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.