Potty Time!!!

(Mommy wants to share my big news!)

Today is Day 5 of potty training and Allie is doing wonderfully! Her princess potty is currently in the living room on a towel to keep it constantly in front of Allie as a reminder. She has potty sticker charts on the door by her potty, and there are "potty treats" (Valentine conversation hearts) prominently displayed on a cabinet within eyesight. We haven't had too many accidents, and she's stayed dry through the last few naps and nights. She's even gone #2 on it! We ask her frequently if she needs to potty and she responds, "Tell Mommy." She doesn't, however, want anything to do with panties, so she goes bare-butt under her pants for now. We have Minnie and princess panties and she won't go near them. It's a work in progress......but I'm assuming any other parent can understand what a big deal this is!

January 2011

My friend Olivia and I had fun wearing our backpacks and holding hands running laps around the kitchen. It's a fun game we made up!

I thought Mommy didn't see me snag the box of Cheez-Its and run into my tent. I guess it's true that she has eyes in the back of her head!

Sometimes it's really tiring watching cartoons on Saturday mornings.

I did Daddy's hair.

Check out the snowman Dad and I made! We gave him a carrot nose and raisins for buttons and eyes. Right after we took this picture, I kicked him over!

I gave my squirrels ice cream hats and read them a book one night.

When we got home from Christmas in Colorado, it was time to switch my crib to a toddler bed. It looks like I enjoy it - WRONG. I want NOTHING to do with it. Only my stuffed animals can sleep in it. Mommy tried putting the mattress on the floor, thinking I'd sleep there. Nope. Princess air mattress? Nope. The only place I've been sleeping for the last month is on my bed of blankets. Mommy and Daddy put a bunch of quilts and blankets on the floor along with a pillow and my squirrels and....

...that's where I'm sleeping. Mommy and Daddy are choosing sleep over location right now. I sleep all through the night, just like this.

Goodbye 2010

Check out my rocking horse! Grandpa Tom made it! Grandma Janet helped with the hair and the painting, and it's K-State colors! It is REALLY cool.

I pretend to brush the hair and I even put in some of my hair bows.

All of my guys have gone for rides. Here's Oliver giving it a try.

Uncle Levi sent us a great breakfast basket with all kinds of stuff in it. I helped Daddy make the scones. The pears were really yummy and Daddy really liked all the coffee.

And to end the year, here I am drawing a Herbie cat on Daddy's cast. He broke two bones in his left hand while skiing on Dec. 30. He took 3 turns, lost his edge and landed on the top part of his left hand. Ouch! He has to wear the cast for 4-6 weeks. Mommy and Daddy ask me how many hands Dad has and I say "one." I'm trying to be extra helpful so Daddy can heal quickly.

Presents!

Opening presents was really fun. Check out the scarves Great Grandma Ike made us! We've told her it gets really cold here, so she had a solution!

I gave Uncle Jeff some cool vintage Budweiser mugs. He really liked them.

Sweet! The big mixer! Mommy and I spend A LOT of time in the kitchen. Mommy was really surprised.

Pa wasn't going fast enough so I stepped in to help.

Mommy made me my very own Herbie book! It has pictures of Herbie, Floyd, Oliver, Harrison, Moose and Rocky in it. I gave the book a hug when I opened it.

Here's the finished ski bench! It was quite the sight getting it down to Steamboat on our car, but we made it. It's on the deck of the condo, perfect place for an apres ski beverage!

It was a great Christmas vacation and we made it home safely, right before a blizzard hit Big Sky.

Christmas Eve

Mommy and Garbie took turns staying home with me while everyone else skied. On Christmas Eve, we rode the gondola up to have lunch with everyone. It was really fun.

Before Christmas Eve Mass.

With Garbie and Pa before Mass started. I sang along with everyone. Christmas carols are the best.

We Did All Kinds of Fun Stuff in Steamboat

Garbie and Dog (his name is Harrison) and I watched a little bit of "Aristocats" one night after dinner. Dog perked his ears when the cats meowed, but we told him it was ok. He preferred to watch Clifford with me instead.

Dance party!!! Garbie and Pa got me a really cool K-State dinosaur that plays music and lights up. (I never leave home without a K-State shirt!) I could only play with it for a few minutes at a time but I loved dancing to the music. Mommy and Daddy are hoping the batteries die out soon :)

Silly Dog.

I really warmed up to Pa after a few days. He was the one I asked to read my bedtime books.

This was so fun. Garbie did my hair with a curling iron and then we put bows in it! It was very fancy. Garbie said when I get bigger, I can go to a salon with her and Mommy and do mani-pedis. I can't wait!

Christmas in Steamboat

We traveled to Steamboat Springs, CO for Christmas this year! It was lots of fun. Right when Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Jeff and Harrison got there, I got to open a big present - a kitchen! I've been pointing at them in all the toy magazines this season.

Uncle Jeff put it together for me while I supervised. It only took an hour and a half and 2 beers, but he got it done!

I had so much fun playing with it. I made everyone food and we had lots of tea parties. There's even a little washing machine on the side. I had Grandma do the laundry while I cooked. Here's Clifford and I eatting some snow out of my new mixing bowls.

It came with new pots and pans and lots of cool food.

Here's Pa and me watching Little Mermaid one night on the DVD player (Daddy and Uncle Jeff were watching football on the big TV.) Pa said it had been a while since he'd seen Little Mermaid, so I filled him in on what was going on.

Getting Ready for Christmas

I DO NOT like Santa this year. There's an annual Christmas Stroll in Big Sky and the guy in red was there. He is not one of my favorite people. He may bring toys and have cool animals that pull his sleigh, but I don't like him. Maybe next year.

I did, however, like the sleigh ride we went on. Real horses and a real sleigh! Daddy held on tight so I was nice and safe. I could have ridden a few more times, but there were other kids who wanted rides. (By the way, I've decided that I like to stick my tongue out in pictures. You'll see more of that below!)

Dad and I helped with the holiday food prep. We made chex mix one night while Mommy was at work.

Next came Christmas cookies! Mommy baked them, Daddy frosted them and I did the SPRINKLES!!! There were sprinkles all over the kitchen by the time we were done, but it was fun!

Garbie (that'a a combo of Grandma and Herbie, Grandma's cat) sent us the nativity scene they had at home when Mommy and Uncle Jeff lived there. It's plastic so I couldn't break it (see previous post). One day I decided the "baas" (sheep) were cold so I put Kleenex blankies in the manger so they'd stay nice and warm. I gave the mommy, the daddy and the baby blankies too.

Check this out! My friend, Miss Anne, gave me my very own nativity scene. It is really cool and when you press on the angel, she sings "Away in a Manger."