18 Month Checkup

I had my doctor's appointment yesterday and it was all great fun and everything until they started prodding and poking and sticking strange apparatuses in my ears, nose, and mouth. What the heck is that about?! I screamed bloody murder and my face turned beet red. Then came the shots...if you thought I was upset before that, you should have seen me then! I even gave Mom the guilt trip and cried out 'Mama!' and buried my head into her shoulder when they gave me the shot. I think I made my point, because Mom was overly apologetic and gave me lots of kisses. Not that I'd want them, because the woman gives way to many kisses to begin with. (When Mom asks me if she can have a kiss these days, I yell, "NOOOOO!!!!"). The good news is, I'm still in the 90% for weight and 90-95th% for height. I'm going to be a beast...and right on track to be a linebacker one day.

The PJ's are MINE!!!

I've come quite attached to my fuzzy fleece animal print pj's lately. When my Mom, Dad, Grammie, or Gram try to take them off to give me a bath or even just to change my diapers, I get really upset, grab onto my pj's for dear life, start the waterworks, and yell, "NO, MINE!" I don't want to take them off...I love them...I love the cute animals on them...and I love how comfortable they are. If you had cool onsie pj's like I have, you'd do the same. Trust me.

Choo Choo Poo Poo

So I have this obsession with choo choo's that I may have mentioned before. I can recognize a choo choo from miles away and I get really worked up when I see one and start yelling 'Choo choo' really loud. Well, one of our new routines on Mom's day off from work is to go to lunch at the Summit and then go see the Thomas the Tank Engine toys at the Barnes and Noble kiddie section. Every time...EVERY TIME...I start playing with the trains, I poop. Mom thought it was just a coincidence at first that she always had to take me to the bathroom to change me the first few times it happened. But then it started happening day after day...every time we went and like clockwork. I usually start playing with the trains and within 5 minutes, I've done the deed and stink up the kids play area. Mom thinks I loose control of all bodily functions because I'm so darn excited to play with the choo choo's! At least Mom knows where to take me if I ever have problems doing my buisness!

Tick Tocks

For some strange reason, I have a new obsession with Tick Tocks, otherwise known as clocks. Every time I see a watch, a clock on the wall, or a clock tower, I yell out 'Eick Tock!' I got this name from my Mom...she hangs me upside down and says, "Tick Tock goes the clock, tick tock goes the clock," and swings me side to side upside down like a swinging clock pendulum...something her mom and grandmother use to do to her when she was a baby! I love it and always say 'Eick Tock' when she does it.

So I love my daddy's watch and I like to wear it whenever I can but it's a little big on me...so my mom gave me one of hers with an adjustable strap...and guess what? It's orange, my favorite color!

Please and Thank You!

My mommy was feeding me breakfast this morning and I wanted more yogurt, so I said 'More'...and then 'Pease,' which means please! My mommy was VERY happy about that. I've also been trying to repeat my parents when they say 'Thank you,' so I'm on my way to becoming a true proper southern gentleman!

New Words and Small Sentences

Today, I said two large phrases! My Gram was feeding me a pancake this morning for breakfast when I said, 'This is too much.' Mom and Gram were amazed that I could say so many words grouped together and a phrase they've never used with me before! I also said 'This is so big,' when I tried to lift a large book and hand it to my Dad. Mom and Dad are verrrrry impressed with me lately. In addition to a few new sentences, I'm also very technically savvy. My Gram has an ipod Touch and she downloaded a flashcard game where I can learn letters and animals from it. She showed me how to scroll through the flashcards and I did it completely on my own. Mom called me her little 'Technical Genius Baby' whatever that means and everyone watching was Ooooing and Ahhhing. It ain't no thing...I'm a genius in general, so it shouldn't surprise to anyone that I know how to work an ipod...

Blowing Raspberries

I LOVE to 'blow raspberries' these days or as my dad calls it, 'Fart with my mouth,' which mom doesn't like to say. It's so fun and I get a lot of attention when I do it! For example, Mom took me to the pumpkin patch in Crestline on Tuesday and I was making so much noise with my tongue and spitting while I did it that everyone there was laughing at me. Mom was a little embarrassed, but she got over quickly when the guy at the store gave me a free mini pumpkin because I was so ADORABLE...so, see...it PAYS to fart with your mouth! And it just so happens to be a Lazenby guy specialty...my Papa does it, my Dad does it, and my Uncle Brent does it (really well too!), so I need to carry on the family tradition. Mom will try to capture it on video for your viewing pleasure.

Mine!

Mom and I were playing with this cool puzzle a while ago and she was showing me how to put the puzzle pieces onto the board when I exclaimed, "No, dis is my" and took the piece away from her...translation: "no, this is mine!" Mom's eyebrows rose up pretty high when I said that!

15 month check up at 16 months

So Mom took me one month late to my 15 month checkup (typical). She dropped the ball big time, but things have been crazy around here lately, so I will cut her some slack. I've been healthy and growing strong the past few months and my doctor's appointment proved it completely...I am at the top of the charts in height and weight! I'm in the 100 percentile for height and 95% for weight. Dad's happy because at age two, you multiply my height by two to determine how tall I will be one day. I'm already right under 3 feet now, and I still have 8 months left to grow! I'm going to be one freakin huge redheaded beast! Dad is hoping I'll be a linebacker, but Mom doesn't care about my size because she just wants me to be an artist. I just want to be big enough to intimidate all the little kiddies at school so they can't steal my toys!

First Hair Cut

I got my first hair cut two days ago! Mom cried when she cut my baby mullet off and she even saved a lock of hair for a keepsake. Weird woman.

Many New Words!

So my vocabulary has completely exploded in the past month or so and Mom's been too lazy to record it all!...I can pretty much repeat most words that people say (or close to it, depending on how complicated it is) and I have started forming short questions or groups of words together. Here are a few of my favorites!

Ball Ball - My name for football! I yell it loudly and I recognize football when it's on tv. Like today, when we ate at Moe's and I yelled 'Ball Ball!' Mom turned around and a football game was on TV.
"What's this?"
"What's that?"
"Who's that?"
Down There
Yellow
Pee Pee (yeah...it means what you think it means)
Shoe
Sock
I can name most animals & objects and I can also tell people what types of noises they make! Dog, cat, bird, bug, cow, horse, duck, snake, etc.(Impressive, right?)
I can count to three!
I can point to various body parts: head, ear, eye, mouth, nose, toes, etc when asked.
When songs I know come on, I say some of the words in the song. (Not to forget that I dance to them too)...
Nana (short for banana)
Poo Poo- I announce this when I've done my business...Mom's glad for the heads up.
Doo Doo - I also started saying this when I've done my business...mom never uses this and isn't quite sure where I learned it...
No - this is my particular favorite, and when Mom asks me a question, I always respond with 'No!' For example, "Did you like the scrambled eggs Mommy made you?" "No."
Tree
Fall - Mom taught me this and I've been saying 'Ffffffffaaaa!!!!'...which sounds suspiciously like another word that Mom apparently doesn't want me to say! She hopes my teachers won't get the wrong idea...and is regretting trying to teach me that!

There are so many more, but of course when it comes time to list them all, it's hard to remember! I'm a sponge and repeat tons of words and little phrases that Mom and Dad are starting to pick up on...They sound like jibberish at first, but if you listen close enough, you can hear what I'm saying...

Little Lion

So I'm getting pretty good at making animal noises! Check it out. (Excuse the out of focus camera!)

Lunch at Moe's with Mommy

Just hanging out, eating a cookie, and dancing...You'd be happy too if your Mom let you eat a whole chocolate chip cookie by yourself!

A Typical Family Dinner

So dinner is apparently comedy hour...Mom blames Dad.

Bad Boy!

This morning, Mom took the time to make scrambled eggs for me...something I normally LOVE. Those squishy yellow blobs of egg are tasty! This particular morning, however, they just didn't appeal to me, so I decided I wouldn't eat them and I'd throw them on the floor. Mom didn't like this, so she said, 'Heston, No. Bad Boy!' Then I said, 'Ba Boy' right back! Mom had to leave the room so she wouldn't laugh in front of me to encourage my behavior!

Strange Food

I had my first corn dog today at the zoo...Well, I didn't really eat it because it was weird. Mom, I don't know what you were thinking...meat on a stick? For real?! Consequently, that happens to be my Dad's nick-name from my Uncle Brent...

Playing in the Water

Mom posted one of these videos of me at the zoo today on facebook already, but couldn't resist posting another...I really enjoyed the water!!! And as you can tell, I wasn't going to let those big kids ruin my fun!

It's Mine!

Typical Stinker me...

Someone Likes His Trolley!

The Intimidator

My parents took me to Barnes and Noble the other day and they had a kid section that had a toy train set with tracks and ramps and all kinds of cool loopty-dos. I really enjoyed playing with it until, that is, I had to share the toys. Another little boy came up and started taking my trains! Then he said 'my toys' and went to the other side of the train set to play with them alone. I followed him around the table and he was a little older than me and I admit I was kind of intrigued by the idea of playing with a big kid. But the kid wanted nothing to do with me. I didn't like that! So...I started grunting every time I got near him and I tried to take the toys back...I sounded really tough and I think he was intimidated!

Mmmmm....

When I like a particular food, I have a clear way of showing it! By saying 'Mmmmmmmm' after eating something I really like! Mom gives me potatoes and chicken chunks and peas and carrots and I say 'Mmmmmmm' and cram them all into my mouth as fast as I can...sometimes I even make myself gag! Mom, of course, thinks it is so cute and gets a kick out of it! (But not when I gag, that is.)

