24 months

IT'S MY BIRTHDAYYYY!!!  Mommy and Daddy have been walking around like goofs signing happy birthday and asking me how old I am and trying to teach me how to blow...they are weird!  Anyways, back to my picture.  Grandma Ritterbusch picked out this fabric because this is going to be my very last monthly photo.  She picked out fabric that's printed with pictures from Dr. Seuss's book "Oh the Places You'll Go".  Cute idea, right?

So, here's what's new with me.  I am very much a parrot these days and repeat almost everything you say.  I get very concerned about where all my people are when I can't see them right in the room so I am often asking "where Daddy" or "where G-mma".  If you tell me they are going to the bathroom I will repeat "Daddy pooped" about 87 times to anyone that will listen.  I must be getting funny too because Mommy is always laughing at what I say.  Yesterday I was pointing and saying piggy bank.  Mommy asked if I knew what was inside a piggy bank and I replied "bacon".  She thought that was particularly funny.  I love to dip my food and my most favorite thing to dip is "chop-it" (Ketchup).  I love watermelon, grapes and raisins the best and am FINALLY drinking milk again after Mommy took my bottles away.

I know letters and numbers though they aren't ever in the right order.  I love when I see letters to start pointing and naming them off (I don't usually get them right, but it's a start!!).  I had so much fun at the zoo the other weekend that now I'm really into naming the animals that I see.  Those "Ef-ants" (elephants) on the backdrop really had me interested. Birds and Planes are still my favorite things to point out when we're outside though.  Whenever I hear or see them I put my hand to my cheek and say "I hear it".

I recently started loving my "bike-a-rides" with Mom and Dad.  We went on many while we were camping and they were so much fun!!  I love to be outside actually.  Yesterday I was helping Mommy pull "wees" (weeds) and even that was fun.  I try to smell the flowers whenever I see them but instead of inhaling, I exhale loudly.  And the weather!  I love to exclaim what type of weather it is out side.  Like "raining" or "wet" or "hot" or "cold".  Though I usually get it right when it's rain, I often get my opposites mixed up and say "cold" when I really mean "hot".  Same with "up" and "down".  I'll be reaching my arms up at you from the ground and be saying "down pees".

Mommy says she'll probably keep up with some monthly posts about me back on her other blog so she can keep track of all the cute things I'm doing.  So, look for me over there.  Thanks for spending the last two years with me here on this blog.  Love you all lots and lots!!!

Outtakes:

23 Months

Mommy had a hard time picking my picture this month so there are a few out takes at the end.  Also - she says she's sorry for the wrinkled background :O)  You're probably wondering what's new with me these days.  Well, let's see.  I graduated from my high chair to my own little kids table, but my favorite place to eat is sitting right at the big kid table with Mom and Dad.  I very loudly declare "chair" while shaking my head to convince you I'm big enough to sit at the table.  Actually, that's how I try to convince you to say "yes" to everything.  By saying "Caillou", "B-Bears" (Berenstain Bears), "Mickey", "Nack" (Snack), "Fire" (Paci) while shaking my head so you'll subconsciously say "sure honey" to me.  I've picked up a few funny phases along the way this month too.  I say "yes dear" like Daddy says to Mommy and "Siwwy Abby" (silly Abby) or "my baby" like Daddy says when he's holding me so tight I can't move.

This past week I went on vacation with Mom and Dad to the lake house in Wisconsin.  It was lots of fun but it took me the whole week to get used to going in the lake.  I started out very scared of it, but by the end of the week I was tossing rocks in and walking in waist deep all by myself.  That is until Lily pushed me off the pier when she went by.  Good thing Grandma was right there to jump in and save me!! She's my hero.  While on vacation I got to eat my first candy (thanks for the blue shark gummies Daddy!) and got my first "skeego" bites.  Those bugs are sure annoying.

I'm putting together full sentences now and eating great with my "poon" and fork.  Some of my new favorite foods are cereal with milk, "asauce" (applesauce), and the raspberries from our backyard.  I still love my swing more than anything and will demand to go "side" (outside) even on the coldest, rainiest days.  I'm an outside girl for sure, except when it comes to watching my cartoons.  Oh, and I can jump now with both feet!  Up until now my jumping looked a lot more like skipping...but not anymore!  And dancing, boy, that's one of my favorites.  Especially when Mommy and Daddy and everyone else join in.

