The new car, Mr. "B" and the Walker....

Well, nothing too exciting has happened of late. Recently while out shopping at meijers (yes I know I said I hated the place but we need to eat.....) I came across the Fisher Price Little people SUV. (don't get me started.....) so, I bought it for Bug to play with. It comes with a Mom and baby and stroller and if you push the mom down into her seat the car either honks its horn, plays a song, or there is the sound of giggling. It was a huge hit. We drive the little car all over the place, all the while making vrrrrmmmm vrrrmmmm noises. (that she's been doing for awhile, but she was trying to drive soda cans....hence why I bought the little SUV) She also has a scooter that came with a My little Pony that she likes to drive as well. It has a big enough space for her to place and object (generally a cat toy) and drive that around the house too. She also particularly enjoys chasing the cats all over the house. The cats on the other hand don't quite find it amusing.

Recently we were sitting on the couch after our evening bottle and she grabbed her stuffed teddy bear she got from her Grandma and Grandpa Clark at her first birthday. She proceeded to set him down in front of her, pat him on the head and say "Hi, B!" So she has officially named her teddy bear "B." We also call him Mr. B. She also calls him bear and can recognize a teddy bear or picture of a bear and will tell you that it is a bear. ( I understand her love of this bear. it's one of those allergen-free bears that I would love to get for myself, I just don't know where her grandma Clark got it. My poor Barre the Bear is, ....um....... well, let's just say he's way over due for retirement.) She also has been calling all her dollies and soft fuzzy things babies. She has "Lambie" that Uncle Logan gave her for Easter that she likes to cuddle with and tote around the house. We did have a slightly frightening moment with Lambie when we were doing a bounce with him from music class. In this bounce you eventually take your child and bounce them from knee to knee saying "hobble-dee-dee, hobble-dee-dee." Bug had poor Lambie by the ears and I swear I thought his head was going to be wrenched off as she swung him from side to side during the "hobble-dee-dee" part of the song.

The other night she proceeded to make a liar out of her mother. I had been talking to my mother about finding ways to help encourage her to walk more independently. She's really funny, she CAN let go. We watch it happen all the time. She walks around the house most of the time holding onto things. And, it's not a tight grip, it's more for balance. So, we were discussing things we could do to encourage her to venture away from objects more. Ma asked me if we had tried using the walking car thing that Gr'auntie Judy got her for her first birthday. We had tried in the past but Bug never showed interest in using it. She just wanted to push it or store things in the little trunk area. So we passed that idea and went on to talk about whatever. Later that night Bug and Daddy were playing and he decided to see if she wanted to play with the car thing. it was like all it took was David suggesting she try it. She was off and practically running around the house with her new found sense of accomplishment. She uses it on almost a regular basis now. David took her out for a walk that night and she was off like a bat out of hell down the sidewalk and she was already refusing to come home!!!! It's funny to watch her with the little car. She's like a mini old lady with her walker. If stuff gets in the way she picks the car up and moves it or bowls over whatever it is in her way. We were able to get some video tape so if David has the time to show me how I'll see if I can get it uploaded onto the website here in the next few days so everyone can see it. In the meantime there are a few pics with this post and I added a new picture file to the links.

Bug and her new car. She drives it all over the house and had tons of fun when we took it outside.







Once again picking Momma's phlox...... but she's pretty damned cute so I can't get too mad.



The night we decided to use the little walker car. Surprised both Momma and Daddy.




Walking down the street with Daddy.

We Are Walking, Walking, Walking.......

Yes the title says it all. She truly has let go and is really testing the waters now. At first it was just one or two steps here or there in between the couch and the table. A few nights later we attempted to walk across the living room but were hindered by one of the many toys that lay in her path. She has no problems holding onto my hand as we walk around the house, but she refuses to do so for David. (gee, wonder why?..........) And, tonight she walked across the kitchen from the pantry to the fridge. We are in big trouble, oh yes we are......

Her main mode of transportation however is still her little scoot. If she decides she isn't in the mood or wants to get somewhere quickly she'll scoot to wherever it is. She has also discovered how much fun climbing can be. She discovered the little step stool in the kitchen (it's only one step) is great fun to:
1) climb on to reach things on the side of the fridge. magnets, articles, pictures, etc.
2) move around the floor to the island in the center of the kitchen to reach for things.
3) just play on and climb up and down and up and down.
It is almost like her private little throne. She has spent the last 3 days playing on the stool; literally. It also amuses her greatly to sit or stand on the step-stool and shout what I can only assume are demands or obscenities at the cats as they run by. Poor Lilian has taken the brunt of this abuse. (I should mention that, seeing as Lilian is in her own little world, she doesn't necessarily run away from the noise like Sammi and Shadow do. Therefore, she hangs around for the greatest amount of time and blatantly ignores Bug spurring even more shouting.....)

