Da

Lots has happened since my last post. Most exciting to me is my new ability to move and move quickly. I have progressed from my army crawl to regular crawling at times. I also like to climb things, especially mommy and daddy. But I also like to try and climb onto the sofa, out of the pool, and off my changing table. I can also go from laying down or crawling to the sitting position. Mom didn't know I could do this until she found me sitting in my crib one morning. Standing is another favorite thing for me to practice. When I stand near the sofa, I will often take both hands off of the sofa at the same time for just a little bit while standing on flat feet. I guess my balance is pretty good at times. But I still get my share of bumps and bruises from falling, running into things, pulling things down on to me and all of the other mischief I cause. In fact, the other day, I closed the closet door on mommy and wouldn't let her out. I'm a pretty funny guy if you ask me.

My food selection has greatly increased to now include meats (even ground turkey - not just the mushy jarred stuff) and a variety of finger foods including bananas, cheese, avocado pieces, and my favorite - Cheerios! It's now a lot easier to take me out to restaurants because I can sit in the high chair and eat with everybody else.

I had my last swim class today and it ended on a much more positive note that some of my other classes. I think it helped that mommy and daddy were both at today's lesson and the last one we went to. In fact, today I even went under water and only cried for a short bit and then I was fine the rest of the class. I am sad though that I won't see Michaela again until the fall :-( But at least I can still go swimming in the pool the Buries gave me. In fact, I used it for the first time this summer last night. I had fun splashing around and playing with the fishes. I enjoy spending time outside and didn't want to come in even though I was starting to get cold.

This week has been a fun one. Daddy was off of work again so we got to play a lot. On Tuesday he and I met mommy downtown for lunch and then we went into mommy's work so all her coworkers could see how much I have grown. I sure turned on the charm for them. In fact, I was so charming I got a cool bright green stuffed dragon from Laura. Thank you Laura!

Then on Wednesday we went to Appleton for a minor league baseball game. The action is a lot closer than the Brewers game we go to. I suppose it helped that we were in the fifth row right behind home plate for the game in Appleton. I was enjoying myself enough that we stayed until the 8th inning. Daddy even caught a t-shirt during the game. How cool is that! Too bad it's a bit large on me.

In addition to baseball games, I also get to go to mommy and daddy's softball games once in a while. At the games, Aunties Katie and Jill kindly keep an eye on me and I get to play with Ben, Abby and Eli so it's a lot of fun. But because I go to bed so early, I don't always get to go to the games. The last game I went to, on May 27th, I was really crabby all day so mommy and daddy took turns watching me as they felt guilty making Katie take care of crabby ol' me the whole time (even though I know she doesn't mind). One inning when mommy had me, she noticed a little white poking through my gums - yep, my first tooth came up. But as quickly as it cut through, it went right back down and has yet to make another appearance.

I got to see both grandparents this week - I spent last weekend with Grandma and Grandpa K while mommy and daddy were at a wedding in Chicago and then saw Grandma and Grandpa H tonight using Skype. It's pretty cool to watch people on the computer screen when I can't see them in person. I'm lucky I get to see all my grandparents and aunts and uncles as often as I do. I also saw my cousin Caroline on Memorial weekend. She is catching up to me in size and will soon be as active as me. I can't wait until I can actually play with her. Right now we just watch each other and I try to grab her fingers or face.

Finally, in time for father's day, I can now say another word (I used to say "Ge" as in doggy) - da which is short for daddy. Although I say it to anyone and at anytime, I think it still makes daddy proud. I am definitely no longer a momma's boy. I am constantly looking for my daddy and like to spend lots of time with him like I got to this last week while he was off and mommy was working. We're celebrating father's day tomorrow since mommy didn't realize it was the third Sunday of the month and not the second Sunday of the month and she and I will be in Seattle on father's day while daddy is at home. We have a fun day planned which includes making breakfast for daddy, going to the driving range and batting cages, picking up Ponza Rottas for dinner and relaxing with daddy. I made him a special gift and card, but shh don't tell him. It's a surprise.

Well I'm off to my next adventure. Or maybe just bed.

Love,
Cameron

Lions, Tigers and Bears - Oh My!

