Thanksgiving with Mimi

My Mimi came to visit this week. She made me very happy (as you can see in this picture which is in the running for cutest smile ever on a baby). She read to me, changed my diapers, took me on walks, fed me and made funny faces. She even put me to bed and let my parents go see a movie. This was a first. I think they liked it. I liked it too.

I celebrated my first Thanksgiving this week. Mimi was here, and our friends Kirsten, Aaron, Laura (who left early) and Rose (taking the picture) all came over to celebrate. The ladies made enough food to feed about 50 people. We ate leftovers for days and then Mama made two soups out of the rest. I got to stay up late and play.

My first Christmas is coming up soon. I helped Mama and Baba unpack all their Christmas decorations. I really liked playing with this red ornament.

I got to open my very first Christmas present this week. I know we're a bit early, but Mimi was here and wanted to give me this. It makes the most beautiful wooden clicking noise. I push it around with my hands. I am told it will be even more fun when I start walking.

Baba sings and plays guitar. I shake my rattle (made by Mimi out of an old medicine bottle and some pasta shells) and croon along.

Giving a pouty little look with Mama and Mimi. I'm ready for bed.

Here is a family portrait taken in our livingroom. You just may get a copy in your Christmas card.

Sol in action

Here I am saying "hi". My buddy Kai and I are outside in the front yard. We both like saying hi to our neighbors and the trucks that drive by.

I love hearing animal noises. I'm not able to make all the animal noises, but I try. For a cow, I say, "ooooo". For a cat, I make high-pitched squeals. For a dog I say "ha, ha, ha", since I can't say "woof". Here I am making these noises in the front yard.

I am eating more and more. I still like my food pureed smooth, but I like oatmeal, yogurt, lentils, chicken and other goodies. Today I was able to suck on an apple for awhile. I scrape my four little teeth against it and get the juice. Yum. Tastes as good as James Brown sounds.

9 1/2 months

Here are some cute photos of me over the past couple of weeks. Here I am all bundled up in my stroller wearing my winter hat. I like it when Mama takes me jogging in the stroller. I wave to all the neighbors and their animals. I wave to the construction equipment building new houses. I wave to the houses.

Since Mama started teaching again, I get to be with Barbara Rose every Monday morning. She is one of my biggest fans, and I love her very much. She takes me to the pond and we watch the geese. We work in her garden and take out compost. She reads to me, sings to me and feeds me, with such love and joy. She has two cats that I am fascinated by. I will miss Barbara Rose this December. When I come back to be with her in January, I may actually be able to catch up with her cats.

I went to two events at the Waldorf school recently. I got to see their circus a couple weeks ago and lots of singing today. I loved it. I watched the whole time and even joined in with some of the singing. When the entire audience clapped, I was pretty surprised, and looked all around.

Right now I really love saying "Hi," and waving. Sometimes this sounds more like, "Hiya". I am not discriminate in what I wave at. Neighbors, clouds, candles, and photos on the wall all get equal attention. However, if you are a baby, I will say "hi" to you first. My favorite activity is taking things out. I love to take anything out of anything else until they are all out. Baba's sock drawer is the best. The second best is the basket of winter hats and scarves in the front hallway. I also like pulling myself up on things and standing. Flipping the pages of books is also high on the list. Two teeth came through this week--one on bottom and one on top. So now I have the front middle, one bottom middle and one bottom tooth on the side. Hmmm.

Christine and Mary visit

Aunt Christine and cousin Mary came to visit us this week. Here are Christine and Mary on Red Hill with Mt. Sopris and Carbondale in the background.

Brother and sister looking out from Mushroom Rock.

Meg and Mary in the sun.

Christine, Jon and Mary. Mary was such a good hiker, enjoying the swirly juniper trees and "kid sized" rocks along the way. She climbed on boulders with Jon and shared the path with Sylvie.

Mary on a juniper tree.

On Sunday we rode the gondola up the mountain in Glenwood to visit the caves. Here I am looking out the window of the gondola.

Mary and Christine in the gondola.

Christine, Meg, Mary and Solomon (on Meg's back asleep) in the Glenwood Caverns.

Playing drums while Mary dances.

Giggles, Boos and Crawling!

Giggling and Moving with Mama

Halloween and Hut trip

I am nine months old now. We celebrated Halloween by having my other little friends over. Harper, Kai and Melody came over to play. Older kids came to the door to get candy. We went to a few houses for trick-or-treat, which was really just show-and-tell with our costumes.

Mamas and Babes: Verita with Mel, Hannah with Kai, Frances with Harper and Meg with Solomon.

The Carden Family--Verita, Mel and Daniel

Frances with Harper the bumblebee, Kai "Jupiter BlueMoon Jackson" the superhero and Solomon the pumpkin.

On Saturday we hiked up to a hut in Vail. It was beautiful! The weather was chilly, a fire was built outside, and there was a sauna. Meals and conversation were wonderful and the hike was great. When night fell, I decided I didn't want to sleep there. So, nobody else sleep much either. Thus far, camping has not exactly been a success.

Gabe and Julianna at the hut.

Playing with Patti and Tim

Julianna, Gabe, Tim, Jon Ray, Aaron and Patti (Mama and Sol were taking the picture).

Jon Ray, Gabe and Aaron hiking.

Baba, Mama and Sol.