Progress Report: 11 months

Only one month to go before my first birthday--I'm 11 months old!

This month I really started getting around. I am crawling almost fast enough to catch the dog, and just fast enough to make it to the cats' water dish and splash my hand in a few times before Mommy catches me.I've also been working on using these leg things...turns out I can actually pull myself up on things and stand, who knew?!

That's me standing up in front of my karaoke center. It is still one of my favorite things to play with. I love dancing to the music and making faces at myself in the mirror.
I'll make music with pretty much anything you give me. I've got mad skills with the pot and spoons.Here's a picture of me and Daddy hanging out.
And here's a picture of me being tormented by Daddy. Well, not really, but he did put me on the floor like that just so he could take this funny picture of me in my big puffy snowsuit.
Of course, no Progress Report is complete with out the food update! I still love my broccoli pancakes--which you can see smeared all over my face in these pictures.


I keep surprising Mommy by eating almost anything she gives me. I've tried grilled cheese, pasta with sauce, mac & cheese with broccoli, fish sticks, cantaloupe, and cucumber. One time she tried to give me a veggie burger--I didn't like that very much! I love to eat veggies and my favorite is still peas.


Here's a picture of me on the day I turned 11 months old - January 20th. I was sick with a cold and a fever that day so I couldn't go to daycare. So Mommy and I got to hang out together, and since it was a special day she let me watch a little TV. It was a pretty good day, except for all the nose-wiping.

I'm learning so many new things every day. For one, I am getting better at pat-a-cake. Whenever Mommy says "let's do pat-a-cake" I start to clap. I also start to clap when says "do you want a pancake". Just covering all my bases. And, when we get to the part where we "roll it, roll it", I can roll my hands. Now I just need to learn what to do when we say "throw it in the oven" and I'll be a master!

Pointing. That's another thing I like to do a lot of. Point and say "dis". Point at the lights, point at the cup, point at the binky, point at the container of Puffs on the shelf that Mommy thought she hid but that I can still see even though there's a bunch of stuff in front of it.

See you next month!

Little Miss Maia has a Merry Christmas, Part 2

OK, so where was I? Oh yeah, Chicago. We got lucky to make it home in between all the bad weather, and soon it was Christmas Eve. I was a good helper while Mommy wrapped the last of the presents. I had a good time playing with the wrapping paper tubes!

Mommy got me dressed in my Santa Baby dress so of course I puked on it right away. I don't think Mommy understands that I'm just trying to start a new holiday tradition. Anyway, I got cleaned up and then Mommy tried to pose me under the tree for some pictures but I was more interested in removing the weird mind-reading device they'd strapped to my head. What a coincidence that it should match my dress!

Then it was off to Bapcia and Opa's house for the Christmas Eve festivities.

I got to meet lots of new people.
And I made sure to check them all out very thoroughly.
I even got some presents!

Cousin Rebecca made me this bear and bib for my first Christmas!
When it was time for the Yankee Swap I was getting tired so I put my PJs on. I helped Auntie Paula decide not to keep the giant remote. After the Swap, we went home and went to bed to wait for Santa!
The next morning, we came downstairs to see what Santa brought! Well, actually, first Daddy had to go to work because the jerks at the phone company called him and told him they needed his help. So Mommy and I waited and then when he got home, we came downstairs to see what Santa brought.

I like to go right for the bows first.

I think it looked better on Daddy's nose.
Then, the paper comes off bit by bit. I need to wave each piece around in the air for a while.
What's inside? My first puzzle!
Another bow AND a box I can climb on!

I had a lot of fun with my "Glockentoddler" glockenspiel!
What could this one be?
It's a Ball Popper! I waited patiently while Daddy put it together. The box helped keep me occupied.
Whoa! Ball popping action! The best part is watching Mommy and Daddy chase the balls all over the room.
After opening presents, it was time to go to Great Grandma's house for Christmas dinner. I got to put on my fancy dress again.
I like to think I provided a little entertainment for everybody.

Finally, we went back to Bapcia and Opa's house to see what else Santa had left for me there. I got my very own rocking horse!
And, this cookie jar that sings to me when I put the pieces in or take them out. I really like this one!
How are Mommy and Daddy going to get all this stuff home? Oh well, that's not my job!

