For the love of Einstein

December is sitting in her classic position, being silly for the camera

This is what December does when she wants to watch her favorite (and only) movie. She's also saying, "Nn! Nn! Nn!"

She begs to watch it countless times every day -- Brad and I only let her watch pieces of it when we give in

What is this highly favored movie? It's Baby Einstein's "Baby MacDonald: A Day On the Farm." (She must be a farm girl at heart)

December had her 15-month checkup yesterday. She thinks these checkups are pure torture. She was okay with the doctor looking at her eyes with the bright light (surprisingly), but it all broke down when he tried to listen to her heart with the stethoscope. After that, she lost it. Looking in the ears was not cool, looking up the nose was really not cool, etc. Even after he left, she couldn't handle me trying to put her clothes back on. It was rough. But we learned something: Caden has outgrown December. She's a tiny little pint! She weighs 20 lbs, 4 oz. She's in the 25th percentile...she's been hanging out there since she was about 9 months old.

We have a house showing today. Brad and I are really praying that these people like the house. It sounds like they are a young couple, and the girl has a brother who would live upstairs. Our previous offer most likely won't work out, although I think we're still in negotiations. Speaking of the house showing, I should get back to getting the house ready for it. I just took a break to cool off a bit -- I was working outside, and it's a humid scorcher today!

Memorial Day

December and Danielle (my cousin) playing together

Brad, Maria, and Karl grilling hot dogs for lunch

December playing in her Paris clothes from Auntie Rebekah

Aunt Dawn is helping December use the lawn mower

December is very helpful!

It takes two people to slather a baby with sunscreen!

On Saturday, we went to my Grandparents' cottage to help do spring clean-up with my extended family. It was fun! Our plan was to spend the night there on Saturday night, but that didn't happen. December has a super rough time sleeping anywhere but her own bed. I usually expect her to have around 2 1/2 - 3 hours of daytime sleep. On Saturday, she got about 30-45 minutes -- she just couldn't sleep in her pack-and-play at the cottage! She just stands and wails. Our choice is to let her cry herself to sleep or get her out of bed so she becomes overtired. What a choice, eh?! At night, we tried again to get her to go to bed. When she started to lose it again, we decided to go back home to sleep. Then all of us would sleep well...and we did!

Yesterday, we played by the water and the sand. Brad took December in the water, we sat in the sun, and Brad and I went for a sea-doo ride together. I went again later with my mom, and then I drove my mom around on it. It was fun! We love spending time at the cottage -- if only December would sleep there...

Watering Cans

Brad is filling up December's watering can

She is helping water flowers

Daddy helps her a little

This is December just before she tears up this pink flower, roots and all. She hasn't yet learned the art of being gentle. I replanted the flower, and I really hope it will live through this!

I don't really know what December is doing in this picture. It looks like she is going to fix the bed, but she doesn't have a tool in her right hand. It's a pencil, one that's never been sharpened. I learned that unsharpened pencils are the best ones to give her, because right before Dad and Debbie visited, she colored all over our window seat cushion with a blue pen. If this ever happens to you, use rubbing alcohol -- it worked wonders!

Tomorrow we are going to my grandparents' cottage. My aunts, uncles, cousins, parents, and everybody go there on Memorial Day weekend to do a big spring cleaning and then hang out by the water. It's alot of fun!

Bellybutton

December is learning parts of the body. She only knows a couple of them so far, but we're working on it every day. The one she learned the fastest was her bellybutton. It's pretty cute to watch her respond to "Where's December's bellybutton?" by reaching for the bottom of her shirt, pulling it up, and pointing right at her bellybutton. Last night I learned that she gets very frustrated if she's wearing a shirt that snaps on the bottom, because then she can't get at her bellybutton. That is a traumatic event in the life of a one-year old!

To my great dismay, I am currently the cause of the birth of many baby mosquitoes. You have my sincerest apologies if any of them find their way to you and eat you. As you know, it's only the girl misquitoes that feast on your blood (the boy mosquitoes are the nice ones -- they only eat plant nectar). The protein in your blood gives them the fuel they need to lay eggs. Every time a girl mosquito lays eggs, she drinks your blood. I'm surpised that I have any blood left! A couple of nights ago, I went out to water the flowers. That was a big mistake -- our yard is prime breeding ground for these vampires, and they all come out at night. I now have about twenty mosquito bites, sixteen of which are on my left leg. That must be where my tastiest blood hangs out. I was wearing heavy jeans, too. I guess our yard breeds massive brutes of mosquitoes that can puncture any kind of clothing.

So the moral of this biology lesson/tragic tale is just this: if you ever come over to our house, take along your bug repellent.