In the snow!

We haven't had much snow in Albany this winter. In fact, Richmond and Norlfolk, Vriginia have snow totals far in excess of what we've received in Albany (if you can believe it!). So, with just a dusting on the ground from our first (and only) major snowfall this past Monday, Mommy and I went outside yesterday to enjoy the white stuff. Contrary to what you might think based on my facial expression, I actually had a really good time playing in the snow (I didn't want to come inside and was quite upset when Mommy insisted...I think she was cold). Hopefully there will be several more "snow days" in the months to come!

Making Gingerbread Cookies

Mommy, Baba and I made delicious gingerbread cookies last weekend. They were super yummy - even before we baked them. I was able to make cut-outs of gingerbread people (men and women alike) and Christmas trees and decorated them with colorful sprinkles.

Oh, you better not shout...

...I opted to scream when I visited with Santa last night. Something just didn't sit well with me about a guy in a furry red suit, long white beard and big black boots. Mommy and Baba insisted that I was fine with him last year - I don't recall, though there appears to be a blog post from last December that shows a picture far different that this one.

"C" is for cookie...and Christmas...

We started making holiday cookies this weekend (you know, to take to the office, school, relatives, etc.). You just can't go wrong with peanut butter and chocolate. Mommy made "peanut butter blossoms" - peanut butter cookies with a big ol' Hershey kiss in the middle. Yummy! I enjoyed a few with some milk shortly after they came out of the oven (and I woke up from my nap). Enjoy the video - 'cause I sure enjoyed making it.

Tree Time!

'Tis the season...so last weekend we went and got our Christmas tree - and what a beautiful tree it is! It was a sunny (but bitterly cold) morning. Perfect for tree-picking and hauling (I guess). Unlike last year, I was able to run up and down rows of trees. We set the tree up on Saturday and decorated it on Monday. I only broke one ornament - a pretty, maroonish-colored ball. Most balls that I throw don't break...this one shattered! Oh well, you live you learn.

Museum of Play

Yes, there actually is a national museum of "play." Mommy, Baba, Theo Strat, Yiayia and I all visited it a few weeks ago during our Thanksgiving visits to Oswego/Rochester. It's in downtown Rochester and it's super cool! The picture of Mommy and me is us on the Sesame Street "stoop." I visited with Elmo, I flew a plane, shopped at a pint-sized Wegmans grocery store (and actually checked myself out at a real, functioning cash register), visited the Berenstain Bears (and their quilt shop), and rode a train. When everything was said and done, I was beat. I went to bed early and woke up late the next morning. It was a great time. I can't wait to go back! If you're ever in Rochester and are young at heart, check out the Strong Museum of Play.

Chocolate on a stick???

What a concept! Mommy and Baba attended a friend's surprise birthday party (Happy Birthday Carolyn) last weekend. We'll spare you her age...(but she's still very young). Anyway, as favors there were handmade chocolates on a stick (in a variety of colors). My folks' were good enough to bring one home for me to munch on - and munch on I did! Yummy. Baba said that Carolyn's family does all types of stuff with chocolate - they even dip preztels in it! My goodness! I can't wait to get a hold of one of those!

Dancer(s)

With apologies to my faithful followers for the lack of updates (been super busy at school and around the house), here's a little treat. As some of you know, I come from a long, proud line of dancers. My mom, my Aunt Aileen and my Aunt Meghan were (are) all dancers. It goes without saying that I too have the dancing attribute and will, most likely (and much to my father's dismay) also be a dancer. Several weeks ago Aunt Aileen and Aunt Meghan spent the weekend with Mommy and me (Baba was traveling for work). Here's some video of their (feeble) attempt to get me on my toes. Enjoy!

Trick or Treat

So, the plan had been to visit two or three houses to get some candy. The concern had been that I was too young, too little, too immature to fully understand the Halloween tradition. Well, they all got it wrong. I get it. So much so, in fact, that we hit up a dozen houses and I collected a good amount of candy (for an 18-month-old).

A quick comment on the authenticity of my costume. You'll notice that I'm wearing authorized NFL gear (thanks to Theo Strat and Aunt Renee). Additionally, the NFL has been supporting breast cancer awareness by having players wear pink equipment during the month of October (ie: pink sneakers, pink wrist bands, etc.). I too was sporting pink sneakers AND a pick jacket (it was a little chilly). Totally authentic. The only thing that wasn't authentic was that Bills fans don't have a lot to cheer for (we came close today).