I have been a busy boy since I last blogged. Last weekend was Mother's Day so daddy and I made mommy pancakes and a fruit smoothie for breakfast in bed. We also brought her the newspaper so she could read while eating. Mommy was sick so I don't think she got to celebrate too much and I didn't see much of her that day as she spent most of it in bed or sleeping on the floor. But I got lots of daddy time so it was a fun day for me.

The day before that we went to a party and there were lots of little kids. I wasn't even the littlest. Ok, maybe in size, but not in age! I got to play with their toys and found that I really enjoy pushing around cars. The very next day, mommy got out a train for me to push around. She also brought out an elephant on wheels that I can pull around. I don't really pull it, but I like eating the rope that would be used to pull it.

I am really getting around these days. I'm not completely crawling, but I can do an "army crawl". I guess I just want to be like my daddy. I can cross the whole room and get into lots of mischief because I move quite well and pretty fast. Especially if I'm chasing a plastic bottle. I'm also opening and closing any door I can. I learned the hard way today that it can be hazardous to play with doors - I pinched my fingers in the coffee table door. Mommy and I didn't realize that it was slightly open so I got my finger stuck and tried to open it more. I'm sure that won't stop me from exploring more.

This past week was extra special as I got to meet my great-grandpa Kenny and great-grandma Allison. They came all the way from eastern Washington on a train. Pretty cool. I sure smiled big for great-grandpa and really enjoyed great-grandma holding me and talking to me. I get to see them again in June so that is something for me to look forward to. After mommy and me dropped them off at the train station on Thursday (they are going on to New York to visit mommy's aunt and uncle), mommy's car died so I spent my Thursday afternoon stuck in an unmoving car. How boring. Fortunately somebody from mommy's work came and jumped us because the person she asked at the train station to help us said no. How rude!

As I mentioned in my last blog, I went to my first Brewers game earlier this month. The game wasn't that good (the Brewers lost), but it was still fun to watch everything. I even stayed for 6 innings - about 3 more than mommy thought I would. I can't wait to go back, but in the meantime I sometimes get to watch the Brewers on TV. Of course I am rooting for Mike Cameron the most!

Swimming has been a challenge. I am very afraid of having to put my head under water so I spend the whole class nervous and cranky. Even though mommy hasn't made me put my head under for a couple weeks now, I still am not liking the pool. Except for when we get to chase the balls. That's fun and sometimes I forget that I'm in the pool. I also like it when Michaela comes over and gives me a hug when I'm scared. I think both mommy and daddy are going to come this week so hopefully having them both there will help make me feel better. At least I still like my baths a lot. I splash away and chase the ducky and eat my washcloth in the bathtub.

Today I went to the zoo for the first time. We saw the elephants (of course!), giraffes, three types of bears, hippos, big cats (I woke up from my nap right outside the cheetah's cage - what a way to wake up!), peacocks, and lots of cows. I liked the animals that were moving the best. The elephants were pretty active so they may have been my faves today. I'm sure that would make mommy proud since those are her favorite animals. And if you look closely at one of the pictures I posted, you will see it is a bear lounging in a hammock. How cute is that!

We were at the zoo as part of the Cystic Fibrosis Great Strides Walk. I don't know much about CF, but I know that my cousins both have CF so I am joining mommy and daddy in supporting this great organization in hopes that their research will help Lauren, Tyler, and all others with CF live longer, healthier lives. For more information, you can visit mommy's CF Great Strides page: http://www.cff.org/Great_Strides/KristineKruepke. It's not every day that a 9-month old like me can educate all you adults so I'm excited to have this opportunity.

One last note - in keeping with my tradition, I would like to give a few big shout outs to the May birthdays in my family. First, happy birthday to Aunt Kali and also Uncle Keith. They both celebrated their birthdays since my last post. And next week is Grandma Barb's birthday so in case I don't write between now and then, happy early birthday Grandma - I am looking forward to celebrating with you on Sunday!

Love,
Cameron

As promised, I posted pics from my swim class. Swimming did not go so well today. I cried almost the whole time, most likely because I woke up a bit early and was getting tired. Plus, I think I remembered that swimming = putting my head under the water and I don't like that. The substitute teacher must have taken pity on me as she did not make the class do the head under water activity today. Sucker! The only good things about my swim class today were that I only slightly freaked out when the shower was started and Michaela was there. She gave me a couple hugs and that made me feel better.

