The Holidays Are Coming!

It's not even Thanksgiving yet, but Christmas is already here! Actually, I think Christmas arrived a couple of hours before Halloween was even over if you base it on when the stores started getting rid of the orange and black and changing to red and green decorations. No exceptions in our house ... Mommy has gotten in the full swing of things, too! Our Christmas tree has been up for almost two weeks now, but mostly because Mommy wanted to use it for our Christmas cards that she ordered this week (look for them in the mail, but knowing Mommy, you may not see them until New Year ... maybe Chinese New Year ... maybe Christmas of NEXT year ... so don't hold your breath). The card is going at the top of our Christmas card tree -- sorry Clerkin girls -- but she wanted to make sure it was deserving of its place. Hope you enjoy!

Various outtakes that did not make it on to the card ...

Another big part of the holidays is a visit to Santa. Mommy has been looking forward to taking me even PRE-me when she first found out she was pregnant. And ever since she joined her playgroup, she had this vision of all the babies visiting Santa together. Well, the playgroup went together just as she planned, but we weren't able to go since Mommy had to work, so she and Daddy took me to Santa the next weekend. I was in a weird mood that day, so I didn't really laugh ... but at least I didn't cry, either! I did, however, get a big kick out of checking myself out in my picture after I got home. :)

Me and Santa. My shirt says "Elf Sized".

School is going well. My teachers are fun, and my best friend is Sofia. I haven't been sick nearly as much as I was before, but I do have a perpetual runny nose. I hear that it's pretty much expected between the months of October and March. Blech. But I can guarantee you, if I even see Mommy or Daddy holding a Kleenex, I'm outta there!

Trying to run away from the Kleenex. Can you see the shiny snot?

Pouty after the wiping

I'm very much enjoying eating grown-up food. I like it best when Mommy and Daddy just hand me something to gnaw at instead of trying to feed me. The next thing I need to master, though, is the whole cup thing. For some reason, I usually end up drenched and thirsty! Luckily I can always depend on that trusty straw.

A slight drinking problem. It goes in, but sometimes it comes back out.

This week is Thanksgiving which is exciting because Mommy and Daddy will be home with me for four whole days! I'm doubtful that they'll take me shopping on Black Friday, but I'm sure we'll find ways to have fun. As always, more pictures are in my November album (including the ones Mommy thinks are hilarious and on her blog) and will continue to be added throughout the month, so check it often!

Fall Festivities (Finally!)

Sorry it's taken me so long to post! Things have been a little crazy here. As promised, here were my many fall festivities ...

Woman, what is it with you and taking pictures of me eating bananas?!

With the weather so nice, all of us (snotty-nosed, drooly) babies have been meeting at the lake for our playgroup. Living in Texas, there's really only about 2 months during the year you can really do this, so our mommies have been taking advantage of it as much as possible!

Me and Logan

All the Camelot Cuties mommies got together and threw us a Halloween party! It was tons of fun with lots of my playfriends there that I haven't seen in a long time. I hope that it becomes a tradition. I got to wear my costume for the first time ... I was a ladybug. I didn't want to wear my antennaes though, so Mommy gave me my own antennaes instead.

So when you call my "pumpkin", what are you saying exactly?

Sofia and I playing. You should see the trouble we get in at school!

Juliet and I sharing a snack.

Daddy and Mommy went on a quest to find me the starter swings that we knew existed in the neighborhood. They're just down the street from us. Yay!

Doh

Next on the social calendar was Emily's Pumpkin Carving Party. Mommy was sooo impressed by all the decorations and creative foods; she keeps saying that she's going to throw a party like that someday, too. We'll see. I have a feeling we'll just be going to Emily's party each year instead. :) Since I was too little to carve, I got to play with lots of Emily's toys.

Vrooom, vroom

The next week, Mommy and I had a special day out at the Arboretum. We met up with Abby and her mommy to enjoy the Mommy and Me activities. We had tons of fun!

Abby and Me

Picking a nice flower

To eat, of course

Finally, it was actually Halloween! Mommy and I passed out candy to all the kids (well, I held out the candy, but I didn't always want to let go), and Daddy let me try a lollipop ... mmm, it was good!

Franken-fish

My first Halloween is over; I hear Christmas is fun, too!

Later that weekend, Mommy and I met up with Kaylie and her mommy for lunch and to play at the playground. We had tons of fun climbing and racing through the tubes together. We must get together more often!

On your mark, get set, go!

Giggling together

So, that's it! Well, the short version, anyways. There were so many pictures, I updated not only my own October photo album but even created separate albums for the Cuties' Halloween Party, the Bauer Pumpkin Carving Party, and my lunch with Kaylie!

9-Month Check-Up

I know, I know, I know ... I owe you pictures and updates from Halloween and all my fun Fall activities. Soon, soon, I promise! Quickly, though, I went to my 9-month well-baby check-up today. Results:

• Height: 27.5 inches (55%)
• Weight: 18 lbs, 10.5 oz (55%)
• Head: 17.25 (50%)

I never thought I'd be just average, but it looks like I'm right there in the middle. Mommy knew that I was thinning out; must be all that exercise from crawling and pulling up! Don't worry, though, I still have the Michelin arms and chubby thighs. The doctor said that I'm happy, well-adjusted, and doing great!

I ♥ OBX!

