Christmas

Santa brought me an abacus this year (Great Grandpa K. would be so proud I wanted one). And according to my calculations, Christmas was fun! Unfortuntely, since Mommy has a baby in her tummy she forgets a lot of stuff (like where she put the camera). Mom said she would put a few Christmas pictures up when she finds "the darn thing."

....So Mom found the camera, but messed something up trying to upload pictures. Dad is going to try and make the pictures come back.

Pretty Lights

Tonight we took Grams and Pa to the square to see the lights. They were beautiful! I also got to ride a pony (that was my favorite part). Here are a few pictures...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Happy Camper

It has been really warm at our house. We went camping this weekend in the "rain forrest." Mom and Dad sure "crack me", they are so funny. I saw lots of squirrels and struck up some potty conversations with fellow campers. I also worked on phonics with Mom and Dad, asking them to repeat things after me, by syllable (like..."Can you say A-corn?").

Hmmm....if a 2 year old throws rocks in the forest..... will they get in trouble?

Here I am throwing rocks in the creek while on a hike.

Whew...I was tired!

Gingerbread House

Today Mom and I made a Gingerbread house. The great thing about making a gingerbread house is that you use candy (and squishy stuff that tastes like birthday cake). You can eat the candy before you put it on the house, while you are making the house, then after it is all done.


I also taught Mom and Dad a new song today (I changed the ending myself)...."We wish you a Merry Christmas, We wish you a Merry Christmas and a HAPPY FACE!"

Addie likes vitamins

Mom was trying to teach me something to tell Dad....
Mom said, "Can you say, Mom likes diamonds?!" I repeated that a few times, but then told Dad, "Can you say, Addie likes vitamins?!"

Veggie Delight

We saw a great Veggie Tales show last night! Most all of my favorite characters were there, including Jr. Asparagus. They sang lots of great songs, like "Pizza Angel" and the song from my Veggie Tales nativity set. I sang along with the ones I knew and danced in my seat almost the whole time. I also made sure that Mom and Dad were clapping when they were supposed to. I sure love Veggie Tales!

Brrrrrr....

It was icy, snowy and cold this week...mostly icy. The snow was too dry to make things, but we had fun making tracks with our feet. I'm not sure how, but I think Daddy made the snow. I've been telling people that.

We also picked out a Christmas tree yesterday. It smells good! We brought it home and put pretty lights and ornaments on it. I keep looking at it and saying, "Wow, I love Christmas!"

Thanksgiving

It was great fun this year. As part of Dad's family tradition, I stuck black olives on my finger tips and ate them one by one before our big dinner. When I got tired of eating olives myself, I served them to friends and family right off my little digits.

Other funny things that happened:

We were in some bad ball game traffic Friday. Reina said, "Holy Cow!" Then I said, "Holy Kitty Cat!"

And...We went looking for a dress for my Aunt Paige in a very fancy place. There was a big, fancy mirror in the middle of the store. So I walked over, did a spin in front of it, then started licking it. Mom said we had to wait outside. She isn't a big fan of the licking trick.

Also, me and Dad went camping with Grams and Pa...to test out the new camper for a night. Grams and I roasted marshmallows and I think they taste like birthday cake. I told her so. The camper is great, except there is no jumping on the beds.:O(

Here is me just after my dentist visit today. Mom didn't take a picture of me in the chair because she was trying to help me stop crying. I didn't even want to open my eyes to see the cartoons playing on the ceiling. See, last week I was having a great visit with the doctor, and the nurse hurt my leg with a flu shot. It was traumatic to say the least and when they had me lay down in the chair today, I had a flu shot flashback. Anyway, the dentist is a nice man with fun toys at his office. He said I had pretty teeth and told me to keep brushing. He gave me stickers, a new toothbrush and a extra bouncy ball.

Nastics

Last week we did bars at gymnastics and jumped like frogs on the trampoline. We have circle time when we sing funny songs and stretch. Moms do it too. I told Mom lots at circle time, "Great job, Mom!"

Shake it like....

a refrigerator!? Sometimes cousin Chase and his daddy dance and say, "Shake it like a salt shaker." I guess I was thinking about that because yesterday morning, I was jumping on the bed, twisting about and said, "Shake it like a refrigerator!"

Also yesterday, mom told me my eggs were ready, but I was working on some important stuff in my playroom. So, from the other room (in a long, loud voice) I said, "Just a minute, Mom! You gotta be patient!" Sometimes that kind of thing is back talk at my house, but I had mom and dad so cracked up from all the morning silliness, I didn't even get in trouble.

Funny Things

I say funny things sometimes, like:

Upsidelide-down
Blublerries
Racamoni (also known as macaroni)

If You Like to Talk to Tomatoes....

Have I got a costume for you!

Snaps to Grams who helped Mom make this costume, without a pattern, by mostly making it. Thanks!

Here is me and my doggie cousin, Stella. She is wearing a giraffe costume.

This is an action shot of me trick or treating. Everyone was so nice, I wanted to go into their house and stay a while.