Grandma Linda was here visiting last week so that was fun and then this week daddy was off of work so I got to play with him lots. He and I hung out all day Thursday since mom didn't get home from her work meetings until 9pm. I really enjoy playing peek-a-boo using my blankie to cover me and I give high-fives. Daddy got me a really neat toy that has spinning balls which are fun to grab and throw. I also like my new baseball bat - more for eating than hitting.

So what else is new? I can "cruise" along the sofa while holding onto the cushions. I'm especially good at this if there is a remote, cell phone, or book on the other end of the sofa as incentive. I'm starting to pull myself up from the floor to a standing position while holding onto the sofa or I can also do it while holding onto a plastic storage container to use as leverage. I still haven't figured out how to go from laying to sitting, but got close one day on my changing table.

Did I mention I get into everything? And I mean everything! Mom had me at a bookstore and put me down on the floor a little ways away from the shelves. Well it wasn't far enough as next thing she knows, I'm pulling all the books off the shelf. Lesson learned mom - I like books and will stop at nothing to read them. Or eat them. I also like to eat paper so if mom or dad (though mostly mom) isn't quick enough, I will grab the nearest paper item and try to eat it. And I really enjoy closing the cupboard door, pushing and pulling the drawer in the cupboard, and playing with the Tupperware containers and lids. It keeps me entertained while mom is in the kitchen.

It was really warm out about 10 days ago so I got to spend the day outside and went to the park with mommy, daddy and grandma. That was a fun day. I watched Jess run around, saw a helicopter, and picked some grass and tried to eat it. I even got to have a picnic. Mom fed me my cereal and banana and sweet potatoes while we were sitting on the blanket outside. I'm hoping we have more picnics. After all, eating is what I do best! Yet amazingly I'm still a little peanut - only 15 lbs, 12 oz and 27" long. Despite being classified as "underweight" (or off the charts as I like to call it), I still look like I have a baby belly and roly poly legs, but I guess I still have some growing to do. I don't mind as it means I get to eat even more!

Tonight is a big night for me - my first Brewers game. Sports is obviously a big part of my life - look at my parents and you'll see why. I've watched a couple Brewers games with them on TV and last week went to my first NFL draft party. I only protested a few picks.

I better go get ready - we have a potential babysitter coming by today. Apparently mom and dad want to have a pool of neighborhood sitters so they can play softball together this summer and go out once in a while.

What a life I live - sleeping, taking naps, eating, drinking milk, getting held, getting bathed, lots of playing and people constantly making a big fuss out of me. It stays like this forever, right???

Love,
Cameron

Lil Water Bug

The big news is that I am walking and talking now. Ok, you caught me - happy belated April Fools Day. I didn't get around to posting last week so I had to throw in an April Fools joke today. Although I babble when I'm happy and when the dog is around, I'm not quite saying words yet. And walking - heck, I'm not even crawling yet. I roll to get places and sometimes I do a sideways, butt in the air "scootch" when I want to go somewhere. Despite my lack of crawling coordination, I can get from point A to point B if point B has a favorite toy waiting for me.

The actual big news is that I started swim lessons last weekend. Or as mom likes to call them, "water acclimation" lessons. Whatever. I was swimming. I wasn't too sure about the big ol' pool at first, but after about 7-8 minutes of being in the water, I was ready to kick and splash. Can't say I was grinning ear-to-ear (in fact, I had my infamous serious face on for most of the lesson), but there were no tears (at least not while in the pool) and I did smile for Michaela and her grandma. She was the only girl in the class so I will have to be really charming to get her attention. So far she seems to like me - she kept coming over by me in class. I guess swim lessons are already paying off - I enjoy my baths even more and have a jolly ol' time splashing around in the bath. In fact, I think I got daddy pretty wet last night with all my splashes.

During swim class we sang songs, practiced safe exits and entries out of and into the pool, used the kickboard, and had some free time to play. I chased balls around the pool during free time. We don't have class this Saturday, but in two weeks, daddy and/or grandma will be coming with us so that will be fun. There was another daddy there last week taking pictures. I like cameras a lot, probably because I see one almost every day. At one point during class, I kept looking at the daddy taking pictures instead of paying attention to what mommy was trying to teach me. Maybe next time mommy or daddy will take pictures so I can share some with you.

