Oh my gosh! Count to TEN!

Mommy and I took a lot of fun videos this week while Daddy was away. We wanted to show him how we play hide-n-seek and stuff. Mommy also interviewed me in one of the videos. Well, the best videos were from today...which was the most exciting day of my life...in terms of learning, that is.

This morning, Mommy and I were sitting at the table having breakfast. I wanted more syrup for my pancakes, so Mommy went around the corner to get it from the kitchen. As she was walking back, she heard me talking under my breath and stood still (and out of sight) to hear what I was saying. While looking at a New Year's card from my Daddy's boss, I was COUNTING the pictures. Not pretend counting...actually counting the pictures on the card. Mommy heard me say "six, sen, eight, nine, TEN!" and then she popped back into the room and praised me like crazy! She asked me what I was doing and I said "counting!" She asked me to say it again and then ran upstairs for the camera!

I need a little warm-up when I count, so I start by saying "1, 2, 1, 2" and then I skip three (or get a little help with #3) and then I have no problem saying the rest of the numbers up to ten! It's been a crazy day of counting and leaving counting messages for Bondi, Poppy, Gamma and Gampa. (My current ways of saying their names, anyhow!) Hope you like the video! I'll be posting more super cute videos this week. They just take FOREVER to upload so I'm gonna pace myself.

**I should note that Mommy was chasing me to actually get my counting on video and doesn't normally run after me making me count and learn.

Love, Count TJ

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some sweet pictures

More snow? Goody! (I say it with sincerity. Mommy says it with a tear in her eye! Sort of.)

My military plane and motorcycle were dodgin' post-its. My Grandma would be so proud!

Eating Cheerios in my cow bowl. Mooooo!

So I listen to the Cranberries every once in awhile...you got a problem with that? Just kiddin'!

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sleeping in my playroom

I hate being sick! These are the pictures my Mommy was talking about...when I fell
asleep in my play room. She covered me up and I had a good little nap.

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Hair Fix and Fever

After church on Sunday (before we went simming), Mommy and Daddy decided my hair was out of control! I've become an addicted hair-twirler and have twisted my hair so much lately that my head gets sore! Yeah, and I create little "buns" of hair in the back which looks cute but girly. So, Daddy helped me out!
I sat on the sink with Mommy beside me while Daddy used the clippers. I was not even bothered by it, which was a huge surprise to everyone including me! Then, I got in the tub and got to wash all the hair off my body! Mommy got sad. Really sad. She loves my hair. She admits that it looks good short like this, but she really, really likes it a little longer like in the picture above from November. What do you think?
It's a little sad for me not to have my hair to twirl. My little hands reach up to my head every so often still...but there's nothing to grasp at so I rub my head a little and then give up. Kinda breaks Mommy's heart. Did I mention she loves my hair?

I'm sad right now...for other reasons. I have a pretty high fever and an ear infection (we think). Mommy is taking me to the doctor tomorrow. I just wanted to lay around today and I kept telling Mommy "I tired, Mommy. Hannah? Hannah, I tired." Tears came into my eyes a lot and just stayed there because I was too tired to let them all the way out.

I'll update you on my status tomorrow. I have a few cute pictures of me asleep in my play room...

Love, Sad Little TJ

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Simming!

I got to go simming at the Strongsville Rec Center this past Sunday. It was so awesome! We walked in and saw water slides, a pirate ship (Arghh!), waterfalls and tons of other cool things. Mommy got dressed and jumped in the water with me. I shivered on the ship and was trembling out of excitement and fear. I would not go down the water slide even when Mommy did it to show me how cool it was! I sat on her lap but she listened to me when I kept saying "no side! no side!" I liked splashing around. The water was so warm, even Daddy would've liked it. (And no, it wasn't warm because I went pee-pee in it!)
I think Mommy's favorite part was when we went in the deep water and I hugged her neck tightly the whole time. It was good snuggling time..."in a wah-r" (in the water).

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Top Steps

Mommy has a fear of me falling down steps, so we have a rule where I have to wait on the landing for help walking down. It's very cute when I obey the rule because my Mom always thanks me for listening and kisses my cheeks really hard. I never disobey this rule because one time I fell down the last 2 steps and it scared me so much! (Mommy too, no doubt)

I like to make sure Mommy knows I'm waiting nicely on the steps for her because every few seconds I'll yell, "wait me! wait me!" And Mommy says "yes, tj, wait for me. good job!" I then repeat everything she says. It's easy to wait there though because I can see the tv from the landing ... kind of a fun place to watch a few minutes of a show.

Mommy says it's fun to watch me think lately. The other day I was playing on the floor and grunting "hmmm. hmmmmm." Then I said "hmmm. um, hannah? hannah?" Mommy almost choked on her cereal. She laughed and told me I could call her Mommy. I throw a "hey hannah!" in there every once in awhile, just to keep her on her toes. I say "hi tim" to my Daddy sometimes too. Mostly when I hear other people say it. Gosh, it's fun!

Today at naptime, I felt like having a conversation with myself instead of sleeping. So that's what I did. It went something like this:

"what was zat?" (what was that?)

"i don't know"

"mmmm"

"sound like mommy. downstairs."

And it went on like that...for nearly an hour. Priceless, I say. Priceless.

Then, when I was at Bondi's and Poppy's the other night, I asked Mommy for a pah-sickle (popsicle). She said she'd bring me one so I ran to the couch to sit and wait. A minute went by and I was getting worried about my popsicle. So, instead of whining or yelling at my Mommy, I sweetly called out "pah-sickle! whey ahhh you?" Haaaaahahahaha!

