Life sure goes by fast

It seems like just yesterday that I sat down to write my last entry, but in actuality it has been about 3 weeks. I can't recall where the time has gone, but Mom did ask me to apologize on her behalf for neglecting to give me sufficient time in front of the computer.

So, 3 weeks have passed since I last told you about my adventures and as you can see I have grown immensely. Some would say I am "growing like a weed," but comparing myself to a weed seems somewhat unsuitable. My hair is getting long and shaggy- sometimes it even stands straight up! Mom laughs that Dad and I look like twins when we wake up in the morning!!! Not only is my hair coming in, but my teeth are gaining ground daily. Three weeks ago my top teeth were mere stubs,

but if you look closely you will see that my top teeth are now BIG. Mom jokes that I look like a chipmunk .


With 4 big teeth I have a bite similar to that of a snapping turtle. I can crunch any food item put in my path and even non-edible items like Mom's finger. Last week I bit her so hard she bled. I felt bad, but now she knows better...

A few nights after Grandma Frankwick went back to Wisconsin Grandpa Schafer and Mama Linda drove up to my house to have dinner with my family.


Jackson let me in on a little secret: when guests come over they like to feed the animals. I guess he was right, cause Mama Linda let Jax and I try all sorts of appetizers while mom was in the kitchen finishing the dinner. My favorite food of the bunch were the artichokes. I finished almost 10 whole pieces.




Dinner was equally good, as I got to eat some cucumbers, bread sticks, and bits of lasagna. The next morning mom informed me that we needed to get focused for the week ahead and get stuff done. Mom has been on a deadline to make clothing, and has made a permanent seat in front of the sewing machine. She lets me crawl around while she is sewing, but between Fourth, Jax, and I she always has to keep one eye focused on our crew. Fourth likes to take the spools of thread and run around the house, Jax loves to lay on all mommies textiles, and I love to play with the rolls of tulle.

Since the back room of our house now looks like a sweat shop, mom has to constantly watch the items I am playing with as there are lots of Big-Girl things I am NOT allowed to play with- ie. needles, scissors, etc. It never fails that the second she leaves them on the floor I find them.


When I get bored watching mom sew, I explore the back of the house. So far I am fascinated with the doggie door, as well as the windows. I watch the dog and cat go through the door and then I bang on the windows to get their attention.

Now that I am a big girl mom and I go all sorts of places. The other day we stopped in to see daddy at work. The staff immediately put me behind the counter and I got to help great guests as they walked in. Raffi helped show me the ropes, and Dad says once my sales skills improve he is putting me on the payroll.

Speaking of improving, I am no longer military crawling. I have moved on to the real thing, and boy do I move quick!!!

I am sure glad that I have perfected this mode of transportation as it allows me to get EVERYWHERE.

I was excited when Friday finally rolled around because we headed down to San Diego for some fun. We met Grandma Schafer at the hair place, and I got to sit in my walker and hang out. I didn't really like seeing Autumn cut Mommy's hair, but Grandma comforted me as we watched...




After the hair salon, Mom and I stopped by the Umbargers house. We arrived just as dinner was ready, talk about perfect timing- I got to eat some hamburger (my first experience with meat), and tomatoes. After my feast I got to play with Great Grandma Schafer, Uncle Randy, Aunt Connie, Cousin Brandon, and their 2 dogs. They must have tired me out, because after I got my bottle mom put me in the car and I passed out! Poor mom was exhausted as we drove down to the harbor. Because dad was driving down late, mom and had to load the stroller and ALL of the gear (including the crib) into the boat in only one trip. She didn't want to leave me on the boat sleeping alone for one second, so she was stubborn and tried to do it all herself. It took us about an hour to get from the car to the boat (and the parking lot is not too far from the boat dock). You should have seen her, she was quite a vision. Once we finally got loaded onto the boat I continued to sleep soundly to the rocking of the boat, but Mom didn't fare too well. The motion was making her nauseous, although we are all hoping that her nausea is due to something else....


The family woke up early on Saturday morning to get ready for the Red Bull Air Race crowd. Mom was determined to sell some of the items she had spent the last 2 weeks creating. She set up her stuff in between two women, both large, hairy, and toothless. Within minutes of setting up they informed her that selling was not allowed in the park, and that they were going to tell the authorities. I was very proud of mom as she held her ground, thanked them for their concern, and kept on standing there with her stuff. We only stayed for a short period of time, as the piercing glares from the two women along with their scents reminded her why she liked to sell on ebay. The good thing was that mom passed out a lot of bus cards and was able to get some contacts who were interested in the outfits.



I was excited when Liz and Wrigley came down to hang out with us, but found that Wrigley got more attention than me. I wasn't too happy about that and decided to show off by standing up. I stood up all by myself and mom was so proud and shocked that she screamed out loudand everyone looked at her like she was crazy! I couldn't hold myself up for long and liz had to give me a hand, but I am now able to stand from a short period of time without any help.