Anyway, when I got home I ate my candy...all of it (though I think that Mommy and Baba swiped some from me, but who's counting?).

Happy Halloween everyone! Go Bills! Oh, and don't forget to get out there and vote Tuesday!

Carving my first pumpkin.

We went pumpkin picking several weeks ago (it was probably Columbus Day, actually). Anyway, in anticipation of Halloween tomorrow night, Mommy, Baba and I carved a pumpkin. I'll confess that I wasn't a huge fan of sticking my hand into the pumpkin, but I got used to it (it was slimy!). I think our pumpkin turned our pretty well - not too scary, not too silly...just right. Just more fall fun with the family!

Fall Fun!

As per Baba's directive this morning, all hands on deck to deal with the yard today. Baba had made me a special rake (he cut down the handle so I could manage it better) to help rake the leaves in the yard. We were a great team. Baba mowed and mulched the lawn while Mommy and I raked the leaves. In all, we filled almost 20 bags of leaves/grass. We were outdoors for much of the afternoon and when everything was said and done, we rewarded ourselves with cider doughnuts on the patio. Yummy!

Halloween Parade...

Last year I was a butterfly, this year I was a Buffalo Bills cheerleader! What an evolution, right? We had our annual Halloween parade at school on Friday. It was lots of fun. By most accounts, I was the cutest kid there (at least that's what Mommy and Baba said). There were lots of creative costumes. My friend Dylan was an elephant, Reegan was a bunny rabbit, Sarah was a strawberry and Katelyn was a dalmatian. Sunday I plan to visit a select few houses to get some candy, then come back and help Baba hand some candy out. Happy Halloween everybody!

Up, up and away...

Those of you who have been loyal to my blog since the beginning likely recall a series of posts that dealt with my interest and ability to climb the stairs in our house. For you loyal readers, I wanted to provide a quick update: I'm still climbing, and getting faster every day! I will confess that my trips down the stairs these days now include my hanging onto Baba's back and "riding" down the stairs, which is lots of fun. My guess is that Baba is more nervous with my coming down the stairs than going up them, thus his relatively new "all aboard" the stair-tram-express, "going down." That crazy Baba, always thinking up something new and silly! Here's some video of me coming up the stairs earlier today. Fast, right?

Talk, talk, talk...

When I talk, Mommy and Baba usually listen. They may not understand what I'm saying (which is a little frustrating from my perspective), but they will smirk, respond or pick me up. I'm trying, I really am. I feel like occasionally I break through with something that Mommy and Baba understand. Those occasions are increasing for sure. I have found that the best situation for me is when I'm on the phone (as you can see in the video below). Whoever is on the other side clearly understand everything I'm saying.

UAlbany Homecoming

This past weekend was Homecoming and Family weekend at UAlbany. We had had almost ten days of continuous rain (Baba kept on referring to it as "monsoon season"). But the rain finally broke and the forecast gave way to beautiful blue skies and seasonable fall temperatures. Saturday was the "fall festival" on campus. Mommy, Baba, Aunt Meghan and I all went. Grandma and Papa Eddie met us there. It was lots of fun.

Apple picking...really apple picking.

As those of you who have been following my blog since last year know, I went apple picking last year (I believe it was October). Truthfully, last year I didn't do much "picking" of the apples, I largely watched Mommy and Baba pick the apples. Furthermore, while I was able to enjoy the apples in the form of applesauce thanks to Mommy's efforts, I wasn't able to fully enjoy the apple-eating experience (you know, the crunch, the juice, etc.). Fast-forward 12-months, I've got teethe (for eating the actual apples), can walk (for strolling through the orchard), and have largely mastered hand-eye coordination (for the most part) for picking the apples. So, suffice it to say that this year's apple-picking experience was far different that last years. I was able to actually pick apples and, in between picking, eat apples that I had just picked. What a deal! We went apple picking last weekend on a beautiful, cool (but sunny) morning. We picked a half bushel (I picked the smaller, lower-hanging apples), we had cider and cider donuts - YUMMY! Can't wait to pick pumpkins in a couple of weeks.

Greece 2010!

