First Swing

Amelia took her first ride in a swing last weekend. She wasn't so thrilled about the whole experience. Maybe swinging is better after the first birthday, which is getting closer every day.

Amelia & Mom

Amelia went to check out the playground in her neighborhood this weekend. There are lots of toys just her size. Stay tuned, coming later this week ... her first swing experience.

Leggs

Amelia remains in the 95% for her height. She is taller than many children who are 2 years or older and already walking. With a 6'2" tall Dad, 5'10" tall Mom and Great Aunts on both sides of the family soaring to over 6' this little girl is not going to be short.

Movin' Movie

Click here to view a movie of Amelia on the move. She creeps around the house with ease now. Except nothing is easy about it for Mom and Dad. Some of you may have to play the movie through twice to see it at full speed.

Grandpa AV

Amelia listens closely to her Grandpa.

Me Ma

Amelia went to a party last Sunday at Aunt Jo-Ann and Uncle Alan's. Here is Alan holding her next to her Me Ma, her Great Grandmother. Alan also took some great pictures which will appear this week, Jo-Ann gets the credit for this one.

Looking Out

Amelia spys dad i.e. (the photographer) outside of her window.

PS: For those of you wondering where the regular "Watch Me Grow" feature is you will have to ask Amelia. She refuses to lay down long enough for me to take the picture. There is just too much to see for her to waste time laying down. The next time she is all jacked up on Benadryl and feeling drowsy I will try and pose her for the shot.

Apple

Amelia has discovered apples. She enjoys scraping away some bits with her teeth. It takes her a while to eat since she still only has 2 teeth. Just don't try and take her apple away, she bites.

Let Me Out

Amelia trying to defeat the walls of her pac-n-play.

Drink

This picture takes a little explaining but it is one of Amelia's favorite things about her bath. Every night without fail Rufus waits patiently for Amelia to get settled into her bath. Then he wants his drink of water. While Rufus drinks Amelia moves in and inspects his claws and laughs at him. She also wants to drink from the cup but we keep the dirty baby bath water reserved for Rufus only. What a lucky dog!

Grass

Amelia had a great time discovering the grass in her backyard.

It doesn't take her long to be on the move in any new environment.

Auntie Lo

Thanks for letting me take Easter pics at your house Auntie Lo.

Easter Movie

Click here to view an Easter movie of Amelia with her duck (thanks Grandpa and Janet). She will show her newest trick - clapping. The sound is great - you will get to hear one of her most special sounds as she sings along. Play the movie through twice to see it at full speed.

Presents For Me

Grandma returned from NYC with some good loot for Amelia including a sushi bib which Amelia plans to sport the first time she eats sushi. She has been reading all about it. Aunt Alee sent Ice Bat "who lives in an ice cave inside an icebox. Anything he touches turns to ice…yet he warms your heart! Ice Bat is lookin’ to chill with you."

Spring Is Here

I was going to wait until Easter to post these but they are just too good. Amelia's cute outfit is courtesy of Mike & Lynn Evans (thanks guys). She enjoyed a beautiful spring day at Auntie Lo and Uncle Al's.


She was intrigued with the Easter eggs and will be hot on the egg hunting trail next year. Watch out Easter Bunny!

The Artist Formerly Known As Amelia

Amelia came home from school with her first picture today.

And here we see the artist posing with her work.

Jumbo Music Block

Amelia received a Neurosmith Jumbo Music Block from her Uncle Derek and Aunt Erica. This is no ordinary musical toy. It contains a powerful speaker that plays the full harmonic range of nursery rhymes. It also allows you to change cartridges and play different songs. As you can see it keeps her quite busy. Thanks guys.

Grandpa Jim

Amelia had a visit from Grandpa Jim, Nana Janice and the little ants (sic) Brandi and Sabrina. Here Amelia holds her favorite thing of all time, her very own remote control. She became so obsessed with the remote that we gave her one. Just try taking it away and let the screaming begin.

Caged In

This picture was taken a few weeks ago - before she learned how to stand up. Now she would never be caught in such a stance.

Stand Up

Amelia is pretty pleased with herself. She has the whole pulling up and standing thing down. Once she gets up she is not real sure what to do. Shortly after this picture was taken she collapsed to the floor of her pack & play (unharmed but confused).

New Movie

Click here to view Amelia on the move in a big way. What was she after you might wonder? The TV remote of course. Those of you at work might want to mute sound before viewing.

Peek-A-Boo

Amelia loves to play peek-a-boo.

Here she and her teeth are.
PS: She is still not sleeping and is currently taking a cocktail of 4-5 over the counter and prescription medications.

