(July 6th - January 5th)
Monday, July 6 (26 weeks): I went back to school today. Miss Lisa and Miss Lynda were happy to see me. I told them all about my trip. I also told my classmates about my trip. I told the toys about my trip. Then, I told the mirror about my trip. I also received my "report card" (infant evaluation). It said that I was "very social baby", that I had "very advanced" language skills and that I was "happy-go-lucky".
Saturday, July 11 (26 weeks, 5 days): I met my Dad's third cousin. She is named Gy and comes from a place named Stockholm, Sweden. She is very nice and spent the night. Nanna came to stay with us, too. Nanna said she missed me a lot. Of course, it has been a week since she saw me.
Monday, July 13 (27 weeks): I must be very popular -- today my godparents started staying with us. Mom and Dad said it has something to do with their new house not being ready, but I KNOW it is because they want to spend more time with me.
Sunday, July 19 (27 weeks, 6 days): Another visitor has come to stay with us. He is my Great-Uncle James and he came all the way from Taiwan (which is apparently is much further than my school). He is not accustomed to holding important people my size so I am teaching him the ropes! Gy also returned because she missed me. She is now sleeping in my room and I am sleeping in Mommy and Daddy's room. My godparents and Great-Uncle James are sleeping in the two guest rooms! I practically get dizzy being passed around between everyone.
Tuesday, July 21 (28 weeks, 1 day): Apparently Uncles come with Aunts or vice versa. My Great-Aunt Lucy came to stay with us also today. She lives in a place called China. She wants to hold me all the time too! Gy left to tell everyone in Sweden what a wonderful baby I am. I am now back in my own room.
Friday, July 24 (28 weeks, 4 days): What a day! I met my Grandpa Jen and Uncle Jeffrey for the first time. I also got to see my Grandma Jen again. It has been a long time since I saw her. They brought me all sorts of presents and toys and we played a lot.
Later, I took a long nap in the car. When I woke up we were at a place called New York. We visited my Grandpa Jen's Uncle Norman and his wife Aunt Agnes in a very nice new house. There were lots of other relatives there. I was the youngest so everyone wanted to hold me.
Saturday, July 25 (28 weeks, 5 days): Wow, I sure have a lot of relatives! There were over 50 of them at Great-Great-Uncle Norman's today. They all like to talk. They all like to talk loudly. And they all like to talk at the same time. I think the only person they ever listened to was me. Everyone wanted to hold and play with me. I only saw Mom and Dad when I needed a new diaper or to be fed. But, that was fine with me, they are so boring.
Sunday, July 26 (28 weeks, 6 days): I think they are all still in New York talking. Probably about how cute and adorable I am. We stayed there for most of the day then I took a nap and we were back home.
Monday, July 27 (29 weeks): Today, I went in a minivan to a place called Bar Harbor in Maine. It was a long trip, but the minivan ride was much more fun than our car. I could see out the windows, and play with people. Uncle Jeffrey, Grandpa and Grandma Jen, and Mom played a lot with me.
Tuesday, July 28 (29 weeks, 1 day): I went to my first National Park today, Acadia National Park It was very pretty. I liked watching the birds and listening to the frogs croak. We had a picnic there.
Wednesday, July 29 (29 weeks, 2 days): We spent more time in the minivan today. I laughed a lot at all the faces that Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Jeffrey and Mommy made. I got to sleep in my own bed again.
Thursday, July 30 (29 weeks, 3 days): I went back to school today! I had so much to tell everyone that I talked all day. I also showed Grandma, Grandpa and Jeffrey my school. They went back home today so now there is only Mommy, Daddy, and me. HOW BORING!
Friday, July 31 (29 weeks, 4 days): I have my first tooth. It took me a long time to push it up but it's definitely up now. That hard sharp spot doesn't go away no matter what I do (I keep rubbing it with my finger). Mommy and Daddy were very excited about it. Maybe I will do it again so they can be happy.
Wednesday, August 5 (30 weeks, 2 days): I am seven months old today. Yay for me. I must be like the Jens because I like to talk a lot. My favorite sound is "mamamama" which makes my Mom very happy. A new classmate started in my class today. He is only 4 months old, so now I'm finally older than another classmate and can show him the ropes!