Ah, what a time we had in Greece! We haven't been back quite a week, but I've been missing the sandy beaches, the blue water, the delicious food, and all of those great animals (you'll see what I mean, I uploaded a bunch of pics at the link below).

The flights to and from were ok. Mommy and Baba didn't really get as much rest as they would have liked. They're pinning that on me.

It was so great finally meeting Baba's Yia Yia (my Great Yia Yia, I guess). She's really sweet and was always giving me cookies and candy. I was also able to meet Theo Yianni and Thea Katina (Baba's aunt and uncle), as well as Baba's Godmother. Everyone was so kind.

We spent 12 days at the beach. Not the whole days, mind you, but a good couple of hours in the morning or early afternoon. I loved getting in the water (except when it was a little wavey - it was hard for me to stand up straight). I brought home some shells that I gathered up while walking the coast with Yia Yia and Papou.

Now, for those pictures I promised, click here.

I can't wait to go back!

It's GO Time!

We leave for Greece tomorrow. My first transcontiental trip! I'm excited. Not sure what to expect. Mommy and Baba have been promising beaches (yum, SAND), lots of sunshine, and wide-open spaces (which is AWESOME, 'cause I love running around). It's a bit of a haul out there (like 10 hours!), but once we're there we'll stay for a little over two weeks. I plan to have lots of pictures and video when I get back. Special shout-out to all of my blog readers - thanks for following me on-line!

Eating fruit...WHOLE!

I've been eating various fruits for some time now. I enjoy blueberries, bananas and watermelon in particular. Apples, pears, peaches and plums are tasty but up until recently needed to be cut up into little pieces for me. Now, however, I have literally been handed the opportunity to hold the yummy fruits on my own. It's certainly been an experience. I included a quick video of my attempt to munch on a peach while Theo Strat was here last weekend. Slippery little stinker that peach! Thanks for your help, Theo Strat.

Bills Camp!

Late summer signals the start to NFL training camps across the country. For us in the Christakis household, we're less concerned with the other 31 NFL teams and more concerned with one team in particular: the Buffalo Bills! Last year, at just three months of age, I attended my first Bills training camp. A year later, I went back again (I didn't truthfully remember much from last year). It was a beautiful day and I was able to run all over the place (as evidenced by the video below). Baba bought me a new Bills t-shirt that I wore to practice. I overheard Baba and Theo Strat say that this is going to be a "rebuilding year" for us. I hope they rebuild fast. I have yet to witness a winning Bills season (though I've been told they once went to the Super Bowl four times in a row).

The Spoon

I largely liberated myself from having to be fed all of the time by my parents (and others) when I was about 8-months old (completely liberated by 12-months). The only time I can't necessarily feed myself is if their are utensils involved (spoons and/or forks in particular). As of late I have been wanting to have a spoon of my own whenever Mommy or Baba were feeding me oatmeal, applesauce or yogurt. The reason: to further liberate myself! Well, I am pleased to report that I am making considerable progress in maneuvering the spoon into whatever food I'm eating and then into my mouth. Please note that "considerable progress" does not discern that I have mastered the art of eating with a spoon - far from it in fact as you can see from the following video. Here's to practicing the art of eating with a spoon!

"C is for Cookie...

...that's good enough for me," once said a wise, furry, blue cookie-eating muppet. Yiayia and Papou visited last weekend and Yiayia brought homemade chocolate-chip cookies. I hadn't had chocolate-chip cookies yet, but let me tell ya', those cookies were DELICIOUS! Yiayia used to make chocolate-chip cookies (from scratch!) every week for Baba and Theo Strat. The every week thing might be a bit of a stretch, but Baba confirms that it was frequently when he was a kid. Well, add me to the Yiayia chocolate-chip cookie fan page 'cause I'm digging 'em (as evidenced by the photo). I was definitely enjoying dessert this week (the cookies are all gone - thanks to Mommy and Baba who also indulged a bit). Thanks Yiayia for exposing me to the decadent experience that is chocolate-chip cookies and milk!

It's been hot...

...so I'm pulling my hair back! Kind of a milestone in that I have hair that is long enough to actually tie back into a little, itty-bitty pony tail. Mommy thinks it's super cute, Baba thinks it emphasizes my cheeks. Either way, it gets the hair out of my eyes (sort of). Stay cool!

Summertime Fun!