Although I was tear free (and as mom is relieved to point out, poop free) during class, I did cry before and after class. Mom turned on the shower before class to get us wet and I did not like it a bit, even though she was just gently splashing water on me and didn't even have me under the running water. She diligently tried again after class to rinse me off, but I was not having it. That's ok because I got a nice bath when I got home so I got clean.

Last week was very busy for me. I was up in West Bend last Tuesday with grandma and grandpa. Then Wednesday mommy and I hung out together, ran some errands and took Jesse to the doggy doctor. He was brave when he got his blood drawn and all his shots. He didn't even cry. I wish I was that brave. Then aunt Mollie came over on Thursday and played with me.

Friday I went and played with my friends Katie and Ally. This was the first time I met Ally. She is two months younger than me so it was nice being around someone my own age (and not being the youngest!) Being the gentleman I am, I held her hand while we were both laying on the ground. And then I tried to poke her in the eyes while grabbing at her face and if that wasn't enough, when she was getting changed, I tried to eat her sleeper while it was unzipped. Yes, always the gentleman.

Saturday I got to share my gentlemany antics with Bella. She's the cutie sitting in the chair with me in one of the pictures posted. She gave me lots of hugs and enjoyed petting my head. Apparently I was quite the ladies' man last weekend between Katie, Ally, Michaela and Bella. This week has been a little quieter which is fine by me since I have not been sleeping well and am kinda cranky.

I did get to go to the park yesterday. I swung in the baby swing while a cute little girl showed me how to use the big kid swing. Her older brother showed me how to use some of the other toys and even raced mommy and me down a slide. We won. My favorite slide is the one that's enclosed so it feels like you are sliding down a tube. It was also the longest so we got to go a little faster. Plus, as we slid down it, all the colors of the tubing whizzed by so it was neat to watch. I wasn't even scared being inside a tight space. Maybe daddy can go to the park with us tonight so one of them can take a picture of me on the slides. Mom did get a picture of me in the swing and as you can see, it was a pretty nice day yesterday.

A few other fun notes. I discovered how to pull the elastic straps off my diaper. Last night I even tried doing it through my clothes. That will be fun for all if I start doing that regularly. I am also learning how to wave. It looks more like an arm flap, but I will "wave" back at people. I am also trying to figure out how to sit up from a prone position. I can get about 30% of the way up, but then either I'm not quite strong enough to sit up all the way or I simply don't know how to finish the task. But I'm pretty strong-willed so I imagine I will figure it out sooner rather than later.

And of course, it's baseball season!!! I watched part of the Brewers first game on Tuesday with our neighbor Patty. That was until I took over the remote and changed the channel and then she didn't know what channel the game was on (we have 300-some channels so it's not exactly easy to find) so that was the end of my baseball watching for the day. Good thing though as they lost the lead shortly after I changed the channel. Yesterday's game was much better. My namesake hit a home run to give the Brewers a lead and then mom's favorite pitcher not only pitched well, he hit a 3-run homerun. Of course I didn't get to see this game since it was on so late. Maybe I'm bad luck so I better stop watching as long as they keep winning.

I added one more food to my list - egg yolk (hard-boiled). Not a fan. It has a funny, dry texture. When mom mixed it with a little milk to make it less dry, it became sticky and icky. I'm all about texture and will cough and cough and cough to make my point when I'm eating a food with a texture I don't like. But at least I tried it.

Well I'm outta here - got a big day ahead of me. I am taking it upon myself to celebrate my Uncle Tom's birthday on my own since I won't be able to see him until June. I think the festivities will include another trip to the park, some singing, and some cake and ice cream. Ok, so the last part is probably wishful thinking, but it never hurts to ask, right? You never know what sleep-deprived parents will say yes to! Happy Birthday Uncle Tom and hope your special day is as fun as my day will be.