Friday, August 7 (30 weeks, 4 days): My parents got me a little piano today. They think they're so smart and I won't notice that it's not the big piano. I just play along with them. I do like playing the toy piano, too, but not as much as the big piano! Parents just don't understand -- the big piano has much better concert-quality sound. I don't think they can even tell the difference!
Sunday, August 9 (30 weeks, 6 days): We went to visit my godparents in their new house. I really loved playing with their dogs, Dakota and Simba. They liked me, too. Dakota is just about my height, and I really liked her!
Saturday, August 15 (31 weeks, 5 days): Today, we've been visiting my parents' friends, the Hancocks, in Sunday River, Maine again. We went to a "watering hole" today. I wore a new swimsuit and dipped my legs in the river, but it was too cold! I liked watching the currents run around the rocks, though. Also, Daddy would throw leaves into the river and they would float away!
Sunday, August 16 (31 weeks, 6 days): Today, we went hiking! It was sooooo much fun! I sat in a backpack behind Daddy. It was so exciting, I could see all around me! We hiked to Step Falls, where there were lots of small waterfalls and rocks. Many children were sliding down the rocks -- they looked like they were having so much fun. On the way down, I fell asleep because I'd seen everything before.
Tuesday, August 18 (32 weeks, 1 day): I've got another tooth! Two teeth for me!
Wednesday, August 19 (32 weeks, 2 days): I had some meat for the first time. I had a turkey vegetable dinner. It was pretty good, so I said "mmm mmm" the whole time during dinner. Did I tell you that I can scoot to get places now? But, it's a lot of trouble. I discovered that it's better to s-t-r-e-t-c-h and just bring my toys to me when I can finally reach them.
Saturday, August 22 (32 weeks, 5 days): We went into Boston today. It was a beautiful day so we walked all around. Daddy and Mommy kept saying that they lived here and they lived there and they had been here and they had been there .... yada, yada, yada. I am beginning to think they were homeless before I came along.
Sunday, August 31 (33 weeks, 6 days): I visited a B&B in western Massachusetts today. It was for Mommy and Daddy's aniversary. We strolled around some nice little towns and lots of people thought I was adorable.
Monday, September 1 (34 weeks): I must be extra cute today. At the Norman Rockwell Museum and at an outlet mall, all sorts of people came over to look at me and smile. Most of them were people with grey hair.
Tuesday, September 8 (35 weeks, 1 day): WOW! I discovered a way to get things much easier today. Rather than sit and yell for someone to get something for me, I can coordinate my knees and hands to move over to get it myself. It is a little slow and very tiring but it sometimes seems easier than waiting for Dad to get it for me. Mommy and Daddy were very excited and called Nanna and Grandma to let them know. Hmmm... where should I go now?
Wednesday, September 9 (35 weeks, 2 days): I went to a party for my teacher, Miss Lisa. It was at my friend Daron's house with lots of my old classmates. It was called a Bridal Shower and I wore one of my nice, dress-up outfits.
Monday, September 14 (36 weeks): What a day! I finally managed to stand up all by myself. I used the couch to pull myself up. Now if I could only figure out a way to get down without hurting myself...
I also crawled up that step between the family room and the kitchen. This is going to give me a whole new space to explore!
Saturday, September 19 (36 weeks, 5 days): What a busy day. I started it by watching Daddy's team play soccer in the morning. I love watching all the big kids run around and cannot wait to get to do it myself. In the afternoon, we went to a fun place called Gymboree. There were lots of fun toys to play with and structures to crawl on. I mostly liked watching the other babies, though. Oh yeah, and I liked the slides. During the evening, Mommy and Daddy left me with Aunt Sara and Uncle Josh. They went on a boat cruise without me and I was not very happy about it. Aunt Sara brought me on a two-hour walk which was okay but I complained and cried most of the rest of the time.
Sunday, September 20 (36 weeks, 6 days): Some of my friends came to visit today and we had a lot of fun together. They were all kids from Mommy and Daddy's birthing class. The three of us girls would talk and scream to one another as we played with my toys. The little boy would cry whenever we yelled really loud. I am still one of the largest babies.
