the year of my birth. So I have every intention of staying up all night. I've already been out to dinner, am all dressed up, and am up past my bedtime. I know I can make it. I just hope Mamma and Daddy can stay awake.

Mad drumming skillz

Daddy started drumming at when he was 13 years old. I'm drumming aged 8 months. It's not a competition. But I'm winning.

Finally!

The darn coffee table is my nemesis and keeps smacking me in the head. Short of installing bright flashing lights or neon arrows to tell Mamma and Daddy to do something to make it softer, I left them little teeth marks to get them the messge. They finally got the hint and attached bumper pads to keep me safe.

What's this?

Every day is something new! Mamma and Daddy have been feeding me for a while now, but it was just yesterday that I think I figured out how they do it. Food on spoon. Spoon in mouth. I can do that. I just have to work on my aim.
In the meantime, I'll just clean off any mess I make.

The gift that just keeps on giving

I love my box. I can drum on it. I can push up on it. I can eat it (well, I could until Mamma put this stupid tape all over it). And now, I can play in it and use it to get a better view!

Views

I'm bored with the view from lying down or sitting. And I'm bored with always having to wait for Mamma or Daddy to pick me up. So I guess if I'm going to change my view, I'm going to have to do it myself. I've gotten up onto my knees, and I can see a whole new world! But I'm not satisfied with that, so I'm starting to stand up on my own. I'm very very wobbly, and fall often, but the view is magnificent!

Generosity

Mr Claus was extremely generous. He left me toys and boxes and books and clothing and drums and pianos and paper. A big thank you to Mr Claus. I hope he comes back again!!

God Jul

Merry Christmas indeed! Apparently because I'm of Scandinavian descent, this nice man called Mr Claus came by last night with gifts for me and Mamma and Daddy - one night before visiting a bunch of other houses. How nice of him. Now would it be rude for me to want to return his gift of a fever?

Growing up?

Just because I conquered my fears yesterday, it does not mean I'm ready to grow up. But what do Mamma and Daddy do? They move me from my infant seat to a convertible car seat! And how did they choose the seat that will keep me safe until I weigh 100lbs? It was called the Highland print. Great. Just because I have a Scottish last name, they think that's a good rationale for making decisions about my safety.

Conquering my fears

I used to be terrified of bathing in the big kids tub. Even if I used my little kids tub in the big kids tub. I'd scream and scream until Mamma picked me up and took me out of that scary room. But I decided it was time to face my fears. I managed to smile through an entire bath in the little kids tub in the big kids tub! Well, and Duckie helped keep me company.

Heat wave

The weather outside is warmer than it's been in a long time. It's 37'F! It's so warm out, that Mamma wears pants with holes in them to get some cool air. I'm helping her to make the holes bigger.

Drinking

I think I've figured out how to play with my newest toy. If I put this part in my mouth, I get water! I'm very proud!

Now I'll be even prouder once I figure out what I get from this part.

Not sick day

I feel much better today. Thanks for asking.

Sick day

I DON'T FEEL GOOD. I WANT HUGS! AND CUDDLES! WAAAAH!!!

Tricks

Mamma and Daddy played an evil trick on me. I thought they gave me a great big cookie. But no. It was cork! So in turn, I caught a cold, cried and kept them up all night. That'll teach them. Wait. I'm sick. I don't feel good. This sucks.

Diet

Lately I've been trying a whole bunch of new foods to see what I like or don't like. Fruits and veggies: I'm a big fan. Cereal: bland, but filling. Meat: a bit dry for my taste. String: flavorful, but hard on the digestive system.

When you got it,

You got it!

Gift for Mamma

I see Mamma and Daddy buying a lot of gifts lately. So I thought it would nice if I gave them gifts too. Supposedly I'm to wait to give my gifts until the 24th, but I decided to give Mamma her present today. Good thing I have teeth, otherwise I might not have been able to give it to her yet. I hope she liked her purple-nurples!

I'm thinking

Mamma and Daddy both stick out their tongues when they're thinking real hard doing something new. Since I can't yet control my tongue as well as they can, I stick out my chin. Especially when I'm holding things in either hand banging them together, or playing the bongos.

She's coming back, right?

I think GranmaNee left today. I went for a drive with Daddy, and GranmaNee wasn't home when we got back. And then I didn't see her when I woke from my nap. So I'm not going to go to sleep tonight until I see her. Because she's going to be here any second. I know she hasn't really left.

I crawl!

Yesterday I figured out how to get my left knee to move after my right knee. But then I was stuck. Today I figured out how to get my right knee to move after my left knee, and boom! I'm moving! I crawl to Daddy, to GranmaNee, to Mamma, to my ball, to my toys, to oh so much stuff to explore.

Dancing partners

I've got three new dancing partners! Granted, they live far away in the land down under, and are really tiny. But since their Mum and my Mamma are great friends, I know we'll have a fabulous time teaching each other moves via web cams.

Licorice

Mamma teases me with red licorice. I want it, but she holds it just out of my reach. I can get one knee to move forward in an attempt to get the ooey-gooey-goodness of licorice, but I can't quite get the other darn leg to go forward as well. Now, if it was salt licorice, I might crawl with both knees.

Newest discovery

My teeth are an old discovery, but I thought I'd show them off.

My newest discovery is a small tube that has a light at one end. Mamma and Daddy call it alternately a flashlight or a maglight. It's neat to play with in a dark room (though occasionally I temporarily blind myself). And it's also fun to put the lit end in my mouth and watch Mamma and Daddy roar with laughter - I guess I look a little devilish with a brightly red-lit mouth.

8 months!

