Tonight I got to go to the Balloon Festival. It was really neat. We were at the fairgrounds and all of a sudden all these hot air balloons started flying over us. I saw one that looked like Garfield, one that looked like the Sugar Bear and one that looked like a big rubber duck.

I also got to see some skydivers. I thought that was really neat and think it would be fun to sky dive when I get bigger.

Here's me and mommy while we were waiting for the balloons to get set up on the launch field for the "nightglow." When it finally got dark enough, all the balloons turned on their flames and just glowed. They would do long glows and they would do short bursts of flame that was like flickering. It was really neat.

I'm so glad we went and I hope we get to go again next year!

Today was my first day of school. I couldn't wait to go.
I picked out this great backpack....mommy let me get it even though it's really big.
Here I am standing underneath the sign of my school

We did a lot of fun things today. My teacher weighed and measured me to see how big I was on the first day of school.
I painted with marbles.
I sorted pom poms by color using a pair of tongs....that helps me work on my fine motor control, or so mommy says.
We even got to do finger plays and hear a story.

I can't wait to go back!!

Today, I jumped into the pool at swimming lessons all by myself. My teacher was very proud of me, and so were mommy and daddy.

Today mommy and daddy took me to open swimming at the Community Center. It was a lot of fun. I finally decided that I can jump into the pool without any help. And I jumped in a lot. I also finally figured out how to get out of the pool by myself. I've been having a lot of trouble with that in swimming lessons. If I can jump in and get out of the pool at swimming next week my teacher will be so surprised. The best part of the day was getting to go down the water slide. I love to go down the slide and daddy took me down as often as we could. I was pretty tired by the time it was time to go and didn't even put up a fight about having to get out of the pool, like I usually do. I hope we get to go to open swim again sometime.

Last night, mommy and daddy took me to the Santa House



to see Santa Claus. It was really neat. There are all kinds of neat things to look at like trains and elves and Christmas scenes. There is even a reindeer



and a sleigh



to play with while you're waiting to see Santa. When it was finally my turn to see Santa, I got right up in his lap and had a little chat.




I'm so glad I got so see Santa.

Today they had trick or treating at my daddy's work. Mommy took me and I had a lot of fun going around and seeing everyone and getting candy. Mommy and Daddy kept telling me to only take one piece of candy, but everyone thought I was so cute that they kept telling me to take two or three. By the time I was done, my pumpkin was almost full and it was so heavy I could barely carry it.

Here's a picture of me in my costume. I'm a witch this year, but my hat wouldn't stay on. Mommy is going to try and fix it for me by Halloween.

Tonight, I carved my first pumpkin. Well, I helped anyway. After Daddy got the top cut off, he and Mommy let me scoop out the insides. They are very ooey and gooey. I didn't like it very much, so I let Mommy get the rest of it out.



Once my pumpkin was all cleaned out, I picked out a picture to carve and Mommy transferred it to my pumpkin. Then she let me help her cut it out.



We still have 3 more pumpkins to carve before Monday night. I don't know if I'll help clean them out, but I want to do more cutting!

Today was my last swimming lesson of the winter session. I have been waiting for this lesson since the very first week. Today we got to go down the big water slide! Daddy and I got to go down 5 times. I couldn't get to the top fast enough and had a hard time waiting for my turn because it was so much fun. I was not very happy when it was time to get out of the pool. I guess it's a good thing the spring session of swimming lessons starts next week!

The first picture is me getting my lifejacket on and getting ready to go on the slide, and the second picture is me hitting the water. (Daddy's somewhere under that big splash)

Yesterday I had my very first swimming lesson. Daddy went with me, and it was a lot of fun. I love the swimming pool! I learned how to kick my leg and paddle with my arms. I got to blow bubbles in the water and I even got to put my whole head under the water. Mommy wasn't sure if I was going to like that or not, but it was ok. I didn't even cry. I got to jump off the side of the pool and have daddy catch me and I got to try floating on my stomach and on my back. There is a really big water slide at the swimming pool and the teacher said that we get to go down it at our last class. I can't wait!! I was really sad when my class was over and I had to get out of the pool. I keep asking to go back, but mommy says I have to wait until next week. Is it Saturday yet?

Today I nearly gave Mommy a heart attack. We were out in the back yard. I was running around and she was talking to Miss Melissa. My slide looked like so much fun but Mommy wouldn't let me climb up the slide part, so I decided to climb the ladder instead. Mommy saw me just as I was trying to get up on the fourth rung. That's when my foot slipped....and I fell. I cried a lot, but I was ok. I didn't even get any bruises or scratches. Mommy thought I probably wouldn't want to go on the slide anymore, but she was wrong. With mommy right there to catch me if I fell again, I climbed up and went down five times before we had to go in for supper. Mommy and daddy are really going to have to keep their eyes on me now!

