Saturday

Lately,

- I refer to myself as alternately "me" and "baby". Like when mama says she's going to go upstairs and I say "me" because I want to go too.
- I can say "help" and either ask for it or say "no heop" when mama or daddy offers.
- I drive my little matchbox car around on things and make "b-b-b-b-b-b" car noises.
- I make my little animals walk around
- I know almost all my shapes, including the circle, square and dodecahedron.
- I match up colors and can say "bue" for blue.
- I like to have mama close the shower curtain when I'm taking a bath and just play by myself. It also makes it easier to sneak in little sips of bath water.

This morning I went with mama and our neighbor to a baby resale event thingy. There were lots of used toys and clothes and baby gear but no used babies for sale. Too bad because I really like babies. At least there were lots of babies there so I got to say "Hi, baby! Hewwo, baby!" Mama found me a few clothes, like some sweatshirts and a hat and some shorts. Also we found some toys for me that I love so much. I also found a sweet stuffed rabbit that I saw in a box. I picked it up and hugged it and kissed it and offered it some of my apple juice. It didn't want any. Anyway, I walked off with it so mama had to pay the lady for it, a whole quarter. Daddy doesn't like it because it has a pink sweater on, but that's a big part of the reason I love it. The rabbit doesn't have a name yet but we'll come up with a good one.

Tonight after my nap we went out to dinner which was good cause I got to have fries. And then we went to walk around and somehow ended up at Baskin Robbins. I got to have a little cup of strawberry ice cream. MMM!! When we got home mama felt we needed to walk around more and so mama and I walked down to the park. We had a nice long walk and then came home and had my bath. It was a very nice evening.

My Memorial Day Wild Weekend

Who is brave enough to take a newly minted two-year old camping? My mama and daddy.

I had been asking to go bye-bye for a few days. I knew we were going to go when I saw that mama had our bags packed on Friday night. So when mama got me up on Saturday and said we were going bye-bye after breakfast, I was all over it. Every two minutes, I had to ask them if now was time to "bye-bye"? I was very very excited.

Our friends finally got to our house and off we went. I watched out the window for a long time and then we went through a tunnel and I said "yay!". Then I read a book for a while. Then we crossed a bridge and I said "yay!" Then I watched out the window for a while and read another book. Finally we got to the town where we were stopping for breakfast. We went to a place called "fatty patty's" and there were lots of pigs everywhere. Mama ordered me a jr baby cake with strawberries. When it got to the table it was bigger than a dinner plate and it had strawberries and whipped cream on it. Oh yeah. That's what I'm talkin' about.

I could only eat about half of it, even with mama and daddy helping me. The waitress came to our table and asked if I wanted a box. I said "yeah". So she brought me one. I had a good time putting some strawberries in my box and then eating them anyway. We left the box on the table when we walked out. Who asks a two year old if they want a box and then actually brings them one?

We left the restaurant and headed to our final stop, our campsite at Lake Merwin. Mama and daddy's friends have a trailer there that I guess they used to visit a lot before I came around. I wonder why they never brought me before?

Oh, yeah. Lots of opportunities for me to get into trouble. I was everywhere and always wanted to keep moving. As soon as they got settled, mama took me for a walk to look around.



Hey, look at that!



Keep moving, keep moving! That way! "WAY!"



Somebody had a wooden bear on their porch. I really wanted to go say hi, but mama wouldn't let me.




Then I caught a glimpse of the lake. Wow. I really wanted to go down there, but there wasn't a good path down.



This is Gunnar and his daddy. They were camping with us. Gunnar is a little sick; he has a cold and his nose was runny. But he was very happy anyway.



When daddy is out in the woods, he likes to set fires. The big boys set this big stump on fire almost as soon as we pulled in. It was really big, but they got it burned all the way down by the next night.



Daddy was happy to be setting things on fire.


Well, the first day, I guess you could say I was overstimulated. Mama and daddy put me down for a nap at about the usual time, but I did not sleep AT ALL. Finally mama got me up and I was so happy to be able to get out and play again. Mama and I took lots of walks and I played with my dump truck (which I have named "dumpy dumpy"). I would take it up the stairs to the trailer door and then let it fall down the stairs. Then I would do it again. And again. Fortunately Gunnar is a heavy sleeper otherwise I would have been in trouble.



Our campsite.