Happy Independence Day everybody! We had a fun-filled long weekend celebrating the 4th of July holiday. Yesterday, we spent the afternoon at the Yonkers' (our neighbors) pool-side. It was loads of fun. Nice to have neighbors with a pool, especially on a 90-degree day. Two highlights worth noting - watermelon (which I absolutely LOVE) and a refreshing dip in the pool (which I slowly got acclimated to).

The thing with watermelon is that it's juicy AND sweet. What an amazing combination. I ate it off the rhine and it got all over me and everything around me.

The thing with a refreshing dip in the pool is, obviously, it's "refreshing" and I get used to the water temperature after about 30-seconds.
The 90-degree temperatures continue the rest of the week. Baba's got my ceiling fan AND the air condition pumping into my room (but I'll still kick my covers off!).

Stay cool!

Happy Father's Day, Baba!

"Everyday should be Father's Day," that's what Baba likes to say. Happy Father's day to Papou, Papa Eddie, and Great Grandpa Brooks too, and to all the dads out there that mean so much to us "kids." Maybe everyday should be Father's Day...Mommy doesn't think so (and my guess is most moms wouldn't agree with Baba's sentiment).

Saturday at the Beach!

After my most recent beach experience (in South Carolina a few weeks ago), Mommy, Baba and I thought it would be fun to find a beach that wouldn't require a plane ride. So, we went to Lake George (about an hour north of Albany). It was a beautiful day today - high 80s, no humidity. Mommy packed a picnic lunch, Baba packed the beach chairs in the car and we were off first thing this morning. Of note during lunch was the little chipmunk that managed to get into our picnic basket and, in turn, cause Mommy to scream when the little critter leaped out when she opened the picnic basket. Baba and I thought it was pretty funny. Mommy did too...eventually. Our day at the beach was great! I love the beach! After lunch we hit the road and headed to Sataroga Springs for a walk through town. Lots of hustle-bustle in Saratoga today and it's not even track season yet. After a stroll through Saratoga we headed home and I took a long, long nap...I was beat. Here's a video of me at the beach.

Spatial Reasoning

Well, you learn something new everyday. At least that's what my parents keep telling me. Tonight, I was having some serious issues getting my walker (or whatever you call that thing with wheels that I walk behind) through my barn door. I tried again and again to get that darn walker (or whatever it's called) through a wide open barn door. Nothing. I pulled, and I pulled, and I pulled. Suffice it to say, I couldn't get the walker where I wanted it...through the barn door. Baba said something about a square peg in a round whole. Jibberish. What does that mean? I was trying to get my walker through the barn door, Ba. Duh. Here's some video.

A Day at the Beach

Mommy, Baba and I are in South Carolina visiting Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Brooks. We arrived yesterday. Baba said that it may actually be warmer in Albany than it is in South Carolina (we were having a bit of a warm spell before we left). The heat aside for a moment, let me tell you something that South Carolina has over Albany (besides Great Grandma and Great Grandpa)...BEACHES!

I've never been to a legitimate "beach" before (Maine doesn't count - water was too cold, and there was no sand, just large rocks). We went to the beach today - my first time to the beach - and it was awesome. I didn't mind the sand in my toes (as my parents' had feared would happen) or the water washing over my little footsies.

In fact, I loved the beach so much I started eating the sand. Not just "tasting" it, but piling it into my mouth...fistfuls of sand. Mommy was perplexed by my behavior, Baba just sort of shrugged it off as something a one-year old would do.

Two Down, None to Go...(Congrats Uncle Patrick)

The second stop on our recent sojourn west was Cleveland, Ohio to see Uncle Patrick graduate with his undergraduate degree from Case Western Reserve University. Grandma, Papa Eddie, Aunt Aileen, Uncle Billy, Aunt Meghan, mommy, baba and I all made the trip to celebrate Uncle Patrick's big day. The graduation ceremony was mid-morning Sunday. Saturday we all got to Cleveland and had a big family dinner. I had peas and chicken - always a safe bet. The next morning mommy went to the complimentary breakfast that the hotel provides and got me a plateful of eggs - yummy yummy eggs. Then we hit the road to campus to watch Uncle Patrick cross the stage. There were lots and lots of people there, but we could see Uncle Patrick on the super-duper big screen that they had set up. After the ceremony I was walking around campus with mommy and these little boys kept on coming up to me. I wasn't interested (or so baba tells me). Congratulations Uncle Parick, we're so proud of you. Uncle Patrick's heading to the University of Wisconsin - Madison for graduate school.

