Can You Believe I'm 11 Months Old?

I can't believe it either! I am 11 months old now! Dad went away for a week and now I'm all grown up. I can stand up on my own. I am starting to babble a lot more and giggle now and then. I am a very fast crawler and love to chase Daisy all over the house.

I also have quite a few teeth coming in. I won't be eating corn on the cob anytime soon, but I have three teeth that you can see quite well and a bunch more that will soon be there.

I am glad that Dad came home. He had lots of fun stories to tell about his trip to Africa. Dad was responsible for coordinating the security for a pediatric hospital that former President Clinton visited. President Clinton attended an event there with former South African President Nelson Mandela. Dad told me that President Mandela said "hello" to him as he walked by.

Dad also said that he saw NBC Today Show co-host Campbell Brown there. He told me that she was as tall as she looked on television.

Dad buys me a doll from every country he visits. But this time, he bought me a doll and a giraffe! Doesn't it look real? Dad said that he found it at an open air market in Johannesburg. He told me that he had to bargain with the vendors to get a good price. I think it is neat and will try and put it in my mouth as soon as Mom isn't looking. Dad also bought me a wooden elephant, leopard, and impala. They will have to sit on top of my bureau until I am older and not so inclined to eat my toys. Dad got Mom some very scary African masks to hang on the wall too!

While Dad was away, I went home and visited both sets of grandparents and played with my cousins Liam and Megan. Everyone took lots of pictures and video. I liked to play with my cousins. Megan and Liam are older than I am so they showed me how to do lots of new things.

One thing that Megan and I liked doing is watching Elmo. Megan calls him " 'mo" I don't call him anything yet. I just know that he is really funny. He has big white eyes and he has a pet goldfish named Dorothy and crayons too. Elmo lives on Sesame Street with all of his friends.

This is a picture of my cousin Megan.

This is a picture of Mom and me , Uncle Ned and Megan.


Mom is reading to Megan and me.

I know I look bored, but how many times can you read the same story?

This is Megan and me with Grandma and Grandpa.

We took lots of pictures that day.

Dad says that I should try new things to see if I like them. Well, I tried eating this plastic duck and I don't like it at all. First of all, it has a rubbery texture and tastes like.......well, like plastic! Go figure.

I have also tried to gnaw on shoes, stroller wheels, blocks, books, and nothing really satisfies my craving. That is until Mom gave me a .........................

Twinkie!

Yep, in Mom's never ending attempt to keep me familiar with eating on my own, we tried a Twinkie. As you can see most of it ended up on my face rather than my mouth. I guess I will have to take Dad's word for it that I will like these someday. Mom said that Dad likes them. She said that he put one on his nose to make her laugh once. Dad, you're not going to be on Comedy Central anytime soon with that one.

This is a picture of me on my 11 month birthday!

Feed me! I'm hungry. I'm a giant now.

I can reach all of the kitchen drawers I'm not supposed to reach and I can eat the villagers in one bite!

Next week you might find another home video of me on my first bicycle ride!