Since I didn't nap, I got cranky that evening. But I stayed up through dinner until my normal bedtime. But I guess I figured that we were going to go home and I was going to sleep in my bed. The grownups were eating dinner and I was tired. So I said "bye-bye?" And mama told me we weren't going bye-bye. We were going to sleep there. I said "home?" and mama said "no" and I started to cry. I was so homesick. I wanted my nice cozy bed and I was so tired and I wanted my musical crib birdies and all my books and my room. But mama took me inside the trailer and got me in my favorite pajamas and we brushed my teeth and read my favorite night time books and then she tucked me into my pack 'n' play with my favorite blankets and Harrison the bear and my baby deer. And I went right to sleep.

The next morning we got up and it was raining. They tell me it's normal for camping in the Northwest. But guess what? There were pancakes and strawberries for breakfast this morning too!







Mama let me play in the truck. Tailgate up, canopy closed. Canopy open, tailgate down. I guess it was easier than chasing me around the campground.


Then I asked mama to get up in the truck with me. We played tickle and I was trying to bite her nose. She told me my breath smelled like strawberries.




The second day...Gunnar's still sick, but still happy!



Daddy - what's a martini and why would it make you wear that silly hat?


Mama and I went for more walks and saw some deer. I've got a baby deer soft toy and a baby deer book and I love deer. So when I saw them, I started to run toward them. Mama yelled at me to stop! Apparently we don't run at wild animals.


My first deer.

I got in trouble lots of times this weekend for opening and closing the trailer door.

I napped really well and for a long time the second day. But still, the grownups decided it would be best to leave before bedtime. Before we left, the mamas wanted to take pictures of the two boys together. We looked so cute in our plaid camp shirts. All I can say is, yeah, Gunnar was good, but only because he can't move around on his own. When we come camping here next year, he's going to be just as big a handful as I was.

Mama's Boy

Daddy says that this is totally a "mom move". Reading while eating lunch. We both loves our books.

My May

We've been playing outside a lot lately because the weather is so nice. I learned how to water the plants, and daddy learned how to water me! It was really hot here the last few days; I've been wearing my new pajamas that are really thin and don't have feet on them and they have frogs and flowers. The top says "mom makes me hoppy!" They are my second favorite pajamas.


Being outside is also fraught with peril. If you're not careful, you can run too fast and trip and fall down on the driveway and get an owie on your knee.

So mama wanted to kiss it and make it better. That was really nice. Also she put some spray medicine on it which was even better. It numbs the owie and makes it feel good for a while. The second time she put the medicine on, I also wanted her to kiss it afterwards. She hesitated but couldn't resist me and it was kind of funny watching her try and wipe the numbing medicine off her lips.

My owie did get better pretty quickly. But that didn't stop me from pointing out my "owie" every change I got for the next week.

I missed my swim class on Sunday because I decided to change my nap schedule a week ago. But that was ok because there was a lot of water flying around at home!


You can't really tell from this photo above, but there's one board missing in the fence in our backyard. Cats use the hole to come in the yard to poop, but I use it to peek in and check on things. Sometimes I get my head stuck and have to call for mama or daddy to come extricate me. I always say "yay!" when they pull me out.

Mama took a few days off work a week ago. Mama and daddy used the long weekend to do some major renovations in the back yard. Here's daddy waiting for mama to come move the rocks for him.




The most important thing is that mama got three blueberry plants to put in because I like berries. We actually found four berries tonight that were ready to eat! Mama gave me one, then I said "moh bee! Me bee!" and she found some more. Then I tried to pick the rest of the berries off the plants but mama explained that blueberries don't taste very good when they're not blue.



As a hot day treat, mama made daddy and me yummy fruit smoothies. I couldn't get enough. Mama wasn't sure where I would put it all. Also please note my stylish new haircut. Somehow the little dude in the mirror got incredibly handsome as soon as I got home after my trim.



I asked mama to get in the bath with me the other night. She wasn't planning on it, but I started pulling at her clothes and saying "all done". So she figured out what I meant and we had a nice bubble bath.

In an instant...

Dum, da dum...boy it looks nice outside!
Hi, mama, don't you think it looks nice outside? Think you might like to go outside?
I'd like to go outside, mama! Mama?
WHY aren't you taking me outside?!?!?!
$!#@%&!*%.

Toilet Talk

I'm getting good at the potty thing. Well, not the potty thing, but just the concept, ya know?

Mama and daddy ask me a lot if I'm poopy. Well, I'm no fool; if I said 'yes' then I would have to go upstairs and get changed. And I don't want to stop what I'm doing, you know? So I usually say 'no' but if I say 'yes', it means business.

