SQUISHED!
I got squished in a big love hug between Grandma Hamm and Aunt Kaci. I tried to wiggle free, but I was bribed with an apple. I love the attention :)
















XOXO

SWIMMIN' LIKE A FISH...
Sunday, February 4th I had my first swim lesson at the JCC in Myerland. Aunt Kay thought it was important for me and my Cous Wes to learn to swim. Thanks Aunt Kay! I was so excited to see my family and to get to try something new. I even picked out my bathing suit myself--it has fish on it! I was lookin' good and ready to swim! I waddled right into the pool area and then I got a little scared. Strange people, humidity, voices echoing and cold water--what was I in for? When the lesson began all the babies and their parents got right in the water. I wanted out! IT WAS COLD! Mom said I was trying to climb up her body. I made lots of sad faces and pointed to the edge of the pool where everyone else was warm and dry. After a few minutes though I got the hang of it. We tried opening and shutting our mouths, laying on our backs to float, kicking with straight legs, passing between mom and dad and key words like wait, ready, go, swim to the side and such. I love jumping off the side! I made a splash! Now that I have it down, I've been practicing in the tub. Water is going everywhere, but I am still having fun. Only 13 lessons to go. I will be a swimmer by summer!

Kick those legs!

GOOD STUFF...
I'm 14.5 months old and finally I am getting to the good stuff. I love turkey and cheese sandwiches! First I eat all the bread. Then I eat a few bites of the cheese and sneak a few bites for Sassy. I save the meat for last so I can make a few funny faces and throw scraps to Sassy and Buster. They love sandwiches too! And who whould have thought that I would like celery? I love that crunchy cold stuff. One lunch I thought I would be creative...I dipped it in my yogurt...YUMMY! Mom said it reminded her of when she mixed jello and cornbread. I guess me and mom just have some wierd tastebuds.
















Wanna Share?

FISHIN' WITH DAD...
My bud Austin across the street is almost 3. He has a fishing pole. I think dad fell in love with it. He said we had to have one. He was right, you can't get it away from me now! I'm not sure if casting is a 14 month developmental skill, but I can do it! I push the button and drop the line. I am even working on reeling it in. I need a bit of help--little guys wrists don't rotate, but I know what I am trying to do. Mom is shocked and dad is cheering. I'm just running around the halls and living room with my pole.
FYI--Tears will follow when it is taken away :) Just wait for me to drop it...then you can hide it. That works better.

All smiles! I can do it MYSELF, thank you!

MISSION: GET SNACK!...
I'm trying my hardest to get this bag of yogurt covered raisins I found open. Mom should rally put a lock on the pantry door :)
Oh, puffs are on the cabinet, I bet I can reach those. Let me try!

HELP! I'M HUNGRY!

RAISING A READER!
I don't know how I got so lucky! I am raising a child who eats his fruit and veggies, enjoys playing outside, snuggles with out protest, listens to music and sings and dances around the living room with his mom and HE LOVES TO READ! We spend hours a day looking at books, pointing out pictures and reading to each other. Reagan does a lot of the talking ("reading")now. He knows that his sounds have meaning and he "reads" as he is looking at the books. He gets so excited when he sees something he knows. He "Moo's" for a cow, "Baa's" for a sheep and smells the stinky socks and laughs. We have such a good time together these days.


























Do you see what I see?

Doc or Vet...
I haven't decided yet, but I love to play with all my medical equipment. I take mom's temp and chew on the bulb of the blood pressure band. Did you know that your heart says, "thump, thump?" I did! These days I can tell mom and dad what hurts. Mom is thrilled with that new information. If I fall down I touch what is hurting. I know how to hold a "boo-boo bunny" on my own boo-boo's and if you ask me later where my boo-boo is...I usually point to my head. Oh, yes! I take many falls with my new freedom walking and of course all the climbing. What can I say, but "ALL BOY!"















Take your temp...No fever.

A FRIEND FOR THE DAY...
Julia came to play and we kept mom busy. We both got a lesson in sharing! We couldn't decide who should play with a toy first or who should keep the toy once it was being played with. It was pretty funny for mom to watch us work it all out. I took Julia for a ride in my little blue wagon. Usually it is filled with toys or my animals, but today was special; my girlfriend took the spot. Mom was just glad it didn't tip over as I walked around the living room. Julia thought it was great. We took turns using my magnets and then we headed outside. BRRRR! We were little bundled up babies. A little drizzle and cool breezes couldn't keep us inside. We took a trip around the yard and back again smiling all the way!

Is this what it is like to have a sister? Mom says, no way Jose' :)

WHO KNEW?...
Who would have known that play-doh, a piece of contact paper and different textures could make a baby so happy! Reagan did!
He puts everything up and then takes it all down again. His favorite is the gold feather and fur. A streamer or two have been tasted, the sandpaper has been rubbed smooth and of course we find little pieces of Easter grass and such around the house, but the little man is smiling. Play- doh is a whole new adventure. Reagan likes to smell it and stick it on his nose. I wonder where he got that idea? Honk, Honk are his new favorite sounds as his "beeps" your nose or sticks a sticker or the like on it. He also enjoys using spoons, bottle tops and cookie cutters to make impressions in the doh. Okay, he did taste it, but I am ready to make some peppermint doh soon (Shelley send me the recipe :) ) The fun times just keep on rollin'!