Sunday, September 27 (37 weeks, 6 days): I went to my first baby shower today. It was at my house and celebrated my Mom's cousin Jennifer's impending child. I was the only baby there so I thought I should get all the gifts but Auntie Jennifer took them instead. That was okay though because I had most of the stuff already.
Monday, October 5th (39 weeks): Hey! I am nine months old today and such a big girl! I started eating lots of different foods at school today. Cheese, pasta, chunks of fruits, etc. My talent for eating continues!
Tuesday, October 6th (39 weeks, 1 day): I went to see the doctor today for my checkup. I now weigh 19 pounds, seven ounces and am 28 and 1/8 inches long. That is between the 50th and 75th percentile for height and weight which means I am finally slowing down in the growth department. The nurse gave me one shot today and I did not even cry! I am so tough.
Monday, October 12th (40 weeks): I had a rash on my face this afternoon so I went to the doctor again. Of course, by the time I got there most of the rash had disappeared! The doctor looked me over and gave Mommy and Daddy so medicine to use if it came back. I then spent the afternoon playing with the neighbors' kids. One of them let me use a cool push-toy walker so I could walk all around by myself and watch what all the big kids were doing. I cannot wait until I can play with them all the time!
Saturday, October 17th (40 weeks, 5 days): Another busy day. Watched the big boys play soccer, went to my Gymboree class, and then went to see and pet a bunch of animals in a traveling petting zoo. I saw sheep, goats, llamas, ponies, camels and other types of animals. Nanna and Grandpa Ryan came down and spent the night. Great-Aunt Jeannie and my Dad's Uncle Huey and Aunt Kay came out for dinner. They all liked playing with me.
Sunday, October 18th (40 weeks, 6 days): We went with Grandpa and Nanna to visit my Godparents, Jennifer and Kevin, in their new house. Great-Uncle James was there and so were the two dogs. I loved playing with the dogs! I would crawl over to them and they would move and I would crawl over to them again, and they would move ... it was such a fun game!
Tuesday, October 27th (42 weeks, 1 day): I regularly wave bye-bye to people now and on occasion get my parents excited by making sounds that resemble "Bye-bye". This making noises stuff gets them very excited. They also like it when I say "da-de" for "baby".
Wednesday, October 28th (42 weeks, 2 days): We got new neighbors today. They were moving in when I came home from school. They have three kids, the youngest of whom is named Lindsay and is fourteen months old so I will have a new playmate!
Thursday, October 29th (42 weeks, 3 days): My Nanna came to visit this morning. She brought me my Halloween costume (I cannot tell you what it is until tomorrow). She also brought the dog, which I thought was great fun. We went for a walk together.
Friday, October 30th (42 weeks, 4 days): I wore my costume to school today. I was a ladybug (an Asian ladybug, specifically!) and as cute as can be. My teacher Miss Lisa thought I was adorable, as did most everyone else at school. In the afternoon, Daddy left me with Alicia, the girl up the street, while he went to coach soccer (it is too cold for me to go watch now). Then in the evening, Miss Tracy, one of the toddler teachers at my school, came and watched me while Daddy and Mommy went to a party. They were dressed like dominos. I had fun with Miss Tracy. Mommy and Daddy should go out more often.
Saturday, October 31th (42 weeks, 5 days): Halloween is lots of fun! I got to see lots of big kids at the big neighborhood party. The only problem was that my cute outfit made it difficult to move around, so I basically had people carry me around a lot. Many, many kids came to our house during the evening and Daddy and Mommy gave them candy.
Monday, November 2nd (43 weeks): Mommy and Daddy have FINALLY figured out that I really do not like that baby food stuff anymore. I much prefer grown-up food for dinner. Today, I absolutely refused to eat any mushy baby food, and wouldn't eat until they gave me some of their dinner. Then, I was perfectly happy to eat it, all by myself! I'm not a baby anymore, you know.
Wednesday, November 4th (43 weeks, 2 days): I'm trying to figure out how to put my socks on. I know how to take them OFF, but, as hard as I press them onto my feet, I can't get them to stay ON. Mommy tried to help me and I got really mad at her.