At the moment she is taking her little toy airplane (with a propeller that spins as the wheels spin) and driving it around the kitchen, living room and front hall. I think it helps that David is making flying airplane noises as she goes by. She too makes noises but they are car noises not airplane noises. I guess at the moment I figure the fact that she is making any kind of vehicle noise at all while she plays with the plane is a somewhat advanced skill. So, I'm not too terribly worried about correcting her on the proper noise that an airplane makes.


We have also made great strides in talking over the last week. While not everyone may be able to make out what she is saying; David and I most certainly have. For example, last thursday David and I had just finished dinner and were beginning to clean up. Earlier in the day I had trimmed my poor rose bush down (lost about half of it thanks to that cold spell) and still had a mess to clean up outside. It was also just about time for Bug to get her one and only nighttime bottle. David was loading the dishwasher and I was getting ready to go outside when Bug decided to throw an absolute fit. We were attempting to ignore the tantrum but it was beginning to get out of hand so David told her "That's Enough!" Well, she was in a very angry state and in a deep demon-possessing tone of voice she yelled clear as a bell "That's enough!" Well, of course David and I were beside ourselves and laughing hysterically. Bug on the other hand is still quite pissed off and again repeats in the same tone "That's enough!" It was quite funny and we still giggle about it.


The next morning I got up with her at *bleeping* 6 AM (I'm sorry I am NOT a morning person and I don't drink muddy water, so anything before 7 AM deserves the *bleep*) and decided to let David sleep in, he was up pretty late the night before killing god knows what with Uncle Henry and prolly Uncle Troy in Outland (unless you play WoW you won't know where that is, so don't worry about it.) I go upstairs to get the singing angel (monster) from her crib. I get up there and she's all cute and happy. We decide to leave Bink and silkie in the crib and I turn and lay her on the changing table to change her diaper. It's at this point she begins to throw a fit. I of course tell her that this is ridiculous and she needs to calm herself down. She in turn asks me in that scary demon voice "Where's Daddy?!?!?!!!" I'm taken a little aback by it and inform her that "Daddy is sleeping which is why you need to calm yourself down and Be Quiet!" Just like that all is well and we are back to happy Bug.

It seems she picks up a new word every day and stores it away for reference. I think her newest ones are "belly button," "bathroom," "ball" "What's it?" and I think there were a few others but I can't recall what they were at the moment. Most of them appear out of nowhere and then you don't hear them again for awhile. I have found that she seems to like and somewhat understand detailed explanations. Well, i think that sums it up for the week. I'm gonna post a few cute pics from the past week or so and I also have a new section up in Bug's picture links.




~*Bluebird update: Beautiful has all but finished her second nest so I expect to have another brood here very soon. I also dispatched 2 male house sparrows the other day. YES!!! And it has been amazingly peaceful and serene in the backyard ever since. No more "CHEEP! CHEEP! CHEEP! CHEEP! CHEEP! CHEEP! CHEEP!" every nanosecond. I can actually hear the other birds' melodious voices.....*~








Bug loves to play on Grampa Terry and Mimi's ottoman. We don't know why but it is one of her favorite places there. Just wait until she learns to climb up by herself.....






Picking the phlox in Momma's flower beds. She and DeeDee were having a grand old time outside on that blanket. Oddly enough she refused to go beyond the perimeter of the blanket into the grass.





One of our fun days on the porch. Bug had found my Larry the Cucumber stuffed toy. She also figured out that with his bean-bag butt he could sit upright by himself.






I think this shot is hysterical! It makes her look like she's doing some sort of weight training.





This was captured this morning. I watched as she had rummaged around the pile of ponies and dollies on the floor (after dumping them out of their bags) and grabbed Apricot here. She then made her way to this pillow, lay down and proceeded to talk and babble to Apricot. It was so damn cute I almost cried. Instead, I grabbed my camera. (Oh and by the way; Yes. That is an original "vintage" Strawberry Shortcake Apricot doll........)

Uneventful......or "The Front Porch, Web Surfing and Hi!"

Well, the last few days have been pretty uneventful. But the weather has been AWESOME! So, Bug and I (and Shadow!) have been spending lots of time on the front porch. The weather has been so warm and I love this time of year because my allergies aren't too bad and I (unlike some people) can open the windows and not suffer too terribly from it. I've been opening the front door a smidge so that she can crawl up and down the step into the house; and also so that Shadow can come out onto the porch but run into the house in case of an emergency (aka a dog barking, a car passing, me moving my chair......)

