my days off

Mom and Dad have been super busy with school, so I haven't been able to dictate to them lately. I really need to get on top of getting my typing skills up to par. There is only so much practice I can get in before I hear "No! Computers aren't for babies!" Please. Like I'm doing any harm randomly pounding of keys. Am I right? Anyway, a lot has happened this past month. So much has happened that it should be broken down into installments. I don't want to spare you any details or pictures. To start, here is a photographic breakdown of how I keep myself entertained on the days that I stay home.

I snack on cereal - high chair or the floor - location doesn't matter.

I put the kettle on for Mom so she can have some nice raspberry tea while studying.

Good hygiene is always a top priority, so I always comb my hair and hydrate my lips.

Since Dad likes snacks after work, I try to prepare a little something for him. Sadly, I never get past playing with the wax paper. It's the thought that counts, right?

Stay tuned for my adventures with my cousins. You won't want to miss it.

11 Months!!!

As of today, I am 11 whole months old.

It was a pretty exciting day because someone decided to put on a firework show just for me. Mom talks about how much she loves fireworks, so it was pretty neat to see them for the first time ever. They did not disappoint.
I was put in charge of holding on to Amber's leash for the first part of the show. After being relieved of that duty, or just throwing in on the ground and crawling away, I made my rounds to make sure my peeps were enjoying the spectacular.
Another first for me was seeing a cicada. It was on Grandpa's porch and had just shed it's skin. What an ugly bug.

Forever Summer: Part Three

I love swimming. Mom and Dad bought a flotation device that gives me so much freedom. We have access to two pool, one of which has a baby pool. The baby pool is where it is at. Because I can touch the bottom with my feet and my floatie keeps me balanced, I cruise around that thing like crazy.


Sometimes there is water sprayed into the pool and it gets my face wet, but it doesn't throw off my groove too much.


Some creepy lady at the pool tried to teach me to "blow bubbles" but it just didn't translate properly, I guess, because every time I try to do it Mom and Dad tell me to not drink the water. Needless to say, they were not to happy with the lady and her creepiness.


In other news, I love Mexican food. Yesterday I had my first taste of enchiladas, frijoles, guacamole, and cheese.


Basically I devoured everything. Mom says she ate a lot of Mexican food while I was in her belly. That is probably why it was like second nature to just eat that stuff up.

A Shout Out To My Daddy

I love you daddy. Thank you for playing with me. And hanging me upside down. And chasing me down the hallway growling. Those things always make me laugh. Thank you for changing my diapers because we all know that is a not a pleasant experience. And especially, thank you for sharing your good looks with me. It helps me gets the ladies. You are the best daddy I have ever had.

Adventure and Exploration

Today I got to roam around the local covered playground while mom and her friend took pictures. Apparently I am just too cute for words because many fantastic photos came out of the experience. Mom was pretty pleased with herself. Whatever really. I was all about being in charge and exploring the great outdoors. Dad was there, too, so that I didn't get too close to the hot ground and so that I didn't eat too many rocks. Is it my fault that they look so appetizing? At least, a whole lot more appetizing than the tofu mom tried to feed me for lunch yesterday. Yuck!


Mom and dad have taken me down slides before, but today I discovered the beauty that is climbing up a slide. Check out my skills.

After minutes of trying to climb higher up the slide, I came to the sad realization that I could only climb a few inches before slipping back down. What am I doing wrong?!
Serenity now!
Thankfully dad swooped in before too long and helped me reach the top. Going down slides is overrated.

Forever Summer: Part Two

Here are those pictures I talked about yesterday, with the birds:




Today's update is going to be about the weekend when my grandpa (Adam's Dad) came to visit us. Actually, come to think of it, it was Mother's Day weekend. Funny how holidays sneak up on you like that, huh. Wow. Anyway, we did TONS of cool stuff, including going to the desert botanical gardens in Phoenix. They had this exhibit where a guy made a whole bunch of glass sculptures or something... you can read more about it on my mom's blog.

First, one of the sculptures:



Next, a couple of native plants for your enjoyment. I learned that this is a palo verde tree, kind of like the one we have in front of our house, only way bigger and in full bloom.


Here's one that you can only find in the Sonoran Desert, which in practice means only in Arizona, regardless of what you may see in the movies:

10 points to the first person from another state to tell me what this is (and I don't mean "a cactus.") These guys can live to be 300 years old. Bet you didn't know that, huh?

Just before that we had gone to one of the best sandwich places ever, Dilly's Deli in Tempe. I tried a new food completely by my own choice, and to everyone's surprise, actually liked it:

It's a pickle, which I guess some people aren't into, especially whoever came up with this shirt. Something about the look on my face reminded my dad of Popeye the sailor man. Whatever.

The "Who Pooped...?" book (yesterday's post) was in the gift shop, where I was complaining about the heat outside. Mid-complaint, my dad found the book and put it by me, and mom snapped the shutter of her camera before I could say anything. I swear, I think the purpose of parents is to embarrass their kids. You might think it's the other way around, but you would be sorely mistaken.

The next day was Mothers' Day, and we got to talk to Uncle Owen on the phone. Actually, it was just mom and dad. There was NO way I was getting up at six in the morning. It was still kind of dark out... it was like... the daytime... of the night. Here's a picture of us many moons ago, right before he left. Obviously, holding newborn babies came naturally to him, and the joy in his face is just heartwarming:

Oh well. I hear he's doing some great stuff up in the great white north, so I'll let it slide this time.

Forever Summer: Part One Of A Three-Part Series

I know I've kept everyone waiting, but I'm finally back. Since summing up seems to be in order, we're going to just hit a few major stories, in perhaps more than one entry. The first thing is that we went to California around my 9-month birthday, and I got to see a bunch of grandparents again that I'm not sure I remembered.

We went to the San Diego Wild Animal Park, which was pretty awesome. And exhausting. Even though I TOLD them, mom and dad didn't have the foresight to bring my stroller on the trip, and the one that they rented at the park was a bit... uncomfortable. As in, I cried whenever I was sitting still in it, but then I fell asleep.

But lemme tell ya, lots of cool animals. I'm pretty sure I liked those colorful birds that go completely bat-snot-crazy when you feed them. Although, they didn't like me much. I might find some pictures of it some time soon, so stay tuned.

We didn't get to stay long, but we did hit my great grandma and grandpa's house in Murietta on the way back to Arizona. Here's me in the living room, telling a funny joke, I guess:


And shuffling around on the floor:



I was also highly interested in the grandfather clock that's been there since before my dad can remember:


And a very small chair that my great-grandma got in T.J. (Tijuana, Mexico, for those of you not from a southwest border state) when she was five:

That's me inspecting a container of my favorite cereal, thinking, "Man, five years old. That's WAY old."


Now, this next part is kah-razy. My more faithful readers will recall the contest that took place a few months ago, to decide which of my close relatives resembled me the most as a baby. Initially, we thought it was my uncle Owen, who actually ended up losing the contest by virtue of being in Cana-duh. However, we may have to have a recount:


No, that's not a picture of me and some girl, that's my dad and his cousin, some time in the autumn of 1984. I know what you're thinking: he had more hair than me. This is true. The baldness shows no mercy.

They also had a very old, awesome car living at their house that would probably be a death trap on the highway, but was no less cool because of this. I'm used to something with about 14 more wheels, though:


That's all for now, but here's one teaser picture for the next entry:


The answer to the book's query? (In case you can't see it, the book is called Who Pooped In The Sonoran Desert?) It was me. Quite a number of times, if memory serves.