Mara in our backyard "swimming pool"

More where these came from here.

Tom was blogged about

Tom was running late on his way home from work yesterday so we decided to meet at Togos to grab dinner and head to the music in the park for a picnic. On our walk home he excitedly tells me he was blogged about. A late night Target run with my sister the night before his trip last week to the Children with Diabetes Conference in Orlando was to pick up crayons for his focus group session. He asked the participants to design an e-card to receive from their doctor. Here is one of the participants experience.

AK's visit

I'm not the photographer in the family but I'm so proud of this picture from our trip to the beach with my sister that I just have to share. There are more from her trip here.


Because Mara loves watching videos of herself and her friends on their blogs here is a new one of her at the park. There are more here.


And a couple just because I love my new toy and caught a cute series and expression.

Mara's Dance Moves

Mara loves watching videos on her friends' blogs so today she has a couple of her own to show off.



And her signature move.

An awefully cute bundle of energy

She passed her 15 month well baby visit with flying colors. She is now just shy of 31" tall and 23 lbs. both around the 50th percentile (that average her daddy was looking for a few months back).

She is trying to talk. She can say Mama, Daddy, Dog and Duck(anything with wings and a beak), Owl, Ssss(as in snack or what a snake says), jibberish that we think is "Mommy help" and "Me Some" (i.e. I want some). She signs: more, please, fish, thank you. And she can point to most of her body parts.

Slowly but surely her teeth are coming in, though the lack of them doesn't stop her from eating much of anything. Fruit is still her favorite with meat a close second.

She loves to help with anything especially emptying the silverware from the dishwasher, putting clothes in the washer or dryer, closing drawers and doors, picking up the things she pulls out (books, tupperware lids, etc). She even helps with the remodeling project (picking up screws and scraps or eating the tape measure).

She loves the swings, slide and sand at the park and is always eager to jump in the stroller to go on an adventure. She loves the swimming pool or playing in water and sprinklers in the back yard. So far only one unripe tomato has been picked.

She loves to give kisses and is very sweet to watch with her baby dolls.

Her favorite game with daddy right now goes like this.
Daddy: "Mara, what's my name"
Mara: "Ma Ma"
Daddy: "Mara, what's my name"
Mara: "Ma Ma"
Daddy: "Mara, what's my name"
Mara: "Ma Ma"

That's my Midwest Girl!

From Corn on the Cob

Mara's Artwork

Mara created beautiful artwork today!