Score!

Mommy and Daddy scored a Cabbage Patch Doll for me at a yard sale - in great shape - for 5 dollars. Woohoo!

Here's a couple of cute pictures.



A pool party - I wasn't so into the kiddie pool. Here I am trying to climb out.



Here's the cute hat Mommy got me at Gymboree for only 99 cents. And it fits my head too!

Bum Genius

I got a new diaper, and I love it! It's a Bum Genius. Back when I started using cloth diapers, they weren't making pocket diapers in adjustable sizes, so it was more expensive for a better diaper (meaning you had to buy them in different sizes). So I use Little Lambs - which are alright. They're just kind of bulky, and not as absorbent as pocket diapers. But then Bum Genius came along - it's an adjustable pocket diaper, meaning it will fit 5-35 lbs like my Little Lambs. BUT - it's so much more absorbent, and it fits me almost like a disposable - so it's easy for Mommy to get my pants on and off :) No tugging and struggling to get dressed. So, if you're going to buy cloth diapers, get Bum Genius (plus, the website that sells them has super customer service.) So if anyone out there wants to contribute to my cute-butt fund, Mommy's accepting donations. (the drawback to the Bum Genius is that it's more expensive - which is why I only have one of these glorious diapers) (and not that I'm knocking Little Lambs - hey, I'm still using them)

Wegman's

I (Ashlie) went to Wegman's with Kristine last night. It was so wonderful - like being at Central Market again. I picked up a few items (bulk wheat berry, oreos, healthy green powder stuff), and stared at the healthy stuff for a long time. So much there, and I don't know what half of it is. Hopefully there will be future fieldtrips.

Sundries

Today, I (Ashlie) made whole-wheat pitas - and they actually turned out like pitas. Very exciting. Of course, now we have like 20 pitas to eat before they go bad/stale.

In my bread-baking endeavor, I am learning about starters We'll see.

We're counting down to the shore - 4 more days! Willow's got a new bathing suit, and some swim diapers, so that we can instill a healthy fear in her for large bodies of water.

No pictures for awhile - camera is lent out. Should have it back soon.

Organic-licious

We got our first pickup from our CSA today - for you non-hippy types out there, that's "community sponsored agriculture" - if you care to learn more, here's our farm

Tonight, I tried a little of the beets that were in Daddy's dinner. As Mommy learns more about cooking things like kale, swiss chard, beets (who knew how good they were!), and garlic scapes (mmm), I'll get to eat more of it. I like everything I try, it's just that I have to be able to actually chew it with my baby teeth. We're getting there.

In other news, I stood up on my own at home! I was over by the steps, and put my sippy cup up on the 2nd step, then stood up to reach it for retrieval. Yeah!

Bridget's got a new blog about all things hippy and granola. Mommy will probably make frequent snarky comments on this blog as she only half aspires to this :) Be sure to check it out!

An Outing

Today, Mommy and I went with Auntie Bridget and Bruce (my beloved) to the Italian Market in Philly. Of all the produce stands, nobody had asparagus or jicama. So Mommy settled for a cappucino and biscotti. I really wanted the biscotti, but it was too hard, so Mommy dipped it in the coffee for me. Mmm... coffee and babies - what a mix.

Here, Mommy and I pose for the camera - such a serene picture of family tranquility -when in truth, I was QUITE ornery! (serves Mommy right)



But seriously, it was a fun outing.

Yea!

Yesterday I stood up for the first time on my own. Yea! Mommy is very happy about this, and it has renewed her hope that I might actually walk soon, because she is getting tired of carrying 26 lbs. of limp baby weight everywhere, sling or no sling.

Also, I got a new baby doll yesterday. I was so excited when Mommy handed it to me in the store. I hugged the box, and wouldn't let go - wouldn't let go while it was scanned, while i was put in my car seat, while I was taken out of the car... it was a battle. Mommy says I can trust her to hold it for a few minutes in these kinds of cases, but I'm still not so sure. Finally, I let her take it out of the box (which involved a lot of twisty ties, and some almost cursing on Mommy's part). Later on, I was playing with my baby doll, and giving her her bottle (the little plastic one that came with the doll). I would give her the bottle, and make "slurp slurp" noises. Mommy was overwhelmed at how much I'm growing up. Daddy was impressed too, but pointed out in his practical way that of course I have to grow up. He helps keep her grounded :) Haha.

Mommy will try valiantly to get a picture of me feeding my baby doll, but is not making any promises. I'm quick like a fox!

Hanging around the house

Here's a great picture of me. You can see one of my new teeth (the little guy). I've got 11 now - at least. It's getting harder for Mommy to get in there and check things out. Chomp chomp!



If you ask me where my belly button is, I show you, and say "bebebebe" - but hey, it's four syllables, and you can tell I'm trying.



I can also show you my nose now when asked, but no picture of that.

I've been crawling all over - more crawling than butt scootin'.

Here's a good action shot(not of my crawling) - I like to make this face a lot. It's amusing to me.



