Fourteen months old today...

On birthdays I like to give a few stats, but I'm not sure of her weight or height because we haven't been to the doctor. I guess she weighs about 23 pounds and is maybe 31 inches tall. It's not like she'll hold still for a measurement.

The biggest news is that she got a new carseat and now faces forward. It's a whole new world for her, and I love being able to see her face in the rearview mirror.

She is really trying to talk now. She says "Num-num", "ball", "bath", and "out" when she's at the gate wanting to go outside. She says "hot" perfectly, it's so cute. She also signs and says "more". She has her own sign for "water" and we're working on "please".

She loves to put on her shoes, clothes and hats. She is pretty good a catching and throwing a ball. Most recently she will take a towel or napkin and "wipe" things off. She did the whole kitchen recently. I think that says something about my OCD.

But her favorite of all is still her books. She will sit quietly and go through a whole pile of them. Or she'll bring them to me and then climb all over me while I'm reading to her.

She's just incredible...doing new things every day. So sweet, and so much fun...

A few of my favorites...

I love this bottom one...she looks so "baby" in it.

Muchas gracias

We went out for Mexican food today and when the waiter brought chips and salsa, Marlo helped herself. She just grabbed a chip and dipped it in salsa like she's done it all her life.



The middle photo...when she doesn't quite get all her bite into her mouth, she pushes it in the back of her hand. I can't help it, I think it's the cutest thing.

I don't need another reason

to go to the fair

"I can't believe you're going to the fair again..."

My mom said. You would just have to see it to believe it I guess. I heard it's the longest running fair in the country. And the Indian Fry Bread is pretty darn good.
We were walking through the cows and goats and I heard a kid say, "Why look? I can see them on tv."
I may be the last fair generation.

no playground needed

I took Marlo to our town square today...it's just grass really. That's all she needs because all she wants to do is run.

We had such a fun day, nothing in particular happened. We just laughed a lot.

Oh and when we were reading her baby einstein book, everytime I pointed to the horse she would rock back and forth like she was riding her pony.

MIssing Grandma and Grandpa...

My mom and John left yesterday. We had such a great time. Now it's just me and Marlo ...

Head first down the slide

First pony ride

When I was little, I loved the pony ride more than anyone, as I'm sure you can imagine. I could barely contain my excitement as the fair approached. And then as I waited in line I would scope out the ponies, hoping to ride the prettiest one. I'm sure they had to deny me as I became to tall for the ride...
It gave me so much joy as a kid, and as much as I loved it, it was even better to see Marlo do it for the first time. Even though she cried the first lap around.

Only the beginning...

There is only more fair to come. Marlo loved checking everything out. That bruise on her forehead is from falling into the ottoman (which we got instead of a coffee table because we thought we'd avoid bruises like those). Is Mark cute or what?
I'm fascinated by this ride. I did not know that the Magnum was still all the rage.

Deep fried pickles. And yes, I ate them. Didn't even need the ranch. Ketchup and mustard were great accompaniments. Like a burger without the meat. And fried. I know most of my in-laws are disgusted right now. I can't believe Mark let me eat them actually. My only regret is that I wasn't pregnant.

Didn't eat that. I have my standards. I was just impressed by the sign. Someone printed that up and said,

"Now that looks delicious."

I don't know...

There is something about this photo. She is just such a big girl, doing her own thing. I think because it captures her in motion. It wasn't so long ago that she couldn't roll over on her own. That's what's so amazing.
No wonder everyone thinks their kid is brilliant. Every day they impress you with progress, doing things they've never done before. We grownups get stuck in our routines, afraid sometimes to try new things, while these little ones just go for it.
Sometimes even headfirst.

(But really I do think she is genius).

on the run

Today at the park there were about 20 kids from the nearby preschool. I thought Marlo would be so excited to play with them, but all she cared about was the giant black lab playing fetch. Everytime I put her down she would head straight for him as fast as she could.

She's already more coordinated than I am

ANY athletic ability she has is from the DeWitt side, but that goes without saying. She loves to sit in her new chair and play catch.

not again!

No, she hasn't been in the same outfit for 5 days. I just haven't downloaded any new photos off my camera. Maybe later...

"Reading"

I took this at the fair today while waiting for Mark to watch a horse race. Yep, we took our baby to the track.
I had fried cola there. It's cola syrup mixed with batter and then fried into little crispies. Kind of like funnel cake, but better. I hope I wake up tomorrow.

Happy Birthday Michael!

Oh my goodness my brother is 39! I can't believe that! I talked to him twice today and he layed around all day and was quite pleased about it.

I love and admire him so much. He is a hard worker, an amazing father, and devoted husband. No matter what, he remains positive and refuses to let anything get him down (I have a lot to learn from him!)

I am so happy for him and this time in his life. I think of him and I just feel proud. Happy Birthday Michael, we love you!

Yesterday

My plan was to go to Aunt Lane's and hang out for awhile before Mark's softball game. Marlo's plan was to open every drawer in the kitchen and empty its contents onto the floor, get into the pantry and get in the garbage, and run to the stairs and climb up them as fast as possible before getting caught. Repeatedly.

I couldn't get her to take a nap there, of course. So that only added to her delirium and we ended up skipping the game. Even though Lane begged us to stay, assuring me she'd chase her the whole time (and I believe that she would have). I was just too exhausted myself!

Marlo had so much fun playing in the yard. You can tell in the bottom one she's eyeing what she can get her paws on as soon as Taylor sets her down...Trouble!

There aren't words

All I can say is I laugh out loud everytime I see this photo.

My little ponies

Her hair is getting long in the back. Not so much on top, because of her early male pattern baldness (Refer to the August archives at left). So she pretty much has a mullet. Mark won't even let me talk about cutting it. Besides, Molly has to give her the first haircut so it will just have to wait until the next Napa trip.
But it is so very Big Girl...[sigh]

First PB & J

By the way, I'm turning into my mother. That's Laura Scudder's natural peanut butter and strawberry jam with no added sugar on whole wheat flax seed bread.

Water baby

Marlo had quite the weekend. Saturday while I was at the spa (a mother's day present that was so appreciated) she and dad got cinnamon rolls and ate them at the beach.
Then today we went to the sprayground down the street where she got to show off that bikini body.

blankie love

Blankie over food. It's getting out of control, I know.