"Skipper..!" 

The Real Gilligan's Island

I don't know if you've seen "The Real Gilligan's Island." It's one of those terrible shows you find yourself unable NOT to watch (assuming you own a TV). Anyway, I think we've found ourselves the next Gilligan. She's a little clumsy, like the real Gilligan. She says a lot of goofy stuff, like the real Gilligan. And she sometimes foils mommy's best laid plans to "get off the island" (i.e., out of the house at a reasonable hour).

Plus, she looks a lot like Gilligan (if you dress her up and squint real hard).

Lisa

If heat rises, maybe it's a half degree cooler down here. 

Soooo hot!

It has been terribly hot here in Indiana. So hot, in fact, that we've practically had to give up our normal afternoon activities like walking the baby in the park. Seriously, with the humidity, weather.com states that Indiana's weather, while sitting in the low 90s feels more like 97 degrees. No one's going to have much fun outdoors in muggy hot weather like that.

And then there's the mosquito issue. If we take the baby out at sunrise or sunset she may get eaten alive by mosquitos.

Still, we do our best to get out. Sunday we went out for a short walk in the trees after five. Today, I took the baby to the park around ten a.m. And the weather has to cool down at some point. I hear there's a chance of rain in the forecast. That should get rid of some of this lousy humidity. Cross your fingers!

Lisa

Mom, someone might see! 

The Hoosier Tornado

In this corner, weighing in at 120 pounds (yeah, right), it's "mommy."

And in the opposite corner, weighing 20 pounds, it's "The Hoosier Tornado."

Tonight, these two continue their struggle for command of the floor space within apartment 10. While mommy is more than six times the size of her opponent, size is but one factor that will help decide this battle of the ages. The most important tools here are persistence and versatility, and the Tornado possesses both of these in great abundance. She never runs out of objects to drop, toss, and slide onto the floor. And just when mommy lets down her guard, believing that all possible random objects have already found their way to the floor, the Tornado finds new drawers to empty and new shelves to clear.

And now, the commentator is off to re-stack business cards and put them back in their drawer for the third time...

Lisa

Can you remember walking being this exciting? 

Baby steps

Mike and Amelia had the opportunity to visit grandma and grandpa in California while I was performing my military training at Great Lakes, Illinois. While in California, Amelia took her very first steps. I was sorry I missed seeing her begin to walk. Almost every day I would hear that she had achieved a new personal best: three steps, then four, then five. I missed the first steps, but it sure was exciting to see the changes in her when she came back from California!

Two weeks before, Amelia had tried several times to stand from a sitting position on the floor and failed. Now, she could do it over and over again, as if performing squats. She can also hop up, and with some motivation, take a few small steps. Her record in California was five steps before plopping down on her butt. Now, she's up to seven steps. Those seven steps don't take her very far, but they are a great start and a lot of fun to watch. Of course, walking might be easier if she didn't insist on bringing her doll, "Pinky" along with her...

Lisa

Water from mommy's glass tastes better somehow. 

I'll have what she's having.

Amelia seems to go through phases when she's just not interested in baby food. If mom or dad is around and eating something she can see, she wants it. Sharing with the baby we have recently discovered that Amelia likes:

vegetable lo mein,
spaghetti noodles,
Frosted Shredded Wheat,
Cherrios,
waffles,
mashed potatoes,
and she LOVES buttermilk buscuits from Cracker Barrel

Everyday is a culinary adventure when you're a year old. More than that, trips out to eat mean a dozen or so friendly people will be available for Amelia to wave to and smile at. She seems insulted if everyone in the restaurant isn't constantly paying attention to her. I guess she subscribes to the Amelia-centric theory of the solar system.

Lisa