And here's a picture of me up on my knees - I do this a lot now, and sometimes I even sort of crawl in this position. Mommy likes to think this is building my balancing skills so that I'll be walking soon. I'll stand if she puts me in the position, but I'm not so inclined to do it myself. After all, my parents do it for me, why should I bother :)



I'm also signing a lot more. I get very frustrated with Mommy because I will be signing very insistently, and she's saying "what? what?" and i'm *gesturing wildly* -and finally she figures out what I'm talking about. Geesh. And she says she went to college.

Today was the centennial celebration for the Collingdale Fire Department. There was a neat parade, about 2 hrs. it seemed, with fire trucks from all over. The most exciting thing was the bagpipe groups! Mommy loves bagpipes, and there were three different ones that played. Curt Weldon, a congressman, had his own fire brigade/truck, and they were handing out plastic hats. So here I am in my official Weldon Brigade fireman hat. (this does not mean I am pledging allegiance to either political party)



In other news, I have another ear infection - only one ear this time, and not as bad - and some unrelated wheezing. Fun times - I get to take two different medications. Mmmm drugs.

Home!

I've been doing a lot of traveling lately, and while it was all fun and wonderful, Mommy and I are glad to be home!

(by the by, there aren't a lot of pictures - Granny took most of them because Mommy's camera was running slow for needing batteries...yes, she could have gotten more batteries, but frankly she had other things going on)

This last trip was back to Texas to see Mama T. I had a good time, and got my first haircut. Really, it was just a trim, and I got some bangs too.



Before heading home, Granny had a little get-together for people to meet me. I got some nice gifts (thanks!) and had this awesome cake - of which I got none, thank you very much. A 13-yr old student of Granny's made it - wow! Mommy does NOT have these kind of skills. (the panda part is cake too, covered in frosting..mmm...)



I was also much better on the plane this time - still some naughtiness on my part, but overall, Mommy was very happy with my behavior.

Oh - another thing - Mommy says they moved up here to Philly to have cooler weather. Now, I know it was like 100 degrees in Texas, but frankly, it feels just as hot here now that we're back home...and we don't have central air like those Texans.

I had my well visit this morning - I've gained 2 lbs., but my percentile has actually gone down (from 95% to 90%). I've grown 2 inches, and am now off the charts with my height. That's fun. Maybe I'll be tall like Daddy. My head only grew a little bit, and even though it's still off the charts, it's still growing in a nice normal "curve" (that would be the curve of the chart, not my skull). So everything is good in that department.



It's amazing the amount of snot that can come out of such a cute little button nose. Just a thought.



We're leaving early Wed. morning for Texas. This time, I'm going to San Antonio to visit Mama T., my great-grandmother. Mommy's also excited because we will be making a stop at Hope Chapel on Sunday (that's their old church and where Mommy and Daddy got married). So once again, things will be quiet around here for the next week or so. Till later!

Firsts

Before we went to Missouri, I had my first deep water bath. Fun!



It prepared me well for my first time in a swimming pool (in MO). I really enjoyed swimming, and wasn't scared at all. Mommy even dunked me a few times (in a fun, playful manner), and I was cool with that too.



Here we are feeding the geese at a local park. (Papa and Nanny are pictured)



But most of all, I enjoyed Willy, their 5 lb. toy poodle. We had a blast playing together.



I had a good time with my great-grandparents, but was glad to get home to the cats (and Daddy too). Mommy will spare you the gory details of her travels with me.

Travels

Mommy and I head of to Missouri Sunday morning to visit Papa and Nanny - that would be Mommy's paternal grandparents. Things will be quiet around here for the next week or so, but I hope to have lots of good pictures to share with you when we return - provided Mommy didn't collapse from the physical exhaustion of hauling me and my stuff all over various airports.

Piggies

The elderly seem to have a fascination with baby toes. Willow is normally shoe-less (b/c I'm lazy), and so her cute baby toes are often on display. Steve laughs at me for calling her toes "little piggies", but that's what they are. My point is proved by my encounter today at Produce Junction. The elderly woman coming out of the store saw Willow in her stroller, shoe-less, and remarked with a big smile, "Oh! Piggies!" It was great. I laughed inwardly (so she wouldn't think I was making fun of her). This isn't the first "piggie encounter", but it was by far the best.

or how about this one?

Here's a picture of my 1st ponytail.

Whew!

I've had an all-body rash for a few days now, and had a low fever. Daddy took me to the Dr. this morning, and it turns out that I'm allergic to penicillin - just like Mommy and Daddy - go figure. So no worries - Mommy was going to the extremes - Measles!Mumps!Rubella! But all is well, and my rash should be cleared up before I head to Missouri this next week.

I enjoy using the dining room table as my fort. Today, I pulled the chairs out far enough (all on my own) so that I could get under there. Then, Mommy and I played peek-a-boo. Great fun!







Immediately following this grand adventure, I tried to pull myself up on the baby gate, lost my balance, and bonked my head on the hardwood floor. You win some, you lose some, I suppose.