Funny Joke

We went out to dinner at Davenport's Pizza with friends tonight and I got to have my first taste of pizza. I wasn't too sure about it...the sauce was a little funky, but I nibbled it in between mouthfuls of crackers, pretzel sticks and anything else I could steal from the 3 other babies at the table. I was my usual wild self and one of my parents friend's kept commenting on how much of a handful I must be (you think?). Then she said something Mom thought was VERY funny...she wanted to know if we had to pay babysitters double for me, since I'm twice the work of a normal baby! Mom thought that was pretty clever...yeah, very funny, people. Very funny.

Taking Out My Frustration

I've been getting a little irritated at my Mom lately and I've definitely let my behavior show it...I've been throwing mega blocks at her, grabbing and twisting her skin (I won't say where), and then of course there is the old reliable...making my body go limp and Mom has to scrape me up off the floor while I resist in every way imaginable...I'm really good at that one!

Despite the stinker attitude I've exhibited from time to time, I've been a great eater so that makes my Mom happy because every meal is usually so much effort and she's always exhausted afterwards. She's always trying to get me to eat a variety of stuff...I just like cheese and fruit, lady. Cheese and fruit. Let's keep it simple. (Or anything with cheese in it, such as quesadillas or grilled cheese...or butter, I like that stuff too.) And so I've become a little picky. But my Mom made me this great stew with chunks of chicken and lentils in it and even though I'm a consistency guy and don't care for chunky stringy meat, this was pretty good. So I went to town and ate every bit of it. Mom was happy! Well, if she cooked for me a little more often...good tasting stuff, that is...then maybe I wouldn't be so picky!

NO!

This is me eating corn on the cob for the first time this past weekend while I was at the Ranch! Yum...

Got a new word I've started using today...No! Mom picked me up from a half day at school (so she could study...thanks Chesney!) and as she was putting me in my car seat to head home, I said, "No...no...no" three times in a row. I picked it up from one of my classmates (Mom thinks) and I really like it A LOT. So when Mom tried to put me down for a nap this afternoon, Mom could hear me shouting it out loud from my crib while she was downstairs..."No!...No!...No!" over and over. What can I say, it gets my point across! I think this word will be a keeper...

Flashback Moment

Remember when I use to sleep a lot, was relatively easy to please (sort of), and was this tiny? Mommy was looking through old pictures and kept 'awwwwing' at how cute I was (and still is, of course). She didn't realize that it was possible for my baby cheeks to be any bigger than they are now...but after going through archived photos, it proves they definitely were! (Can't really tell in this picture...)

Look What I Can Do!

My new trick! Can you do this? Probably not, because it takes much skill, balance, and coordination...three traits I just so happen to have. I'm very proud of myself when I do this!

Home with Mommy

Mom and I always have a great time on her days off from work! We're headed out to do something fun...not sure what, because we like to wing it and be spontaneous! (But you can be sure part of it will involve a quick trip to Starbucks for Mom!) We just wish it wasn't so darn hot out, so we could go to the botanical gardens or the zoo, but it's miserable out there this week...

Here's me eating my yummy lunch of turkey bites, fresh fruit, bread and butter, and peas! Quite an odd assortment of food, but I sure enjoyed it, as you can see in the photo. In case you're wondering why I'm all shiny, it's because I succeeded in smearing butter all over myself like a greased piglet!

Giving Kisses

Working out my biceps for the ladies...(I love these weights and go straight to them every time we go to visit my great grandmother! Chip off the old block...)

While I was in NYC, my mom made it a point to teach me something new...giving kisses! I immediately picked up on it and started making smacking noises to random people passing by. But I didn't totally get how to give a proper smack on the lips to my parents at first, because I'd bend my head forward with my mouth wide open and would give them a big slobbery kiss! I still do it occasionally...and I've even tried sticking my finger in my mouth, pulling it back out all slobbery and putting it on (or in!) my Mom's mouth when she's not expecting it. Dad laughs hysterically when I try to do that, but for some reason, Mom's not quite as enthusiastic about it. But the regular peck on the lips is a big hit with her because she thinks it's sooooo sweet!

Dancing Feet

I've been known to bop and sway to music in the past, but I've officially started lifting up my feet and stomping around to music! I've got total rhythm and Mom and Dad really get a kick out of it. I've also been caught wiggling to the music on the changing table too...I bop back and forth while my hiney is being wiped and my diaper is replaced! They also seem to think this is funny...I'm not going to let something little like a dirty diaper get in the way of my dancing!

Sleeping Late!

Mom likes my new trend the past week and a half...I've been sleeping in until 8:30 about 4 or 5 times (Mom and Dad have had to wake me up for school on mornings they both have to work!) and Mom thinks that it might stick! Then, I'm ready to nap by 10:00 or 10:30 a.m., so not only does she get to sleep in late on her days off, she also gets morning 'quiet time' shortly after, which she seems to be very enthusiastic about. Don't get use to it, Mom...I like to keep things unpredictable!

My First Weekend Away

Mom's big 30th birthday was this past weekend and so both of my grandmothers babysat me while my Mom and Dad went to the beach to hang out and celebrate with my Aunt Lisa, Uncle Todd, Uncle Chris, and my Aunt Alison for the weekend. I had tons of fun, was spoiled non-stop, and I think I wore both sets of grandmothers out! This was my first weekend away from my mommy and when I finally saw my parents once they returned on Sunday evening, I gave them a little bit of an attitude for about an hour, just to show them how much I didn't appreciate them leaving me behind (even though I didn't really miss them...I had a blast getting spoiled by Gram and Grammie!) I thought I'd make them feel kind of bad, just because...

(So after Mom had me non-stop in NYC and loved every minute of it, she had to go an entire weekend without me...she thought about me constantly while she was gone and still hasn't stopped attacking me with kisses since she got back...sheesh...). Get a hold of yourself, lady...

My New York Trip

Well, I've neglected my blog long enough...Mom's discovered this little thing called facebook and it has taken over her life (she's totally addicted!) But enough is enough...this blog is all about ME, and it's time to give a few updates from the past few weeks.

I went to New York City for my Dad's cousin's wedding, and boy was it ever fun. I got to take my second plane ride and I'm only 14 months old...I'm aiming to be a jet-setter like P-Diddy! The flight was a little rough for my parents because once we got to Atlanta, we found out our flight was canceled and we got booked on a later one. Fortunately, my cousin Adelyn and her family, as well as my Uncle Brent were on the same flight, so it made the waiting time at the airport a little more fun. Adelyn and I had a great time clowning around and I really enjoyed playing with her toys and reading her books at the airport...even if they were pink and princessy and had girly things in the books.

Once we were in NYC, we had a day and a half of wedding activities...Mom was busy going to the bachelorette party (Hunk-a-mania...ha!) and the bridesmaid luncheon, so I got to hang with the boys at the hotel some, which was fun. Then there was an elaborate rehearsal dinner at Duane's Park, where a Thomas-the-Tank-Engine toy, books, and a British teddy bear were waiting for me, compliments of Susan, the Groom's mom...I ate and played for most of the rehearsal dinner with those toys and was so pooped by the end of it, I crashed on mom's shoulder. That NEVER happens and mom was relieved to have a cranky baby off her hands. But speaking of poop, I managed to get poop on Mom's white linen jacket while she was trying to change my diaper in the smallest bathroom in the world. Let me paint the picture: Dad's holding me upright while mom's trying to unbutton my fancy little outfit with a hundred different buttons. Then she shimmies the outfit off and pulls off my diaper while I'm still hanging by my armpits. Surprise, there is poop in there! So poop falls off and part of it hits Mom's jacket. Mom's screaming, Dad's laughing, and my behind is covered in poop and I'm wiggling around. Mom wipes me off as best she could and attempts to put a diaper on me while I'm vertical. Then Dad takes me upstairs back to the rehearsal dinner and Mom tries to find ways to make the poop on her jacket disappear. Fun times, fun times...

The following day was the wedding, which was on an amazing rooftop terrace overlooking the Empire State Building. I was allowed to attend...mistake number one people! I looked at it as my opportunity to have an audience! I started babbling and making funny noises during the ceremony and Mom had to whisk me off to keep me from ruining it...she had to peer through windows to view bits and pieces of the ceremony, but she got to see them kiss as they were declared man and wife, so that made her happy. After that, the reception took place the floor below (while the rooftop remained open for guests to enjoy the rest of the night). For dinner, I ate tasty BBQ from Blue Smoke that was so good, it challenged any Southern BBQ! Then Mom and I danced on the dance floor with Adelyn and her mommy Megan and I really enjoyed that. Mom and I can really cut a rug! (Dad, of course, was MIA from the dance floor and did not dance with Mom or me...sigh).

After the wedding was over, family eventually left town and Mom, Dad, and I moved hotels and we stayed in Soho. We spent several days site-seeing as much as we could. We took horse carriage rides in Central Park, went to see the Statue of Liberty, went to Times Square and visited the 3 story Toys R Us, went to see the High Line in the Meat Packing district with Mom's cousin, Karen, and basically tried to hit as many places as I would allow us to. My nap schedule and my crankiness dictated the trip, but all in all, I was a VERY well behaved baby. Something about taking the exciting subway, strolling around in my umbrella stroller where I could easily look out at everything, having tons of things to look at, and endless amounts of people to 'talk' to made it very entertaining for me and I didn't complain much. I was a trooper. In fact, Mom thought my personality really came out on this trip. I was saying 'Boo!' and laughing to random people at ALL TIMES, smiled at everyone that would look at me and give me attention, and was not shy one bit. I always managed to get everyone around us on the subway to look at me and laugh, do peek-a-boo, and 'Ooo' and 'Awww.' Mom was amazed at how much attention I managed to attract...she thinks the bright orange hair and my big smile have something to do with it...and the fact that I'm so darn cute too, of course.

