Dear Friends and Family,

It's been awhile since I've posted anything.  You see it's been David's birthday month so the attention has been more on him. Well, I should say, more on him than usual.  I still demand most of the attention around here.  I've been very busy this past month learning new words and songs.  I can even count to 10 now (well I skip the number one and start with two, but that's close right).  My favorite songs are Jesus Loves Me, Skim-a-rinkee dink-a-dink, Happy Birthday, and my ABC's.  I've finally picked up the phrase "MORE" this month and I use it for EVERYTHING!  Mommy has even started taking me to Sunday School and I love it.  I get so excited when I see all of the other kids. 

I got to sleep over at my grandparents this weekend and I had my very own Mickey Mouse sleeping bag!  It was great.  I also now think that there is a baby growing in my tummy.  I can say the word Baby very well and I'll lift up my shirt and point to my tummy and say baby.  Then I say "Shhh" and put my shirt over my tummy and say "Nigh Nigh Baby."  My mom thinks this is funny, but it's a lot of work to put my baby to bed.

Okay, well back to bed for me.  I'll try to write more often.

Sincerely,

Adam Michael

Daddy took me to the doctor today for my one year checkup.  I am 28 lbs 6 oz.  Still off the charts, but my parents thought I'd be 30 lbs, so I surprised them.  I had to get some shots this time but Daddy was quite impressed.  I barely even acknowledged the shot.  What I didn't like was being forced to be on my back.  I'm a free spirit and I need to have my freedom.  Mommy was surprised because I was in the best mood ever today.  I guess I react opposite of my brother after shots.  Mommy and I played cars today.  She would roll a car to me and I'd pick it up and say "Yay!" and then throw it back to her.  Then she would say, "Ready..." and I would lift my hands to the sky and then she'd roll the car to me, which I would in turn throw back at..I mean...to her.  I enjoyed this game a lot.  Then we got to go on a nice long walk to Chili's where daddy showed up.

Mommy was gone over the weekend in California so I got to play a lot with Daddy and the grandparents.  Daddy even got to see me walk my first steps!!  It wasn't much but it was a start.  Mommy has noticed that I've been trying hard lately to stand up without holding on to anything, so I'll get it eventually.  Other than that things are same old same old around here.  I'll try to keep up my good boy behavior, but no promises.

Love,

David

Well, I'm a whole year old today (plus 12 hours).  Mommy's already got me drinking out of a sippy cup, eating real food, and drinking whole milk.  Mmm..mmm.  Adam has been singing me happy birthday for a whole month now so it was no shocker when he came into my room with Mommy this morning and started singing.  Of course my favorite part of the song is when we get to clap at the end and say "Yay!"  So, now mommy tells me the pressure is on to start walking.  I really don't see the point.  But, mommy insists because she says I'm getting too heavy.  I can't help it that I'm big boned!  At least I go up the stairs by myself now, so that makes Mommy happy.  Well, I'm looking forward to my big party on Saturday.  Hope to see some of you there!

David

The family just spent the nice long weekend in MN with the Karius family.  I got to see Grandma & Grandpa and Aunt Suzy, Aunt Sarah, and Uncle Adam.  Plus all of the "Greats" (aunts, uncles, grandparents).  I even got to play with bubbles with my cousin Naomi.  She's always on her best behavior so I had to work hard this weekend to try to be good as well.  Overall, my parents said they were proud of me for being such a good big boy, so I think the weekend was a success. 

This trip mommy and daddy brought along a sleeping bag and I got to sleep on the floor like a big boy.  Our first night daddy was trying to show me how to get into the sleeping bag.  He lifted it open and I dived in head first.  Daddy indicated that this was not correct.  I was thankful since it was very dark and warm inside the sleeping bag.  After 4 more failed attempts diving in head first daddy finally showed me with my mickey doll how to climb into a sleeping bag.  I climbed in feet first and did not move for the entire night.  I did great all weekend and was very proud to have a sleeping bag to call my own. 

During David's party on Sunday, Grandpa pulled out his Model A car (the first car ever built by Henry Ford).  Grandpa was giving everyone at the party rides.  I've been in it before, but had to have mommy and daddy hold me.  This time I walked right up to the car and put Mickey in the seat and then sat myself between Mickey and Grandpa and held on and was ready to go.  I'm a big boy now and don't need mommy and daddy to go with me.  I had SO much fun! 

I have a new name for Aunt Suzy.  I now just make elephant noises when I see her because that's what she sounds like when she blows her nose.  How something so loud can come out of Aunt Suzy I'll never know.  I also taught her to lock bathroom doors, since I have a habit of opening whatever door I feel like whenever I feel like it.  Aunt Sarah was my morning buddy and I even let her put me to bed (which I usually only leave to mama).  She liked to sit on the deck with me and sing songs at night with me. 

One thing I love at grandma's house are all the birds.  There's one real bird (which I have to see the second I get to grandma's house even if it is 1 a.m.).  Then there's the cuckoo clock that cracks me up every time it chimes.  Then on the way downstairs there are little tweet tweets on the ledge that I have to say hello to every time I walk by.

Well, those were the highlights of my trip. I can't wait until it's time to come to MN again.

Adam

Well, I'm about one week away from hitting the big "0-1."  I can't believe the last 12 months have flown by so fast.  I've gone from an all liquid diet to eating my brothers leftovers and then some.  There has even been talk of taking my bottles away soon.  What is up with that!  As revenge, I found some old pacifiers lying around and I have now taken to comforting myself with a pacifier in my mouth.  I feel that it shaves 4 months off my age and keeps me looking younger. 

We went to Grandma and Grandpa's in MN this weekend for a birthday pre-celebration. I got to see a lot of the MN family and enjoyed everyone's company. I got some cool clothes that actually fit and are appropriate for the fall weather that is now upon us.  I also got an airplane and books (which Adam snatched away fairly quickly).  While at the grandparents my favorite thing to do was to follow the dog around saying "Arf! Arf!"  I just chased the dog around ALL weekend.  Then I would sit in the middle of the floor with my cheerios and pour them on the floor and laugh while the dog ran around and ate them.  Mommy and Daddy kept talking about what a hard trip this was going to be because I can be a "bull in a china shop" (as they like to say).  But, I have been nothing but an angel this whole trip.  I didn't get into any of grandma's stuff and only tried to eat the dog food once.  Mostly I'd play in the grandma bin and again chase that silly dog around. 

Well, that's it for now.  Arf!  Arf! (aka Bye!  Bye!)

David