My St. Louis Trip!

I never got to post the pictures from our St. Louis trip, so here they
are! I sure had fun with my great grandparents (Great) Nana B. and Bobpa (not to be confused with my Nana, or Gram as she may decide to be called instead to prevent confusion...there are a lot of Nana's in my Mom's family already!). I got to do all sorts of cool stuff...They took me to Union Station, a cool old train station converted to a shopping mall and I ate lunch there with my Mom and Nana B. and boy did I make a lot of noise. Not so much crying, per se, but just baby gibberish and lots of if. Mom had to apologize to all the people sitting around our table. Nana B. said I am the most vocal baby she's ever met! I was just taking advantage of having an audience around us. We also got to go to the City Museum, a museum that uses reclaimed building fragments to create cool things to climb on. It was an architectural marvel and Mom was in hog heaven. She said all architects need to visit this place before they die! (http://www.citymuseum.org/home.asp). I definitely plan to go back there in a few years when I am old enough to climb around on everything. I'm sure I'll be able to climb well with my monkey toes, or my opposable thumbs for toes as Dad and Mom call them...

But because I can be such a handful for Mom, we mostly spent time hanging out at home with family. I got to see my Great Aunt Diane and Aunt Lynn a lot and my Great Uncle Bill and my second cousin Sam babysat me while Mom went to see Kayla play the cello at her recital. I gave those two a hard time and pitched a red-headed tantrum! I even refused to eat my dinner when they tried to feed me. I think I wore Uncle Bill down! I also got to play with my second cousins Kayla and Amelia a lot too while we were visiting and they are very fun, as I'm sure you can see in my 'Heston is the Best' video clip I posted a week or so ago! I also got to try out my musical skills on the piano...I really enjoyed banging on it and making lots of noise. Speaking of noise, (but nice noise, that is) Nana B. played the cello for me and I was absolutely mesmerized. The deep low sound of the cello had me transfixed for several minutes as she played and everyone is now convince that I may be the next Yo-Yo Ma, but with wild red hair. I do like an audience and making noise, so you never know! But out of this trip, Mom has decided that I will play a musical instrument of some sort...of my choosing of course...and that I'm not to be ALL brawn and focus solely on sports as my Daddy wants me to do!

Side Note about the pictures: The absolutely adorable photo of me in my coordinating blue hat and sweater was the outfit Nana B. made for me! I'm also supposed to point out that Nana B. doesn't have any makeup in some of these pictures and she'll probably be mortified that I posted them...but she looks far better than even a 20 year old would look without makeup, so she has nothing to worry about. Mom hopes she looks that good when she's a great grandmother one day!

Thanksgiving Pics

We had a wonderful time with the Alvords, Carlson's and Johnson's on my mom's side and the Lazenby's, Rogers, and McMahon's on my Dad's side over Thanksgiving. It was exciting being able to see all my family and I even got to play with Adelyn Rogers, my second cousin, who is 4 months younger than me. I just know we will have fun playing one day!

I'm a Big Boy!

What the...? Hey, get your nose out of my biz, doggie! Yes, I'm aware that I need a diaper change, thanks...

My first Thanksgiving was awesome and the best part about it, besides getting to see all my family, was the food! And I'm not talking milk either, because although that's good and I can't do without it, it doesn't compare to sweets! I got to have my first real food yesterday...Mom fed me sweet potatoes and boy was it tasty. I wasn't quite sure about it at first, because it was different than anything I've ever had, but I definitely started to enjoy it. Nana doctored it up with sugar and cinnamon for Thanksgiving dinner and Mom thought it would be the perfect real food to try out first...she was right! Then when we went back to my grandparents house today, my Mom fed me mashed bananas. Those were just as good! I also tried one small spoonful of pumpkin pie (without the pie crust of course) and my grandpa gave me a tiny spoonful of his ice cream. It was an evening of new and interesting flavors! I could get use to this big-boy food thing...although Mom says I'm going to have to start eating veggies too and I'm not so sure about that. Keep the sweets coming, but I'll pass on the bunny food...

I'm also very proud to announce that I have two new pearly whites coming in on the top. (Mom's mortified because I bit her a few times today...I won't disclose where). But the nice thing about having more teeth is that I'm that much closer to sinking them into a nice big steak...or a hamburger...or BBQ...or pizza...or a fried turkey...or a cheese steak...or any other 'man food' that sounds interesting to try. I can't wait! So all I want for Christmas is my two front teef!