Mom says she was spoiled having me with her every day (morning, noon, and night...I woke up 4 times a night because I was sharing a room with my parents) and once we got back, it was a shock to the system that she had to go back to work and couldn't spend every minute with me...it makes her sad! :( She doesn't know what to do to remedy the situation, but all she knows is that she loved being with me at all times...and I, of course, loved her undivided attention!

Headbutting is the New Hitting...

So hitting is history because I've discovered something far more effective...Headbutting! Mom and Dad have noticed this new trend a few days ago. Dad watched me a lot this weekend while Mom had a spa day and went to the Market with Grammie and I spent most of the time headbutting the sofa, the tables, windows and doors, you name it. This morning, I headbutted my Mom in the schnoz and then jumped on her stomach to knock the wind out of her. My combat skills are becomming far more effective!

Morning With Daddy

This morning, Mom and I went for a stroller ride so she could get a little exercise and I could be entertained. It worked! I love stroller rides and I quietly sat in my stroller drinking my milk and appreciating nature. That made Mom happy. Then I ate breakfast without deliberately spitting up my food, throwing it on the floor, or pitching a fit...I was a good boy that ate my breakfast without making a huge messy production of it, so Mom was really happy. Then I took a bath and got squeaky clean. Once I was dressed, I snuggled with my Mom and let her kiss on me...she WAS COMPLETELY HAPPY! Then Dad watched me and Mom left to go to Ross Bridge for a morning at the spa...something Mom had planned to do months ago but with work, tests, and me, she never had the time to go. So Mom was excited to spend 4 hours at the spa being pampered! Then, she met up with Daddy and me at my Grammie and Papa's house, where we were hanging out for the afternoon. We went to Jim 'N Nicks for BBQ earlier in the day before Mom got there and I got to eat cheese biscuits to my hearts content. The waitress also said she couldn't resist and pinched my chubby cheeks. Yes, I've got cheeks-a-plenty! Later on, after Mom was with us, we all went to The Village Tavern for dinner. I was pretty cranky by this time, but we managed to still have a nice dinner and I got to eat some tasty rolls, garlic mashed potatoes, and Grammie even shared some of her cheese quesadilla with me. Yum! When I got home, I took another bath, had a bottle of milk and called it a day. All in all, it was a nice day and I look forward to more one on one time with Daddy when Mom goes to market with Grammie tomorrow!

Daddy's Coming Home!

Dad's coming home tonight and I'm ready to see him! I've been calling out his name and looking for him in the house the past three days and he's nowhere to be found. Mom says he's out of town on business, but I will see him when I wake up tomorrow. I can't wait!

Teacher Says...

Mom picked me up from school today...when she arrived, I was sitting on Miss Sonja's lap while hanging out on the playground. All the other little babies were running around, but not me...I was being sweet and snugly to Miss Sonja. Mom asked if I had been good today, and she replied, "oh yes, as always." Mom was perplexed, and wanted to know if I've been hitting them, since that's my FAVORITE thing to do...I slap Mom around probably 20 times an hour (it's probably more than that, but it's hard to keep count). My teacher was shocked at the question and said, "Heston must have me fooled, because my sweet Heston never hits". SAY WHAT? Mom wants to know why she's the lucky one. (Seriously). No matter how sweet mom is to me or how stern she is when I hit her, it doesn't matter...nothing will stop me! But in equal parts to my fiesty-ness, do I have a major sweet side...especially in the morning, right after a nap, and right before bed when she's rocking me...and boy can I be cute and irresistible...and she wishes she could make that snuggle time last forever.

The Fourth of July Weekend

I had a great fourth of July weekend. On Friday, Mom and Dad took me to the science center since it was so hot out and they wanted to take me somewhere that could both keep me entertained and keep them cool. So we got to the McWayne Center and Dad made the comment that something smelled nasty in the lobby. He left, went to buy tickets, and to Mom's horror, the nasty stench in the lobby was actually the poop oozing out of my diapers. She didn't realize this until she picked me up and had me propped on her hip for a minute. Then she was like, "What is this liquid on my hand? Did your bottle leak?...Oh...My...GOSH!!!!" It was pretty funny. Mom was about to call it a day before it even started, but she decided to suck it up, clean me off, and let me run around in diapers. (But mom felt nasty the whole time because she knew she probably had poop on her brown shirt...fortunately, it was brown.) I had tons of fun...there were a lot of things to play with...large foam blocks I could stack up and knock over, a water feature with shovels and buckets I could splash around with, an aquarium, legos, and my favorite, a toy bin I could crawl into! I was very enthusiastic about everything, played hard, and was incredibly pooped afterwards.

The following day, fourth of July, Mom and Dad put me in the stroller and took me down the street to participate in the neighborhood street parade...which basically consisted of a bunch of kids running up the street and back and then getting ice cream from the ice cream truck. Everyone congregated around the truck and talked, so it wasn't much of anything but an excuse to hang out with neighbors. Later that day, we drove to Smith Lake to go hang out at my Mom's friend's lake house. The place was cool because they had a bunch of fun toys to play with in the living room...different toys from my own, and I sure loved them. I was entertained for a while playing with those and then my parents took me down to the dock to take a swim. Mom's friend Steve set up a canopy over a kiddy pool and I probably spent an hour splashing around in it. It was even better than the one I have at home because the dock rocked back and forth from the waves created by the boats when they went by and it made waves in the kiddy pool! Later, we took a boat ride, which I LOVED...I smiled a huge smile when the boat took off and the wind was blowing on my face! I also got to wear an infant life preserver, which I really liked...it was like wearing cushions that I could snuggle up against. I was very tired by this point, so I just laid back and snuggled with my Mom, drank my milk, and enjoyed the wind in my face, and the boat flying up and down on the waves. I look forward to my next boat ride...maybe on my Papa's snazzy new boat!?

New Developments and 12 Month Checkup

I finally had my 12 month checkup today...this is something Mom kept putting off because she didn't want me to have any vaccinations with my cold, which has lingered for about a month! Now that it has finally gone away, Mom decided to take me in. So when I got there, the nurse weighed me and I'm a stout 26 lbs. 7.5 ounces and I'm 30 inches long. I fall in the 80th percentile for size, so I'm a little discouraged that my healthy appetite hasn't knocked me into a higher category, but I'll keep working at it. Then I had to get two shots on my meaty thighs and let the record state that I did not cry, I did not even wince or flinch, and the nurse said I need to teach a class to all the other babies because that never happens. That's right folks...thighs...of...steel. They may look squishy, but don't be deceived. So if any of you babies want to take lessons from the master, give me a shout. (That's right ladies...you too.)

So about two weeks ago, I threw my first full-body tantrum. Body went limp. I melted to the ground while Mom was holding my arm. I threw my head back for added drama. I rather enjoyed it. So I hadn't tried it again until I was home with Mom yesterday and today. Now, I'm adding it to my daily routine. I also turn the happy and angry face on and off like the switch of a light. One second I'm smiling and laughing, the next I'm scowling and hitting my mom on the face with a plastic recorder. Mom says, "Terrible two's my foot! Try terrible ones!" Whatever Mom...

So I said two words together two days ago! I said, "Hi, Daddy!" Mom and
Dad were very excited that I could make the connection with a greeting
and a name. I've also been saying 'Daddy!' Every time I hear him come
through the door after work, so that makes them both excited too.

I've had some new food the past few days: Watermelon, which is quite
delicious, bread and butter which is equally fantastic, and best of
all, a hamburger and french fries! (Not the fast food junk, either, but the good stuff from Five Guys). I'm not a big eater of meat just yet, but I'm working at it. I have a new pointy tooth coming in up front and it's apparently a tooth that can be used to shred meat with...so steak eating is just around the corner...cool!

Weekend Pool Time

I haven’t posted much lately and I need to update my blog on a few of my latest words the past few weeks:

- Bubbles – I said this as clear as day when Mom took me swimming in my kiddy pool on our patio…Mom was very impressed because this is a pretty complicated word!
- Lara – I can say my Aunt Lara’s name! Well, it actually sounded more like ‘Wara’, but close enough. She’s the first person I’ve named, other than ‘Ma-ma’ and ‘Dad-die’ or ‘Da-da’…and of course my greyhound buddy, Bella…
- Hi! – I looked straight at Mom and said ‘Hi!’ with a big smile on my face. She thought it was so cute.
- Ball – I’ve been saying this for several months, but this weekend I went crazy with this word. I’ve discovered my Auburn Football and I must hold it at all times and repeat the word over and over…ball…BALL…BAAAAAALLLL! Dad loves this and was trying to teach me words like ‘fumble’ and ‘touch down’. Mom’s seeing her life flash before her eyes: Many years of football obsessed boys in the house to come…yikes.
- Milk – I love this word and use it all the time. My Bobpy took me swimming in the redneck pool last weekend (an above ground pool at the ‘ranch’) and I kept repeating ‘milk’ while I was swimming, according to my Aunt Lisa. No one knew what I meant, because it actually sounds like ‘moaw,’ until my Mom cleared up the confusion later. Do you hear the words coming out of my mouth? Give me MOAW! Why wouldn’t I want a cold refreshing glass of milk while taking a leisure dip in the pool?