Lilac Festival

As part of our Cleveland trip we stopped over in Rochester (made the trip a lot more manageable - especially for me). Friday night I went to Rochester's annual Lilac Festival.

It was a beautiful evening and I had my first taste of fried dough - super yummy!!! Highland Park is full of all of these pretty lilac bushes and Highland Avenue is full of all of these terribly unhealthy street vendors (enter fried dough stand!).

Anyway, it was lots of fun and I'm glad I was finally able to figure out why they call Rochester the "Flower City."

One down, one to go...(Congrats Theo Strat!)

We took a trip to Rochester this weekend to celebrate Theo Strat's graduation with his Masters degree (in Human Resources Management) from Nazareth College. We're all so proud of Theo Strat. He's worked really hard to get this degree (while working full-time all the while). We had a big family dinner on Saturday night (I ate a lot!) and then went to commencement Sunday morning. It was unusually cold on both days, but it actually snowed (yes, snowed!) on Sunday. I hadn't seen that white stuff in a couple of months.

I should also confess that while I was awake and completely aware as Theo Strat crossed the stage to receive his degree, the same cannot be said for the rest of the graduation ceremony. It was long, I was tired. The rest, as you can see, is history (at least I was well rested).


With Theo Strat's graduation behind us, only Uncle Patrick's remains, and that's next weekend in Cleveland. One graduation down, one to go...

It's Official: I'm One!

Today's the day. At 11:05am a year ago, I arrived! As Baba likes to remind me, that's exactly when the world became a much better place. Happy to help, Ba! I can also tell you, for the record, that I can legitimately walk. Not sort of walk, but really (really!) walk.

So, here's to my first year full of discovery and the next year full of adventure.

Love you all who have kept up with me on my blog. Keep on reading, the best is yet to come.

Party, party, party!!!

Yesterday we celebrated my first birthday! My actual birthday, as you know, is this Thursday, but Mommy and Baba wanted to celebrate on a weekend (and the next two are basically "booked" with Theo Strat's graduation from grad school and Uncle Patrick's graduation from college). So...Saturday was PARTY time!!
Yiayia, Papou, Grandma, and Papa Eddie were here. Aunt Aileen, Uncle Billy and Aunt Meghan also came. It was a beautiful day (in the 80s), the sun was shining and Baba had the grill going. On that grill - Zweigle's hot dogs from Rochester - super yummy...I love hot dogs. That said, I've been told in no uncertain terms that hot dogs are a "treat" and not a daily menu option (which stinks, 'cause as I said, I LOVE hot dogs!).
After we all ate lunch, I opened my presents (lots and lots of clothes and toys, even a special package from Aunt Diane and Uncle Marky and my friend Wilson). After I opened all of my gifts we had birthday cake. Believe me when I tell you, this was a serious birthday cake. In fact, so serious, that Baba made it himself. Seriously, my Baba made this cake from scratch - every bit of it - the cake, the frosting, the filling. It was delicious!!! What a party.

Walking? Sort of...not yet...

It's a learning process - with ups and downs - literally. Mommy keeps saying that by the time I turn one I should be walking. Folks were waiting a good three months for me to roll over back in the day, so I'm not making any promises, but seeing is believing (check out the video below - "baby steps" for sure).

Happy Easter! Christos Anesti!

Well, I celebrated yet another "holiday" on Sunday - EASTER! Mommy, baba and I were in Rochester to celebrate Easter with Yia Yia and Papou. It was lots of fun. On Easter Sunday we went to church and I got dressed up in my super cute Easter Sunday best! You have to admit, I'm pretty cute (and how about that bow-thing in my hair, pretty nice, huh?). I was a little tired because church was during my nap time, but afterwards Fr. Jerry gave me a very pretty red Easter egg.

Palm Sunday

Today was my first Palm Sunday. Mommy, Baba and I all got dressed in our Sunday best and headed to Church this morning. The place was packed! Lots and lots of people, and lots and lots of other babies. We each got a palm shaped like a little cross. It was pretty cool. Mommy and I looked super cute in our dress-up clothes.

