Dolls and balls

I spent some time at Grandma and Grandpa's a week ago. In no time at all, I made sure that my play area there was just as messy at it is at home.



Did you notice the handmade Sesame Street dolls on the step? (I also brought one or two of my dolls from home.) What fun! Dad played with those when he was my age. I also spent some time outside, tossing some balls around.


I think I could have helped the Yankees out this year!

Taryn up

Since I blogged so little last week, I never got a chance to tell you about my latest visit with Taryn, the eight-month-old daughter of Mom's friend Todao. She stopped by last weekend for a visit. What a cutie she is! She smiles a lot, and she likes balloons just like I do! I was trying to show her my dolls but she didn't seem too interested.



After lunch, we bonded by touching hands. She likes munching on stuffed animals too!


The one odd thing is that she kept drooling everywhere. Mom and Dad told me that I did the same thing for months and months, but I have absolutely no recollection of that!

Ask Julia: 9/26/08

I know, I know...I've been a bad blogger this week. But I've been spending time with Dad, who was on vacation all week, and he's kept me so busy that I haven't had time to write (even to point out that yesterday was my 16-month birthday!). I'll fill you in next week on everything I've been up to, but today let's dig into what is a very full Ask Julia mailbag.

First up is my pal Audrey:

Have you been drawing any pictures lately? Do you like crayons or markers? What do you draw? Have you experienced the permanent joy of drawing on furniture yet?
I've been "drawing" for months at storytime (Babcia does most of the work), but in the past few weeks I've started taking a real interest in it myself. I've used markers once or twice, but for the most part I'm a crayon fan.


These are special crayons for made smallfry like myself, but I also use "real" crayons from time to time. Right now I'm just scribbling and making lots of lines, but I expect to branch out shortly into more experimental work. And I didn't realize that you could draw on furniture. I'll have to try that sometime, especially if I get my hands on some permanent markers!

Isabella, whom I missed seeing at the park this week (I guess Dad doesn't know the way — but at least we still saw each other at swim class!), also had some questions:

How's your gym class going? What's your favorite activity? I can't wait to go too!
I will write more about this in a future post, but yes I've been going to class at the Little Gym with Mom and Dad every Saturday morning. I get to run around, play with a parachute, play with bouncy balls ... every few minutes there is a new activity. Right now, my favorite thing to do is run around by myself on the equipment. I'll have to bring a camera one of these days so you can see me in action.

And to close, we have several queries from Aunt Paula:

Have you been watching any of your videos lately. Do you still have the same reaction when they are over with?
Yes, I still do watch my videos once or twice a day. And when one ends, I immediately point and whine for another one to play. I do throw a tantrum if Mom and Dad don't stick to the routine, which is to show me just enough videos that I feel like I've had my fill and I'm ready to do something else.

It sure looks like you enjoy reading. After you are done with all your books, do you put them away or does the maid do that?
My version of putting them away is what you saw in the video: just throwing them down. I just assumed they magically returned to their rightful places — isn't that how it works?

I understand that you were at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Did you do something special with them?
Yes, I was down there for a couple days, after they came up and visited last weekend so Mom and Dad could go to the last Yankee Stadium game (and by the way, thanks for taking me to see it before they tear it down, Dad!).

How was the Discovery Museum? I bet you had fun. Were there things for you to play with there?
I'll write more about this next week, but it was terrific. There's a kids museum just a few miles away from Grandma and Grandpa. Dad took me this week and I had the best time. It was even better than the Austin Children's Museum!

Do you have any more trips planned for the fall?
Not that I know of, but Mom and Dad don't really keep me in the loop on those things. I just know that every once in a while, they'll wake me up really early and whisk me to the airport for another adventure.

Looks like we're in for a soggy weekend, so stay dry everyone and I'll be back to my usual blogging self next week!

Go speed reader, go!

When visitors see all my books, they always want to know if I actually read all of them. I sure do! I have my favorites (at the moment, I read Good Night New York City at least a half-dozen times a day), but sometimes in the mood to go through all of them at once. That means it's time to speed read:

A sound sleep

Shhhh! My dolls are sleeping...and snoring. (Hey, some weeks I learn to say new words; other weeks I learn to make new sounds!)



So that does it for another week. Have a good weekend!

Dynamic duet

In the tradition of The Judds, Mom and I are going to become the next mother-daughter singing sensation. But we have a twist: instead of singing in English, we use my own special language.



(And you heard right, I do begin reciting the alphabet in the middle.) Look for our debut album...coming soon!

Slip sliding away

Remember back when I needed Mom and Dad's help to go down the slide? It took me the whole summer, but I can do it myself now! Well, I still need a little help to get up there, but once I do, I'm all set.



I think I might actually be bigger than the slide now. Dad, you'd better have an upgrade for me next summer!