There are many other words I can say, but of course when it comes time to remember them all for the blog, the mind goes blank…

So we had a nice laid back weekend. Saturday afternoon, we went to one of my parents favorite Mexican restaurants for lunch and you guessed it, I got a cheese quesadilla…Yum! Then we drove over to Mt. Laurel to stroll around the area and go to the playground. I love that playground and I got to go down the slide a few times, crawl around the jungle gym, climb on the choo-choo train, and my favorite, go on the swing. Unfortunately, it was so darn hot, we made it a quick trip because it was too miserable outside to really enjoy walking around. But the heat made it perfect swimming weather and I got to go swimming twice on Sunday…once in the morning in my kiddy pool on the patio (Mom cleaned out the contamination - see previous post) and once at the ranch with Bobpy. In the morning, I started out just sitting in the water splashing around, I eventually grew confident and started leap frogging around the pool on my hands and knees. That was a lot of fun because water splashed everywhere and when Mom would try to get me out, I’d leap to the other side so she couldn’t get me! I was in NO hurry to get out of there because I was having a great time! Until, that is, I sat up and lost my balance and tipped backwards so that I was lying on my back in the water. I sucked in a mouthful of water and although Mom said I had a look of absolute horror and panic on my face when it happened, I recovered quickly. No tears. Then I kept trying to do it again (I’m such a daredevil) and would laugh every time, but mom didn’t like it, so I had to stop. Later that day, when I went to the ranch, my grandpa would blow on my face so I would hold my breath and then he would plunge me completely under the water! It was AWESOME and I kept smiling every time he did it…again, I like to live on the wild side! But I managed to be a good little boy and I didn’t poop in the pool this time…I took care of my biz beforehand, so Mom was happy!

When Doodie Calls

Thanks to all this intense Alabama summer heat, I've been able to enjoy a little pool time to keep cool. Gram babysat me yesterday for a few hours and she cleaned out my kiddy pool on the back patio that had been filled with nasty bugs, leaves, and rain water. She scrubbed it down and filled it back up with fresh water and my tub toys so I could take a dip. Boy did I love it! So today, because I enjoy it so much, Mom let me go swimming twice! I went swimming in the morning and then she let me take another dip in the pool after lunch. I had successfully gotten mac-n-cheese all over me at lunch and instead of Mom bathing me in the bathtub, she thought she'd let me take another swim since the pool was all set up. Well, after a while, I realized that I REALLY needed to go, if you know what I mean...and when doodie calls, doodie calls! So I pooped in the pool without Mom realizing it because I was wearing my snug 'little swimmers' diapers that held it all in. Until, that is, water started dissolving it into the pool and mom eventually figured it out! Man, was there a lot of 'Ewww's! and 'Ughs!' I don't know what all the fuss was about, but she stripped me down in the grass and hosed off my behind with cold water! That got a few squeals out of me! But after that, Mom wouldn't let me go back into the 'contaminated' pool because she needed to drain the dirty water out. Pool time was over...

Later today, my Aunt Lara babysat me and we had a bunch of fun. Mom especially wants to thank Grammie, Gram, and Lara for all their help babysitting me recently while Mom studied and took exams. She knows it has been a lot to ask because I'm such a handful! She's going to take a much needed hiatus on the testing for a while, which is good because we haven't had as much fun-time together because of it. (No trips to the zoo or botanical gardens lately...boo!).

Yesterday was my great grandmother's 80th Birthday and the family put on a big surprise party with all of Gaga's friends and in-town family. Happy 80th Birthday Gaga! It was a lot of fun and of course I always enjoy an opportunity to get attention from TONS of ladies!

Birthday Party Pictures

To view the pictures from my 1st Birthday party, go to:
1. http://www.shootstarphoto.com/index2.php?v=v1
2. Click "clients"
3. enter password: heston09

Family can order pictures from this link!

A Very Sad Weekend

This weekend was a sad weekend for my Mom's family. My Great Uncle Scott (Mom's 49 year old uncle and Bobpy's younger brother...) passed away after having a terrible accident falling down the stairs in the wee hours of Saturday morning. Dad took me to my Grammie and Papa's house during the Day on Saturday, so Mom could tend to her grandmother, Nana A., who was having to deal with the loss of her son. Later that day, Nana A. came to stay with us and my Uncle Todd and Aunt Lisa came over for dinner that night and we had a little family gathering so we could try to lift Nana's spirits. I made my best effort to cheer her up being my cute baby self and I think I did a pretty good job, considering the circumstances. Unfortunately, I woke the household up twice in the night for some odd reason (I never do that anymore).

My Great Uncle Judd and my Grandfather, Bobpy (who was in Bermuda with my Gram on vacation when the accident happened), came in town late last night to help Nana and to assist in funeral preparations, so Nana went back to her house and I miss having her undivided attention and affection! She sure gave me lots of kisses while she was visiting...She had three boys, so she knows all about what it's like to have a rambunctious boy running around and how to keep us entertained and happy!

We will sure miss Uncle Scott and will always remember what a fun and caring Uncle he was.

It's A-L-I-V-E!!!!!

Well wonders never cease...this evening, while I was attempting to get a little shut-eye, it started storming and we briefly lost power in our house. When the power came back on, Dad got up to check something and noticed a very odd thing...my fancy-shmancy LCD baby monitor, which Mom and Dad practically took a loan out for and was thought to have bit the dust, came back alive! Alabama Power replaced our house's power meter without notifying my parents several months ago...and consequently, the power surge from the new meter fried the LCD baby monitor (or so my parents thought). Mom and Dad couldn't get that thing working again...couldn't explain why that would happen...and we've been without the TV screen for probably 6 months. I was particularly upset, because I love living my own little reality show, with a camera on me at ALL TIMES. But thanks to the weekly Alabama severe weather and an equally devastating power outage to counter-act the damage from the power meter surge, it's back up and running. I now have a camera to capture my every move, so I guess I better not be up to any more secret missions or shenanigans during the night!

With Mom's cell phone coming back alive two weeks ago and now this, she's wondering what other stroke of luck may come our way. She just may drive to the Alabama/Georgia line and buy a few lottery tickets!

Sinking My Teeth Into...

...my Dad! Dad has been laughing hysterically at my little ‘hitting problem’ when I aim them at Mom, but he didn’t laugh much when I bit him last night. Dad and I were playing on the floor and I was a little cranky because I didn’t nap very well yesterday. Well, out of no where, I rolled my head onto his shoulder and bit him. I’m not sure where the urge to bite came from, but I couldn’t resist. Dad yelled and realized what I had done after there were slobber marks from my mouth on his shirt. This morning when Dad was getting ready for work, he noticed a pink puffy welt where I took a bite...I must have packed a lot of punch with that one for it to last overnight! I’m impressed with myself!

Trip to Mt. Laurel

Mom and I went to Mt. Laurel today for a recreational trip...it didn't start out too well because I was extremely fussy on our car ride over there...which consequently made Mom almost have a meltdown too. She pulled over into a neighborhood to sooth me so I'd stop crying, gave me my handy-dandy whistle that Grammie and Aunt Lara bought me to keep me content (which in all actuality is not a whistle, but a plastic recorder...Mom can play a mean 'hot crossed buns' on it!) and then we were on our way. Once we got there, I was all smiles. We went into the small grocery store and got me an apple juice and then we went to the toy shop and we picked out an 'Ugly Doll' to keep me entertained. Mom put a lime green ugly doll and a red demon looking 'Ice Bat' in front of me and she let me choose which one I wanted. Big surprise, I choose the red demon Ugly Doll. He's red, like my hair, and looks ferocious. Then, Mom stopped in a few shops, bought a cool American Flag lawn ornament out of corrugated metal, which was made locally (Mom says it's totally creative), admired the architecture while strolling around, and then we went to the playground. We went down the slide a few times, I walked around the padded playground all by myself and refused to let Mom hold my hand, we got a "Wow, he's already walking at 12 months" comment from one of the other Mom's (yes, I'm a rock-star), and then I got to go in the baby swing. This part I loved the most! I did this all while holding my plastic recorder. (Mom couldn't pry it out of my hands without me freaking out). I didn't have a meltdown on the car ride back because I was too pooped and I slept the entire ride home, so it turned out to be worth the trip for Mom after all!

Spending The Night

Last night, after a fun-packed 'Monday with Grammie,' I got to sleep over...It was awesome! Mom needed to study for her exams, so I stayed the night and part of this morning to give her the extra time to do her study-business. I got to eat at Logan's Steakhouse with the Lazenby's and Rogers last night and stay up past my bedtime. Then, my Grammie and Aunt Lara took me to Hobby Lobby the following morning, where I got to get a few cool toys...a maraca, a long plastic whistle, and this funny thing you shake and it makes strange monkey sounds! The whistle was the coolest and I was surprised to find that I could blow into it and a funny noise would come out! It made me laugh every time. So I took my new toys to lunch at Full Moom BBQ, where Mommy and Gaga met up with us. I got to eat some yummy grilled cheese (a new favorite!) and play with my new whistle. When Mom tried to take away my new toys so I could eat, I would squeal with anger. I threw in a few angry scowls at everyone for good measure. I was totally pooped afterwards and fell asleep on the car ride home. It was a fun 24 hours...I got to eat out twice, which is always a great opportunity to cause a ruckus...and now Mom can count on some good solid naptime from me today because I wore myself out!

My Future Wife

(Photo curtesy of Taylor's blog.)

