10-31-08...Happy Halloween!

Momma took me to a sppoky old graveyard this afternoon to take my official "Halloween portrait." This year I am Frankenstein's Monster (though really I am Momma and Daddy's monster). I do a great monster impression and have been practicing "tree tree tree!" (Memphis trnslation : trick-or-treat!)

Momma helped me enter THIS photo in a contest (read the BLOG side bar over there written in red -----> to find out how to vote and help me win!)

At playgroup this morning I made a paper bag pumpkin. It is a bit reminiscent of my "Lonely Leaf." See? I only used one little dab of orange paint. Momma saw the projects on the drying rack and knew which one was mine right away!

I wore my special, light-up, Halloween ghost socks today (thanks Grama!)

We made sure to light the pumpkins up before we left for trick-or-treating.

I had SO MUCH FUN trick-or-treating! I tried to knock on the doors, but my little knock is so quiet...Daddy helped me out. At my first house the lady held out her candy bucket to let me pick a treat and I grabbed the handle and tried to walk away with the whole thing! When people answered the doors I did get a little shy... then immediately I would say, "ha la!" (Memphis translation: Hello). Sometimes I would remember to say trick-or-treat, but sometimes I was just too focused on that candy! Then, after I got my candy, I would warm right up and start talk-talk-talking to everyone. At some houses I tried to get inside to visit with people. At other houses I talked so much that eventually the people just had to close the door - but I just kept on talking anyway. I didn't want to stop tick-or-treating! After each door I would say, "Mow! Mow! Mow kay-dee!" (Memphis translation: More! More! More candy!)

When we got home I was very, very tired.

Here are my special Halloween poems...

10-30-08...the pumpkin house

I guess it's officially a tradition - each year on the night before Halloween Momma and Daddy take me to visit "The Pumpkin House" in our town. This family has dozens and dozens of carved pumpkins lined up on shelves and on their roof - and they even have a real GREAT PUMPKIN!Here I am with THE GREAT PUMPKIN!

It's fun to look at all the different pumpkins. I found one of Mickey Mouse and I got really excited. But my favorite part this year was seeing all the kids there! I ran right up to them (big or small) and got really close to them, making full eye contact, and jabbered away in Memphis-ese. I was so so so excited. Unfortunately, the older kids couldn't understand me, and the younger kids were a little frightened by me. But I held eye contact and kept trying! If they turned right - I turned left, if they stepped back - I stepped forward. I was DETERMINED to be friends. Momma and Daddy wonder where I get this outgoing personality? Daddy said it remind him of Nona Tina.

10-29-08...carving pumpkins

Tonight was pumpkin carving night!

Daddy took the top off his pumpkin and let me feel inside - ooey gooey!

I kept putting the top of my pumpkin on MY head. I thought I was very funny.

I even got it to balance there a few times (this is my "I'm concentrating really hard" face).

Momma helped me carve a face in my pumpkin - 2 eyes, 1 nose and 1 happy mouth.

Then I pretended to cut Dee's pumpkin. I was very serious about it.

Next Dee showed me how to light the candle and - WOW!!!

Here they are...our pumpkins!!! (Dee, Me, Momma)

10-28-08...It's raining, it's pouring!

Meme took care of me today while Momma went to work. It rained all day long! When Meme got to my house this morning she had her umbrella, which (of course) made me want my umbrellas. I asked Momma to take them out and I played with them all day. I was very proud of myself...I finally learned to hold the umbrella up all by myself!

10-26-08...pickin' pumpkins

Here I am at the pumpkin Patch! This year we went to Elm Knoll Farm. I went with Momma, Daddy, Grama, Auntie Desiree, Uncle Tyler, Max, and Max's Mimi.

There were LOTS of pumpkins to pick from...




Look! Max showed me how he can walk now...and he was dressed up like a little monkey. I kept making monkey noises at him. i thought he was funny.


There were little play building to explore.


...and animals to meet and pet. Max really liked this donkey.

Dee took me for a ride on this cool tractor ba-ca-ca (bike).

Then we all went on a hayride (Grama was STILL kissing me!)

