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.

Happy Holidays from Little Miss Maia

Mommy wanted me to let you know that it is all her fault that the blog is a little behind. I have been wanting to tell you about a lot of things, like turning 10 months old (and all my new tricks), visiting Grandma and Grandpa in Chicago, and volunteering for important baby research at a Very Big And Impressive University.

But for now, I hope that you all have a very nice Christmas, Hannukah, Winter Solstice, Kwaanza, or FESTIVUS! Mommy and Daddy have told me that some guy named Santa is coming tonight but I don't know why it should matter to me since I go to bed at 7:00. I guess I'll find out...

Little Miss Maia Jams Out

Here are some funny pictures my Daddy took of me.
I really like music. When something comes on that I like, I start to dance. Here I am doing the Hustle, or something like it.
Let's boogie!

Little Miss Maia Does Thanksgiving

Last week we had a very special time putting on our nice clothes and eating all day long. Mommy and Daddy say it's called "Thanksgiving".

Here I am in my fancy dress showing Auntie Dawn my new stuffed dragon.

And hanging out with GG before dinner. (Good thing we hung out before dinner, because I caught GG napping for a long time after dinner---shhh! don't tell anyone I told you!)

Opa and I helped Bapcia set the table. Sort of.
OK, we didn't help at all.

Mommy had to make sure we got lots of pictures of my Thanksgiving dress!

Mommy said to tell you that she certainly did not try to coordinate our clothes, and she has no idea what you could possibly be talking about.
When it was time to eat, we all sat at a fancy table at Bapcia's house (well not me, I was in my highchair)Turn me around and sit down already so I can get my hands on some turkey!Mmmm...that's better.
After dinner, Uncle Mike and I provided some light entertainment. But first, I had to fight to get my guitar back from Opa. He really loves that thing.
Uncle Mike didn't have too much Grown Up Juice, he just looks like he did.
The next day, we were all pretty tired.
BUT...I still made a trip to meet Santa! I'm not so sure if I liked getting my picture taken with him, but I have a feeling he's still going to bring me some good presents. I *have* been a very good girl, after all.
P.S. Daddy took a lot of nice pictures at Thanksgiving but he didn't give them to Mommy yet so she will have to post them later for me!