Mom, Dad, and I went to Auburn to visit my ‘Aunt’ Jenny and ‘Uncle’ Lance and their new baby daughter, Taylor Elizabeth. (Jenny is one of Mom's B.F.'s from college). She is one pretty little girl with ‘luscious’ lips like Angelina Jolie (as Megan Rogers would say). I’m sure she’s going to be a complete knock out when she gets older, so I’m telling my Mom that we need to be sure to keep in touch with them over the years! But I was really fascinated by Taylor’s cries…I kept looking at her like, “That little thing can make all that noise?” It was impressive…as was her stash of Winnie the Pooh stuffed animals in her crib and boy did I want to sink my teeth into a few of those. But Mom and Dad wouldn’t let me…but I did get to take a spin in Taylor’s cool activity center, so that entertained me for a while, while Mom rocked little Taylor.

Unfortunately, I was not on my best behavior when we were visiting. I didn’t nap very well on the car ride down, so when we got there, I was completely crabby. I was scowling a lot and taking swipes at my Mom…nobody else, just Mom…but I did give everyone my signature angry face to let them know I wasn’t happy.

As everyone knows, food is a key ingredient to keeping me happy…which is why I’m a little on the chubby side, I suppose. I got to try two new snacks on the car ride to and from Auburn and Mom was REALLY glad she packed these, because they kept me entertained for most of the trip. Gerber Graduates Yogurt Melts (freeze dried whipped yogurt pieces) and ‘lil crunchies…the ‘lil crunchies being my absolute favorite! They’re like whole grain Cheetos, without the orange cheese 'dust.' I love me some cheetos…I tried them for the first time at my school end-of-the-year party and they were awesome! I ate Cheetos and a chocolate chip cookie and Mom, who feeds me nothing but organic or healthy food, was shocked to see me eating junk! (Although Mom admits that my cheese quesadilla fetish isn’t exactly healthy, but it keeps me happy and allows Mom and Dad to eat out at their favorite Mexican restaurants, so she allows them.) But anyway, she figured a few junk snacks here and there are okay, as long as it’s not a regular occurrence. So, because I liked the cheetos, she bought me the ‘lil crunchies and I love them! I especially love to crush the puffed whole grain and corn snack with my fingers and I make a tough ‘don’t mess with me’ face as I do it, which apparently resembles the face I make when I’m pooping. I think Mom was intimidated…I am one tough dude because I can crush these corn snacks with my bare fingers -I'm not a force to be reckoned with!

Another food update: Mom let me have cow's milk instead of formula this weekend since I'm officially old enough to drink it...not bad not bad...much better than that powdered milk stuff I've been drinking! I'm not sure if it will totally replace the formula (Mom needs to research that), but it may substitute it occasionally...yum!

Dad Thinks It's So Funny...

...that I keep hitting my mommy and giving her a mean scowl every time. I don't know what my deal is, but everytime Mom gets near me to give me a kiss or hug me or snuggle with me, I give her the 'back slowly away' face and then take a swipe. Dad was laughing uncontrollably this evening when he was playing with me and I toddled over to my mom (who was sitting on the couch because she wasn't feeling well), hit her, and then toddled back to resume playing with Dad. It was pretty random, I admit...but funny none the less...

BIRTHDAY DETAIL PHOTOS!

check out: http://www.shootstarphoto.com/blog/?p=1101

Mom likes the way Lori makes her out to be the next 'Martha Stewart!' She'll take that compliment any day! :)

New Words and Dog Drama

I haven’t been able to post my ‘one year’ slide show yet, post B-day pics, or update much lately, thanks to Mom’s busy study schedule (Architecture exams left and right…boo!) But I wanted to do a quick update on some of my new words lately:

-Balloon…thanks to my birthday balloons, I have a new favorite thing. I must hold the string to my ‘ba-lloon’ (or sometimes I just call it ‘boon’ for short) at all times and when I see it in the room and it’s not in my hand, I just repeat ‘ba-lloon…ba-lloon’ over and over until my parents give it. It’s also the first word I say when I wake up from a nap these days. And boy, do I pitch a fit when they take it away from me…
-Uh-oh…you’ve heard this one already, but did you know that I can appropriately apply it to scenarios? Like, when Dad and Mom were driving me in the car, I tooted and said ‘Uh-oh.’ Mom and Dad laughed pretty hard about this one.
-Oh, wow…I learned this from Mom and I use it A LOT! Mom usually says it when she opens my diaper and there is poop in there…
-Whoa…Another favorite…and another one I learned from Mom opening my diaper to find the stinkiness that is my poop…
-Poop…I actually pronounce this ‘Boof,’ but mom gets my drift really quick when she smells it…I’ve been ‘boof-ing’ a lot lately…every diaper change, in fact for the past 2 days…
-Book…I’ve been saying this for months, but Mom gets a kick out of it when she’s holding me and I’m saying ‘Book’ because I want her to read…
-Bottle is still a word I’m repeating these days…and boy do I like my bottle or ‘bobble’
-Duck...Dad taught me this…I’ve got a few ducks that go in the bath with me…
-Ball…not sure where I learned this, but I like this word…
-Dog…been saying it for a while, but Mom and Dad love the way I say it…’DAAAWWWGGG’ like a true Southern boy…not sure where I got my Southern accent from, but Uncle Chris, a big Georgia fan, would be proud…

Speaking of dogs, I had a very bad thing happen on Tuesday night. Bianca, the Italian Greyhound who is usually my buddy, bit me...or scratched me…my parents aren’t sure because it happened so quickly…and on the FACE! My parents freaked out, almost killed the dog (not really, but wanted to), but I’m alright. I cried pretty hard at first, but quickly recovered and was playing hard minutes afterwards. My parents have always been worried about Bianca…she has a ‘superiority complex’ that makes her think she owns everyone and everything. Bella, the crazy one, is sweet to me. But still, Mom and Dad have always been cautious with me around the dogs because they know that animals can snap over little things. I unfortunately was walking around the living room and fell into Bianca’s basket where she was lying and I partially landed on her…so it was a protective instinctual thing. But I was apparently trying to hit the dogs that day (according to Gram, when she babysat me) and that could have also contributed to it. So anyway, bottom line………the dogs are not allowed near me unless I’m in my pack-n-play or being held by my parents. A sad reality, but if it happened once, it could happen again and it could have a far worse result… Animals and babies don’t mix, regardless of how sweet or friendly they usually are. Mom and Dad are just thankful that it didn’t break the skin or worse…

On another note, hitting, scratching, and biting have been a few things I've done to my Mom and Dad lately. I broke skin on my Dad's face after I scratched him and when my Mom makes me mad, I hit her in the face (a 'mean' face proceeds the hitting, typically). They're not sure where I learned this (school, maybe?), but they don't like it! I, on the other hand, like to show them who's boss...me!

And Then There Were Three...

7 years ago…7 long years, according to Dad this morning…my parents joined in holy matrimony. On June 1st, 2002 at 2:00, my Mom and Dad tied the knot at Asbury United Methodist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. But Mom and Dad have officially been together for 12 years, because they dated 5 years before marriage. So it took them 11 years before the addition of wonderful me. Geez, what took ya? Little did they know, this year would easily be the best year of all…not to be confused with the easiest year, but definitely the best…because I’m a handful! But I’m darn cute and that makes up for all of it! But Mom and Dad waited for several years to have me because they wanted to travel and ‘enjoy freedom’ while they could. And they said it was great. But then I came. And they said it was wonderful. So you’re welcome, Mom and Dad…and Happy 7th Wedding Anniversary!

Birthday update to follow shortly! Here's a sneek peak...http://www.shootstarphoto.com/blog/?p=1082

Happy Birthday To Me!!!!

Remember me one year ago? This is my pwecious baby photo I took while still in the hospital right after I was born. I weighed 9 lbs. 4 oz., had strawberry blonde/orange-ish hair, dark blue eyes, I was 22 in. long, a COMPLETE chunker with the chubbiest thighs you’ve ever seen on a baby boy, and I gave my Mom trouble the day I entered this world! I refused to be born on my due date…made my Mom’s blood pressure rise, and clung on even during the c-section and they had a hard time getting me out. Once I made my big arrival, all the nurses fawned over me because of my hair color and because I was such a big enchilada. I was also the only boy on my hall, so the nurses told my mom they were going to wedge me between two cute twin girls. I was a player from day one!. So now that I'm a whopping one year old, my 12 list of achievements for 12 months include:

1. I’m an excellent spitter
2. I’ve got a few hot dance moves that challenge those of Mario Lopez
3. I’m a bottomless pit and can take down some serious grub
4. Tooting seems to be an extraordinary skill of mine
5. I can crush and shred stuff with my mouthful of teeth like a great white shark
6. I can walk up a storm and squeal at the same time
7. I’ve got a good pitching arm and can launch stuff clear across a room
8. My vocabulary is select, but quite extensive…
9. My swimming capabilities in the bathtub are astounding…Michael Phelps style…
10. My intellect and cool demeanor make all the older ladies take notice
11. I can make adults dance around me like little puppets when I pitch a fit
12. I’ve got the ‘Blue Steel’ look down pat for my future showbiz career (see Zoolander).

A one year photo recap to follow soon...

Memorial Day Pictures

Here are a couple of pics my Grammie took on Memorial Day...I'm sure you can tell from the photo that Adelyn and I DID NOT like sitting in the itchy grass! That picture cracks Mom up...

I Can Walk!!!