Last night we went to daddy's company picnic. It was fun. There was a lot of music. It's a good thing, too because I waited in line a long time to get my face painted and I did a lot of dancing to pass the time. They also had a moonwalk and I really liked that. Jumping is my new favorite thing and what better place to jump than in a moonwalk! I got to go in twice. Mommy and daddy made me get out the first time because there were too many big kids coming in and they didn't want me to get hurt. I was not happy at all. They made me get out the second time because some kids fell on me and kicked me in the face. I cried more because they made me get out than because I got kicked.

We had all kinds of good things to eat....chicken, meatballs, corn, mashed potatoes, rolls. I also got to have a really yummy cookie. I wish somebody would have told the DJ not to scream into the microphone when he was singing Karaoke. It was way too loud for me, at least until daddy gave me some earplugs. Then I could finish my dinner without being scared, at least not by the music. The stray fireworks were a different story. I did not like them at all.

After dinner I got to run around a lot. I got to eat ice cream, too. There was a different moonwalk for the bigger kids -- it was shaped like a crouching dragon and you climbed up in through the mouth and slid down inside -- and since it was almost time to take it down and there weren't any other kids in it, they let daddy take me in so I could jump around a little bit more. After that we had to go sit down again while a bunch of people talked a lot. I ate a whole bunch of Cherrios and tried some cotton candy. I didn't like it so much, so I let daddy eat it. I liked playing with the paper tube that came with it, though. I got bored a lot and made someone leave and walk around with me a few times.

When the talking was finally done, daddy put my earplugs back in and we went out to sit in the parking lot. Fortunately we were right in front of daddy's car because the fireworks started and I didn't like them at all! They are very pretty, but also very loud. I wanted to get as far away from them as I could, so I hid on the floor in the front seat. When there was a break in the noise, mommy ran me to her car (that's where my carseat is), but we didn't quite make it before the noise started again. We jumped in the front seat and mommy turned on my music. It helped a little, at least long enough for her to get to the backseat and pull me back there and strap me in my seat. Then we left. I wanted to go see Mr. Mike and Miss Melissa when we got home, but I could still hear the fireworks. :(

By the time I was finally ready for bed, I was worn out.

Tomorrow I will be 18 months old. Today was my last trip to the motor development lab. Here's what they had to say about me:

After a few little curves off the mat, Alison walked so well for all traials. She loves stuffed animals and loves to hug them. This is our last visit with Alison and we will miss her!

My hair has finally grown enough that I needed to have my bangs trimmed. Today was the day. I had my first haircut.

I am almost 16 months old. Today it was time to go to the motor development lab again. Here's what they had to say about me:

Alison did a great job on the treadmill. She seemed a little confused -- or maybe bored? -- with the slow speeds and really got going on the fast speeds. She was so excited to show off her walking skills and she shared lots of words with us, too. We'll see her in March!

I took my first steps today!!! I walked back and forth between mommy and grandma a whole bunch of times. I think I was able to go about 7 steps. Everyone is so proud of me!

Last week was my first birthday. Today I got to come to the motor development lab again. Here's what they had to say about me:

Alison, mom and dad came today. Alison is the most patient little girl! She sits and allows us to put all her markers in place. She has a favorite word, "hello," with the greatest little voice! She was so anxious to walk, which she does with a bounce! A great job with the treadmill!

I'm nearly 9 months old now and I got to go back to the motor development lab again. Here's what they had to say:

Alison's 2nd visit to the Motor Development Lab.



Alison came in smiling and was excited to play. She was really in to bouncing and dancing -- even on the treadmill she "bounced" through her steps. Today she liked to take steps with both legs, but she did take alternating steps, especially at higher speeds. We checked her motor development as well -- she combines items at midline, uses an inferior pincer, rotates in sitting, takes nice weight on her legs, and in general looks great. We look forward to seeing Alison next time and will call to see if she is walking.

I've been able to sit by myself if somebody sat me down, or up as the case may be, for a long time now. But today I pushed myself backwards and sat up all by myself. Mommy was really surprised. She was watching me scoot backwards and the next thing she knew I was sitting up.

Today I crawled for the first time! I've been trying to move forward and I finally figured it out.

I got my first tooth today!! It's really hard to get new teeth and it hurts a lot. I wonder how long it will be before I get another one.