Years change?

The gang's all here for a New Year's Rock (Band)-in' Eve. Everybody wanted me to play Baby 2010, but nobody volunteered to be Old Man 2009.

I don't think it's fair that the year gets to have a birthday before I do. Isn't Anno Sadii good enough for everybody? Ah well, I can be magnanimous. Happy New Year, whatever that is.

Good News, Bad News

Mom and Dad thought my cough was just from a cold, but when I started running a little hot (my first fever! Is this a milestone?) Dad took me to the baby mechanic for a look-see. The doctor says I have a sinus infection, so now I get to have yummy pink stuff twice a day. Mom and Dad think I don't know, but even I can tell that my milk smells like bubblegum.

The doc also noticed a few signs that my spinal lipoma might be acting up, and said maybe I should have my surgery sooner than we'd been planning. I'll have my people call the neurosurgeon to talk it over.

Not What I Intended

I'm getting better at moving around on my own, but I wish people would stop taking the floor away. Luckily there was more floor a little further down.

I guess progress is often accompanied by back-sliding. Next time I try to get down off a bed myself, remind me to do it feet-first.

What Goes Down

...must come up. Making it 8 months before my first middle-of-the-night change-all-my-clothes puking session isn't so bad, I guess.

What is it with you people who always want pictures of this stuff?!

Rolling Stone

I'm an expert at rolling now. And I weigh 14 lb. Need I say more?

Passport

Hooray, my passport arrived while we were traveling. After all that fuss, my photo must have been printed when the yellow ink cartridge was low. I guess it'll be handy if I ever want to travel after bathing in cherry Kool-Aid.

Bye-bye, Boston

Grandpa, Mom, Dad, Uncle Colin

Me
Martha, Grandma, Ethan, Aunt Martha, Sarah

So long, everybody! Thanks for making my first Christmas... well, not memorable, since I don't have long-term memory yet, but it was fun!

Colin Air

Uncle Colin knows the flying game. I'm about to show him the drooling game.

A New Wrinkle

My feet. No particular raisin.

The Nice Water Park

Aunt Martha took everybody to the Coco Key Water Resort. It's an even bigger shower than the one in Duluth! And this time, we got to sit down and get acquainted slowly. I splashed in the shallows with Dad and nearly fell asleep floating on an inner tube with Mom.

Belle of the Ball

Aunt Martha and Uncle Colin's neighbors host a fancy-dress Christmas party every year. I totally had the fanciest dress.

The grown-ups sang carols, but Mom and Dad took me home when I wailed on the minor third. So much for supporting my musical aspirations.

Christmas Festivitiezzz

When Christmas dinner conflicts with naptime, you know where my priorities are. All that splishing and splashing takes a toll on a girl.

Splish Splash

The fancy-dress party is only 8 hours away, so I'd better start my toilette now.

It's my first time sitting in a bathtub to take a bath. This tub is a lot smaller and quieter than the one in Duluth, but it's not much more private. And who forgot to pack my duckie?

I Saw Three Kids Come Wailing In

Christmas morning at last! The gift-opening orgy started at 7:00 sharp. Santa brought me an H.

I got clothes and books from Grandma and Grandpa. My cousins got lots of fun stuff too, but I don't understand why they keep throwing away the yummiest part. It's called "candy stripes" for a reason, you know.

The Best Babysitter

Mom and Dad went off to see 101 Dalmatians and dumped me at a neighbor's house with only a playpen, a pacifier, two bottles, my squeaky giraffe, a rattle, three gangly animals, a hand-me-down musical octopus, two friendly dogs, and Michaela, my first babysitter.

Separation anxiety is traumatic, but they'll get over it once I'm out of sight.

Loot

Cousins Ethan, Martha, and Sarah tried to show me what Christmas is all about. I think I can get into this. With extra minions around, I don't even need to learn to crawl.

Relative Coordinates

We left Grandma and Grandpa's house in St. Paul and flew to Boston, where... Grandma and Grandpa were waiting for us! If I knew about object permanence, I'd be impressed.

Riders on the storm

Everyone in Minnesota has properly admired me, so it's time to break camp and fly to Boston.

The good news is, we're here at the airport in plenty of time. The bad news is, there's a blizzard coming. The good news is, it's not due to hit until tonight. The bad news is, our flight is delayed two hours because our flight crew slept in, so we'll miss our connection. The good news is, Continental rebooked us on a Northwest flight, taking the last two seats to Boston today. The bad news is, it leaves two hours after our original flight. The good news is, it's nonstop, so it arrives 15 minutes earlier!

Crash course in winter driving

Minnesota drivers have a funny way of greeting each other in the wintertime. A nice man gave our car a little love tap with his on a highway entrance ramp. I was pretty scared at first, but it takes more than a fender-bender to put me off my nap, so I snoozed while Mom and Dad made friends with him.

Wash and Set

We went with Great-Grandma for her wash 'n' set at the beauty parlor. I hope I look as good as she does at 91.