BIG NEWS!!!!! It’s official…I can walk! I’ve been taking several steps here and there the past week, but never fully gained the confidence to do more than that until yesterday. We had a wonderful Memorial Day lunch at my great-grandparent’s house (Gaga and Papa) with all of the Lazenby’s and the Rogers and while we were there and I had the full rooms attention, I decided to walk across the living room towards my Dad (probably 7 or 8 steps). I was choosing my moment of Glory for when the whole family could watch and admire! Later that day, my parents took me to Grammie and Papa’s house so I could spend the night and I was walking ALL OVER THE LIVING ROOM without any help. I’m incredibly proud of myself, of course, and all my practice with the mop and my steadfast determination to walk before my first birthday finally paid off. Mom always heard that chubby babies are less likely to crawl or walk early…well, not this chubby baby! I took my first steps at 10 ½ months and learned to walk completely on my own the week of my 1st birthday!

I got to see my second cousin, Adelyn, yesterday. I really enjoyed seeing her, but most importantly, I enjoyed stealing her toys and books. She’s got some cool stuff and I thought to myself, “I just might like to chew on that baby cell phone of hers.” So I tried to, but my parents wouldn’t let me. But I did get to enjoy her mermaid book (shhh…don’t tell anyone that I read a book about mermaids) and it was pretty entertaining. I’m embarrassed to say that I started getting crabby and sort of took a swipe at Adelyn…I know I’m not supposed to hit girls, but I was in need of a nap in a big way, so that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it…

I got to see my Gram and Bobpy, Aunt Lisa, Great Uncle Scott, and my Great-Nana A. this weekend, too. We had lunch on Sunday and I was walking up a storm with my Great Uncle Scott’s walker for support (the day before I learned to walk on my own)… the walker is kind of like my mop, and I kept saying ‘Mop…Mop…’ as I walked around. It was a good time and I got to eat a lot of rolls, which is one of my new favorite snacks!

So Memorial Day weekend was a good time…and I can check another thing off my list of achievements!

My Birthday is Friday and my birthday party is on Saturday...I can't wait to try birthday cake and open presents! I'm keeping my fingers crossed for that a mini hummer hotwheels that I've been wanting for a while now...

Fatty Mom Update: As of 2 weeks ago, Mom is proud to announce that she has officially lost about 11 lbs of post baby weight since April 1st....Woo hoo! She's aiming for another 10 by August, but she's happy she is at least one clothes size down for now. Another 10 pounds and she'll be somewhat content...no more muffin top and excess blubber!

Hives

Mom and I went to the mall on Wednesday and while we were shopping, she noticed my hands started turning hot pink and I had several white bumps that looked like mosquito bites all over them. She took me home and changed me and found a bunch more on my body. We’ve had several mosquitoes in the house this week because of the rain, so she wasn’t sure if it could be that or hives, so she called the doctor and they just told her to keep an eye on me. That evening I was fine and the bumps eventually disappeared, but the following day, my teacher’s called my parents to tell them that I had broken out into hives after lunch and they were afraid to put me down for a nap because I could have trouble breathing (due to swelling), so Dad took off work and picked me up and took me to the doctor. The doc checked me out and my breathing sounded fine, so they just prescribed allergy medicine and the rash went away later that night. They aren’t sure what caused them, but it’s the third time I’ve gotten them, so I could either have allergies or it’s a residual side effect of the stomach bug that I had on Monday. Dad had me the rest of the day yesterday and he told my Mom I was CRABBY for most of it! Well, who wouldn’t be after having a stomach bug and hives all in one week!?

My New Toothbrush

It’s a wonder my teeth haven’t already fallen out for my lack of brushing, because in the past, teeth brushing wasn’t for me. And I love sweets, so Mom has been worried about the state of my pearly whites. Mom and Dad have tirelessly tried to brush them in the past, but they would have to hog-tie me down just to wiggle that bristley brush around my mouth without success. They even tried the ‘you hold it and do it yourself’ approach, but come on guys…I’m a baby. And the plastic end without the bristles is far more enticing to chew on. So just as they were about to throw in the towel for good, Mom decided to buy me a snazzy new battery-operated spin brush…but not your ordinary spin brush…a Go, Diego, Go! toothbrush (the boy version of Dora the Explorer). It’s so cool and the minute my parents put that up to my mouth and turned it on, I smiled. It tickles my mouth and feels funny…I love it! So they moved it around my teeth and boy did they sparkle afterwards. So if you think brushing your teeth is a chore, go and buy yourself a Go, Diego, Go! toothbrush. You will quickly find that brushing your teeth has become completely enjoyable!

Who says I'm Feisty?

Friday afternoon, when Mom picked me up from school, she talked with one of the teachers, a lady from another class substituting for Ms. Martha, and the lady went on and on about how feisty I am. She kept saying, "He’s sweet, don’t get me wrong, but man is he feisty!" Mom was like, “Look lady, you’re preaching to the choir,” because Mom and Dad are well aware of it! So it became a topic of conversation over the past few days…that maybe I am feistier than your average 11 ½ month old boy? If a teacher, who sees babies all day long, every day, year after year, is shocked at how feisty a little baby boy could be, what does that say? Mom suspected this since I was a newborn, but wasn’t sure if it was normal baby boy behavior, since she’s one of three girls and hasn’t been around baby boys much before me. So Dad started blaming Mom…saying the “Alvord girls are feisty and that’s where he gets it,” and Mom started blaming Dad saying, “The redheaded genes are from your side!” And I’ll I said was, “Deal with it people, you’re both to blame because you’re both feisty and you both have redhead genes, now give me some freaking cheese quesadillas.” (They did and I spent the rest of the weekend tooting up a storm…seriously…those cheese quesadillas were not your average Mexican restaurant quesadilla…something was up with those!)

So I made an extra effort to be exceptionally cuddly to my Mom and Dad this weekend, to make up for being such a handful lately (me thinks molars coming in are contributing to the crankiness). I let them snuggle and rock me (I've been letting them rock me the past month or so without trying to push away or wiggle out of their arms, which makes Mom happy). But then again, my willingness to cuddle more than normal this weekend might have been partly due to the fact that I started getting sick, which nobody was aware of until Monday morning when Grammie was watching me and I threw up twice. So mom left work and picked me up. My parents thought going to the Coldplay concert last night was going to be out of the question, much to their disappointment. They basically wrote off the concert and Mom told my Aunt Lisa and Uncle Todd they could go in their place. Then towards the end of the afternoon, I perked up and was smiling and laughing and hadn't gotten sick again since the morning. Aunt Lisa said they couldn't go to the concert after all, so my parents decided to try to go and if I wasn't doing well while Grammie watched me, they'd leave the concert. I knew they were looking forward to it, so I was on my best behavior and went down to sleep without a fuss. Mom and Dad had an awesome time and they both agreed it was the best concert they've ever been to...and they're really grateful that I cooperated last night so they could have a little time together and feel 'young' again for a few hours while at a rock concert. You're welcome, Mom and Dad...

BABIES GONE WILD MIX-UP!

So…this is interesting…Mom’s cell phone, which originally appeared to have bit the dust last week, came back to life. It’s A-L-I-V-E!!!!! Well, she was able to check her voicemail and guess who had left her a message…none other than 103.7 the Q about the Babies Gone Wild competition. So out of curiosity, she got on the website to confirm that I had, indeed, lost the competition to another redhead, Molly. Well, much to Mom’s surprise, my dashing mug was on the winner’s gallery! Mom’s heart skipped a beat and she returned the guy’s call…only to find out they called because it was a mix-up and that Molly had actually won after all (that girl’s Mom was probably IRATE on the phone saying her child won, not me), so see…even the station wanted me to win because I’m so cute! So the guy apologized profusely to my disappointed mother and you’ll never guess what they did…they offered her tickets to a concert of her choosing!!!! SO… Mom and Dad will be going to see COLDPLAY on Monday night!!!!! (Babysitter needed!) Mom loves them, so your welcome mother…and you owe me big time for this stroke of luck that would have never happened if it hadn’t been for adorable me…

…and by the way, they said that Molly had the most votes out of the entire group of contestants…and that she was most likely a young mother with a MySpace account, because that’s how most of the winners got their votes. So our suspicions were confirmed!

All The Toys are MINE!

So my teacher told my Mom yesterday that I get really upset and I cry whenever the other babies have toys that I want...give them to me, they're MINE!!! I'm just not into this sharing thing and I've been known to throw a tantrum every once in a while when I don't get what I want. For example: The greyhound's squeaky dog toys are far cooler than any of mine and I get really upset when my parents take them away from me. It's just a little dog slobber, so give it! And it's funny to watch the greyhound (the crazy one, 'Belba') go berserk when I squeak her toy. But anyway, as I've mentioned many times before, I've mastered the art of baby tantrums. I just can't emphasise this enough because Mom and Dad have become concerned at my readiness to pull out the 'old reliable' lip quiver, flailing arms, and an occasional kicking lately. The kicking mainly works when I'm on the changing table...I've kicked Mom in the gut many a times and she knows it was intentional because of the mean scowl on my face I made when I did it. This past week, I've really started doing this horrible looking scowl to let everyone know when I'm not happy...which is apparently a lot. (You can kind of see it in one of the class photos from yesterday). Pair that with my shrieking noises, my ability to launch things across the room, and a few other methods of anger I've mentioned above, and you have two worn out parents! He he...My attempts at maintaining the 'only child' status are working!

New favorite Hobby: 'Clucking' and smacking with my tongue...it sounds like loud slurps and Mom and Dad get embarrassed as I make the strange sounds in public. People look around like, 'What the heck?' and Dad even makes a statement loud enough for everyone to overhear, 'Heston's making that weird noise again.' It's pretty funny...

P.S. As you may have noticed in the pictures below that I'm one of the youngest in the class...you can tell not just by my size, but by my lack of hair!