Outtakes:
Mommy says these two outtakes pictures really show my personality these days.  Does that mean she thinks I'm a little crazy???  Or silly?  Well, she's probably right.

22 Months

It's summer time around here guys and I've been loving every minute that I get to be outside.  Mommy and Daddy have had a blast showing me all kinds of things we do in the summer.  I got a sandbox and I love to put the sand in the dogs water bowls.  And then, I stand in them and splash all the water/sand out.  Or sometimes, I get down on all fours and drink out of the dish like the doggies do...Mom doesn't like it when I do that but I know she's just trying not to laugh!  I got a little pool for the backyard too.  I know, we've got a BIG pool, but it's still a little cold yet and plus, I like that I can stand up in my purple pool.  I also got my own Popsicle and ate ice cream for the first time with Mom and Dad this weekend.  I LOVE SUMMER!!!

Outtakes:

*Mom said this one was just too cute not to share!

21 Months

Guys!  I've missed you.  So much has changed since my last picture.  But, first things first, my fabric.  Do you love it as much as I do?  My Auntie Erin gave it to me...she said she envisioned me flying around in space when she bought it.  I know, I know, I'm sitting here but that's only because I move so fast these days that I come out all blurry in the pictures.

Do you love my tights and skit?  Grandma got me those this weekend, oh and, do you see my braid?  She did that too.  It's the first time I've EVER left anything in my hair for more than 3 minutes....maybe Mommy needs to master the braids too.

What's new with me?  Well, I just started tumbling classes.  I'm much younger than the other kids in class and I just had my first lesson last week so I've got a lot of learning to do.  I don't sit down patiently and listen like the other kids and I don't really know what I'm supposed to be doing, but that trampoline, it's my MOST FAVORITE thing.  It's seriously as long as the building and though I don't understand jumping on it...I do run at full speed all the way down it.  Mommy and Daddy can't even keep up.

I've learned so many words this last month that Mommy can't even keep track, but I've started using sentences and am learning how to use my words to get what I want.  A few weeks ago if I wanted something and couldn't get it I'd cry and cry...Mommy taught me how to say "help me" and now I come running down the hall saying "hep me hep me" until someone comes to help.  I also got two fish in the last month.  They are my favorite.  They are the first thing I say hi to in the morning and I even tell them "la loo" at night when I go to bed.  I love feeding them.  I call them "shisheee's".

20 months

Hello world!!!  Can you believe there is "no" on the ground today?  I couldn't either!  This morning when we got out of the car at the babysitters house I just kept saying "no. no. no."  Momma was confused for a minute because I usually LOVE going to the sitters, then she realized I was pointing to that white stuff all over the ground; "no".

Aside from the snow today the weather is finally getting nicer and Mommy and Daddy are taking me outside to play more.  The other weekend we were at Grandma's house and I ran around the yard for a whole hour just carrying my "purse" (A little doll house with a handle) and talking to the dogs.  This weekend we went to Grandma Bubby's lake house and I played with sand outside on the deck for a few hours.  I'm loving all this freedom Momma's giving me and I can't wait until it gets nicer outside everyday.  The neighbors even let me go down their slide and jump on their little trampoline.  I'm ready for summer!!!

I've added lots of new words to my vocabulary in the last month.  Daddy was so excited when I said "tat-tat" and pointed to the thermostat.  He had it in his mind that if he showed me the thermostat every day and told me what it was called maybe it would be my first word.  It wasn't but it's probably in my top 100 words now.  I also started say "yah you" or "la loo".  They both mean Love You and Mommy's been trying to get me to say that for 6 months now.  "Bipper" is another one of my new favorite words.  Any coat you put on me better have a "bipper" or I'll be mad and ask you about it 27 times.  Snaps are SO NOT the same!

We play the Opposite Game at the house a lot lately.  Well, not so much opposites, just "no".  I say "no" to just about every question you ask me....even when I mean yes.  So, if you asked me if I wanted a "gah-key" (cookie) I'd say "no" but man am I mad when you say ok, and put the cookies away without giving me one!

I've known that Dogs say "ruff ruff" (in a very high pitched voice) and that Lions say "raarrr" (sometimes whispered) for awhile now but I surprised Mom when she randomly asked what a Cat and Cow say...and I knew!  Mom's silly...doesn't she know the kids at daycare teach me new thing every day?!?!