Love,
Cameron

Happy Birthday Dear Daddy

First, happy birthday to my daddy. Tomorrow he adds another candle to his cake. Except he can’t eat cake because he gave it up for Lent. I wanted to give up green beans, but mom wouldn’t let me do that. Mommy wanted me to give up my “midnight” snack. I occasionally will sleep the entire night (from about 6:30pm-7:30am), but I still wake up once a night for a “midnight” snack (more like a 3am snack). If you ask me, it’s a long time to sleep without waking up. And sometimes I wake up really wet which I don’t like, but I don’t really fuss about it either. But most of the time, I just like to see mommy and daddy during the night to make sure they are ok.

On Friday I tried my first non-fruit or veggie – tofu. Let’s just say it didn’t go too well. Mom mashed up some tofu for me, but there was something about the texture that I did not like. I kept coughing and making faces until she finally gave up. But then I didn’t want to eat anything with texture for the next two days. So no papaya, no banana, no peas and definitely no tofu.

Mommy and daddy are trying to teach me sign language. I comprehend the sign for milk – whenever mommy makes the sign, I get all excited. They also use signs for hungry/eat, more, bath, and doggy. Mom thinks doggy will be my first word so maybe I’ll make it my first sign too. She thinks doggy will be my first word because I love Jesse. I talk to him in the morning while I’m in my highchair eating. I give him hugs when he sits tall and mommy stands me next to him. I love petting him and don’t mind when his tail wags in my face or he barks really loud.

This weekend was spent watching basketball (don’t worry, it’s the only TV I ever get to watch). I got cranky tonight because both of my teams lost. Oh well, now at least mom and dad won’t be as interested in the games I hope. Yesterday I did take a break from basketball to send well wishes to our friend Elizabeth who is going to Afghanistan in June. I’m not quite sure where Afghanistan is, but it sounds far away and kinda scary to me. I am very proud of Liz and the sacrifice she is making. Apparently daddy did something similar before I was born so I am proud of him too. Anyway, Liz and Jared hung out with me on Thursday night while mommy and daddy went to dinner together. They are so much fun; I was smiling and laughing and was a very good boy for them. Earlier this month, Lisa and Scott stayed with me and I had a blast then too. Auntie Lisa sang her version of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star to me and made me laugh. I’m lucky that I have so many great friends. Ok, technically they are mommy and daddy’s friends, but they are my friends now too.

Tuesday was one of my favorite days ever (I know, not saying much considering I have only experienced only 217 days so far). It was really warm and sunny out so mom and I went for a walk and then afterwards we sat on a blanket in the shade in our backyard. Mommy brought out a bunch of my toys so I could play while outside. She also showed me the grass, leaves, and pointed out a helicopter flying over our house. I watched Jesse run around the yard and got to experience many new sights, sounds, and smells. I also got some cool sunglasses to wear while outside. I was in a pretty good mood on Tuesday. I even let mommy read to me and I giggled the whole time she was reading a story about Biscuit the dog. And then that night I got to hang out with daddy while he cooked out. That meat sure smelled good. I can’t wait until I get to eat good food like burgers and brats. Notice how a lot of my stories are about food. I get that from my mom.

Well another couple weeks have come and gone and I am still constantly on the move and learning lots. I know play with my toys some instead of just eating them. Though I still stick everything into my mouth, I actually use some of my toys as they were intended. For example, I just learned how to pull the lever on my see and say today which made mommy very proud. I also learned how to throw some of my toys. It surprised mommy a bit this morning when I chucked a plastic shape across the room. I also enjoy dropping my toys on the ground and watching mommy or daddy pick them up. Ah, the joys of being a child and having your parents wrapped around your finger!

Love,
Cameron

I’m Baaaack and Sittin’ Pretty

Well it’s been a while. Mom and I just got back from Atlanta on Tuesday. We were supposed to be home on Sunday, but it snowed at Atlanta’s airport on Sunday and Milwaukee’s airport got 14 inches of snow on Monday even though our house got none. Crazy weather. But it meant I got to spend two extra days at Grandma and Grandpa Heimbigner’s. That was fine with me, but I missed daddy and Jesse a lot. Daddy had to stay home, but I got to see him via a video on the computer and even caught a glance of Jess. It was cool, but a little confusing.