We packed up our gear headed back to the boat to watch the air races. The planes were really loud, and I wasn't too interested in watching them, I was more concerned wtih spending time with my dad.

I had a fun weekend hangin' out on the boat, and discovered that curtains have all sorts of fun potential. Playing Peek-A-Boo with them is AWESOME. In case you are unfamiliar it goes a little something like this...

Where am I ...

Here I am...

Ha Ha- fooled you didn't I???

I like being on the boat because Mom lets me roam without much supervision (she watches me from a small distance and that's an improvement for her usual "arm's length.") Here you can see how I am practicing my 3 point stance to get my balance to stand up. The boat is a great place to practice all sorts of things; standing, crawling, stair climbing, you name it I worked on it this weekend.





By the second day on the boat I was exhausted from all the excitement. Mom, Dad, and I all decided it was time to pack up the troops and head back home to "normal" life.

I promise I will not keep you waiting another 3 weeks for a new post, so check back soon to find out what I will do next!!!

2 WHOLE WEEKS!!!

I just had two wonderful weeks of Grandma Frankwick FUN!!
We did so much in the last two weeks that you may want to grab a snack before you sit down to read this blog because its a long one...

Grandma Frankwick arrived at my house as I was finishing my bath time fun. I was so excited to see her when she walked in the door that I bounced with joy. She sat down, gave me a bottle, and I fell asleep in her arms like I used to when I was little.

In the morning I woke up and began my usual routine. I cooed for a moment, rolled over and played with my feet until I got the energy to sit up. I crawled over to my buddies in the crib, and proceeded to play as I normally do. That was until I saw an arm rise up above my crib and wave at me. I looked up and saw Grandma in my room- oh, I was SO excited. I stood up and holding the crib jumped up and down. She picked me up and took me downstairs to begin spoiling me.

It was so wonderful having my Grandma Frankwick come to visit me because we got to do all sorts of fun stuff. One day Mom and Grandma took me to the park! I got to sit in the bucket swing and go back and forth. Who knew that something so simple could be so exciting.




We had a wonderful time playing at the park, and Mom even held me as I slid down the small slide. The next day we took Jackson on a walk down to the pier and stopped at a big grass area where lots of people sit and relax.



We hung out on the grass and I studied my new surroundings with great concern. I was enthralled by the lady bugs and had fun trying to catch them.

Lots of kids came up to say HI to me and I put on what mom calls my "social face" (I always greet new people with an exaggerated smile and erratic wave) and showed off how well I can crawl on my hands and knees (A big improvement from the military crawl I have been doing).

Later in the week Mom and Grandma took me to the Doctor for my 9 month checkup. All bets were in regarding my height and weight, and Mom couldn't wait to find out how big I had grown. I weighed in at 15lbs 10oz and measured a little over 25 in long. As it turned out I hadn't gotten a whole lot bigger, but every little bit counts according to Mom and she was very proud of my achievements. The doctor told Mom that she would like to see me get taller by my next appointment, as I am only in the 3rd percentile for height. Mom joked that she was going to stretch me out. Although I am petite in stature, the doctor said that she was very proud of all the new things I am learning to do, and gave me an A+ for my skill level. Woo Hoo!!!

Mom talked to the Dr. about her concern with my lack of appetite and crankiness and was told that my irregular behavior was probably due to the three new top teeth that were making there way in. By the end of the week I had begun feeling a lot of pain from these no-fun-at-all teeth. They were trying to break through my gums, and were irritating me a lot. I lost my appetite even more, and came down with a case of the sniffles. Mom and Grandma tried to give me things to chew on and eat that would make them feel better, but nothing really helped.

On Friday we prepared to leave for Mammoth. Grandma Frankwick continued to spoil me by buying me a new walker to scoot around the house. She also bought me a new snow suit for the weekend. We drove to Mammoth after Daddy got off of work, and arrived very late at night. I had a tough time sleeping thanks to teeth pain, the runny nose, and the altitude, but was able to wake from an inconsistent night of sleep with a big smile for my Gtrandma Schafer who greeted me. I got to spend some time with her before she left for work and we had a grand ol' time laughing at one another. As I watched her get ready for work I found a new wonderful toy in the bathroom- the door stopper!!! I found that it makes a wonderful noise, and it NEVER gets boring (Mom didn't find it too amusing, as she was trying to catch up on some much needed sleep in the adjoining room). After Grandma Schafer left for work the rest of the family got ready to hit the slopes. I got to put on my new snow suit, and think I look pretty good.

Grandma Frankwick, Daddy, Mommy, and I all walked down the the lodge. It was beautiful outside, and Mom and Dad were very excited to be snowboarding.

