Down under

Someday, Mom and Dad say they are going to turn the basement into a big playroom for me. But even now, I have plenty of ways to entertain myself down there, from playing "Humpty Dumpty" with Dad to learning the magnetic alphabet on the basement fridge to relocating Mom and Dad's Propel bottles. Take a look:



Have a good weekend, everyone. I can't wait to tell you about all the fun I had on the road with Mom and Dad this week!

Ask Julia: 11/12/08

Before I left for Cherry Hill and Baltimore, I cleaned out my mailbox and answered a few Ask Julia questions. The first is from Isabella:

The coolest thing happened this week...we took mommy to the choo-choo. She actually got into the choo-choo! I never knew just anyone could do that. Then my mommy told me that your mommy and daddy ride the choo-choo every day! They are so lucky. Do you ever get to go with them?
As a matter of fact, I've gone on two round-trip train rides over the past couple weeks. First I went in with Babcia and Dido for Dad's Halloween party, then Mom and Dad took me in Monday for my first haircut. Both times, I was so excited and overwhelmed that I ended up falling asleep. I'd advise you to keep whining and crying until your Mom and Dad take you on it too.

And then Aunt Paula wrote with a few questions:

Looks like you had a great time trick or treating. Did you get a lot of candy? Did you get to eat any of it? I sure hope so.
While I tried to grab handfuls of candy everywhere I went, I didn't end up with that much (I think Dad gave a lot of it back when I wasn't looking!). As for your second question, I had no idea you could eat candy. I thought you just played with it! I'll have to look into that next year!

I am sure glad that you were for Obama. I was for him too. I like your shirt. Do you think that you will keep it for your part in campaigning history?
I'm not doing wearing it yet, but if theshirt is still in good shape afterwards, sure I'll keep it. After all, that shirt is the main reason he won!

What is the best part of your gym class?
Anytime I get free of Mom and Dad (and the rest of the class) and get to run around myself. That's when I'm happiest. I like doing activities there with Mom and Dad, but I get the biggest rush when I go rogue.

Do you have a bike yet?
I don't, but I'm hoping to get some vehicles (perhaps not a bike yet, but other things) around Christmas!

That's it for this week's questions. I'll probably put together another Ask Julia column before Thanksgiving, so be sure to send me some Turkey Day questions when you write me.

Calls and kisses

I sure do love calling my friends and family on the phone. But I love giving them kisses over the phone even more. What do I mean? Take a look at this video I made during Grandma and Grandpa's visit last week:



By the way, I had my first haircut yesterday and it went off without a hitch — and without any tears. I won't have a chance to post a video and photos until next week, but just wanted to pass along the good news.

Hands on

Mom and Dad both have taken the week off—it's their first joint vacation since the spring—so I get to spend all week with them. We've got a lot of things planned, but before all that starts I wanted to bring you up to speed on what I've been up to lately.

For the past couple weeks, I've resumed getting up at night and battling with Dad over whether I'll go back down or not. It's been a tough fight, and we've both had our moments of victory, but the result has been a new routine for putting me down at night. For more than a year, Dad (others too, but mostly him) would give me my bottle in the rocker and I would either fall asleep during that or he'd keep rocking me until I went down, then move me into the crib. That doesn't work so well anymore, so now Dad (or whoever) lets me drink my milk (in a sippy cup), then we read a few bedtime stories (Goodnight Moon, Goodnight New York City, Goodnight Zoo, Goodnight Beach - notice a theme here?). Finally, Dad has me lay down in my crib and he lays down beside me, holding my hand for a few minutes until I fall asleep. It's worked out okay so far, both at bedtime and in the middle of the night. (I like to say "Hand!" over and over to remind Dad what he needs to do.) We both know it's not the final solution, but it's a good transition into whatever the next step is.

And by the way, I don't think I ever mentioned this, but back in September, Mom and Dad finally stopped recording my sleeping, eating and diapering habits, which they'd been doing since I was born. I realize this is very old news, but I just wanted to put it out there since I don't think I did before.

I'll try to throw up a few posts during our time away, so enjoy them and we'll talk when I get back!

Tricks and treats, part 2

It's hard to believe I know, but I still have a couple more Halloween videos to share with you. In between trick or treating excursions, I relaxed around the house. And after refusing to wear Abby's yarn-hair hairband for more than a week, I finally relented, as long as I was the one who put it on:



Of course once I went back out trick or treating, I refused to wear it any longer.



And finally, here's a compilation of all my favorite Halloween moments from Oct. 30 and 31.



I'm very sad that it's all over, but I'm already planning my costume for next year!

Tricks and treats, part 1

So how about that election, huh? I now have a perfect record when it comes to picking presidents! But now that the election is over, I can catch you up on my very happy Halloween.

Halloween was so great! Mom and Dad took me trick or treating to the shops in town, and then we went for another round of trick or treating on our block. Because I had been trick or treating at Dad's work the day before, I knew exactly what to do: grab as much candy as Mom and Dad would allow, then say "More!" so we could move on to the next place.

Here's some photos of me in action, once again dressed as Abby Cadabby:







And of course we have video of my big day. Here's me trick or treating in town:



And here's a look at the trick or treating I did on our block:



But wait, there's more! I'll be back tomorrow with additional Halloween videos.

I'm an Obama baby!

The time has come for the most anticipated endorsement of this presidential campaign: mine! After careful consideration of both candidates, I have decided....



...to endorse Barack Obama for President.

I realize this news will come as a major disappointment to Babcia and Dido, who have been making strong arguments for McCain every single day, but I had to follow my heart...and my shirt!



Here's a video of my endorsement, which I made over the past couple weeks. I show off my Obama shirt, practice saying his name and finally I work the phones to get the word out: vote Obama!



Dad told me that the support of the coveted 17-month-old voting demographic should be the last push Obama needs to put him over the top tomorrow night. In all seriousness, I hope that everyone — even if you don't agree with my candidate of choice — makes sure to vote tomorrow. I can't cast a ballot myself, so I'm relying on you guys!

(And I'll be back with a huge Halloween wrapup after the election!)