So back to my plane ride. Mommy had to pack a lot of stuff for me. I felt bad at all the bags and things she had to haul around the airport with us, but she seemed to have a system that worked well. Most everything was piled into my stroller and then she carried me while pushing the stroller. I liked being up high and seeing everything that was going on. Once on the plane, I didn’t want to nurse even though it would have made my ears feel better. Fortunately for me, mommy and everybody else on the plane, mom brought bottles as a back up and I ate willingly from those. I also made friends on both flights. On the way there, we sat next to a pilot who was hopping a ride down to Georgia to visit his son. He talked to me about planes. On the way home, we sat next to a young man who admitted he was nervous about flying next to a baby as he never had before (and I think mom was a bit nervous about having a young guy as a seat mate rather than a fellow parent or grandparent who might be more understanding), but the guy was great. He made faces at me and played with me and entertained me. I think I entertained him too. I felt bad though because at one point I fell asleep and he sneezed and startled me awake so the passengers around him were teasing him about waking the baby. At least I napped pretty good on that flight despite the sneeze waking me up. On the way out to Atlanta, I got way overtired and because the snack cart was parked right next to us for about 20 minutes, I was too distracted to sleep. I get easily distracted these days. If I hear a sound while nursing, I’m looking around to see what it is. If there are people around, I don’t want to sleep. There’s just too much to see in this big ol’ world!

Atlanta was really warm when we first got there. I think it was in the 70s. Mommy had me in just a onesie so I got to play with my toes for the first time in a while and we took a stroll in Grandma and Grandpa’s neighborhood. It’s usually too cold in Wisconsin this time of year for bare feet and outdoor walks. I got to play with a musical bongo drum and a different toy piano so that was fun. And I watched mom, grandma and grandpa all do yoga and other activities on the Wii. What a strange name. I also had my first ride in a shopping cart. I definitely prefer being able to sit up and look around than being stuck in my car seat while at the store. I’m a pretty good sitter these days. Sometimes I fall over, but somebody usually catches me.

Our Saturday in Atlanta was a bit eventful from what I hear. I didn’t really notice what was going on, but apparently mommy choked on a piece of pork while we were at a restaurant and Grandma had to do the Heimlich maneuver on mommy. Mommy was ok after that, but she did have to go to the hospital to make sure the pork was no longer lodged. I’m glad she is ok and mommy is glad she got trained in the Heimlich and CPR so she could stay calm in a scary situation and help Grandma treat her.

On a happier note, I’m doing a bit better at sleeping through the night, though I’m still very inconsistent. Some nights I will go from 6:30pm until 5-something am. Other nights I wake up screaming around 9pm, like tonight which is why I'm posting to my blog at 10pm. I do have my good nights though. One time this week, I actually slept in until 10am. I think mom was a bit worried since I normally like to get up around 7:30am, but I think with all the excitement of traveling, I was just plain ol’ tired. Then yesterday I took a 2 ½ hour nap which really threw mom and dad for a loop since I am lucky to take an hour long nap. Mom and dad are hoping this Daylight Savings thing doesn’t screw my sleeping up any. I think they kinda like having some baby-free time in the evening, though I can’t imagine why.

Daddy and I get some buddy time on a regular basis now as mommy teaches a business planning class in West Bend on Tuesday nights and takes kickboxing on Saturday mornings. So daddy and I hang out and make each other laugh. I sure enjoy my time with daddy. Nothing against mommy, but daddy is sure a hoot. Especially when he makes goofy faces or says words like “bacon” in his funny voice. I can’t get enough of his antics.

Not much else to report from here. My new favorite toys are kitchen utensils, specifically plastic serving spoons, Japanese soup spoons, mixing bowls, and Tupperware cups. I can’t wait until I’m allowed to open the cupboards and help myself to these “toys”. I’m also still very fond of my piano. In fact, anything that lights up and makes noise is a winner in my book. That includes cell phones, I-pods, the new Wii, and other gadgets that mom and dad have but won’t share with me.

Enjoy your weekend and a special birthday greeting to my friend Kelly.