Class Photo

These pictures crack Mom up...getting all of those babies to sit still for group photos was tricky and you can see how happy we all were to take them...

3 New Things

I have a new word that I said today...Bottle! Mom was so excited to hear me say it this morning because now instead of crying, I'll say 'bottle' and she'll know what I want! Or that's the idea, but we'll see how it goes. Pretty cool...

I also stood on my own twice today and one of the times I took two steps towards my Mom. Mom could tell I was very proud of myself! I haven't really taken many steps on my own since the first time I did it about a month ago, so Mom was happy to see me have a little confidence again and make further progress on walking. Later in the day, I also bent down to pick up a book out of my book bin, stood up, and handed the book to my Mom. I've handed books to people before, but never while balancing on my own and being able to remain blanced while bending down to get something. So today was a big day on the development end.

Mom took me to the doctor to make sure my ears were okay and I checked out fine. But most importantly, I weigh 24 lbs. 10 oz. Chunk-a-roo is right! Mom feeds me well...

Fish, Geese, Turtles and a Snake...

Mom and I went back to the botanical gardens and before you wonder why the heck we never do anything else on her days off but go there, here is our reasoning:

1. It's practically in our back yard...it takes a whole 3 minutes to drive through Mountain Brook Village from our house to get there.
2. Mom gets exercise strolling me around...'nuff said there.
3. I'm entertained for 1-2 hours, a difficult task to achieve at home all day because I get bored easily...
4. Mom's entertained.
5. I nap for an hour and a half afterwards. Mom relaxes while I nap, which makes her happy.
6. It's nice to get outside for fresh air...and before the swampy Alabama summers hit, we're trying to take advantage of the nice weather.
7. I can scream, babble, and make loud exclamations as loud as I want and it doesn't matter because we're outside!

So now that that is explained, you know why you read the same thing every week...we like the gardens! So today's trip was especially fun. Mom came prepared and brought bubbles to entertain us and a bag of old bread to feed to my friend the goose, only he had to share the bread with another goose and teams of carpe and turtles. And when I say 'teams,' I mean a whole freaking lot, because there were probably 20+ turtles...some as big as 18" in diameter (that's Mom the architect talking)...and dozens of fat fish approximately 2 feet long. Mom and I saw one turtle pop up that had a neck that must have been at least 6" long and it freaked us out because we thought it was a huge snake popping it's head out of the water at first because it didn't look like a typical turtle...I'm surprised Mom didn't drop me in the water, because she jumped a mile high when she saw it...but it turns out it was just a snapping turtle. So Mom tore up pieces of bread for the swarming critters, but as she was preoccupied with throwing them out to all my little friends, I managed to grab a handful of old bread while Mom was not looking and shoved it in my mouth. It was a good snack and I can see why all the fish, turtles, and geese were in a feeding frenzy over it!

So on the pathway back, we saw a snake...and it wasn't dead like the ones I saw on Mother's Day! It was alive and trying to coil under a rock...and it wasn't a small garden snake either because it had a white and grey diamond pattern on its back. It freaked Mom out and after that, every little twig and branch on the pathway looked like a snake to Mom! Even the rustling of squirrels and chipmunks in the leaves sounded like snakes slithering to her. It made for an exciting afternoon...

The words of the week are: Dog, Uh-oh!, and Whoa! I'm using these A LOT and Mom has noticed an unusually large amount of babbles these days...she can't take me anywhere without me yelling or babbling to all the people we pass...which makes shopping difficult. Plus, everyone stops us to comment on how cute and spunky I am...big surprise. But another thing I've started doing the past few weeks is my 'surfer dude' laugh. Every time my parents laugh, I make this hahuhuhuhuhuh noise, which gets great reactions out of everyone, including strangers. My laugh grouped with my new word 'whoa,'and I'm doing a great California beach bum impersonation!

Babies Gone Wild Can Kiss It...

I’ve got to get this off my chest…Alabama Baby Magazine and 103.7 the Q can KISS MY BIG FAT BABY CHEEKS (either pair of cheeks that is). So the Babies Gone Wild competition was, as expected, a complete waste of time. If they had actually based the winners on looks alone, it would have been a cake walk and those babies wouldn’t have stood a chance against the cuteness that is my chubby redheaded self. BUT…that was not the case, as we well know…yeah, thanks Molly…and by the way, your Mom is a total L-O-S-E-R…but love the red hair, you’re still a rock star in my book, 'cause we redheads need to support one another. But anyway, Dad even appealed to his ‘buddies’ on his Rivals website, to get a little man-power voting…those guys swore that ‘Molly was going down’…but they failed me. It was too late in the game and the competition shut down before they could wreak havoc on Molly and Babies Gone Wild. Bummer…but on the upside, I’ve got a few new cool email accounts as the result, like hestonrocks@gmail.com (Thanks Megan!). And thanks to all my friends and family who voted…

Mother’s Day weekend was great…I got to have some new food when my parents took me out to eat a few times. Let me just say that cheese quesadillas are out of this world! Mom and Dad tried to tear up small pieces for me to start with, but I ended up cramming several of them into my mouth all at one time and Mom had to fish out a few chewed up wads to prevent me from gagging. I couldn’t help myself…white Mexican cheese is probably the tastiest thing ever…oh cheesy-goodness…and those tortillas things are a close second. Many family members have made comments on my chubbiness lately…saying I’m ‘solid’ or ‘stocky’ or have ‘tree trunk legs’…but this solid food thing is still relatively new to me and I can’t help myself…I love to eat! So people, lay off… chubby is a good quality to have at this point in my life… in a few years, it won’t be quite as socially acceptable, so I need to enjoy it while I can…

I went to ‘The Ranch’ yesterday for Mother’s Day…I got to see some horses, a few cats, a bunch of dogs, and a few dead snakes…yep, DEAD SNAKES! They were so cool…my grandpa found them tangled up dead in some gardening net and boy did they freak everyone out! One of the snakes was huge…Grandpa was carrying the net over his back and then noticed a few long things dangling from it…he yelled and dropped the net, to find that the large grey snakes were already dead, thank goodness. So that was the highlight of the weekend! And even the greyhounds and the cats were intrigued with them…I don’t think they had ever seen a dead snake either! And, it just so happened that I wore my cool new shoes with snakes, frogs, and bugs on them, so I was properly dressed for the occasion.

Stealing Toys

I’ve officially entered the age where stealing toys from other babies is a regular occurrence. Mom took me to my class this morning on her way to work and when she put me down in front of the cute chubby blonde girl, I crawled right up to her and took the toy out of her hands. She looked like she was going to scream, so Mom made me give it back. Then I made a run for it and crawled inside the toy bin all by myself and when Mom turned back around, I was sitting in the middle of it. That way, I can claim ownership to all of the other toys! I’m KING of the toy bin, so take that chubby girl!

My teacher told my Mom that I’ve become a chatty one…yep, now that I’ve learned a few words, I can ‘talk’ up a storm….just like my Dad!

So have I mentioned my new favorite thing to do the past two weeks? It is so fun…My Mom has this mop that she uses (or needs to use) and I’ve learned that if I grab onto the pole and lift myself up, Mom will push it around the house and I can walk with a little support. Mom likes it because she does two things at once...mops the floor and entertains me! I started out taking slow steps, but after a while, I grew confident and can hold on with one hand and walk around while I use my other hand to pull stuff off shelves. It’s really cool. I usually pull out a handful of diapers off the changing station every time I pass, grab the sock basket until it crashes to the floor and all my socks spill out, rip a few leaves off Mom’s potted plants each time, grab handles to the kitchen cabinets and try to open them, and my favorite – knock the small bronze greyhound statues in my parents room to the floor…those make a LOUD crash when they fall off! It’s very entertaining. We make a few dozen rounds around the house until I start to get tired and start screaming with frustration. Then mom pries the metal mop handle out of my hands and I completely FREAK out. My whole body shakes, I plop to the ground and hands and feet start flailing around, face goes red, pouty lip quivers and then the wailing begins! Mom tries not to laugh, so as to encourage my poor behavior, but I guess she thinks it’s cute…so I keep doing it!

As usual, we made a weekly trip to the botanical gardens and the zoo on Mom’s two days off work. I saw my friend the goose and I brought him snacks this time, so he was pretty friendly. Then we came across a new part of the gardens we didn’t know was even there…the bog garden! It’s so cool. We parked the stroller and we hiked down this winding path to find cascading waterfalls with tons of cool rocks and a bridge. I was very intrigued by the rushing water and we sat on the bridge for a while to appreciate it! I kept wiggling, because I wanted to jump out of my Mom’s hands to go swimming. Then we hiked to a another smaller waterfall further down, where the actual ‘bog’ was…we couldn’t believe, after all our trips to the gardens, that there was a place we hadn’t seen. The Birmingham botanical gardens is on approx. 75 acres, so I guess it shouldn’t be a surprise that there are paths we haven’t taken...

The zoo was cool...some gibbons were going crazy making wild monkey calls back and forth and they weren’t doing that last time we went. They can scream louder than me, which is impressive. The camels were also very interested in me and they kept sticking their long necks through the fence to get closer. You can go on camel rides there, so once I’m bigger, I can ride one! I think Mom’s more excited about that than I am and will use me as an excuse to ride one herself.

Update on the Baby’s Gone Wild Competition…yesterday, Molly was beating me…then Mom checked it this morning and a few good friends and family members apparently helped me out and cast their votes. Thanks people!!! However, Mom checked minutes ago and she's winning again...there is one more day left, so if you haven’t voted, please do so soon (and get anyone you know who would be willing to vote)! That little tart with the red hair is determined to win!
http://www.1037theq.com/pages/babiesgonewildvoting.html

Getting A Run For My Money...