Progress Report: 10 Months

I'm really going to have to talk to Mommy about her being so late to help me with my updates. Where were we? Oh, that's right, I'm now over 10 months old!

This month I started trying a lot of new foods, especially foods I can eat with my hands. Some of my favorite things to eat by myself are vegetable pancakes, pasta, puffs, peas, green beans, bananas, cheerios and cheese. Here I am having eggs and toast.

Sometimes I like to sit and play with my toys--or read a book--by myself.
Giving kisses is more fun through the screen. Maybe the Mormons are on to something!


This month Mommy took me to a Very Big and Impressive University so I could help out with some Very Important Research. We visited the Yale Infant Cognition Lab where I got to be part of a psychology experiment. Experiments done by the lab have been on TV on a show called "The Baby Human" that Mommy liked watching while she had me in her belly. In the experiment I was in, I got to watch a puppet show about a bunny playing ball with 2 different doggies. One doggie always stole the ball from the bunny, but the other doggie always shared and gave the ball back. After I watched the puppet show a bunch of times (with a computer camera watching me to see when I started to get bored), I got to pick which doggie to hug first. And that was it. Science is fun! Here I am with the t-shirt I got for helping out at the lab.


I felt very smart after doing all my Very Important Research so I thought I'd show the cat a thing or two.
"See this thing here? I'm just showing you what NOT to do."I like to show off all my smarty pants new skills now. I learned how to use some new signs this month, like "all done" and "more". I also like to point at everything, and if it's something I want I just screech or yell "na na!" If it's something I'm just interested in, I point at it and say "dis". When I hear somebody say "bye bye", I wave, and when someone says "how big are you?" I put my hands up. I mean, I think it's pretty silly but the grown ups seem to get a big thrill out of it. When Mommy says "let's do pat-a-cake" I start clapping, and if you say "peekaboo" I might try to cover my eyes with my hands or a blanket.

I am crawling (using both knees, not the one knee/one foot method I used last month) now. It's great how many itsy bitsy pieces of stuff I can find on the floor while I'm crawling. Mommy is turning on the noisy floor cleaning machine all the time now. I like to shriek at it while it's running, just like I like to shriek at barking dogs. Aaah!!

Little Miss Maia has a Merry Christmas, Part One

I am a very lucky girl, because I got to have two Christmases this year! Mommy and I went on the airplane to Chicago to visit Grandma Ellie and Grandpa Ken. But first, I helped Mommy and Daddy with some decorations at home.

Daddy gets a big kiss for letting me help with the lights.
Grandpa Ken was very happy to see me. I hear he's turned into a big softie now that I'm around.
All of Mommy's family came over to help me celebrate my first Christmas. Mommy put a fancy party dress on me, and I made sure to puke on it just a little bit right away. Mommy cleaned it up and then we took some pictures.
Grandpa Ken is as tall as the trees! OK, well at least this tree.
Great Aunt Ummy, Great Uncle Greg, and cousins Whitney and Audrey came over a little early to meet me.

Here I am with Grandpa Ken, Grandma Ellie, Aunt Maggie, and Mommy.
Aunt Maggie and I had a good time together. She wanted to take me out drinking but Mommy said no.
Here I am with Great Uncle Big George. He's funny.
I showed my cousins my new karaoke setup and we jammed out to "The Wiggle Song".
Cousin Jackie helped me open presents.
Here I am with my Great Grandpa, and all of the grandchildren (and great-grandchildren) except for two (Julie and Matt). Girls rule!
Another family picture...I guess they wanted one with me wearing this fancy new head bow!
Here I am with my Great Grandpa!
We had so much fun opening presents and playing, but soon it was time to put on my Santa PJs and go to bed.
The next morning, there were even more presents to open! I guess Santa made a special trip to Chicago to find me at Grandma and Grandpa's house. I liked climbing on the presents more than opening them!
I got some books, and a cool musical cube from Aunt Maggie.
What's this?!
It's Elmo!
And he laughs and falls over when I tickle him!
Silly Elmo!
The best way to end a morning of opening presents? Napping on my favorite Aunt's lap.