A Trip to the Zoo

We made our first trip to the zoo for 2007 over the weekend. Dad, mom, and I went to enjoy Austrailia. (One continent at a time is enough for me.) I loved the kangaroos, the birds, and the sea lions. There was also this deer I enjoyed watching, I don't know if it was the mud or him but man did he stink! But everyone's favorite seemed to be the tiger. Can you believe it, he was sleeping in the log. Not that I blame him, it was pretty warm that day!


Mom and I made another trip the following week. This time, we went to Africa and I saw monkey's. I've gotten pretty good at the monkey sound. Not nearly as good though as the dog, duck, and snake sounds. We had a good time together as we shared lunch on our trip through Kenya and seeing the hippos. Have you ever heard a hippo? They're really loud! The hippo scared the little girl next to me but I made my surprise face and said "Wow!"

Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day weekend was filled with lots of fun. I spent most of Saturday with Nana since mom and dad are still working on finshing up the basement. Dad keeps talking about the toy room he's building me, right now I just am having a hard time viusalizing it. I also spent a good portion of Sunday with my cousins. Here I am with Chanie.


I have been giving out hugs and kisses very generously as of late.

Dad also caught a few good ones of just me. A smile with teeth and some big blue eyes! Would you believe it in just 6 months I've gotten 12 teeth! My last molar has just started coming in.

Playdoh and Paint

Who would have ever thought that my mom would let me finger paint and play with playdoh? Yes, most would think that every mom wouldn't think twice, but mom has nightmares about these things. (Playdoh and paint everywhere, a cleaning disaster.) But, despite her fears she braved the day with playdoh and paint activities lined up for me. Granted, I am always in a controlled environment (and sometimes restrained) when playing with these things, but I can still have fun.

I loved the feeling of playdoh and had a blast squishing it and putting it in and out of the containers. I also liked disassembling the little animals mom made for me.





And the paint, well I wasn't so sure of what to do with it. But we successfully made handprints. Of course mom's got one by the sink now. (As if my handprints aren't already in enough places. I love windows, mirrors, and our glass table. Who needs paint when you can get the same effect with cheerio crumbs and some juice!)

Aunt Katherine's Graduation

Congratulations to my Aunt Katherine who graduated from University of Missouri - Columbia on May 12th, with honors! We made it over for the weekend to celebrate with her and had a wonderful time. It was a really big day for me though. First the honors graduation, then lunch, then a walk through the beautiful campus, and then the graduation from her college at the Mizzou arena. Wow, that was a lot. But I was a good sport through it all. I even clapped for every graduate in the afternoon. Though I must say, I clapped harder for the graduates who had blow horns going off for them.

Outdoor Fun, Part II

Wow, the weather has turned more beautiful than ever and we had our first really warm day. It hit 90 degrees! So mom and I went to Wal-Mart and got this really cool sprinkler for me to run through. Mom wasn't so sure I'd like it, but true to my dare devil tendencies as of late, I went right for it. I love the balls that pop out of the center.



Then there is the big rubber ball. I've started practicing soccer with it and love to roll on it. I love chasing it and sometimes get very surprised when I actually catch it!



We also purchased some sidewalk chalk yesterday since the weather has cooled slightly. Definitely too cold for a cold sprinkler. (I am anxiously awaiting the moment dad gets the hot and cold water run to the outside as he finishes our basement. That will be great for sprinklers and possibly a pool.) I had a great time drawing with mom and Papa.

Austin, TX and Sprayground Fun

This past weekend, we all went to Austin, Texas to see our friends, celebrate my buddy John's birthday, go to a wedding (I stayed with Aunt Ruth and Uncle Tommy), and visit our old church, which we all miss dearly. We had a wonderful time staying with the Connell's. Thank you so much for opening your home to us!

We went to so many restaurants we missed, but my favorite was Phil's Icehouse. They had an outdoor playground! I loved sitting on the cow. We met up with my good friend Haley while I was there. Hopefully, I'll get some pictures of that later.

We also celebrated John's birthday at a really cool park that had a sprayground! Despite the clouds, it was warm and the sprayground was my favorite. I also got a hot dog and ate the whole thing, mom was really proud. Here are a few pictures of me playing in the cold water.



We saw a few bluebonnets, but we were a little late for pictures in them. We really had a great time and want to thank all of our friends for welcoming us back with open arms, even if it was for only a few days.

The Backyard Playground

With the nicer weather now approaching, mom and dad decided it was time to turn our backyard into a play area for me. We haven't completed it yet, but the main portions are out and play ready. I am so thankful for my new swingset and sandbox.

The swingset is now fully assembled, swings and all. The clubhouse portion is pretty cool. I love the slide too. Right now, I climb up it to get to my clubhouse since I don't know how to climb up the little ladder or rope wall yet.



Though I must say the sandbox right now is my favorite. I love to get dirty! The first day I got to play in it, I took three baths. Thank you Papa for helping us get the sandbox and the sand home.