So, the chick I thought would possibly show me up in the Baby's Gone Wild competition has been a complete let down and I'm totally smoking her. Apparently, exposed buns and a red feather boa on a baby is not what the public is looking for. So that's good news. The bad news is, I've got an unexpected rival in Molly, another redhead who has a fanatical Mom willing to pull out all the stops to beat me (that's the only reason to explain why she's a close runner up, if you get my drift). Every time I think I'm in the clear, her votes creep back up and we are neck in neck again. I need more votes... vote again with another email address (clear your cookies first), put it on your facebook account, and pass along to your friends....I....MUST....WIN!!!!!!

On another note, I've got four molars coming in...three have broken the surface already and one is almost here. This totally explains everything for Mom...the reason I've been a complete stinker lately! Not just one molar like she originally thought...but four. So watch out...this redhead bites!

Vote Like You've Never Voted Before

The time has come, my friends, to cast your vote for the Babies Gone Wild Competition…DO IT! Vote like you’ve never voted before! You thought the 2009 presidential election was important…that pales in comparison to this. The future of an adorable redhead lies in your very hands…so do the right thing…and I’ll remember the little people when I rise to stardom…

Voting begins this morning at 9:00! I need to beat that girl in the red, so pass this to your friends!!! (See Friday's post). http://www.1037theq.com/pages/babiesgonewildvoting.html (Gallery 1).

If I don’t win, it’s all because Mom refuses to twitter or get a Facebook account…103.7 the q is telling people that to win, they recommend doing that…great Mom….what’s the point of all this, if you’re not going to do what’s necessary….sheesh….

Lady in Red (Critical Update!)

It has come to my attention that there is a baby in my category (week 2, gallery 1) that just might knock me out of the Babies Gone Wild competition, so when the time comes on Monday morning, you need to put in your vote (one winner out of each week & gallery to make it to the finals) and you must use every email address you own to vote multiple times and pass the website along to your friends, so they can vote for me also. After reviewing the scores (in progress) on week 1’s voting last night, it’s clear that the competition is rigged. The babies with the most votes aren’t exactly the cutest, but the ones that clearly got their family and friends to vote most frequently. And sometimes, it’s the baby with the funniest picture that appeals to the masses too. So all those back-woods babies with a hundred cousins are cleaning up…just kidding…but they really are. So if they’re going to play dirty, we’re going to play dirty!

So….back to this baby that threatens my rightful place on the cover of Alabama Baby….there is a baby girl posing with her buns exposed for the world to see in a red feather boa and I’m not gonna lie, she’s cute…in fact, she’s a stone cold fox and I might have to get her digits after this is all over, but that’s besides the point. Everyone is going to see those baby buns and melt and she just might pull in the votes on that factor alone. Unfortunately, her mug is pretty cute too, so she’s got a lot going for her. Anyway, had Mom and I thought of this, I would have posed for a few baby hiney shots myself…or we have a few in the archives that could have easily been pulled out and submitted. But Mom and I thought we’d take the high road… So we submitted a head shot where I look completely dashing. So if her parents are playing dirty, then we need to lash back. That little harlot in red…that scarlet letter…will have to wait until next year to be on the cover…cause Mom will open up 50 new email accounts to get my votes up if she has to, so I can win! (And all of you should, of course, do the same...)

***Voting for the first 8 Week 2 galleries will begin Monday at 9AM you will find links to the voting at that time here:
http://www.1037theq.com/pages/babiesgonewild.html

They said: "you may only vote once per email address and 1037theq vip membership. If you have multiple people using the same computer who would like to enter please be sure to clear your cookies between entries"

…and no, Mom hasn’t gone totally nuts…she’s just a little enthusiastic…

A Crazy Few Days For Mom

Check out my Babies Gone Wild photo entry in week 2, gallery 1! Those poor saps don't stand a chance...based on some of the entries, there's a good chance I will make it to the finals, if not win the dang thing! (That's horrible to say).

To call the past five days stressful would be a complete understatement for Mom. I’ve been in rare form the past week thanks to a reoccurring ear infection and my SECOND molar coming in. Yep, the first one popped through last week, and I’ve got another one coming in now. Dad went on a little va-cay with his Dad, my Papa, to Colorado, which was originally encouraged by Mom. But after having me for 5 hellish days and with me being unbelievably crabby, she’s sort of regretting it!

For starters, we had Baby Recognition Sunday at our church. Mom RSVP’d for the service and lunch following and it started out okay. We got to the church on time, I was dressed in my Sunday best, looking sharp as ususal, and Mom even managed to look a little put together as well. We made the group photo without much stress or headache, but by the time the service rolled around a half hour later, I was ready for my nap and was fussy as could be. We walked down the isle with all the other parents and their babies and stood in front of the congregation. Every baby sat quietly in their parent’s arms while the minister was speaking, but NOOO, not me. This was another opportunity to put on a show! I was wiggling and squealing and babbling and yelling, ‘Blah ba ba ba ma ma ma,’ for all to hear…louder than the minister on the microphone! Parents were looking at Mom with sympathetic smiles. After that, the families made their way to the back of the church, but not me. Mom marched me right over to the nursery and dropped me off. I was fine with it…I’d rather play with babies anyway. Lunch afterward was a nightmare and we won’t get into that…

Mom even made the mistake of taking me to lunch with her when she met up with a good friend who was in town a few days later. Well, between launching animal crackers across the room (one came within an inch of this guys head!) and hitting a metal tortilla bowl and have it loudly crash to the floor, Mom was physically and emotionally spent! (You think you are, Mom…try having an ear infection, teeth coming in, and a diaper rash all at the same time.) Grammie saved the day multiple times by picking me up and taking me home, giving Mom much needed relief. I even had my first sleep over with Grammie on Sunday night and it was great!

So, you single Mamas out there, you have my Mom’s sympathy. For single Mamas with feisty little redheads, you should get a friggin mother-of-the year award!!!

[[Sidenote: Mom's very proud to announce that she's finally lost 8 L-B's since April First...boo-ya! Now a dozen more to go, and we may be ready for an old lady swimsuit with a ruffled skirt this summer...awesome.]]

Babies Gone Wild Competition

Mom is officially nutso. She just entered me into the Alabama Baby Magazine's 'Babies Gone Wild' photo competition. Obviously, I'm going to win because I'm the cutest red headed baby ever, but I just never thought she would pull the trigger. She's officially become that mom...

...so I guess we're starting small and we're gonna work our way up...Get ready to see a supa-star in the making!

Words and Actions

I'll start with the good news first. I'm starting to say a lot of new words. This morning, I waved to Bella (otherwise known as 'Belba') and said, 'Hi!' My new words are really quiet, but Mom distinctly heard it. She thinks she's heard me say it before, but wasn't 100% sure until this morning. There are a bunch of new little words that I'm starting to say, but it's hard for my parents to keep track of them all! The good thing is, I'm learning to mimic my parents with words and actions, so I'm right on track with my verbal and physical development, according to my teachers.

So the bad news (according to Mom): I'm learning to mimic my parent’s words and actions! Mom fusses at Dad because he gets me all hyped up, loud and squeally-like, but what can I say…we have fun together. I particularly like to copy his funny (or obnoxious as Mom calls it) noises because it makes Dad laugh hysterically and then I laugh! Two peas-in-a-pod, my Dad and me…

So my parents have determined that I’m a morning person…no shot of espresso for a pick-me-up needed here. I favor my Dad in this respect and spring out of bed with a smile on my face ready for a new day. (Not to be confused with nap time…I don’t wake up very happy after a nap, but yell loud as a siren for my parents to get me the heck out of my crib). But in the mornings, I have a new fun-filled day of eating, drinking, napping, pooping, and playing to look forward to…

Earth Day

Today, the beautiful spring weather couldn't have been more perfect to celebrate Earth Day. Mom thought we could plant a seedling of a tree in our yard, but decided that since I can't walk and would most likely not have any appreciation or understanding of planting a seedling, she opted to take me to the zoo instead so we could spend time outdoors in the sunshine and appreciate so many of the Earth's amazing creatures. We're members of the zoo and we've been a few times before, but I never cease to be fascinated by the interesting animal’s movements, noises, and the multitude of strange smells! Our first stop was to see the kangaroo's...Mom told me that kangaroo's go "Hop, Hop, Hop." She kept repeating the noises and I thought it was so funny, I copied her and said 'Hop!' I also learned that kangaroos are marsupials and that they carry their babies in their stomach pouches. Cool! I wish Mom had a stomach pouch...that would be fun to ride in! (She has a paunch, not a pouch, so it's not the same thing). Our next stop was the swamp area, where I got to see some scary alligators. Mom says they go "Chomp, Chomp, chomp," and did the arm motions to imitate a chomping alligator mouth and I thought that was hilarious! You can see me squealing with excitement in the photo. They didn't do anything particularly interesting and they were for the most part motionless, but they did blink their eyes a few times and that was really scary. We saw various interesting creatures, such as water fowl, monkeys, a gorilla, camels, and most importantly, rhinos from the 'rhino encounter' special exhibit. Those rhinos were exceptionally stinky and Mom made the snide remark that it resembled the smell of my poopy diapers x10. Har Har, mom...Very funny. After the rhino's, I was getting pretty crabby because I missed my after-lunch nap, so we skipped the African Sahara animals and made our way home. All-in-all, it was a great Earth day. Next year, we'll plant that seedling and I will be almost 2 and old enough to participate! Thank you God for the amazingly beautiful world you've created!