Love,
Cameron

Inchworms and Koala Bears

It’s hard to believe, but I had my 6-month check up last week (although I won’t officially be 6-months old until next week). I am still a tiny little peanut – 13 lbs 12.5 oz (5%) and 25 ¾ inches (25%). I think mom especially appreciates that while she is hauling me all over the place. I get to experience new places all the time with mommy – most likely because she can’t sit still for too long. Last week she took me to the Humane Society to see other dogs. I absolutely love my dog and enjoy petting him but it was nice to see other types of dogs too as I’ve only met one other dog, my cousin Jordan. I was really good with the dogs and didn’t even flinch when they barked at me. Apparently there was a dog there that could jump so high you could see it from across the room. I didn’t actually see it, but if I had I would have giggled like mad. When Jess and I play fetch (well mom throws the ball since I’m not quite that coordinated yet) and he jumps in the air for his ball, I get giddy!

I also go to daycare occasionally while mommy does water aerobics (Thursdays) and a fitness class (Fridays). The class on Fridays is near daddy’s work so it gives us an opportunity to go out to lunch together as a family, much like we used to do last year when daddy had every Friday off. Daycare has been good for me to get used to being around other kids as a lot of the time it’s just me and the adults. Guess I’m mature for my age.

I’m very excited because daddy finished redoing our basement so now it looks like a nice big playroom for me. I don’t know if that’s what mom and dad have in mind for it, but that’s my vision. It has nice, warm carpeting so maybe they will let me explore down there one of these days. I can’t wait until I’m a little older and can be daddy’s helper on projects like that. I’ve included a picture of the new basement so you can see why I’m so excited.

I’m still working on my New Year’s resolutions. I have added squash, green beans and carrots to my list of foods I’ve tried. Can’t say I love the squash, but if it’s mixed with prunes (which I love), then I will eat it. In general, I’m a hearty eater. I LOVE my fruits and am pretty good with the veggies I’ve tried so far. Grandpa Jim gets a kick out of how big I open my mouth when waiting for the next spoonful of food, especially when I’m eating something I like. I also like trying to eat mommy and daddy’s food. The other night, I stuck my hand right into mommy’s bowl of rice and I’m constantly grabbing their plates if I’m sitting in their laps at the table. I think they are finally catching on to me though as I’ve spent more of their meals in my high chair lately.

I have not made much progress on my second resolution, to use my words more instead of crying. In fact, if you ask mommy or daddy, I cry even more now when I want something. Probably because I have more wants now. Like I want food, milk, my tummy rubbed, my toy, mommy, daddy, sleep, a different toy, to be flipped over from my belly to my back, etc. I am goofy about the belly thing. I like to roll around as I mentioned in my previous blog. Often times I end up on my belly and this upsets me so I voice my frustration. Yet, if you put my down onto my belly, I will gladly roll myself over onto my back. Mom thinks I’m playing her as she has seen me do a complete roll from back to belly to back. Maybe I am…

On Valentine’s Day I got to visit cousin Caroline again. She sure is growing, but she hasn’t caught up to me yet. I also met even more of my extended family, including Caroline’s other grandparents who were here all the way from Florida. The day was so much fun that I didn’t want to nap at all the whole time we were in Madison. I crashed as soon as we got in the car, but I sure had fun getting held all day long. Plus I got to see Jordan again and he gave me lots of kisses.

Next weekend, Grandma and Grandpa Heimbigner are visiting so I think mom and dad will actually get to go out on a date together. And then the last weekend of February, I get to go back to Atlanta with mommy. Hopefully it’s warmer there than it is here as I miss being outside. Although, mommy and I went for a short walk last Tuesday as it was almost 60 degrees out! Too bad it was so windy as I was not fond of the gusty wind because it meant my wind visor was down and I couldn’t see any of the sites. Boring!

So why inchworms and koala bears you ask? Well, I look like an inchworm while “scooching” across the floor. Mom put my toy piano, about 6-9 inches in front of me and I “scooched” until I could reach it. I don’t think mom and dad are quite ready for my mobility, but each day I learn a little more about getting around.

The koala bear is a reference to how cute and cuddly I look, especially while sitting up. Again, my toy piano is great incentive for me to do things as I love playing with it. If mom puts the piano in front of me and sits me up, I will stay upright for quite a long time. If she sits me up without the piano, I topple over pretty quickly. I posted a picture to prove my sitting abilities. Note that the piano is right in front of me as motivation.

So the inchworm is signing off for today. I’ve got to rest as I have a busy day of playing planned for tomorrow!

Love,
Cameron