Happy Halloween!

Here I am scooping out my pumpkin. Yuck...the insides make your hands messy!

A Trip to the Farm

Papa showed me his new tractor. It has lots of levers on it. He let me lift the scoop up and down and turn all the lights on.

He let me take it for a spin. Here I (my) am making a big turn in the pasture.

This is Aunt Susie. She and uncle Charlie knew my mom starting when she was born. They know funny stories about her. Aunt Susie taught me that squirrels like to eat acorns. One time when she asked me what they ate I said, "Peanuts." Then I went to the pantry and got a big can of cashews. I wanted to take them to the deck and throw them out for the squirrels, but mom said that wasn't a good idea.

Here I am with Uncle Charlie. He is good at giving "fives" and makes muy yummy fajitas.

Just call me Ginger Rogers.

Whew...it has been a busy week! First we saw my baby sister (or brother) on a big TV at the doctor's office. Then, we went to the Fall Festival and got to ride rides, jump in a bouncy castle and do pumpkin crafts. Tonight we went to Farm Fest with church and roasted wienies and marshmallows, played and went on a hay ride. Mom is getting forgetful and forgot the camera all weekend. She took this picture of me and Dad at the Fall Festival with her phone. He's numero uno in my book!

Mr. Snail

This is Mr. Snail. I painted him all by myself for my Daddy's birthday. He was so excited when I gave it to him, I sometimes sneak it off his dresser and tell him to close his eyes so I can surprise him all over again.

NICU Reunion

Well, today was my NICU reunion. The NICU is where you go when you are born extra early or are really sick at birth (like me). It is a great place and to top it off, they have super fun parties every year. This year was a cowboy party ...Yeee Haw!
Only, it was a little sad because my doctor there went to heaven last month. Mom was very teary about the whole thing and said Dr. Pichoff was a great man. He came to see her at another hospital the day I went to the NICU and worked very hard to make me well. Mom says that we are going to buy some toys for the Jackson Graves Foundation in his honor and I can pick them out all myself.
Even though it was a hard time when I was at the NICU, Mom and Dad said it was special. My family came a lot and almost everyday someone (who knew they couldn't come in to touch me) would come to the window and peek in to see if they could wave Hi. Mom remembers your sweet visits (Laura, Mike, Tiffany, Rhonda and others). Mom said she and Daddy always had clean hands when I was there because they had to wash them for 5 minutes before they held me. And guess what, Dad had to wear a nursing gown...teehee.
Please say a prayer for all of the little babies in the NICU. It is a very special place.

Wooo whooo!

Wooo Whooo! That was my favorite thing to say this morning at Tiny Tots Tumbling. Here is me jumping on the little trampoline.

Oooohhh Oooohhh Aaaahhh Aaaahhh!

Grams made me a monkey dress and it is beautiful! I have been jumping and talking like a monkey ever since I put it on this morning. Oooohhh Oooohhh Aaaahhh Aaaahhh!

Jesus will make you feel better

Yesterday I was resting on the couch, very tired and fighting allergies. Addie with her sweet, sensitive spirit came up to me, looked me in the eyes and asked, "Mommy, you okay?" I told her I didn't feel very good and was tired. She said, "Mommy, Jesus will make you feel better!" She ran and got her "Jesus Bible" and started "reading" it to me. My heart felt so full!
God, thanks for our girl!
-Shannon

Bert the Fish

When I turned 2, Grams and Pa bought me a blue fish. I named him Bert (short for Birthday). I help take care of him. Sometimes I think he is lonely, so I put things in his bowl, like: Mom's good potpouri, Little People, and a one morning a whole bag of kitty treats. Mom says he is one tough fish to still be alive.

Saturday in the store

It was raining too hard today to go to the farmers market. Instead, Mom, Reina and I went to the natural food store. Dad doesn't really like going there because he says there are lots of hippies and he says a store shouldn't sell meatless meat. Mom says it's a good lesson in diversity and economics...whatever all that means. Anyway, I got my own small metal little shopping cart and pushed it all around the store myself and said, "Watch out, here I come!" On my own, I loaded my cart with 2 bunches of b-nanas and every kind of tomato I could reach. Mom made me put the bean salad back on the shelf, but bought me some organic smiley face cheese. I also filled my basket with other crazy stuff, like an assortment of homeopathic medicine and eye drops. Mom didn't notice until we were checking out...hehehe. It was fun!

Pictures

My cousin Chase had a birthday and it was FUN! I like that he has red hair like me.


I think he is holding his head saying, "Whoah, she is a crazy girl!"


Me and Dad running at the park last week. He says I'm fast! We met Chase there yesterday for breakfast and sliding.


Whoo Pig Sooie!

Some funny things I said in the car this week....

-"Mommy, cats don't like water."
-"What's a meteor?"
-"I just can't stop crying!"
-"I want to eat grass like a llama...mmmm."

How to Count to 20 in Spanish...

uno, dos, tres, QUACKATRO, cinco, seis, siete, ocho, nueve, diaz, TWENTY! That is how I do it anyway.;O)

What is a skunkt?