Grandma Frankwick and I got to take a ride in a space ship looking thing that mom called the peanut while they were on the hill- I fell asleep right as were boarded.

I guess Grandma Frankwick took me on a walk through the village while I slept and when I woke up we met Mom and Dad for lunch in the lodge. I enjoyed snacking on all the yummy food at the table- from crackers to fruit I loved it all!


The next day I got to spend time with BOTH of my Grandmas. We all went to the lodge in the afternoon and got to hang out outside.

It was another beautiful Mammoth day and Mom and Dad thought it was time that I learn to love the snow. I was a tad hesitant at first, but soon I learned that there are a lot of fun things you can do in the snow.

We built a "Riley-size" snowman and I was fascinated with its feel.


I soon discovered that snowman are also fun to eat...



Dad and Grandma Frankwick showed me how to use the sled. Grandma had a little trouble pushing Daddy down the hill and I thought they sure looked silly!!!

Mom and I got the next turn on the sled, and as you can see the jury is still out regarding my opinion of this new mode-of-transportation.

After a couple of rides I finally got the courage to try it on my own

After we finished sledding we took another ride in the peanut and went down to the village shops. It was fun getting to look down on the town from up above.

While we were exploring the village shops Dad let me ride on his shoulders.

During our excursion Dad and I had a show-down with dome bears in the village, and I think we won. Dad and I sure make a great team!!!

Dad and Mom stopped into a store to buy me a hat for sun protection, and I just HAD to have the stuffed kitty on display at the counter. Lucky for me daddy can't say NO. Prance (the kitty's name) and I enjoyed our ride back in the peanut.

By the third night I had finally begun to adjust to the altitude and found that the pain in the mouth was subsiding so I was able to sleep a little better. In the morning we drove up to Main lodge to see where Mom and Dad got married. Daddy and I took a picture in front of the Wooly Mammoth outside of the gondola, but hurried into the station as the winds were picking up.

We boarded the gondola and headed towards the top of the mountain.


We got off the gondola at mid-chalet to see where Mom and Dad had their wedding reception. The mountain was beautiful, but the winds brought in a chilly air that didn't allow us to stay outside for long.


After walking around at McCoy Station we tried to board the gondola to the top but found that the 100 mile an hour winds were forcing the gondola to shut down. Instead of heading towards the top, we rode back down to Main lodge. As you can see, I really enjoyed watching out the gondola at everything below.

The usual 10 minute gondola ride turned into a 40 minute ride as the winds were causing the gondola to stop. I didn't mind, as I got to enjoy the scenery.

To pass the time Dad told me about all the neat things I am going to be able to do in Mammoth when I get big. As you can see I can't wait!!!

After Mom, Dad, and Grandma Schafer took a couple runs on the hill, we packed the car, had a fun lunch will all of Mommies Mammoth friends, and drove back home.

Since Grandma Frankwick was leaving in a couple of days, we had a busy week planned. Pa (Grandpa Schafer) and Great Grandma Schafer came over to our house for dinner. Unfortunately I was being really fussy and whinny- according to Miss Karen (my neck Dr.) I am really getting stranger anxiety. By the end of the night I warmed up to everyone, but hope that I wasn't offensive. My two top teeth came through the next day, and my attitude dramatically changed for the better. Grandma Frankwick and Mom took me for a ride in my new cruiser and I sure felt like royalty. In my cosy seat I was super comfy and slept while they rode along the boardwalk.

The day before Grandma Frankwick left we got to go back to the park and play.

After swinging grandma took me on the big girl slide.

I think Grandma Frankwick enjoyed the slide more than I did...

That night before bed the whole family spent some time together and dad and I played the guitar for Grandma. Check it out- I have finally got the grip down .

I was sad when I woke up the next morning to silence in my bedroom; I had become spoiled getting to wake up to grandma's "good mornings."I am so grateful that Grandma Frankwick came out from Wisconsin the spend time with me, and am going to miss her lots. According to Mom we are going to be getting back to our normal (boring) routine. I guess this means no more daily park trips or other extravagant activities. She does, however, assure me that there will be some new fun things to do in the future so check back soon!!!

In a few short weeks I will be 9 months old!

Mom says that time is going by too fast, but I love every new day as it brings wonderful experiences. Now that I am crawling I love to explore. Mom lets me loose in the house, and although she always has an eye on me, I am free to move. I have encountered many interesting items, but my favorite by far is the cord attached to the vacuum. Mom doesn't like it to much when I play with it (she says its icky), but every chance I get I B-Line towards it. Each night while Mom makes dinner for Daddy I am allowed to sit on the kitchen floor and play. Cooking utensils are the best toys Because they make lots of noise and rarely get boring.

