Try my specialty: Sugar, Pepper and Sour Cream tea with water. Served hot - you have to hold the handle on the teacup so you don’t get burned. Want some more? Of course you do. You want at least 6 cups and I’ll make a new pot for a few more.

You know what else is good? Candy. I want some candy. And gum. Can I have some gum. Ok, after breakfast? Can I have some candy? Not before breakfast either? I want a Capri Sun. Or juice. Can I have some joosch?

Can I water the plants? Of course. Do you want your plants really watered? Or just a little watered? You give me the watering can or the hose and I’ll tell you I’m watering the plants, but I’ll really just spray and splash and get everything wet except the plants. And you can’t take the hose away from me… I’m not done. You water your own plants on your own time, okay?

I had my first sleepover - at Nana and Papa’s house - this week. Mommy went to Summerfest and I got to hang out, stay up late and eventually go to sleep in Nana and Papa’s living room. Mommy got home late after the Bon Jovi concert and I was good and let her sleep (ok, I made Nana get up) – however, Elise woke Mommy up anyways. Oh well, I tried.

I got to go with Elise to her friend Hadley’s birthday party last night. I got really, really crabby and Elise didn’t want to sit still for the outdoor movie, but everyone stayed dry when it started to sprinkle and still had a lot of fun.  Happy 3rd birthday Hadley!

Daddy made a pool in our yard today! I only got to put my toes in since it was my naptime and the water was pretty chilly, but my sister splashed around for hours! Our neighbor Katie came over to see the pool too. She got in with her clothes on!

Playing outside all day made us both really tired. After an early dinner and an early bath came an early bedtime. We’re both going to sleep good tonight!

You got it. I am three months old. I’m well over 14 lbs, have been sleeping through the night (for the past week) and get a lot of face time with the ladies (that’d be Mommy, Elise and daycare Kay). I take two naps, one in the morning and a longer one in the afternoon. I sleep best when I’m on my tummy (don’t worry Dr. Minster, “back to sleep” is for wimpy babies who can’t do pushups like me). I eat 4-5 times a day… formula only for now, but I’m looking forward to next month when we’ll start cereal. I’m reaching at toys and swat at the ones that hang in front of me. I strain my neck to watch tv when it’s on no matter what the show is – girly or not. And I have dimples too – they’re visible when I smile, and I do that a lot, especially when you get down to my level and make goofy faces. Who can’t not smile back?

I went to my first gymnastics class and I can’t wait the next one! We run around an obstacle course over a slide, under a bridge, swing from the rings and jump on a trampoline. Then we climb a huge inflatable wall and jump to the other side. Finally, we walk the balance beam to a long trampoline and jump into a pit of foam squares. Next week we’re going to learn to somersault backwards! Watch out Mary Lou and Nadia!

Happy Father’s Day! And, Happy First Day of Summer too!

My Godfather Ryan graduation from high school and we drove all the way to Michigan for his party. It was lots and lots of fun. I got to hang out with my Grandma, aunts and uncles, cousins, and second cousins. Everybody is a lot bigger than me and Evan, but that was cool because they all wanted to play with me. I played pool. Banged the drums for Rock Band. Played some bocci and that golfball toss game (I wasn’t very good). The highlight of the afternoon, which was very uncool to me, was when I lost my balloon. Up, up, up it went. I was real sad. I needed my Dada (yes, I’m using lots of baby words lately…probably for Evan’s sake and not just for attention, but the jury is still out on that). While I sobbed, everyone watched my balloon float straight up into the sky. For quite a long time it went straight up and we all watched it for a good 10-15 minutes. That part was pretty neat. And as soon as I got another balloon I completely forgot about the lost one.

My first road trip to Michigan!! As expected, I was the big hit (forget that it was my cousin’s graduation… all the relatives showed up because I made the trip over). Everyone wanted to hold me. Everyone wanted to say hi. I was so busy that I never got a good nap, didn’t eat a decent meal, and was crabby and gassy all day. I got a little touch of something too – stuffy and snotty and a slight fever. Daddy was really worried that I’d be a real pain on the drive home, but I think I proved him wrong by sleeping the whole way except for our stop to the state park where I got some lunch and Daddy and Elise went for a hike. They brought me back a snail. I’ve never seen a snail!