We haven't done any outtake pictures for awhile, but this one was just too darn cute for Mommy to resist.  It nearly made the cut if I'd been just a little farther back and my hand hadn't been blurry.  These photos are getting harder and harder for Momma to take.  I just don't want to sit/stand still.  Four more months and we're calling this project finished!

19 months

Can you tell that I'm one WILD lady?  Well, my shaggy hair doesn't help.  Daddy keeps telling Mommy it's time to cut it but she wants my bangs to grow long so I can tuck them behind my ears.  Time to get me some clips and rubber bands Momma!!!

Did you know that my Mom quilts?  This fabric is actually for a quilt shes making otherwise she would have washed the wrinkles out.  You probably want to know what's new with me these days.  Well, I've started to LOVE coloring.  Well, scribbling.  Specifically with Daddy's pencils that he always has in his pockets.  Don't even try to hide them from me; I'll throw a fit.  Mom didn't mind until I started to push harder and thought that EVERY surface was for coloring, including our hardwood floors and bathroom tile.  It didn't take her long to buy me a Magna-doodle after that.  My new favorite word is "My" for mine!  Oh, and boy can I throw a fit if I don't get what I want.  I can turn on the water works in under a second.

Mom's been trying to teach me to say "Go Pack, Go".  It comes out more like "Go, Go, Go" but we all know what I mean.  Daddy's NOT a fan.  Oh and, the other day I surprised Mom when I picked up an apple off the floor (she was cleaning out the fridge) and said "apple".  She hadn't taught me that word but I picked it up at daycare.  Then, she was even more surprised when I proceeded to bite into the whole apple.  I finished the entire thing!!!  "A-boos" and "Nannies" (Bananas) are some of my new favorites and I demand them soon as I get home from the sitters.

18 months

Guys, did you know that my half birthday is on Valentines day??!?!  I can already tell that means that I'm going to get some extra special Valentines day presents from Mommy and Daddy.  My fabric came from Bubby.  She got it because she said she's going to buy me a cupcake every year for my birthday.  Since it's my half birthday maybe I'll get one on Friday too??  We'll see.

What's new with me?  Daddy says its time for a haircut but Momma's holding out.  She wants to grow my bangs long and she can't wait to put my hair in tiny pigtails and ponies.  I can crawl up onto the couch now all by myself and I can make it all the way down the stairs alone too.  Momma's been trying like crazy to get me to say "love you" but that's just not coming out.  I do however say baby all the time since meeting baby Stella and last weekend Grandma taught me how to say Kayden.  Daddy taught me to say "roar" (in a very quite voice) if you ask me what a Lion says.  And grandma taught me "meow" for kitties last weekend too.  We're working on "woof woof" for dogs and "moo" for cows.  This month I tried pears for the first time along with nuts and grilled cheese.

See you next month!

17 months

Momma said its time to strike a pose and this is what she got.  I'm no baby anymore!!  I've got more words that she can count but my favorites are still Owl, Doggie and Daddy.  The other morning I was talking away in my crib before Mom and Dad woke up and when I got bored I loudly proclaimed "I want see Daddy!".

Now that Momma finally understands that I don't want her to help me eat (I can do it myself) I'm eating all kinds of things.  I love salmon, pomegranate seeds, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, fruit and of course cookies!  Some funny things I've been doing is hitting my head with my hand and saying "owwie" (while laughing), jumping (my feet never leave the ground but I'm sure I'm going really high and need to sit down when I'm done), dancing whenever I hear music, rolling my eyes and randomly laying down in the middle of the floor like it's time for bed (for all of 1.2 seconds before I'm up and running again).

Oh, and I almost forgot, my fabric.  This month's came from Bubby.  She said she got it because Bubby's pancakes are a tradition for the Murphy/McGrath's.  Momma also likes it a lot because slow mornings and big breakfasts are one of our favorite parts of the weekends these days.  We always have eggs and toast or pancakes or something yummy together at least one of the mornings.

Also, Momma wanted to show you all this picture.  She was getting the camera/lighting all set for our little shoot.  You might be wondering why I don't have any pants on and it looks like I'm about to take off my diaper.  Well, that's because stripping is my new favorite thing to do these days.  Pants last all of about a minute and socks are even shorter.  Momma lets me as long as I don't take my diaper off but as soon as I do that I go back into my jammies that zip all the way up and snap at the top.  Sort of like a baby straight jacket.  She's told me she's OVER this stage and won't be sad when I've outgrown it.