Reagan loves looking out the window. OUTSIDE is his newest word.

HATS FOR SALE...

No, no, no...hats for play! Reagan loves his grandma and loves his hats. It is just part of the morning routine now to put one on while we are picking out his clothes.

You wear this one Grandma! We look cute...say CHEESE!

My next adventure is to build a hat collection. Fireman, construction worker, chef and more. We will have hats galore!

RGT loves his gma!

MUSUEM TRIP#3...
Oh the wonderful things I can do! I can mow the gravel; can you? Mom and I met Collin and Mitchel at the museum for a day of fun. Wow, what a difference when you can walk! I had a BLAST! It was such a beautiful day, we had a picnic lunch and plenty of time to play. This trip led to me getting some new toys for the tub. I loved trying to scoop the ducks out of the fountain and now I get to scoop fish and turtles out of the bath. Mom is still looking for me a mower. Think of all the $ she could save on the lawn.
I had a bit of a temper "blow out" when it was time to go home. Mom was not impressed by me turning purple and all the tears and screams, but she promised she would bring me back soon.

Here ducky, ducky!

I'M WALKING!...
I'm running, I'm falling and I love every minute of my new freedom. Okay to be fair, I have been "walking" since my birthday. I just needed a little help. First I needed someone to hold on to and then just a finger or too made me feel secure. I often thought I was a bit more advanced in my step taking, but a few falls didn't hurt too bad. I took my first few solo steps to Mommy and I loved walking with "bumpers" between dad's arms. Then Aunt Melissa came to stay for the weekend I had to show off. I walked back and forth between her and mom. They thought it was great! I loved all the cheering and made sure I took time to clap for myself too. These days there is no slowing me down. I walk right up to what I want and get it. If I need help I have plenty of words and gestures to get the point across. Opening doors...not a problem, climbing...even better! I am having a blast pushing my broom down the hallway and chasing the cat and dog around the house, walking the sidewalk and more. Mom and dad just can't believe how big I am.
















FREEDOM!

HUNGRY...NEED FOOD!
Luckily I know where to find it too. Head to the fridge (or the pantry.) I know there are some leftovers in here. Hum, organic applesauce, yogurt or a pickle? I do enjoy Hummus and pita too. It is just too hard to decide. MOM! Get me a snack!

Fruit Salad...Yummy, Yummy!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
2007 is sure to bring great times with friends and family! We brought the new year in with some fireworks and a pizza picnic in the drive. It was cold out there so we did not stay long. I was so excited to see all the lights, but the noises were still a bit too much for me. The sparklers were lots of fun too. I loved all the colors and laughed until mom and dad were not sure if I was laughing or crying. I was bouncing up and down and taking mom on a walking tour of the driveway.
New Year's Day we went to Grandma Hamm's house to bring in the year with the traditional dishes. I wasn't too sure about the meat, but I loved stealing black eyed peas off of mom's plate.

The best times are yet to come!

STAR HELPER...
What a helper! Mama turned around to put away some cups and I just climbed right in the dishwasher! I love to pull out the drawer and use my muscles to lift glass bowls and such off the bottom rack. I have lots of fun moving all the silverware from place to place too. The whole basket comes right out! More fav's include sweeping and using the vac. I am my mom's STAR HELPER.















You are not supposed to be the there!

4 CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS!...

ANTLER'S ANYONE?
Mom was really into the holiday spirit. After Christmas Eve service at church she made us all wear antler's to dinner. We filled our bellies full of Mexican food. I ate a tortilla :) Yum!















Cristmas Eve Gift!

CHRISTMAS COOKIES...
We have a new tradition in our family; Christmas cookies. I helped out! Mom taught me how to flip pancakes a month or so ago and I thought I should try to flip a few cookies too. Dad did most of the baking this year--and they were good!




















I got to eat some of the crumbs...mom and dad ate all the extras!

SILLY SOCKS...
Dad's socks are really silly...esp. when they are on me. Oh the little things that keep me laughing and entertained too! It doesn't take much money to make me smile (thank goodness.)




















Smelly socks!

GRITS...
Get me to a beach and fast! I love my new sandbox (thanks Uncle Jeff and Aunt Courtney!) I have played with all my sand toys so I decided to taste the sand. It wasn't so bad. Mom says she could see it coming. Why didn't she stop me...she just took a series of pictures instead. My hands were a bit wet so the sand was sticking. I don't like my hands to be dirty so I just licked them. Then I fed myself a bite right off the shovel. It looked a lot like a spoon to me.
I do lots of funny things with sand. Somedays I cover my feetin sand; other days I try to hold my legs up so the sand doesn't touch them. I fill up my shovel and toss sand into the air too. But, I mainly like to scoop it up and dump it OUT of the sandbox onto the flagstone. I just watch it fall there...here's my secret. I love to sweep it up. Mom made me take a bath and brush my teeth shortly after cleaning up.

What's with the weather...one day I'm wearing jackets and the next day shorts?