It’s good to be home in our own beds. Even though we had a great time in Michigan and we miss everyone terribly, the 5+ hour takes a lot out of you. Off to bed. G’nite!

It was a quiet Sunday morning. The mom was preparing breakfast. The baby had just been startled awake and was starting to cry. The girl was asked to help out her little brother and give him his pacifier to help calm him back to sleep. Suddenly… a sneeze! A scream! Booger! Pandemonium! Baby crying. Girl yelling. Mom telling them both to calm down while, instead of getting a tissue, grabs the camera instead. Future embarrassment now officially recorded.

Earlier this week I tripped and skinned my knee so bad that it was impossible for me to walk. I know… how can a little scratch do that much damage? I was surprised too. But Mommy got video of it and posted it on Flickr. Click around and you’ll find it. And check out the rainbow we saw too! It’s a double one.

I will admit that I’ve not been the most precious of children lately. I miss my Daddy – he’s been working in Detroit again this week and he’s the guy that keeps me in line. I actually go to sleep when he tucks me in (I sneak out looking for hugs/kisses/water/missing toys/blankets/too dark/too noisy/too hot/not sleepy when Mommy tucks me in). New rule is to go to bed earlier. They tell me I actually sleep longer when I go to bed earlier. If it backfires, we’ll all be watching the sun rise every day this week.

I got a movie too! It’s over there on Flickr next to Elise. It’s me talking. Well, “my” talking. I am a very good conversationalist. I have really intellectual conversations with the incredible people I meet – or anyone who talks back to me. I like people’s faces. If they make a big expression, I do too. Big smiles or scrunchy faces. And have I mentioned I like TV? Bad, bad. Mommy removed me from the situation today while Elise watched a show. Maybe we should get her to stop watching TV…

I’m already prepping myself for my big Michigan road trip and Carrier family debut! Cousin Ryan’s high school graduation party is next weekend. I can’t wait to meet everyone. I know that they will totally love me and say that I’m so cute. Cross your fingers that I – and Elise – travel well! It’s a 5 hour drive.

I’m full of compliments lately. Everyone tells me how nice I am or that I have a cute dress on… it’s time to return some of the compliments. My neighbor Maureen looked really nice today. Yesterday, I made sure that I said hello to Dave. And I always wave to Katie and Kenzie. They came over to play in my sandbox yesterday and we all played really nice.

I’m getting well-versed on big girl lingo too. I thank Mommy often for making a “delicious” dinner. I saw a photo of cupcake ice cream cones that were “scrumptious.” And after my nap, Daddy tells me we’ll go to the park… that sounds “fantastic.”

This was my first week of daycare and it went pretty well. It was a short week because of Memorial Day, but I got my fair share of baby duties in. I had a couple accidents and Mommy picked me up in different clothes on two days. We’re starting a clothing stockpile at Kay’s house for future accidents.

It’s because of me that Mommy has been spending so much time at home lately (two months to be exact), but now it’s time for her to go back to work. While I’ve thoroughly enjoyed staying home sleeping my days away, I can easily do the same thing at daycare. And at daycare I can be with my homeboys – Landon and Elliott. They’re a lot bigger than me, but it’s better than hanging out with all the girls here around home.

I also had my two month checkup. I’ve grown quite a bit! I weigh 13 lbs 4 oz. I’m 23.5 inches long. I’m no longer in 0-3 month clothes – 6 month sizes for me now.

We had a big neighborhood party and everyone liked my newest toys – a sand/water table and scooter bike. Everyone was dirty and wet within minutes. Of course, then the whining and fighting and tattling started, but it was still the most fun! Now that summer is officially here, we’re going to have more playdates with sand and driveway chalk and paint and trips to the park. I predict this to be one awesome summer!

Stay tuned to hear all about it!

We’re finally at the last week of Mommy’s maternity leave so we’re busy getting lots of stuff done with all of our free time. I needed a haircut. We made a date with friends and off to the mall we went. Haircut, shopping, lunch out… it was quite a day! And trust me… my hair was SO CUTE! With a little braid and everything…

But it wasn’t cute enough. In a quiet moment after dinner, I wanted to try my hand at making my hair look more pretty. I grabbed my little kid scissors, sat myself on the floor. I got the tip of the scissors into that pretty braid and snipped it off. Mommy screamed and pulled out a huge handful of hair. Then she cried and threw me in the bath (with no bubbles or crayons or tint colors even) and then to bed. I felt – and still feel – pretty bad about the whole situation.