I stand. I scoot. I sit and spin! I smile when I get my flu shots. I eat fruits and veggies, and my mirthday cake was made of turkey! I chomp and chew anything I can get ahold of (knees, toes, books, toys). I sleep in power naps and poop daily (thank goodness for prunes!). I crawl backwards. I communicate with cries, grunts, laughs, whines and reaching. I miss Mamma and Daddy when they leave the room (why do they leave me?). I'm so strong I can pick up big toys, but gentle enough I can pick up little toys with my thumb and fingers. Am I a big girl yet?

Cha-Gheill

Since I have a kilt, I've decided to ditch ballet and take up horizontal highland dancing.

Yoga

I'm getting pretty good at the Downward Dog position.

Getting there

Since I'm still working on crawling I thought I would start multi-tasking and begin working on the next step of walking. Similar to crawling where I haven't quite figured out how to move that darn knee forward, I haven't figured out how to move the feet forward. If I'm on my back, I'm a great runner. I just can't seem to do the same movements once I get vertical. It's like I draw a complete blank.

Books

Books are so much fun. In fact, I go through books so fast, it's like I devour them. Especially the cardboard books. That I can gnaw apart with my new teeth. And then eat the pieces that break off. And then throw those pieces back up. What fun!

Snowfall

I think I'll take snow over a cold wind anyday. I hadn't seen snow since I was 4 days old, so I'd forgotten how pretty it is. And it feels less cold than that Chicago wind. But good thing I've got a warm snowsuit that can withstand the Canadian cold. I think I'll need it for the rest of the Wisconsin winter.

Oh, and I think I've decided that nurture wins out over nature in cheering for football. Go Bucks! Going to the championship! Though UW will always have a treasured place in my heart.

First night out

Yesterday Mamma and Daddy went on their evening out without me. They left me at home. ME! At home! Aren't there laws against this kind of thing?

Housecleaning

I came home from daycare today and the house was all clean. I'm not used to that much clean, so I promptly had to reinstitute my messiness. Ahhh, now I feel better.

New Visitor

GranmaNee arrived today. She looks oddly familiar, like I've met her before. I keep studying her face to see where I know her from.

Rock Star

I'm practicing the rock star move where you jump up in the air with a guitar and land doing the splits. I'm not there yet. First I have to learn how to play guitar. And jump. And stand. And also I can't be under a table.

Chompers

I now have four teeth. Coming in, they caused me to soak all my clothing. But I have to say they were worth the wait. I find them especially helpful in reading books. Wait. Mamma and Daddy tell me you don't read books with your mouth. Silly Mamma and Daddy. Who told them that untruth?

Brrrr

Chicago: Windy. Cold. Pretty lake, bigger than the lakes back home in Madison. Did I mention it was cold?

Game shows

I had a lot of fun playing with my (second) cousin Eva this holiday. We pretended we were hostesses for the Price Is Right. She has the hand-flip down pat.

Thank you

I'm thankful for Mamma's and Daddy's work letting them stay home with me today. I'm thankful for it snowing (it's pretty outside). And I'm thankful to Mr and Mrs Perkins for cooking a nice turkey dinner for Mamma and Daddy.

Still a baby

Mamma, Daddy, I'm still a baby, and I like being a baby. I like facing backwards in my stroller. It's nice and bundly-warm, and I have my toys. If I face forwards, I don't see you, and I drop my toys. Not fun. And I like bathing in the sink. I do not want to bathe in the big-kids tub. In fact, if you try, I will scream until my face turns red. Like tonight. And last night. And if you try again, tomorrow.

Footprints?

Since I can't quite walk yet, I leave droolprints to mark where I've been.

Pride

It was pretty easy to figure out how to get from sitting to lying. I just flopped myself down. But it is with great pride that I announce that I've figured out how to get myself from lying down to sitting. First, I have to flip myself onto my belly. Then up on my forearms. Then push myself back with one leg out. Then bring the other leg around (sometimes I do the splits). And then poof. I fart. Oh, and I'm sitting up! Woohoo!

Look I'm Jack Palance

I like to be on my tummy. I also like to be sitting up. The problem is going from one position to the other. I heard somewhere that babies should be getting 20 minutes of vigorous strength training per day. Or maybe it was 20 seconds a day. Or maybe none at all. Whatever it was, I think we can all agree that I have no short-term memory. I really like peas! In conclusion OOH DADDY'S WATCH

Grinding

Like my Daddy and my MorbroYo, I grind my teeth. I've been doing it for a couple of days now, grinding down my new upper tooth. That's why Mamma and Daddy heard funny grinding noises, but didn't discover my third tooth until this morning.

Much better

Ah, Mamma drank caffeine. I needed that. Helped me stay awake until 9:30pm last night, and then back to my normal sleep patterns of waking twice a night. I feel so much better.

Caffeine

Will someone please get me some coffee in my cup? Or slip some caffeine into my milk? I need a jolt as I've been absolutely exhausted lately. I slept 10 hours straight last night, and I never do that. It's usually more like 5-6 hours at the most. Tops.

Kisses

I'm giving Mamma and Daddy kisses! My aim isn't always the best (I often kiss their noses and chins), and they may think I'm just sucking on or eating their faces. But I'm giving them kisses. I love them.

I bite my thumb at you

Using colorful language must be both genetic and learned. Because biting one's thumb is something my Bestemor does, and I haven't met her yet. But I can't wait, because Mamma tells me she'll also teach me how to say bulle-sheet!

Laundry

I'm keeping busy these days discovering new things. So much so that I've forgotten to spit up as much as I used to. I used to have Mamma doing my laundry every other day. But now I'm slipping. She got away with doing my laundry only once last week. I think tonight I'll barf all over her, the floor, her pants, Daddy, and me. Oh, that's right, I already did that.