Up, up and away! (Part 2)

So, after dinner tonight (I had mac and cheese, meatballs, corn and some pear), I decided I'd "work off" some of my meal by climbing the stairs. I've included a video below, but want you to know that this particular video is of the second time I climbed the stairs tonight. That's right - up the stairs twice (Baba has to carry me down, but I can get up them pretty easily!). Here's the proof:

10-seconds?

...or maybe a little less, but I'm still standing for a few seconds on my own...don't believe me? Check it out.

Up, up and away!

Stairs. Need I say more? Every parent dreads them, every toddler can't wait to scale them. Last weekend when Yiayia and Papou were visiting, I took a stab at scaling mount stair-more. I only made it up a step before my efforts were thwarted by the authorities (Mommy and Baba), but it was a real trip. One more thing for my parent's to worry about now. Awesome!

Moving right along...

It's my ten month birthday today - happy birthday to me! So, as I reflect on where I've been (my mom's tummy) to where I've gone (my parent's family room) to where I'm going ("walking" is the next frontier), time really does seem to be flying by! I remember only being able to lie on the floor. I recall rolling over for the first time (if even only by accident). I can't even imagine a time when I couldn't crawl!? I mean, getting around is all the rage. So now, I'm beginning to sort-of-walk. "Sort-of" in that I am using my highchair, but walking is walking, and I think I'll soon get used to the idea of taking full strides standing up. NOTE: by "soon," I mean in the next three to six months. Here's a quick video as proof that I'm "moving right along"...

A few of my favorite things...

At 9 1/2 months (I see 10-months on the horizon!), I thought I'd reflect on a few of my favorite things:

My favorite color is purple (in this picture I am wearing a new purple hat that my Great Aunt Karen made for me).

My favorite food is bananas (OR cheerios, depending on my mood).

My favorite grown-up thing to play with are Mommy's pots and pans (Baba's not a fan, but at least they keep me occupied).

My favorite grown-up thing to do, which I am not supposed to, is play with Baba's and Mommy's outside shoes (I get a lot of "No, Katerina" when I stick one of those puppies in my mouth - that gets their attention).

My favorite friend at school is Sara (she's a pretty cool kid).

My favorite thing to chew on is a frozen bagel (YUMMY!).

My favorite book is a soft peek-a-boo Elmo book (love it!).

My favorite game is peek-a-boo (now that's a good time).

My favorite comfort toy is my 'tag' (it's a piece of cloth that I suck on, basically).

And those are a few of my favorite things. :)

Be Mine

Happy Valentine's Day! A couple of items to report. I seem to have survived my first ear infection. I take this bright pink medicine twice a day. It tastes pretty yummy. I think I've got another five days on it. I began feeling better almost instantly after suffering through last weekend with a terrible ear ache.

I have also located the pots and pans in the kitchen. Now that's a good time! Unlike the cabinet right under the sink that doesn't open when I pull it (Baba must have done something to it!), the cabinets by the refrigerator open with ease. These pots and pans make all types of happy noise (usually in the morning).

Mommy, Baba and I are all home today for the President's Day holiday. It's so great that we're already recognizing the tremendous accomplishments of Barack Obama (my "first President"), though Baba keeps talking about this guy named Washington...what does Baba know!?

Not much of the white stuff around these parts. Great Grandma and Great Grandma Brooks got snow in the south, which Papa Eddie thought was pretty funny. Something about the winter Olympics moving down to Atlanta.

Ready for my first basketball game...

I was all decked out in my purple UAlbany gear as we headed out to the Big Purple Growl last night! It was my first basketball game. Mommy and Baba hadn't been to a game all season. Something about my bed time conflicting with the start of the games. Whatever. So, last night we went to the "Ferocious Feast" (it's like a dinner/BBQ before the game) where I met lots and lots of people that work with Baba at school and then we went to the game (UAlbany was playing Boston University). I heard Baba tell the usher as he parked my stroller that we'd probably only last through the first five minutes. Well, I'm happy to report that we stayed right up until there was 14:30 left in the half (so five and a half minutes, really!). As usual, I fell asleep in the car on the way back home. It was fun. Next time I go to a game I'll try to last ten minutes.

Getting around!

