Eleven months old!

I am eleven months old today. Mama weighed me at 19 pounds on the "big person" scale, and measured me at between 28 1/2 and 29 inches tall. (I was moving while I stood. I do that a lot.)

I'm rapidly outgrowing my 9-12 month clothes, and mama is scrambling to find "new" ones for me in the 12-18 month range at the secondhand stores.

Seeing sepia

The photos from today's posts were all taken at the JC Penney portrait studios.

Generations

Family pictures from Spring 2010 with my great grandmothers.


Great grandmother Ruth Bissett, brother Connor Barrow, me, father William O'Keefe and grandmother (Antema) Barbara Treasure.


Mama Regan O'Keefe, me, great grandmother Wilmajean Coate and grandmother (Oma) Betty Mesch.

For Becky, with ducks

Brothers

I got to see my big brother Connor on Sunday, when we went for family pictures. We got our picture taken together, and this was a combination arrangement.

Pictures from Oma's back yard

Aunt June had found this little play set before I debuted, and Daddy took it down to Oma's house. She and Papa Ron set it up for when I got big enough to play on it--and that time was last weekend! I really liked the driving wheel, was not so sure about the slide, but had fun with the swing. But you can see that for yourself:











I then started pushing myself on the swing, even if it was backwards!







Bye bye for now! (OK, this one isn't from Oma's house--but Mama says she thinks it's cute.)

Busy weekend

I went down to Oma's house this weekend. I had fun practicing my walking and hanging out. Mama heard a rumor that pictures were taken, but they have not arrived at her computer.

I was really tired when I got home, and crashed out in Uncle's bed for a while on Tuesday morning. Daddy snapped a picture of me, which Mama is insisting on sharing with you while she waits for the other pictures. She also says we need to shoot more video because my walking has dramatically improved from all that practice!

How to Learn to Walk, by Russell the Rock Star

Thank you for coming today. Get ready to settle in for your first lesson in how to learn to walk. Remember that a few falls are normal, and you can still turn it in to a movie star moment with a little practice!

Sometimes life is just a blur when you move so fast. Or Daddy tries to take a still picture with a movie camera.


Let the coach have her say, but be sure you have some balance before you start. Build self confidence by doing something that you have already mastered first, like shaking the exersaucer.


Don't be afraid to get a little help with your balance, because it is important. If you end up falling, be sure to smile for the camera. They'll think you did it on purpose.


When you put it all together, head directly for the camera. Crashing into parental paparazzi is acceptable and may amuse them.

Although the video was not light enough for Mama to post for me, I can now crawl down the stairs as well. I need better video for that lesson. In the meantime, please continue to practice walking on flat surfaces and we'll meet again later to show off our progress.


Don't forget to get your beauty rest after a good lesson. You'll need your strength for next time.

A few days of firsts and an important third

Four generations on Mama's side: Great-grandmother Wilmajean Coate, "Oma" Betty Mesch, "Mama" Regan O'Keefe and ME! Pictures taken 3/30/10 by JC Penney portrait studios--and included because Mama thinks it's always good to have a picture in blog posts!


I have passed quite a few milestones over the last couple of days. Yesterday I did some "real" walking. Not just a leap of steps, but actual balanced footfalls. Standing in between sometimes. (No video yet--but I'm sure it's coming eventually.)

I added another word to my vocabulary that the adults in my life can understand--so in addition to Da (da-da, da-dee) and Bah (for bottle), I can say "kih-chee" while looking at the kitty. (Romulus in this case.) (Mama says my first word was "yeah!" from a couple of months ago--used appropriately when I was excited about bouncing--but she's not sure it counts.)

I've also improved my skills at going down stairs without tumbling. But I get excited and still scare Mama when I turn around and look like I'm going to lose my balance. Since I don't do well with pain, I guess she has reason to be concerned.

As my balance is improving, so is my reach. I heard Mama saying something about doing yet another round of baby-proofing and reduction of clutter. She says that she's proud of me even though I'm driving her a bit nuts.

Fans have been added to power cords on the list of absolute no-nos for touching. My fingers are still small enough to go through the guards and Mama thinks I might end up bloody one of these days. They keep telling me "no" when I am checking out the trash cans, too. Of course, they also do that with the kitties...although the squirt bottle works better on kitties than it does on me.

Aunt June invited Mama and I to the Children's Museum yesterday, and I did pretty well until I got tired. Mama is thinking that a membership might be an excellent birthday present for me. She'd also like to suggest more sippy cups (she likes the one by Gerber, does not like and has misplaced the one by Nuby) and perhaps a pull toy or two. Beyond that, she's not sure what one-year-old babies need!