But I do know what it means. I know my potty, and I know where mama and daddy go potty (the toilet) and I often point out where my animals go potty (pointing to their bottom). I point out the dog poopy in the yard when mama and daddy haven't scooped it up. And I like to ask mama and daddy to put Harrison the Bear on my potty chair. I even pottied on the potty chair once, accidentally.

Tonight mama and Bailey and I were on a walk and mama asked me if I wanted my blanket. I said "yeah" because it was a little chilly. While mama was putting the blanket on me I said, "poopy, poopy". Mama thought I was saying I was poopy. But when she asked me I said "no". So she looked around and sure enough Bailey was going poopy in somebody's yard.

Yes, she cleaned it up. But me, I'm "no poopy!"

Hard working baby

On the weekends or whenever mama and I come downstairs before daddy, my job is to let Bailey out so she can go potty. I take the stick out of the sliding door, unlock it and open the door. I wave my finger at the yard and say "potty! potty!" Then Bailey goes out and mama gives me bailey's dog cooky. Sometimes I wave the cooky at her and say "yummy! yummy!"

This is my job. Can you believe they are giving me chores already? Sometimes I have to help mama take the plastic things out of the dishwasher and put them away. Nothing would get done around here if it weren't for me.

Bathing baby

A few weeks ago, mama and I had just started my bath when all of a sudden something scared me. I don't remember what it was, but I was on my feet and out of that bath in a flash. Mama was sitting next to the tub and when I climbed up and out I got her all wet.

I was shaking and upset and mama didn't make me get back in. And I refused to get back in the bath for probably a week. Every time mama ran the bath and started to take me near it, I started shaking and crying and getting bright red. Daddy thought I was just "playing" mama until she said "ok then you put him in the tub." Then I showed him I was serious.

After some days without a bath, daddy said I was getting stinky. So mama took me in the shower with her. I didn't like it too much but didn't cry for very long.

Then mama tried getting in the bath with me. I wouldn't unclench my arms from around her neck so she couldn't wash me very well but she figured it was progress.

Then tonight mama tried bubbles. In my bath. It was wonderful. I forgot that I've been anti bath and when mama asked if I was ready to get in the bath I said "YEAH!" Climbed right in no fuss and mama got me all good and clean. I smell nice tonight.

dandelion baby

Oh boy we have been having so much fun. The weather has been super nice and I've got to go out in the field behind the house all the time. Two weekends ago, mama and I didn't have anything we had to do so we just spent that Saturday outside, blowing bubbles ("bubb") and picking dandy lions. At least I think that's what mama said they were called. That's kind of a weird name.

Hey, there's daddy!

By the way, this is my house.

My personal photographer was really "on" that day...

And then it was Sunday, time for swim class! Mama woke me up from my nap that day and said to hurry up and get dressed because it was time to GO SWIMMING!

I said YEAH!

We hurried up and got ready and went down to the rec center. I was so excited I could hardly stand it. Then we got in the building and it was really busy with lots of big kids that aren't normally there. And there was a baby from my class and her mama was at the front desk getting mad at the desk attendant. Mama asked what was going on and I heard the lady say that class was canceled because of a swim meet. I didn't know what canceled meant so I just stood at the desk smiling and shaking with excitement. Mama looked at me and rubbed my head, and I thought she was going to cry. She said there was no class today and I didn't understand still because didn't she already say we were going to GO SWIMMING!?

So after mama took her turn berating the desk attendant for not calling people to tell them the class was canceled, she said to me that I shouldn't worry, that no matter what, she was going to get me into a pool. It took a while but she found another pool that would have an open swim soon and so we went back to the car. We got into the car and started driving away and I pointed back at the rec center and said "...way?" And I felt really bad about it but mama felt worse for me. And again I thought she was going to cry. But she didn't.

So we went to the other pool and it was plenty fun. They had lots of floaty toys and balls and raft things that little boys and girls could float on if their mama or daddy was holding onto them.

When I had my fill, we got out of the pool and got dressed. We had a nice long warm shower in the dressing room; mama was tickling me and we were splashing. We got back in the car and even though I was feeling OK about things, I think mama still felt bad and we stopped at this wonderful place called the dairy queen. Mama got me a kids meal and a baby ice cream cone. It was awesome!

So all in all that day turned out pretty well too.

By the way, why does mama get upset when I drink the pool water? It doesn't even taste very good. Not like the bath water.