Sunday, November 8th (43 weeks, 6 days): Another busy, busy day! In the morning, we went to a place called Cambridge and I met a new cousin (actually, Mommy's new second cousin) named Paloma. She's only one month old. Lots and lots of people were at Paloma's party, and I really liked playing with the big kids. In the afternoon, Aunt Sara and Uncle Josh and Great-Aunt Jeannie came to our house and we went out to a restaurant for Jeannie's birthday. I helped her blow out the candles on her birthday cake. (She is very old. There were FOUR candles on her cake!)
Sunday, November 22nd (45 weeks, 6 days): I saw my Nanna and Grampa this evening. They are on their way to see my Uncle John in Taiwan. They brought a bunch of packages in pretty paper and something called an advent calendar, whatever that is.
Tuesday, November 24th (46 weeks, 1 day): Did I mention about my teeth? I have been gnawing at my gums the last couple of weeks and now have the start of two front teeth to go with my fine three bottom ones!
Thursday, November 26th (46 weeks, 3 days): Wow, I got to see lots of people again today. We went to my godparents' house for Thanksgiving. Everyone ate lots of food, including me. Their dogs were very excited to see me -- too excited as far as I was concerned -- it took me a while before I was comfortable playing with them. Besides my godparents Kevin and Jennifer and second cousin Matthew, my Great-Uncle James was there, along with my "aunts" Natalie, Ginny, Laura, and Lillian, and "uncle" David. They're all first or second cousins of Mommy's. Kevin's mother and his brothers were also there.
Sunday, November 29th (46 weeks, 6 days): Dad planted a tree in our family room today, and then he put all sorts of shiny things on it. It has pretty lights and some Mickeys and doggies. Dad then took lots of pictures of me in a nice new dress next to the tree. It was interesting for a minute or two but after that I just decided to ignore it.
Tuesday, December 1st (47 weeks, 1 day): Mom and Dad started opening up little doors on that Advent Calendar today. I wish I could reach it so I could open all the doors but it is too high for me. They only appear to open one door at a time.
Saturday, December 5th (47 weeks, 5 days): I finally got to see all my friends from Gymboree class again. I missed them last week. We also went to a big shopping place where someone took a bunch of photos of me in my nice red dress.
Tuesday, December 8th (48 weeks, 1 day): I can do the three-step stumble pretty well now. Dad or Mom usually catch me as I tumble on that third step. Sometimes I catch myself by grabbing onto the couch if it is close enough. Dad started calling me Gus-Gus tonight after mom made some comment about my belly and the movie Cinderella. I do not know what all of this is about, but Dad likes it and Mom does not. I trust Mom's judgment more than Dad's.
Wednesday, December 16th (49 weeks, 2 days): I've been home sick from school for two days! It's so boring at home. This morning, I got my shoes and and kept saying "bye-bye" to Dad but he didn't get the hint that I wanted to leave! He took me to the doctor in the evening and they took some more pictures of my chest. I did NOT like that one bit! I have an ear infection and broncholitis, so I have to take some yum-yum medicine. Mom is away on a business trip so Dad had to put me to bed.
Friday, December 18th (49 weeks, 4 days): Well, at least a little change! Dad's been home with me for three days, and today Mom stayed home with me. At least some babysitters have been coming over in the afternoons to play with me.
Sunday, December 20th (49 weeks, 6 days): Wow, what a day! We went to a Holiday Cookie Exchange Party that my Aunt Sara gave. There were so many people there -- I wasn't too sure about that. There were some big kids, though, and I liked playing with them. After the party, we stayed and had dinner with Aunt Sara and Uncle Josh, and also Great-Aunt Jeannie. That was a lot of fun! I gave them presents (a picture of me in a nice frame) and, just in case they didn't know, I told them "baby" when they opened the gift. Everyone seemed to get a kick out of that!
Monday, December 22nd (50 weeks): Did I tell you that I can say a lot of words now? Mom and Dad are amazed. I like to say "peek-boo" when they play peek-a-boo with me. Daddy and I play "Marco Polo" but instead of saying "Marco" and answering "Polo", I say "Da-ee" and he answers "Alex". I have him so well-trained. I also help my parents read books. In my "Opposites" book, I say "bye bye" after they say "hello". In another book, I stick out my tongue whenever they get to the part about "tongues". Finally, in my doggie book, I howl at the part when the doggies howl at the moon. It helps my parents because sometimes they don't read it right, you know!