Speaking of toys, I am finally BIG enough to sit on my rocking horse ALL BY MYSELF!

Can you believe how big I have gotten? It must be all the good advice Mommy is getting from other moms . Last weekend we went to my friend Bella's 1st birthday party. I had a great time with the other kids, and Mom and Dad got to hang out with other Mommies and Daddies. My friend Genesis was there, she is lots older and bigger than I am so she helped take care of me.



Aunt Andrea and Uncle Kevin were there as well. I was hanging out with them and got to drink water out of a big-person's-bottle for the first time.



I had a little trouble drinking and made a small mess. To make me feel better Kevin took the bottle and poured some water all over his head.


I thought he was so silly that I took the bottle and dumped it on my own head! I don't know what Kevin was thinking; it looked like a lot more fun than it felt!!!



The coldness scared me for a minute, but shorty thereafter I was back playing along with the other kids with a BIG smile on my face.



While we were there mom spent some time talking with other moms and getting advice about baby foods. What ever they told her I am grateful because from then on she started feeding me all sorts of stuff.

One night at dinner time Mom let me eat a cracker off of her plate.

I thought it was SO yummy that I just couldn't get enough:

Aunt Stephanie came into town for a wedding this week, and we got to pick her up from the airport. Mom told me lots about her, but this was the first time we got to meet. Grant and Reed couldn't come this trip, but I am going to go visit them soon. I hear they are bigger than me now!


Dad, Mom, and I got to go out to eat with Stephanie, Kristin (her big Sister) and Denise (her Aunt). I really enjoyed spending time with her family, and guess what...

I got to sit in the high chair at the restaurant!!!

I sure was proud of myself!

It was my first time since our family doesn't go out for dinner. This was such a treat!!! I got to eat my apple puffs while Steph fed me some yummy veggies.

I was definitely a HAPPY girl

After dinner we drove down to Grandpa Ron's house, whom I will refer to from now one as "Pa."
I wasn't feeling to well as I went to bed that night, and Mom and Dad had to take turns holding me as I slept. My nose was really runny, and I was having troubles breathing when my Nuk was in. In the morning I got to spend some time with Pa. We watched TV together, and then he let me eat some of his toast that he had made for breakfast. I really liked the crunch of the toast. Pa thought it was funny feeding me, so he brought all sorts of stuff from the kitchen for me to try. My favorite of the bunch was tortilla. Mom kept a close watch on our feast- she is always surveying EVERYTHING I do...

While we were busy pigging out Aunt Connie and Uncle Brandon stopped by to see me. They dressed me up in a silly hat Pa had brought out and all had some good laughs


After they left I got another surprise: Great Grandma Schafer came over!!! She brought some strawberries with her, and I was really excited because after they were washed and cut, I got to try one. It was an odd taste and texture, but after the first yucky bite I found that strawberries are quite yummy.



Great Grandma Schafer stayed and played with me until my nap time. When I woke up we were down at Pa's boat. What another wonderful surprise. In the late afternoon dad invited some friends down to hang out with us. I was so excited that Jason and Liz brought Wrigley along for me to play with. As you can see Wrigley is a small Doggie- much smaller than Jackson, and even smaller than Fourth still. She weighs only 5 pounds- Mom says I used to be that little.

Once the two of us became acquainted Wrigley and I had lots of fun playing with one another.

We had a fun night with all our friends, and mom even let me try a small bite of pizza crust. My goodness food is AWESOME!

Our friends left as I got my evening bottle, and to my surprise we didn't go home when it was bed time; instead we stayed right there on Pa's boat!!! I even got my own room like a big girl. The rocking of the boat helped me go to sleep, but couldn't do much to help my cold. It was hard for me to breathe, and mom and dad had to comfort me all night. Sleeping on daddies chest made my cold feel much better.

In the morning Mom and I got up and played in the boat until Pa came down. While he was eating an orange he cut me my own slice. I was a little hesitant on the first bite, but LOVED the taste and feel.

As you will witness I was eagerly going back for more:

I was sad when I finished it all, but found that the orange rind feels good on my gums. A great all-natural aide for teething according to Mom.


After I finished with my orange, I got to explore the boat and found the stairs. There weren't many, only two, but I was curious about them. It didn't take me long to figure out how to climb them. Watch out now, because I am climbn' fool!

The trip back down the stairs was a different experience. With a landing pad placed at the bottom mom and Pa watched as I made my descent. I rolled onto my back and popped right up. Mom isn't too excited about my fascination with stairs, and has informed me that there will be NO stair exploration at our house.

I sure had a fun time hangin out with my Pa and was sad when we had to leave.

Tomorrow my Grandma Frankwick is coming to visit me, and she will be staying for two whole weeks. I am so ecstatic that I am counting down the minutes until I get to see her!!! Check back next week for details of all the fun we are going to have.