Okay, I'm done now. Whew - that was a lot of stuff. Love you everybody! TJ

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my latest funnies

Well, I'm gonna say it again...I have come so far in my talking lately! Daddy was gone for 4+ days and when he got back, Mommy had a whole list of new things to tell him. New things I do. New things I say. We'll recap a little for you.

Mommy and I were playing choo choos and she said "we're a good team, huh tj!" And I said "team...work"! Yes, I said teamwork and that got a nice, big reaction from Mommy.

I added a few new phrases to my choo choo playing too. Things like "choo choo - comin' thru!" I also like to try to fit things that are "too beeeg" into a small tunnel. I know when things are too big or too little and I make sure I announce my knowledge to whoever is around me.

As I said before, Daddy was away all week and I missed him so much. Everytime Mommy and I walked in the door, I yelled " HI DA-DA!" or "see dada!" or "dada, whey ahhh you?" After two days of Mommy telling me he was at work, I still asked for him throughout the day -- but answered myself by saying "at work".

Mommy and Daddy drink a lot of tea and cocoa. In face, my Dad is a hot chocolate fiend! Anyway, whenever they drink something hot, I always scoot over to them, put my hand flat out toward the cup and say "too hot! bow on it. be toeful. (careful)" I also refer to every hot drink as toffee...which is funny because they never have coffee in the house.

Well, I have more to write...so check back again soon. Love you! TJ

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Sledding! Sledding!

All this snow is nothing new to those of you living, well, on planet earth. Even if you are reading this from sunny L.A. (not sure anyone reads this outside of Berea, Mentor or Willowick...but who's counting?) surely you know that we're blanketed in snow. And not just snow...freezing cold blankets of icy take-your-breath-away air too. Well, I have taken advantage of this snow. I have conquered it! Read on, folks!

Before going out, Uncle Bill warmed me up with his Cedar Point in my living room ride. I sat in a plastic bin and he twirled me around until we both nearly fell over. Whew - that got me good and fired up to go sledding!

We all got in the car and drove through the Metroparks to go sledding. Daddy picked out an awesome hill and took me up. After a few trial runs (done by Uh Bill and Daddy), I decided to go ahead and try it. But only once. I had fun, serious fun, but when asked if I wanted to do it again I answered "no day doo".

After our huge 15-minute sledding excursion, Grandma and Grandpa, Uh Bill, Wissa, Mommy and Daddy and I went to eat pizza at Cici's. I ate like a champ and behaved like one too. I sat in my snowpants and concentrated on my food more than ever. I was wiped out. What a fun day we had! Thanks for coming to visit me guys!!! Love, TJ

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If you like puke and poop, read on! (That means you CC and Wissa!)

Yep, I know it. I've been bad about writing. But here's why. We're just getting settled in after moving 500 miles and living through (while enjoying) the craziness of the holidays. Mommy started back at work this week too...and we've all been adjusting to that. Sunday morning went on as usual and I had so much fun playing with my friends in the nursery. I ran out the door when Mommy and Daddy came to get me, and then we got a cookie in the Cafe. I did a few laps around some tables and we went home. I was unusally quiet on the drive...so quiet that Daddy commented about it and Mommy agreed.

I got into my comfy clothes and just wanted to "way down" on the couch. Not at ALL like me. Then I started to moan and eventually turned even more pale than usual. My temperature soared and 4 hours later, Mommy and Daddy were still snuggling with me on the couch. Bondi came over to be with me while so my Mom and Dad could run. When they got home, I wasn't talking anymore and didn't even look at them. Soon after, I puked all over Mommy. It wasn't an hour later that I was back to my good old self doing laps around the dining room table. My fever continued through the next morning but I kept saying "feel better" when Mommy asked how I was. We all love that I can communicate now and say what hurts and what doesn't. I told Daddy that my ear hurt and he felt so bad...but was also happy that I could tell him that.

New subject...from puke to poop. I was watching Go, Diego, Go with Mommy today after our MUMS group at church. Here's what happened in the show. A windy wind came and took all the strawberries away from Diego's grandfather's farm. So, his sister called Diego (a mountain, river, and creek away) so that he could bring some strawberry seeds to plant more for the strawberry festival that night. Yes, THAT night. Diego had Green Iguana eat lots of strawberries so that he could "poop them out" at his grandfather's farm. Green Iguana and Diego had an adventure getting to the farm and Green Iguana often commented about not being able to hold the seeds in much longer. Um, gross. THEN, when they rushed to the farm at the end, Green Iguana pooped out 4 long farm rows worth of strawberry seeds. The BoBo Bros (monkies) watered the seeds and they grew in 15 seconds - perfect timing for ripe strawberries for the festival. Wow. That's all I can say. Wow.

Strawberries, anyone?

Love, TJ
By the way, I refer to many things as "serty" lately. This means scary. Mommy and Daddy love when I say it, but don't like when I'm afraid. They make everything okay. I also tell them whenever Thomas or Diego or Lightning McQueen are sad.

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Snowpants and Too Cold for Outside

Mommy has been promising to take me outside for a few days now...but it's been so cold! Well, yesterday wasn't any warmer so we got all bundled up and went to the park - for 15 minutes. It was worth it though! I got to get into my snow gear and be out in the snow for a bit before Mommy called it quits because she didn't want me in the elements when it was that cold. Here's a video of me taking off my snowpants.

I get to go sledding soon too. When it warms up a few degrees, Daddy said he'd take me sledding. Mommy too. We'll go down some hills that Mommy and Daddy did repeats on for cross-country in college. We'll also go to some hills where Mommy used to sled when she was little. Cool! I also get to use my new sled from Christmas. Can't wait to show you the pictures! Love, TJ

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