Artist at Work

Thanks to Crayola, mom decided to let me go at the markers way ahead of time. The Crayola Wonder (mess free) markers are great! Mom doesn't panic when I want to get them out to draw since they only write on the special paper and not on me or her walls! These have come in handy when the weather hasn't been so nice outside.


I've also started puzzle building. Well, I'm actually not building it's more ike deconstructing. I like mom to put the puzzle together so I can take it apart. Amazingly enough after 3 weeks, we still seem to have all of the puzzle pieces.

Forward Facing

Hooray! I'm forward facing now. After a week of fighting against the car seat, mom and dad finally turned me around. Now, I can see out the front window and have a chance at getting some AC on me. I'm enjoying our car rides much, much more now.

Easter Sunday

Spring was definitely not in the air here in Missouri. It was very cold, a bitter 30 degrees, so we did our best to look springy in pink. We had a wonderful morning at church and then spent the afternoon with Nana and the rest of the gang. No easter egg hunts this year, partially due to the weather. I'll be ready for them next year though!

 

Getting an Easter picture was no easy task this year. With Ainsley running around the house and never sitting still, this was the best that we could do. But the picture isn't nearly as important as seeing how happy she is. We are so thankful that she is happy, healthy, and hilarious. She brings joy to us every day in increasing measure.


Ainsley loved her Eatser bucket. Full of good things like spring clothes, bubbles, and best of all yellow paper grass. Who needs toys when you can make a mess with this. Thanks Nana for everything, including the homemade rolls!

Mommy's Cleaning Assistant

Start your engine's and get out the swiffers. Now that I'm on the move, mom expects me to pull my weight around here. So, she's shortened the swiffer and put me to task. I actually don't clean, I just drag the swiffer around and pound it on the floor. It makes a really cool noise.


I also help out by keeping my fort clean. I have to you know, now that it has furniture!



My new elmo chair travels with me from fort to family room. It works equally well in both places and sure beats sitting on the hard floor. I'm still not too sure about the fact that it giggles and shakes when I move it. So for now, dad's turned off that feature.

Welcome to Fort Ainsley

The weather here went from beautiful with lots of sunshine to cold and gray. Mom got a cold, dad got a cold, and then of course, I got a cold. So, since we have to stay inside to keep from getting a chill from the blustery wind, mom and I made a fort.

Here's Fort Ainsley in the afternoon after we got the car seat box out. As you can see, I'm loving it. I brought lambie through the peep hole and I added a phone.















Because I enjoyed it so much, mom and I went hunting for a bigger box in order to expand the fort. We went to the furniture warehouse in the underground storage caves by our house, it was spooky. But they had a BIG box for us. We couldn't even get it in our trunk! They had to tie it in, good thing there was a break in the rain. So, here's my new fort! Dad even added a door handle last night, thanks dad!


The fort has windows and everything. Mom was going to add curtains and a sign that it was Fort Ainsley but she's moved on to making my grocery book. She said we needed to leave room for improvement as I got older. I agree. This fort may take up the whole dining room but wait until the forts are made in the basement!

My Mom's not Funky

My mom's not funky, but funky mama sure is. Today, mom and I went to see Funky Mama, a local and very popular kids singer. We met up with my friend Henry and had a blast. We giggled and we jiggled. We stomped and clapped. And by the end, I was totally worn out! Mom said we could maybe get the CDs next time I saw her or at the wonderscope museum when we go there. In the meantime, I can check out her music online if I need a good laugh.

Check out the pout. I'm waiting patiently Funky Mama!


And here's Funky Mama. She's expecting a funky baby!

The Bathroom

A new discovery. As of late a favorite of mine has been to shut doors and then knock to get out. Dad and I were playing this in the downstairs bathroom the other day when I failed to knock to get out. Dad started hearing some sort of sound and came calling himself to see what I was doing in the pitch black. Toilet paper anyone?


I carried my stash around the house for awhile that day. I also ripped to pieces as I imitated mom tearing spinach. The house looked like a mummy had run through.

I'm an AquaTot

 

Today, I had my first swimming lesson and boy was it fun. It was a workout too! We went to the Liberty Community Center for my lesson and met some other kids there. Mom's hoping that over the next few weeks, we'll get to know them better. For my first lesson I kicked, blew bubbles, got thrown high in the sky and then dunked, swam on my back and on my tummy, and put my face in all the way. Overall it was a success.

Here I am getting ready to splash, splash, splash!


Here's mom and me getting ready to blow bubbles!


Here's me in my post swimming lesson coverup. The coverup unlike my suit will only make it one summer, it fits me just right. Oh well, Mom thought I sure did look cute though with my matching water sandals.


I was thirsty afterwards and drank almost my whole juice box. When we got home I ate like a horse and then went to bed. Sound asleep for the whole night (over 12 hours). Maybe I'll have swimming lessons every month!