Good News!

So I thought everyone would be happy to know that I DID poop today! Mom was on poop patrol all morning, checking my diaper every time she got a whiff of something funky. But it never happened...It was just toots! So Mom called the doctor worried because
I hadn't pooped since Saturday. She followed the doc's instructions and bought apple juice and pedialyte (to help me poop) and it was all a waste of time because I took care of my biz before she had time to give it to me. Aunt Lara, Grammie, and Papa babysat me while Mom got her hair done and when she came home...Ta Da! I had already done the deed! Mom praised me for a job well done and we danced around a little to celebrate. Boy, was my diaper a bad one and as Grammie might say, 'The flood gates opened!' I thought it would be special to save it for when Aunt Lara was around to help change me...She came all the way from Texas for the holidays and I had to give her an experience to remember when she goes back to school!

Since tomorrow is my first Thanksgiving, I would like to take this opportunity to think about all of my many blessings and I'm so appreciative of all that I have, my loved ones, and my health. I'm also very thankful that I pooped today, because man, that would be rough going another day feeling miserable and especially on Thanksgiving!

I hope everyone has a happy Turkey Day tomorrow! Gobble Gobble

Travel is Exhausting!!

So Mom and I have been home from St. Louis for a week and it was a wonderful trip and
we loved seeing family, but Mom's POOPED and still recovering! I think she underestimated how much of a handful I can be...especially when she's
taking care of me solo without Dad! Dad asked mom if she missed
him...she said she definitely did, but especially because he wasn't
there to do the night shift diaper duty! (Kidding, of course). So Mom's
exhaustion is the reason for the abandonment of the blog for so
long...a whole week! (Considering I post blogs hourly, that's a big
deal). So to my extensive fanbase, I do apologize...

So a quick recap on my flight home... I was fussy before we even stepped on the plane...It was an evening flight, I skipped my nap, and I wasn't happy. Everyone waiting to board the plane was staring at us as I was screaming and Mom was pacing and one person even asked if we were flying on that flight. No, Lady, we just thought we'd stand around here for fun! Sheesh! We couldn't preboard (again), so mom was flustered from the get-go and had a fun discussion with the steward boarding the plane. Things only went downhill from there when she had to board after half the plane was filled and had to bump into everyone on the way down the isle. We sat all the way in the back and Mom assumed (and hoped) that nobody in their right mind would sit down next to the lady with the baby...wrong! Some poor sap plopped down right next to us. I started squalling shortly after and I rejected the bottle Mom was trying to feed me. She attempted for several minutes to get me to drink out of it (so again, my ears wouldn't pop at lift-off), but I wasn't having any of it. Yuk, give me the 'good stuff' already! I screamed for 5 minutes straight and just as the plane was lifting off, Mom gave up and nursed me...as discretely as possible...but with a man sitting right next to us! At that point, Mom could care less. I was still difficult during my feeding, but eventually fell asleep. Mom was relieved. The good thing is, I was the best baby of the bunch...we could hear several other babies throughout the plane and they were far louder than me! AND I didn't poop on the plane, unlike the baby behind us, so I deserve a LITTLE credit...

So we are back at home and starting to get back to a routine. However, I was sick yesterday and had a fever and boy was I pitiful...Mom, Dad, and Grammie, who was watching me for part of the day, must have felt bad for me because I was pampered, held, and rocked non-stop. That helped a little and I liked the constant attention. I'm better today, except for the fact that I haven't pooped in 3 days. Mom's worried, but I assured her that I'm just a little backed up and it'll happen all in good time. I'll be sure to update you tomorrow on the status of that...cross your fingers!

Rap Supastar Cousins!

These are my cool older (2nd) cousins, Kayla and Amelia, performing 'Heston is the Best!'...the song is pretty catchy, if I don't mind saying so myself...

Mama Drama

I said I wasn't going to blog until my week back from vacation, but I lied! My first flight yesterday was far too interesting not to share!