David took her to the park and she had a blast on the swing. It was also quiet enough at the park (sort of, apparently there were two young boys who's parent's weren't really paying attention to them who seemed to have slide-hogging issues) that she was able to sit in the mulch stuff and seemed to enjoy handing it to David. Now, for those of us who are grown up and find the mulch stuff annoying because:

1) it makes a mess
2) it makes a mess
3) it gets into my shoes

playing in it like that doesn't sound all that exciting. But, we're not 15 months old and since she was only handing the stuff to David; it could be that she was just as annoyed by it as we would be and was desperately trying to get rid of the stuff.

Bug also has been surfing the web lately. Now for those of you who are about to freak out about a 15mo surfing the web, first get a grip and then read on. David likes to let her play with his cell phone. (I'm still adamant that she doesn't need a real cell phone until she's driving a car......except maybe that "migo" phone that you can give your kid that only allows you to program the police, fire department and your choice of two phone numbers in it; and it lets you call them ANYTIME you want....kinda like a kid GPS for parents....) Anyway, we have no idea how but she is constantly connecting to the internet. We don't even know how to do that ourselves!!!! She's even downloaded a few things. I believe there are a few new ringtones and she downloaded the game Deer Hunter 2. Who knew she enjoyed deer hunting in her spare time?

Today we went to the grocery. I know, so exciting. I HATE.....no no no let me rephrase that. I ABHOR going to the grocery; esp when I have to go to meijers. I hate meijers. Why? Because, I have to load my own cart now. They put all your stuff into these bag turnstile things. You have to get your bags off the turnstile into your own cart quick enough so that your stuff doesn't get mixed up with the bags of the person behind you's bags of stuff. (yes, I do realize that is horrid grammar) AND, you have to pay your bill at the same time. In my opinion it's RUDE. Kroger's actually has a person there to put your bags in a completely new cart and you don't have to worry about your bags getting mixed up with someone else's and I can pay my bill in a timely, but somewhat leisurely fashion. I feel so rushed at meijers that half the time I'm afraid I've forgotten something. It is soooooo annoying. but, I digress. This is Bug's blog, not mine.

Bug LOVES going to the grocery store. She gets to watch all these crazy people there and everyone comments on how beautiful she is, or how adorable she is. Bug is always getting compliments. Funny thought just now. Most people think she looks like David.....(except the nose and mouth shape...those are mine!!!) Does that mean that David would make a pretty girl? hmmmmmm......*runs from the tickle revenge that is coming my way*

After dinner tonight Bug was playing with her Bitty Baby doll and it is sooooo funny to watch her. She does the bounces we do with her in music class, with her Bitty Baby. Of course, we have to sing the songs, but she is definitely doing the bounces because she grins and bounces Bitty baby harder when we sing while she does it. (Sometimes Bitty baby can get quite a headache if she happens to be upside down.) Bug likes to hug and pat Bitty Baby. Tonight after we sang "This is the Way the Ladies Ride." She took Bitty Baby with her to the purple chair and sat down with her. She was babbling something that sounded suspiciously like "no no no" to her and then hugging her and patting her on the back before she ran off to chase Lilian who happened to wander by at that moment.

We have also discovered that when Bug approaches you and says "Hi!" in that cute high-pitched voice; it doesn't mean "hi." It means "pick-me-up-now." And, if you don't pick her up she will continue saying "Hi!" in an even higher pitched voice that means "pick-me-up-now-damn-it-or-I'm-going-to-start-crying." At least when she waves and says "Bye- bye" we know she actually means "bye-bye."





~*BLUEBIRD UPDATE: The babies fledged, or took their first flight, today!!! yea!!! Bug and I cleared out the nest so that when Beautiful is ready for her second brood her house is ready. The tree swallows have claimed the back corner box and are slowly working on their nest. usually by the end of May we have tree swallow babies!! Also, I finally nailed the little House Sparrow bastard yesterday. (Score one for the fallen tree swallows!!!) In the eye no less!!!! (I have no idea HOW I did that.....) After I nailed him I went out to clear out the nest his little female sparr-ho made in the box. She came back looking for him yesterday but didn't find him. So, the little sparr-ho returned with a new mate today. He seems much more stupid than the previous male. (the previous male left the top of the box every time I looked out the back window.) I actually "whiffed" by his wing tonight in an attempt to get him too. Instead the little monster looked around him like"duh....which way did it go? Which way did it go, George?" His little sparrow-ass is mine.......Oh and I removed the re-completed nest from the box again today. I may have to do some trapping. At least the girls will have a fun new play toy.......*~