We're home! Last week, Daddy, Mommy, and I went to a Pee-union in the Outer Banks, NC to celebrate Auntie Daphne and Uncle Drew's wedding. I was super, super good on the plane ride and drive there; Daddy gave me an A+!

Oh, geez. Not this plane thing again.

The wedding itself was beautiful, and I had such a good time all week. In addition to the rehearsal dinner and wedding, we had a crab boil, went to the beach, and visited the Aquarium! Mommy and Daddy even snuck in a date while Nai-Nai and Ye-Ye took good care of me.

Can I try some? I'm thinking Mommy says no.

The Pees

Mush! Mush!

I loved meeting all my Aunties and Uncles on Daddy's side for the first time, and they sure seemed to like spoiling me! I was also excited to meet Auntie Daphne because Mommy says she thinks I look like her. I hope I'm as cool as she is someday.

It's like looking in a future mirror!

An extra bonus was that I got to sleep with Mommy and Daddy lots. Funny how sharing a house with 7 other people gets them out of bed faster than usual. Hehe.

This silly hat again?

Nice stroll on the beach

Sand and sun makes me sleepy

Later in the week, we moved from the rental house in Corolla to Charlie's house in Nags Head. I got to play with Charlie all weekend while Mommy got to play with Auntie Nina, Auntie Debbie, and Auntie Syndee; Daddy drank lots of beer with Uncle Giang and Uncle Danny.

What do you mean we have to play together all weekend?!

Wanna try mine?

Sure, why not?

It was raining and windy, so we were stuck inside, but it was perfect because there was lots of catching up to do! We had another crab boil, went out to eat, watched lots of football (hook 'em horns!), and took lots of naps ... my kind of weekend!

Best of friends

Reading about ducks in matching duckie PJ's!

Choo-choo!

I have to admit, though, I was pretty excited to be coming home to play with my own toys. Only downside was that I have to sleep in my own bed again. Bummer.

Shhh, we're having a stare down

Typical man -- sitting on the couch in his underwear with a remote in his hand

Now we're the best of friends!

I think I'll let some pictures speak for themselves, but you should definitely check out my October photo album for more pictures of moi. :) Mommy has also created two vacation photo albums where you can see even MORE pictures from our trip (including ones without me in them, but I don't know why you'd want to see those! Hehe).

OBX Part I: Corolla
OBX Part II: Nags Head

Five and Six and Eight

Eight month pic with my friend Pooh

"Eight" is because I'm eight months old! In terms of milestones, I guess this one isn't a huge one for the general population -- I don't get to see my doctor, clothes are 6-9 months, and food would still be Stage 2 -- but Mommy still celebrated with me.

I like to eat apples and banshnammans

I left a Cheerio down here to save as a snack for later!

I went to Molly's 1st birthday party recently. It was fun! I was a little scared of the doggies -- I must have gotten that from Daddy -- but I really liked the water table and playing outside. It's hard to believe that my friends from my playgroup are already starting to have birthdays!

One last swing for old times sake before I let the Perhirin twins borrow my papasan. Whee!

Last week, Mommy thought I was getting a runny nose, so she stayed home with me on Friday. By Friday afternoon, it was a full-blown cold with snot bubbles and all! Then, on Saturday, I showed Mommy who's boss and gave her my cold. I was so effective, she was uber-sick by Sunday -- cold sweats, migraines, cough, and terrible sore throat. Poor Mommy!

You're not going to leave me in here, are you?

She and Daddy decided that if I was feeling as badly as she was feeling, I needed to see a doctor asap. They took me to Acute Kids (after the Cowboys game was done), and the doctor gave me more antibiotics. Since I just finished a round of meds, he gave me something with a broader spectrum (whatever that means). At the end of the appointment, he asked Mommy if there was anything else she needed, and she asked him if he would look at her throat, too. He did and said that her throat looked worse than mine and she should go to her doctor (although I don't see why my doctor couldn't do it ... he had popsicles!). Since we were both sick and wanted to keep from Daddy getting it, too, I got to sleep with Mommy that night. Hehe.

I don't LOOK like a troublemaker, huh? :)

On Monday, I stayed home with Mommy again even though she wasn't feeling well at all. We went to go visit her doctor who gave her the same medicine I'm taking! But I don't think hers tastes as good as mine; they look like horse pills! Then on Tuesday morning, Mommy stayed home with me while she tried to recover more before going back to work this afternoon; she was trying to wait 24 hours from when she had a fever. No fever = no contagious cooties, right? Even though it was fun hanging out with Mommy all those days, I also had a good time returning to school to play with my friends.

This one tastes good, but that ones looks better

Mommy and Daddy are having a hard time keeping up with me and my crawling. They're planning out where to put the gates to pen me in, but for now they just chase me around and try to keep up. As for my talking, in addition to "boo-boo", "ya", "aya", and "eh?", I've mastered "baba", "dada", and "papa". "Bada", "daba", and "paba" even gets thrown in there as variations. As for "mama"? That sneaks out every so often, usually when I'm upset.

Hmmm ... nope

Oh, yeah. "Five and Six"? That would be Tooth #5 and Tooth #6. I've got two more coming up on the bottom, and they sure are making me cranky! Mommy created my October album where there are lots more pictures!

Just checking who's at the door. You coming to visit soon?