We smelled a stinky smell on the way to see friends and Mom said it was a "skunkt". So I have been asking everyone, "What is a skunkt? I finally know for sure and if you ask me I'll tell you it is, "An animal with a stinky tail."

Floaties are fun!

Who said floaties are just for the pool? I like to wear mine in the tub, at breakfast and at the post office. This morning when mom woke me up, I even had it on under the covers. I can't remember how it got there, but I sure didn't want to take it off!

What is your name?

Well, I have been asking this question a lot, maybe because it is so confusing! I know my whole name, but Mommy has lots of names and a whole name too...Daddy calls her Shannon or Shanie or sometimes Sweetie or Honey. When I try to call her one of those names she giggles or makes a serious face (like last Thursday in the library when I called her "Shannon" in a loud voice). Yesterday we were all reciting our names, for the 100th time, in the truck and I got even more confused. When Daddy said his whole name I stopped, thought a minute and said, "Hey! Where is Elizabeth?" Whew....this is a lot for a kid to understand!

Who me...eating green washable markers?

FORE!

Here is me taking a swing at a bright orange golf ball. At first, I thought the ball was a clementine, so I licked it...yuck! My Papa brought me some kid sized clubs to practice with and showed me how to swing. Mom says to, "Be careful!"

It's not easy being a princess...

One with my kangaroo self

Today I am a kangaroo! Right now I have little people, legos and a silky in my pouch. Mommy helped me make a pouch out of my Nemo shirt, because she said she was tired of carring my stuff around for me. I have been hopping around all day saying, "I am a momma kangaroo!" It's fun!

Actually

My word for the day is: Actually
Pronounced: Actuwulwe
Used in a sentence: "Mom, I actuwulwe eat corn for breakfast."
Translation: "Mom, I actually want corn for breakfast" ??

It's all in a nick-name...

Sometimes people ask, "Why do they call you Monkey Toes?" Good question, I say! To answer it I'll have to take you back to the day I was born....I was really sick in my mom's tummy. Mom says it was an emergency and they took me out of her belly pronto. When I was born my heart was racing and I was breathing crazy so I had to take a fast ride to another hospital. It all happened so quickly, I can hardly remember. Anyway, I had really long toes and when my Papa came to see me in the NICU I had lots of tubes and wires. He couldn't pick me up, so he touched my foot and I wrapped my long toes around his finger, as if to say..."I love you." So it all started then, he called me Monkey Toes and it stuck like glue. Before I knew it, Reina brought me a monkey toes monogrammed hat and now monkeys are all around my house and sometimes on my clothes. Boots, the monkey, even hangs on my formal playroom chandelier. The best part of the story is that even though I was so sick, God made me well! -MT

side by side

July was fun!

Well, July sure was fun! It was a busy month. It started with beautiful sparlie fireworks and ended with a sleep over at Grams and Pa's house, where I picked and ate an insane amount of tomatoes. We went to the farm and saw Reina and Papa's new house. I love it because it has stairs and the biggest shower I've ever seen! Plus I get to ride the 4-wheeler and see lots of cows.

Mom had a work trip and while she was gone Dad and I had lots of fun. He taught me how to eat chicken off the bone, then when our hands got all messy, we'd give each other a greasy "5". Mom said she'd never thought of teaching me that trick and she wished Dad had taken a picture. Dad made everything fun...getting dressed, cleaning up toys... and oh yeah, he doesn't make me take a bath everyday. I think I want Mom to take more trips.:O) I was glad to see her though...when we picked he up at the airplane place I ran, jumped in her arms, gave her a big hug and said "Mommy, I so proud of you!"

Well, me and the potty have become close friends. I'm such a pro now, I even tell mom what to do when she has to go. Then I tell her "Great Job!". Nanny has taught me lots about after potty hand washing (front, back, front) and Grams taught me to say and wave bye to my pepe when I flush. Then the other night, I got to wondering if there was anything else in the potty. So I leanded in to the potty and said "ECHO! Anybody in there?" There was no answer, but mom said that's not a good idea cuz potties can be dirty.

Other big news...I'm in a big girl toddler bed. I know, I know you're probably thinking it was just yesterday I was born and I can't possibly be big enough for a bed. But it's true. I stay in it all night until 5am, when I wake up. Then, I tippy-toe into Mom and Dad's bedroom and whisper, "Wanna snuggle?". I don't really want to snuggle too long, mostly I just want someone to turn the TV on so I can watch NOGGIN. Mom tucked me back in this morning and said that I should stay in bed until God turns the lights on outside and that when it is dark we should be asleep. Dark, asleep...hmmm. I'll try to remember that.

Love to you!
Addie

Daddy makes me peanut butter bread for snack and it is goooooood!

Mmmmm...tomatoes!

Before my "Blue Man Group" audition.

Me with Mommy's lip liner. Reina says I can do Aunt Paige's wedding make-up.

Addie Armstong