Wednesday, December 23rd (50 weeks, 2 days): I'm visiting my grandparents in a place called San Luis Obispo, California! It was great fun getting here, although my parents didn't seem to think so. First, we drove in the car to a big building that had a lot of people with bags everywhere. Then we went through a door into a room with rows and rows of seats. We sat in the very last row. There were these nice ladies called "flight attendants" who kept telling me how cute and sweet and nice and smart I was. The big room seemed to wobble around a bit, and my parents kept feeding me. After a while, it got boring so I just slept. When I woke up, we were leaving the big room and went into another place that had lots of people with bags. My parents seemed very upset. Something about missing a connection. We waited in several lines. I enjoyed sitting in my stroller and watching all the commotion. After a while, we rode in a van and went to a hotel. I thought that was neat! I crawled all around, exploring. My parents put me in the big bed between them, and I finally fell asleep because they turned out the lights, they were both asleep (I poked them a few times, just to make sure) and I got bored. In the morning, we went back in the van, back to the big place with people-and-bags, and into a smaller room with rows of seats. We sat in the last row again, only for about an hour. When we left that room, we found my grandparents!
Thursday, December 24th (50 weeks, 3 days): It is so much fun at my grandparents' house! I've discovered that they will pick me up much faster than my parents will. I barely have to yell, and they get me. My parents must not be very well trained. My Uncle Jeffrey arrived today, too.
My First Christmas (50 weeks, 4 days): My grandparents have a tree growing in their living room too. Today, we all sat around the tree and opened up the pretty boxes. I got some nice clothes and lots of little toys to play with. I also got a BIG Doggy -- he is bigger than me and I like to give him lots of hugs.
Saturday, December 26th (50 weeks, 5 days): Today we went to visit some cows. My Grandpa said they were "his" cows -- they were at Cal Poly's agricultural farm. There were lots of little calves like the ones in one of my books. The big cows scared me a little bit but Mommy and Daddy were there so it was not too bad. We watched all the cows line up and go through a machine to get milk. There was a lot of milk.
Sunday, December 27th (50 weeks, 6 days): What a fun day. Mom, Dad, Grandma, and I went to the ocean. I got to see some seals and to play in the sand near the water. I almost got wet when a big wave came up to where Grandma and I were throwing pebbles into the water.
Monday, December 28th (51 weeks): We went to a place called Solvang today. Mommy and Daddy said it was Danish community but I did not see that many danishes in the bakery we went to. It was a very sunny, warm day so we walked a lot. I got to taste some of Grandma's ice cream which was very good.
Tuesday, December 29th (51 weeks, one day): What a long day. We went on another car ride to a place called Cambria where we had a nice lunch with Grandma and Grandpa. We also visited a town called Harmony which only has 18 people! I think there are more people in some of my Gymboree classes than that! In the evening, we said good-bye to Grandma and Grandpa and got on a plane again. We went to that place called LAX but did not stay at the hotel this time. Instead we just got on another airplane. I was very tired and slept some of the trip but apparently not as much as Daddy and Mommy wanted me to. They kept telling me to go to sleep whenever I woke up.
Wednesday, December 30th (51 weeks, two days): We got home today. Everyone went to sleep and rested alot.
Thursday, December 31th (51 weeks, three days): What a fun day. I got to go back to school today and tell Miss Lynda and Miss Lisa and all my playmates about my exciting trip. They were all glad to see me. In the evening, lots of people came to visit. It was all the people Mommy and Daddy know who have one child. That meant my friends Christina Buffo, Max Eddy-Moulton, Christina York, and Matthew Cunningham all came to play at my house. Great-Aunt Jeannie and Great-Aunt Lucy also came. It was so much fun that I fell asleep about 9:00 o'clock.
Friday, January 1st(51 weeks, four days): Everyone except for Great-Aunt Jeannie and Mom and Dad were gone this morning when I woke up. It did not take long to get bored with Dad again.
My First Birthday, January 5, (1 year): I thought there was supposed to some big celebration for my birthday but apparently not. Daddy got up really early this morning and kissed me. He did not come home tonight, but instead was in the telephone in a place called Houston. Miss Tracy picked me up from school though and that was cool. She stayed with me until Mommy came home later.
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