There was a little bit of drama for Mom...For starters, Mom forgot my bottle in the car and realized it after we checked our luggage at the airport. Of all of the things to forget, that would be the worst! But not a big deal...Mom made Dad run back to the car to get it. Thanks Dad...I can't be without my milk! Then we were off...Dad kissed us goodbye and Mom and I went to sit down at our gate about an hour before the flight. About 30 minutes into it, Mom decided to take me to the bathroom and change me 'just in case'...better try now before it becomes difficult on the plane. To Mom's pleasant surprise, when she opened my diaper to check me, my diaper was dry and poop free...until, of course, I peed all over the place! Ha ha...I got it all over my overalls, all over my shirt, and it ran down my side and onto my back and I was lying in it! What a mess I made...you'd think she'd have this pee thing figured out by now! (Seriously). So she stripped me down, cleaned me off, put on a fresh diaper, and went to grab clean back-up clothes out of my carry-on bag...only, she forgot to pack them! They were all in my suitcase that she dropped off at the baggage check. Not good. She was almost in tears, but not me...I was squealing and having a great time! I love a cold wipe on the hiney every now-and-then! So Mom had a tough decision to make...carry me around the airport with nothing but a diaper on, like a Hill-billy baby, or put on stinky wet clothes. She dabbed my overalls & T-shirt off with a paper towel and put them back on. Then she strapped me to her in the Baby Bjorn (pee and all) and went back to the gate. Mom prayed to the airplane Gods that I wouldn't poop on the flight.

Our plane started to pre-board and mom went up to give the steward our tickets...except they said only business elite could board and that 'they don't do that anymore' for Mom's with baby's. You've GOT to be kidding me. They made us board last, after everyone was settled and all the 'open seating' was pretty much filled. She asked the flight attendant at the front of the plane, 'Where she recommended we sit,' and the flight attendant rudely said, 'Sit wherever...it's open seating.' Yeah, we got that part, but Mom politely pointed out that it might be nice to have a seat by the bathrooms since she had a little one, but the stewardess didn't seem to be too concerned about our situation. Mom was fuming! So we headed toward the isle...the plane was packed all the way down...and Mom attempted to squeeze through the isle with a baby strapped on front, two baby bags hanging on both sides of her, and a thick baby blanket and toys in her arms...we were as wide as the plane and about to bump into everyone as we walked through to find a seat. One lady offered mom her seat at the front, mom politely refused and thanked her but said it wasn't necessary, but the lady insisted. Sweet! However the guy sitting in the seat next to us looked pretty devastated! Mom apologized for his bad luck of sitting next to the lady with a potentially fussy baby. Who me? Whatever...it's Mom he should be worried about at this point! She might cry more than me! But he was cool...the plane was approaching lift-off when Mom was holding me, scrambling to get my bottle (so I could drink it when we took off so my ears wouldn't pop), open packets of formula and dump it into the bottle of water, all while I was trying to play with it! Tricky! The guy took the bottle from mom, filled the remaining packets of formula in there, shook it up, and handed it back. Whoa, he's done that before! I started drinking contently and we lifted off. Thanks milk-guy. You're not bad...so I stared at him with admiration the entire time I drank my milk. He seemed to get a kick out of that...

After I ate, I slept for a while and when I woke up, we were making our descent. I played a little and milk-guy even played with me too. It was a good time. I made a few squeals of protest towards the end for good measure, but I figured I had better be easy on Mom or she might loose it.

Once we landed, we graciously thanked Milk-guy and we were on our way off to baggage claim. Mom gathered our giant suitcase, my giant car seat, two carry-on bags, my blanket, and me and pondered how she was going to carry all this stuff to the pickup area outside where Great Nana B. was waiting...she didn't have cash to rent one of those luggage cart things. Again...not good! Another outstanding citizen offered to load up our luggage on his cart and carry it out to the pick-up area. So chivalry isn't dead after all! Mom thanked him two dozen times (if not more), told him he was an angel, and then we met up with Great Nana B! It was quite an adventure...and Mom praised me multiple times for being the 'perfect' travel baby. No big whoop...I'm a sweetie and I do what I can...My good behavior on the flight made her forget about the great pee incident an hour before!

So Mom wanted me to announce that Southwest Airlines stinks a big fat poopy diaper...I offered to leave them a little present in my seat for the witchy stewardess to find, but Mom declined. Poo!...(no pun intended)...

My First Flight!

I'm so excited! I get to fly to St. Louis to visit my great grandparents, my great aunt's and uncles, and my second cousins with my Mom this week! It will be my first time to fly and my first time to meet my mom's family, except Great Nana B...she came down to take care of me when I was born...a LONG time ago...5 1/2 months already (my entire existence)! She might not even recognize me, since I've lost most of my luxurious orange hair and my sideburns, or my 'chops' as Mom and Dad called them. Mom's a little nervous about the flight...she's already prepared an apology for all of the people sitting around us on the plane...I'm not sure why. But anyway...when we get there, I will have a different crib, a different stroller, and new toys! Cool! Mom's grandma & aunts scrounged up a bunch of baby stuff so we don't have to lug all of my stuff on the plane. Mom will have her hands full with me alone...