I wanted curlers too, but no luck. Guess I'll stick with pureed carrots as a styling aid.

There's No Business Like Snow Business

Grandma and Grandpa's house is covered in this cold, white stuff. It's like the inside of the freezer, but it tastes better.

I didn't get to make a snow angel, because my jacket isn't waterproof. Lame! Besides, my wings would have frozen off.

Over easy, please

We had a yummy breakfast with Great-Grandpa before heading back to St. Paul. His place has great service: the staff slap the food on the table, then spend the rest of their time cooing at the baby.

Crack of Dawn

Ever wonder what the crack of dawn looks like? Now you know. I used to show it to Mom and Dad a lot, before they put aluminum foil on the bedroom windows.

The Mean Water Park

We stayed at a place with the biggest shower you ever saw, but it had an attitude problem. Everyone was leaving when we arrived, so we only stayed long enough for it to spray water in my face. This is supposed to be fun?

Fly-Over Country

After dinner, we went back to Great-Grandpa's place. I can't reuse the photo joke, so instead I showed him some finer points of flying. Who says Minnesota is flyover country? I do!

Dining Out, Minnesota Style

We took Great-Grandpa out to dinner for his 96th birthday. Let's see, that's how many times older than me? I'm gonna need more toes for this one.

In Minnesota you're supposed to eat hot dish. I guess it is soothing on the gums.

Army-crawling

Napoleon said an army travels on its stomach. No wonder it took him three months to reach Moscow. Now that I've tried it, I understand why little girls want a pony.

I traveled 2 days for this?

Road trip! Next stop: Duluth. I hear Minnesota's north woods are picturesque. Is that another word for bleak?

Great-Grandma

First stop in the Minnesota tour was Dad's grandma. Her middle name is the same as mine. What a coincidence!

I gave Great-Grandma the best present ever: Me! Also the second-best present ever: A photo of me.

O Baby Tree

I didn't know that mirror babies grew on trees. Grandma and Grandpa have quite a crop here in their living room.

A shocking discovery

Among the things they have in Minnesota that haven't come to California yet is something called "static electricity". Right on the tip of my tender widdle nose! Gee, thanks, Dad. If you plan to do this once for every time I spit up on you, I'm outta here.

Are We There Yet?

My 3.5-hour flight to St. Paul sat on the tarmac for 3 hours due to two separate mechanical problems. Sorry about the crying, folks: baby union overtime policy.

I didn't get my own seat, but I did get my own seat belt. Still no snacks from the flight attendant, though. Good thing Mom brought mine.

Jet-setter

Another month, another cross-country trip. This time I'm off to St. Paul and Duluth to visit my great-grandparents. Then on to Boston.

Flounces

Great. Now I'll never get into a motorcycle gang.

But at least people will stop saying what a nice little boy I am. Except maybe in San Francisco. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Holiday Hearing

The wardens brought all the parents into the MSDF for a big holiday parole hearing, with snacks. Olivia's grandpa was apparently squeezing a cat inside a bag with pipes poking out of it. He was wearing an outfit called a "kilt," possibly named after what happens to the cat.

But I was granted a 2-week furlough, so I'm not complaining.

B School

Dad says when I get older I can go to bee school, like my Auntie Martha. I'm ready.

The Cutest of the Three Mooshketeers

Yo ho ho! (Not to be confused with "Ho ho ho" -- that's later.) It's all for moosh and moosh for all.

My beard needs a trim. Anyone have pruning shears?

Mom's Birthday

Happy birthday, Mom! You're 64 times older than me. Apparently Dad likes younger women.

It's Uncle Henhuh's birthday, too. He gave me this awesome squeaky giraffe for his birthday. Say, every day is somebody's birthday, right?

Gingerbread Houses

We had a party where everyone but me made gingerbread houses out of graham crackers. That makes as much sense to me as anything else around here. I passed the afternoon granting audiences to my adoring public. Chris doesn't play the flying game, but she really loves babies. I guess she's okay.

Consonance

A ga ga ya ya da!

Back on the Meds

Dad took me in for my second round of flu shots, both seasonal and H1N1, today. He also picked up a fresh bottle of hooch from the pharmacy, saying something about making sure it doesn't freeze. Dunno what that was all about.

After a particularly noisy weekend, things have quieted down around here. It's nice to not have to listen to all that wailing and gnashing of teeth, er, gums. Or be producing them. Everyone at daycare was more cheerful than last week. Mom and Dad too.

I'm feeling lots better now than I was last week. Lighter, too. I weighed in at 13 lb 8 oz, down from 13 lb 14 oz (after a big meal) on Friday. Maybe I shouldn't party so hard.

Sleepless in Santa Clara

I just got back from Albany, and boy are my parents tired. I picked up a cold on the plane, and something's been bothering my tummy. What's a poor baby to do all night?

Cry.

Back in the Clink

My week-long furlough is over, and I have a new MSDF cellmate, Butch. I'll teach her to sit up, and then we're taking over this joint.