And now I know that only Mommy and the salon lady cut my hair. Scissors are for paper.

Ha-ha! Oh yeah did Elise get it the other day. But I shouldn’t talk… I’ll probably do the same (or worse) when I get big.

And big I am already! I’m two months old tomorrow and wearing 3-6 month clothes. I can’t wait to see what my stats are at when we visit the doctor on Tuesday. I’m sure I gained another pound or two and another inch. I’m also very active – I like to kick. I kick off my blankets. I kick the bouncy seat to make the music play. I kick in the bath too so I look like a fish.

And I’m talking. Can rattle off the ABCs and the Gettysburg Address like nobody’s business. When I’m not reciting literature, I coo and grunt and gurgle. I’m very entertaining.

This little brother thing is getting old. I mean, he’s cute and all, but all he does is eat and sleep and sit around. I try to play with him – push his baby swing, cover him up with toys and blankets, get in his face and talk to him – but he just looks at me.

And then he cries. And he cries. It’s not very loud, but sometimes it keeps going and going, especially when Mommy can’t get to him fast enough. I get frustrated. I don’t know what to do. So I put my hands over my ears and scream. And trust me, I can really scream.

Being a little brother kinda’ stinks too. Yes, I am cute. And yes, I need my food and lots of naps to help me grow. And I’m learning every day that play time is super fun. But Elise’s hair tickles me when she gets too close and I don’t like that. Sometimes she pulls my leg (we’re not joking) and Mommy has to intervene to make sure I don’t get hurt. And I cry because I can’t talk – duh. If I get hungry or need a new diaper, all I can do to get myself heard is cry. Someone else screaming doesn’t make me stop… It makes it worse.

So before Mommy and Daddy go completely crazy, maybe we can stop the one-upping on the screaming? Cool.

It’s a gorgeous sunny Sunday here in Chicagoland. Perfect day to get outside, flag down the ice cream man and wash the car. And I’m the perfect helper for car washing because I love water and spraying the hose. After washing, Daddy took over and I went on to play with the hose, splash in the puddles and paint with water. And that’s when I got the warning: do not “color”  the car with any water because the car was already the color it needed to be – dry.

This week was wet for me too. I got my first sink bath. I was not happy about it – and Mommy was none to pleased either – but it got the job done and I was happy as a clam afterward. Being all bundley-snuggley and fresh and clean is the best feeling!

I’m sleeping a little better now… I sleep for 4-5 hours overnight giving Mommy and Daddy a good chunk of sleep. But when I wake up at 2am, I stay up for 2 hours. And here’s the funny part: I go back to sleep and get up to eat around 9am, but Elise gets up at 6:30am and wakes everyone up. Mommy misses sleeping in and doesn’t think this is funny. Hey – I never said it was funny for everyone.

Have a great week!

That means “you stink”, or “I don’t want to smell you (because you stink).” I say this a lot lately. To Mommy. To Daddy. But mostly to Evan because he smells like formula and it’s really gross. And then sometimes he throws up and that’s smelly too. Babies smell.

To get away from smells, I needed an R&R day… a little relaxation and some pampering. So I went to the Mommy Day Spa for a mani/pedi. It’s quite nice being pampered. And even when I wanted to help out and paint Mommy’s nails, she wouldn’t let me. She said that I needed to relax and chill out, take a load off. Oh, and to not spill the nail polish.

I’m having time this week too. I need the pampering (heh… get it? Pampering? As in Pampers? I’m in the next Swaddler size now - #1s). I don’t want to sleep in my crib. I’ll pass out in the swing, the bouncy seat, my floor mat and on people, but not the crib. We’re having a trial by fire contest right now. I’m winning. I was crying in the crib and now Daddy sat me in the Boppy on my floor mat. We’ll see where I sleep now, mwah-ha-ha-ha.

And I had my 1 month doctor appointment this week. I made it to double digits! I weigh 10 lbs, 14 oz and measure 22.5 inches.

We really enjoyed the weather this past week too. Went for a long walk with some friends and then had a garage pizza party. We stayed up really late too.