Mom told me that my great grandparents house has a whole room downstairs with carpet...I can roll all over the floor to my hearts content! No more worries of rolling off the rug and onto the hardwood floors. Exciting! This will be the best vacation ever!

This will be my last post for the week...I'm sure Mom will be taking TONS of pictures of me on my first va-cay, so I'll be sure to post them next week when we get back!

Fun Sunday in Bed!

Scooting Around

Last night, my Mommy and Daddy were watching me as I played on my new rain forest floor mat. I was lying on my back playing with the dangly-toy-things that hang over the mat when I flipped over onto my tummy and almost started scooting. I did this by scrunching my knees up close to my body as they were flattened against the ground…almost like those battery operated toy soldiers that can creep along the floor! I know my parents were impressed, I could see it in their faces! But they bought the rain forest play mat a little too late…It keeps me entertained for a long time, but it’s a challenge just to keep me from rolling or scooting off of it. My favorite thing to do is roll around, flipping myself from one side to the other. They constantly have to put me back on the mat, because I’m rolling off of it and into furniture! Life is about to get really chaotic for Mom and Dad, because I’m determined to get this crawling thing down soon! Get ready!

Hanging With The Hounds

The Big Day! V-DAY 2008!

I went to vote today! Well...okay, my mom voted and I watched, but it was still exciting! I tried to eat the ballot when she finished (literally). One guy told me that he hoped I had my drivers licence with me! Funny guy... I told him that I can hardly sit up and I poop in my own pants...I probably won't be voting for two more decades!

You can kind of see in the photo that I'm sporting my red, white, and blue outfit for the special occasion...I'm even wearing my white socks with red and blue stripes with stars on them. You don't get much more put-together than that!

I can sit on my own!

Look at me! I'm sitting on my own and I'm going to bust out of this chair! (Mom happened to have a camera near by when I did this!).

So much for the reclining bouncy seat...I'm done with it. I taught myself to sit up on my own today without any help. Mom came home this evening and put me in my all-purpose vibrating bouncy seat...she loves it because its the one thing that keeps me entertained while she cooks, eats, showers, puts on her makeup, you name it...all while I sit contently in my chair, vibrating away. But NOW she won't be able to do that, because I could wiggle out of it...ha ha! Mom cried a little when she realized that the 'magic chair' is no longer...

Now if I could just tackle this crawling thing...

Art and Granola

Here we are at the Moss Rock Festival...The weather was awesome
and the art was pretty cool too.

Art With The Hippies

I'm catching a ride with Nana at the Moss Rock Festival on Sunday! Weeeeee!

I had another fun weekend with my Nana, Aunt Lisa and Uncle Todd! Mom and Dad went to dinner while Nana and Aunt Lisa hung out with me at my crib on Saturday night. I got to stay up late, play, and I entertained them for a few hours. Aunt Lisa cracked me up doing peek-a-boo and the airplane with my spoon while she fed me rice cereal...she's funny and I laughed a lot! Mom's never done that before...

Sunday afternoon, we went to the Moss Rock Art Festival at the Preserve...a festival that celebrates Nature and it was crowded with Hippies! Dad said Nana blended right in. They handed out organic cotton bags at the entrance, which provided me with plenty of entertainment...I chewed on mine the entire time! Tasty! I also got a lot of attention (as usual) for my dashing good looks and my cool ride in the Baby Bjorn on Nana. A photographer even snapped a few pics of me in the Bjorn when my mom was holding me. He'll probably win an award for that picture, since it's bound to be adorable. I also got MORE comments about me being a happy baby...yada yada yada...tell me something new people! I'm incredibly cute and smiley, that's been established...

So that was my weekend...good times. Although there was one minor mishap...I felt kind of bad this morning...I was laying on my parents bed in the wee hours of the morning when I decided to get up and play and I was a little too energetic...I accidentally kicked my mom in the eyeball pretty hard...Dad thought it was funny and I laughed too, until we both noticed she was in pain. She recovered quick, though, and was back to normal in no time, so that's good!