Final Post

 I thought I'd give you a final update before saying adios. Mama is treating me like such a second child. Mina had a blog for four years and mine only lasted for two. It figures!

Anyway, enjoy our Christmas pictures. Our first celebration was at Nana and Papa's house. I got some cool fashion items and had to wear them all together. Hood on!

Mina grinned for the camera. I think she was happy to get so many presents. She can read her name now so she could see her name on all the tags. That adds to the excitement.

 We posed for the camera wearing our matching bunny slippers.

 We celebrated on Christmas morning as a little family. We opened presents and played with all of our new toys.

 Mina and I teamed up to open our presents.

 We went over to Grandpa and Grandma's after we woke up from our naps on Christmas day. We did the fish pond and I liked it this year.

 Nacho! There's a funny story with Nacho. I snuck him with me when we were grocery shopping the next day and I left him at the store. I cried "doggy" when we got home and Mama felt really bad for me. She tried to get it back from the store, but no one turned it in. She ended up calling the pond owner (AKA Grandma) to find out where Nacho came from so she could get me a new one. I hid him for a day after she gave me Nacho Dos until she thought she was going to go insane. Mina found him for me and now we've been able to keep track of him since. Phew!

 I love my family. Here's Aunt Emily and Uncle Jason.

 Here's Uncle Matt and Aunt Claudia. We're a snuggly family because that's how Grandpa and Grandma raised their kids. I guess they acted like this all the time (and still do).  I'm so lucky to have a family full of happy, loving people!

 Here's Great Grandma Wubben. Her and Great Grandpa Wubben taught Grandma how to love. What a wonderful gift that's been passed down the generations. 

 Anyway, enough of that mushy stuff, back to the fish pond. Mina enjoyed some angling while I snuggled Nacho Uno.

 All of a sudden Santa showed up at the doorstep. He followed me!!!! Oh no.

 At least he gave me candy. Mina hid in the kitchen while he was visiting, but she did come out to thank him for her Toodee doll and for my monkey, which she had asked for when we saw him at the mall.

 My cousins liked Santa at least.

 It was total chaos while we opened presents. This gives you a bit of an idea of what went on.

I had to show off my pretty dress up skirt. I just love to be fashionable.

Mama promises she'll update her blog at least every other week and include some pictures. It won't be as many as in the past, but hopefully you'll be satisfied (especially since most of you are Facebook friends and see the pictures there anyway). So long!  Look for my birthday pictures later this month at http://notquiteperfectmom.blogspot.com/ .

I've been busy baking up a storm and haven't had time to share in the blog with you. Sorry! It's hard work.

 It's also messy work.

 Mom is trying to get over being a screaming banshee while cooking so she's baked with us girls twice in the last week. Daddy took pictures the second time (once he knew it was safe).

 I like to clean off Mama's fingers too.

 We're in love.

 Mama has a bunch of pictures from her camera to share too.  Her and Daddy went to the Cyclones game that was kind of a big deal and they even went on the field.

 Mina and I love the kid care room at the rec. We'd better since we go there 4-6 times a week!

Mina and I like to snuggle in the chair while we watch The Grinch.

 Daddy and Mama went to New York to see Robin Campbell in Hugh Jackman: Back on Broadway! They stayed in a hotel right by Times Square.

 They walked all around the city and saw the Rockefeller Center tree up close and personal.

 They clogged up the sidewalk trying to take tourist pictures that aren't worth sharing. LOL!

 They went to the 9/11 Memorial.

 This was the view from their hotel room. They had a great time and we had a fun time staying with Grandma and Grandpa.

 We got to see Santa at the mall. I was so excited to see him at first....

 ...then they put me on his lap! At least Mina told him that I want a monkey for Christmas and she wants a Toodee doll. I know I've been very, very nice.

Have a merry Christmas! Check out Mama's new blog in the new year. 

I was baptized this past Sunday and a few pictures were taken of the ceremony. I pretty much cooperated and have been a sweetheart ever since. My parents should have had me baptized a long time ago!

 Our good friends, the Masons, had their baby baptized at the same time. That's little Emma over on the right.  I snuggled her a little bit when us girls were next to each other. Can you believe that Mama showed under my dress in front of the whole church? Maybe it was payback for how Mina and I behaved at the official church welcoming ceremony.

We decorated the house for Christmas on Sunday. Mama wore the tree skirt again this year. It fits around her waist. Go Mama!

We made a short, failed attempt at a family Christmas card picture, but I wasn't in the mood.  We'll come up with something eventually...hopefully before Christmas. 

 I helped decorate the tree and have been very good about leaving stuff alone so far.

 I was hiding behind Daddy's leg looking cute so he decided to be silly with me. Weird picture, huh?

Mama changed her web browser and is having a hard time with the formatting of this blog. Please be patient with her while she learns. Oh, and be on the lookout for the new website coming in January (see Mina's blog for more details).

Big News

I've been learning new things left and right lately - new words, new dance moves, and new ways to make people laugh. There are two things that stick out as extra cool though. I can do somersaults! One night Mina was doing them and I just copied her and voila. I did about 12 in a row that first night so it wasn't a fluke. I will only do them when Mina does them though. If Mama asks me to do a somersault, I flex my muscles and growl. It's a little confusing.

The other exciting thing I did was poop on the potty. I've been interested in all things poop and pee for a while now, but Mama hasn't been trying to teach me. However, I've been getting some time without pants and today she caught me in the act and redirected me to the little potty. I was scared, but I went and boy were Mama and Mina so excited for me. Mina said, "Great. Now where are the M & M's?". Mama put a penguin sticker on my arm. It was so exciting that I can't even take a nap (Mama is listening to me sing while she types this up for me).

There was a horse at the park last week!Just kidding! It was only me in my Halloween costume.I was Bullseye and Mina was Jessie from Toy Story.Mama's dinner and decorating went pretty well. She took a few pictures to share with you.I've recently started showing off my muscles.Mama took us to the apple orchard when it was freezing outside because she gave in to Mina. We had fun even if it was chilly. I got mad because my legs weren't quite long enough for the trike. Maybe by spring time?!I put the bucket on my head, but didn't get any sand in my hair. I'm magical!We loved trick or treating this year without a stroller. I definitely understood what was going on after just a couple of houses. I tried to give the people candy at first and tried to grab lots of candy, but I figured out that I was only supposed to get one piece per house.I'm the cutest little horse ever. My mama says so and she's always right.Papa turned 60 today so we went and had dinner with him last night. Mina and I gave him cards and snuggles and I think he was pretty happy.