Music

From Meredith Jane 28-30 Months

I like music! I like listening to music on the radio and on CDs. I like playing the piano with my Daddy. I also like playing with my musical toys, like this recorder (even Theo can blow into the recorder and make sounds!). I even have my own band set -- a drum, xylophone, bells, shakers, tambourine, and kazoos! What great fun!

Leaves!

From Meredith Jane 28-30 Months

Here in Texas it stays warm most of the winter (though some sleet fell just last week). Here I am passing the time playing with last fall's leaves. Aren't leaves great?

I miss you, Grandma and Papa!

From Meredith Jane 28-30 Months

My Grandma and Papa came to visit a lot this last month. Something about getting out of the snow (what is snow?). Here I am keeping occupied with my Grandma while Theo was getting his 9 month pictures taken (more on that later, his turn is next on the computer). Can you tell what color is on my shoes??

That's a trick question, as I'm signing the color -- GREEN!

From Meredith Jane 28-30 Months

Swinging with Grandma and Papa (in front of me, but out of the picture) is so much fun!

How to Play Peek-a-Boo in 5 Easy Steps!

My Grandma Ruth is the bestest! She and Papa were here for the last month and they came to our house a lot. I loved it! I would get so excited when they came; it was so much fun!

To show you how much fun we had, I wanted to share with all of you how to play peek-a-boo, just in case you weren't aware. Here are five easy steps to follow:

1. Start by pulling your favorite blankie over Grandma's head.

From Meredith Jane 28-30 Months

2. Make sure to pull the blankie all the way over her head, so she cannot see you (that is the point of peek-a-boo, after all).

From Meredith Jane 28-30 Months

3. Keep pulling...

From Meredith Jane 28-30 Months

4. Wait... the best part of this game is the element of surprise!

From Meredith Jane 28-30 Months

5. Pull off the blankie, and say "Peek-a-boo, I see you!"

From Meredith Jane 28-30 Months

Rub-a-dub-dub, THREE babes in a tub!

Rub-a-dub-dub, three babes in a tub,
And who do you think were there?
The princess, the crawler, the bun in the oven,
And all of them gone to the fair.

Getting bigger!

From Theodore Elial 7-9 Months

Just in case you didn't know, I'm getting to be a big boy! I can do all sorts of cool and fun things like wave, pull up, cruise, and crawl on all fours. Pretty soon I'll be walking. Then Meredith and Gilligan will really have to watch out!

I was at the pediatrician office earlier in the week for my 9 month check-up (did I mention I'm 9 months old now??). She said I'm doing great! Check out all of my stats:

• Weight: 19 pounds, 3 ounces
• Length (soon to be height when I am walking around): 29.75 inches
• Head circumference: 17.5 inches

That puts me below the 25th percentile in weight, at the 25th percentile in head circumference, and at nearly the 90th percentile in length!

I'm a tall & lean, just like my Daddy! :D

From Theodore Elial 7-9 Months

P.S. -- I'm taller than my sister was at 9 months, but she was heavier and had a longer head circumference. Check out her 9 month check-up post here.

Walker

From Theodore Elial 7-9 Months

My Mama and Daddy let me use this red car as a thing to stand up with and push around. I didn't really like how it kept moving on me. Right now I would much rather pull up on a chair or table... or even my Mama or Daddy's leg!

From Theodore Elial 7-9 Months

Whenever I tried to pull up, it would move forward. That made it hard to stand up without falling over. See what I mean?

From Theodore Elial 7-9 Months

At least that time I had the chair to hold the walker in place! I had to be sly about it though, because my sister kept trying to play with it instead. Here she is trying to sneak up on me!

From Theodore Elial 7-9 Months

Back to a big girl bed!

From Meredith Jane 28-30 Months

It was just back in July that my Mama and Daddy tried this the last time. I had a big girl's bed for a little while, but since I never slept, they put back my crib.

Well, I decided to take things into my own hands. For all those toddlers out there that want to know how to get their big bed back, follow these simple steps:

1. Empty your bed of all the pillows, blankets, and stuffed animals. Be sure to pile them up all in one place, just outside of the bed.

From Meredith Jane 28-30 Months

2. Climb out of the bed, presumably landing on the previous step's pile of blankets to soften the fall (and to not bring attention to what you are doing).

3. Drag a chair over to the light switch and turn on the light.

From Meredith Jane 28-30 Months

4. Profit! For a toddler, that means play with all of your toys! :D

From Meredith Jane 28-30 Months

Oh, and if you have a little brother or sister, they may like pulling up on your crib rail. It is okay, it is fun!

My Masterpiece

From Theodore Elial 7-9 Months

My Daddy and I have been working for a little while on a new masterpiece that will rival the best composers out there. Mozart didn't start playing until he was three years old. I started when I was just 8 months old -- I figure that gives me a leg up, no? Or is it hands up? ;)

Plus I have huge hands. My Daddy thinks that it could help me play Liszt. Does anyone else agree? I don't even know who that is... it sounds like someone is making a list, but the guy in the red suit came by last month...

From Theodore Elial 7-9 Months

Daddy couldn't put his hands in the right place, so I had to be sure he played the right notes. This is my composition, after all.

From Theodore Elial 7-9 Months

Finished!

Okay, now let's practice again. It will take a while before it is perfected.

More sunglasses

From Meredith Jane 28-30 Months

Here is another pair of sunglasses I own. Aren't they stylish?

They seem to be falling off my face all of the time. I get them behind my ears and everything, but they still slip off my face. I think it may because I don't have a very big nose. Maybe I'll be able to wear sunglasses better when I grow up?

From Meredith Jane 28-30 Months