Just past the nine-month mark (nine months, officially, yesterday), I'm getting around as I please. For the most part, I have got this crawling thing down to a science. So much so, in fact, that I can be put down in the family room one second and literall be sitting behind Mommmy in the kitchen the next second. I'm enjoying giving Mommy and Baba a real run (or is it a crawl) for their money in keeping up with me.

Standing Up...

...for what I believe! Seriously, my crib is probably one of the easiest places to grab onto and pull myself up into a standing position. I'm doing this more and more these days - standing, that is, in general (not just in my crib). That said, I've also taken a good number of falls due to the fact that I'm standing. As Baba says, the higher (taller) you are, the harder you fall. For example, tonight alone I've fallen three times and bumped my head each of those times. Baba says I'm lucky that I have a "hard head," whatever that means.

I'm a shrimp...

...both literally and figuratively. At the YMCA, the swim program that I belong to is called "Shrimps" (clever, eh?). Mommy and I had our second swim session yesterday. I think we've got another seven or eight weeks of this, but I'm getting increasingly more comfortable being in the water. Last week, I'll confess, the water was a bit cold. It was better this week. Our instructor suggested that Mommy dunk me quickly under water, but Mommy wasn't up for doing that (even though Baba was encouraging her to from the observation deck). Something tells me that next week Baba might be coming into the water with me and I might be going under water for a bit. Uh oh! Theo Strat and Aunt Renee were in town and they both came to watch my swim lesson too. Theo Strat was able to get some pictures (the one to the left) and video (below).

Rough couple of days...

Well, I've had some unfortunate firsts the last few days. I've begun to crawl more efficiently and, occasionally, will try to pull up on the nearest object (ie: a dresser, for instance). Well, in attempting to pull up on a knob on Mommy's dresser drawer, my hand slipped and I planted my face on the drawer - nose first - resulting in my first bloody nose. Baba quickly scooped me up and dealt with my bloody nose. I only cried briefly. The sight of blood doesn't (yet) freak me out. The next day, while standing (barely standing, but standing nonetheless) I lost my balance and as I fell back onto my little bottom I bit my lip with the two teeth that I have. Again, blood. Baba scooped me up again and I stopped crying. What a rough couple of days! At least Baba and I can stick Cheerios on our noses and laugh about it.

Hello 2010!

I didn't get to fully enjoy 2009 - having arrived in May, I missed out on January, February, March and April. So, I'm excited to experience 2010 from the very start. I wasn't able to stay up until midnight on New Year's Eve - I got a bit cranky at about 7:30pm and Mommy decided it was time for me to go to bed. I was a little freaked out when she said "see you next year" as she laid me down..."next year"?!?!? Come to find out, transitioning from one year to another is pretty seamless. Happens overnight (literally) and apparently requires a liquid called "champagne" and a guy named Dick Clark to make it happen. When I woke up the next morning, it was 2010. My friend Wilson (who's turning one in a few days) was here; he went to bed before me, but we both woke up along with our respective mommies at about 5:30am New Year's day. Wilson's got this crawling thing down to a science - boy, he's fast. I was trying to keep up, but I felt like I was moving in slow motion compared to Wilson. I'll get there in 2010 - just wait and see.

Merry Christmas!

I experienced my first Christmas a little over a week ago (and I'm just now getting around to telling you about it). It was cool. Lots and lots of boxes wrapped in decorative paper with shiny bows. The stuff inside the boxes was all right, but I much preferred the wrapping paper and bows. We traveled to Rochester to visit Yiayia and Papou and then to Oswego to visit with Grandma and Papa Eddie. Along the way we saw Theo Strat, Aunt Aileen and Uncle Billy, Uncle Patrick and Aunt Meghan. We got back home to drop off all of the toys and clothes I received (but we didn't bring back any of that pretty wrapping paper and shiny bows), repacked the car and headed to Connecticut to visit Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Brooks who were visiting for the holidays. I saw lots and lots of people this holiday and, overall, I think I did pretty well. I had a single spit-up incident with Cousin Nancy in Rochester, which I apologized for (but I had just finished eating my sweet potatoes and she picked me up). Oh, by the way, I upgraded to a "convertible" car seat in Baba's car - it's like a big La-Z-Boy recliner...very spacious - which has made traveling much more enjoyable. I'm not squished in that "baby" car seat anymore...I'm too tall for that (over 25" now!). Merry Christmas everyone!