The big tractor took our hay wagon out to the middle of a field and then it stopped. Then all these HUGE cows came over to visit us and we fed them corn!
Here it is. The winning pumpkin...MY PUMPKIN! Grama helped me choose it. I like it because it was small enough that I could carry it all by myself.

10-25-08...Grama

Grama is here to visit me. She babysat me today so Momma could go on a photo shoot and Daddy could work on Meme's roof. We always have fun together.

Look - we were practicing our funny faces fro Momma!

10-24-08...The Lonely Leaf (and Lonely Momma)

Momma took me to my B-3 playgroup for the first time today. She actually had to leave me in the classroom and go to the room next door for a parent meeting. When we got there the teachers asked momma if she thought I would have trouble separating. She said that she didn't think so, but that she wasn't sure because she had never left me with strangers before.

Well - I had NO problem separating. I ran right off to play and didn't even look back . I went right for the cars 9of course).

When Momma picked me up I showed her my art project. All the other kids had lots and lots of colorful leaves on their papers, but not me. No way. I only had time to do one. There were cars to play with, after all. Momma laughed and siad it was very ME. She called it, "the Lonely Leaf" and hung it on the wall at home.

Momma kept coming over and peeking through the window at me to see what I was up to. Here I am holding a Jack-o-lantern and carrying it around. I was finding leaves and apples to put inside it. I had so much fun at playgroup!

10-23-08 "Ta da!"

Today I was playing all by myself and I saw these empty soda boxes on the floor. I got a few and started to stack them on top of each other then I yelled, "Momma! Momma!" When Momma came around the corner and saw what I had done I announced, "TA DA!!!!"

A Romp in the Leaves

While we were out on our walk today Momma noticed that one of the yards that we pass was FILLED with fall leaves. Since our yard really doesn't have any leaves I haven't had the chance to play in any yet - so she let me out of the stroller. A nice elderly lady lives there with her German Shepard and they came out to say hello. She told Momma to take me further into the yard, further away from the road, and that we were more than welcoem to play. She said I was a joy to watch - and was I ever JOYFUL! I ran all about giggling and yelling. I bent over and picked up handfuls of leaves and threw them on my head. I plopped down into the leaves with a HUGE grin on my face. I stomped my feet int he leaves and then I tried to walk really, really slow and quiet. Mostly I ran all about, as fast as I could, and kicked the leaves up into the air. SO MUCH FUN!!!!

Say Hello To My Little Friends...

Look what I made today with the pumpkins Meme brought me. I pointed to where I wanted the parts to go, Momma started to push them in, and then I used my hand to bang-bang them in the rest of the way. I was very proud.

Potty Training - It Ain't No Joke

I have been potty trining for a few days now - in the mornings when Momma is home with me. I put on Big Boy underwear and try to go pee-pee and poo-poo only on the potty. It is very hard to do. Momma sets a timer to remind me when I should stop playing and try to go. On Day 1 I had 4 accidents - but that's okay. On Day 2 I had 2 accidents, and I pee-peed in the potty twice and poo-pooed once. Today is Day 3 and so far I pee-peed on the potty once and also had one accident.

Momma made me a potty chart. When I sit on the potty, I get a sticker. If I actually go on the potty, then I get 2 stickers! I get to choose either a fishy, a dinosaur, or a star (which I call sunshines).

One day, right after I went potty and put 2 dinosaur stickers on the chart, my Auntie Desiree called. Momma told me to say hello, but I said, "I go pu-pu. I RRRrrrrrr!" (Memphis translation, "I went pee-pee. I got a dinosaur sticker!"

October's apology...

Back in the day people used to ask Momma how she found the time to help me with my Blog. She always said it was no big deal. Well, now I am almost 2 and I require (sometimes even demand) constant attention when I am awake. Also, Momma is growing me a little brother/sister and this makes her VERY tired. So when I sleep (which is when she used to work) Momma traies to nap too. Lastly, Momma's photo biz has actually been pretty busy - 3 weddings, an engagement shoot, a baptism, and 2 newborns...all still waiting for edits. She has to work on that stuff first.

So we are sorry. Momma still take pictures of me every day. She just doesn't always have time to help me upload, edit, resize, and post them...but she is still a great Momma.

Check back again soon - we promise we'll get caught up eventually.