Sleep Terrorist Teeth

These little razors have become more pronounced. If you get close enough she will probably try and take a chunk out of you. The teeth will be making another appearance later in the week. Stay tuned.

BTW: She got over pink eye and but has relapsed and infected dad. She has also become an expert sleep terrorist - striking fear into the hearts and minds of moms and dads everywhere who just want a solid 8 ... no 6 ... ok anything more than 3 hours of sleep a night. The world is just so new and they days are so short. Why waste time sleeping.

Baby Tad

Amelia loves her Baby Tad. Here she is listening closely to him.


And giving him a kiss.

Pink Eye Strikes

Everyone else in the day care has had it so why not Amelia. She feels ok but looks very sad. She is on drops and should be improving soon.

As If She Isn't Tall Enough

Amelia enjoys an unseasonably mild February day.

February Watch Me Grow

From left to right: 1.15.05, 2.15.05 and holding her valentines day candy. She just keeps getting longer.


The pictures from left to right were taken on: 10/15/04, 11/15/04, and 12/27/04, respectively. That doll doesn't stand a chance. Click the picture to enlarge.


From left to right these pictures were taken around 6/15, 7/15 and 8/15/04, respectively. Click on the picture to enlarge.

Birthday Party

Amelia went to her friend Alex's first birthday party this weekend. There were lots of kids there but Amelia and Alex managed to spend some time together and pose for a few pictures.

Alex was sporting a cowboy shirt complete with pearl buttons for this cowboy party. Amelia was as cute as ever in her classic pink.

Animal Lover

Amelia is fascinated by the fake aquarium that sits on the side of her crib. Now she can pull up and get a close look at her fish. One of her favorite tricks is to try and kick the button that starts the bubbles, lights and music when she should be sleeping.

Get Movin'

Now she can crawl forward ...

and she has got this whole pulling up thing down.

New Movie and New Tricks

Click here to view a short movie of Amelia waving. She is doing all sorts of new things now that she has emerged from the month and a half of sickness. Those of you at work might want to mute sound before viewing.

Happy Valentines Day

Here is the little sweetie in her valentines day outfit trying to tear into some chocolate.

She got chocolate all over that outfit so before she could eat the second box we had to change her.

8 months and stalled out

With little fanfare Amelia turned 8 months last week. Apparently at 8 months kids decide they no longer want to sleep anymore. After a few hours they decide it is time to get up and play. Why? Shouldn't her sleep keep progressing in a linear fashion from ok to good to great. Things seemed to be going that way. From the 2 hours at a time we suffered through when she was an infant to the freakin awesome 8-10 hour stretches she gave us before Christmas. But no. The picture above was severely photoshoped and she was real drugged up at the time (just kidding). I fear she will never sleep like that again.

Sleeping, or what she doesn't do anymore

Amelia has recently decided that she likes to party in her crib anywhere from about 11 pm - 4 am. She can now turn her self over, get up on her knees, get her legs stuck, scream and perform a host of other tricks. This is all well and good unless you are trying to sleep. To add insult to injury she usually laughs at you when you come to rescue her from one of her hopelessly stuck positions. I wish I had some photos for you but our goal at these moments has not been photographic.

This picture is a happy and rested Amelia after a good night of sleep. It is usually the last glimpse I catch of her before I leave every morning. No matter how tired I am she can always make me smile.

Feeling Better

Our old baby is back.

Teeth

After many failed attempts the illusive teeth have finally been caught on film. Amelia likes to keep them hidden with her tongue. The one on your left is slightly larger, it popped out on New Years. The smaller guy on the right isn't far behind. Click the picture for a larger view.

And for an illness update: Amelia and Mom are both doing better.

Good Riddance January

This month Amelia had two stomach viruses, an ear infection, rhota virus, an upper respiratory infection and the dreaded RSV. Some how she hasn't caught the pink eye going around at her school. Mom and Dad missed quite a bit of work but happily did not pick up any of this sickness. Other not-so-lucky parents of infants have been coming down with BIDS (Baby Immune Deficiency Syndrome) as discussed at Trixieupdate.com


Her most tragic illness is the RSV. She is taking medicine through the "Sport Nebulator" on loan from the doctor's office. Amelia likes this treatment about as much as a shot. We have to show her Baby Einstein DVDs just so she won't freak out while taking the treatment. Baby Tad models the contraption below along with all the accoutrements. With any luck she will be over this soon and the equipment can go back to the doctor. We couldn't be happier to see this month come to a close.

P.S. 6 hours after this post Emma cough a nasty stomach virus from Amelia. I am probably next.

Creepin and Crawlin

She's crawling now.

But she can only go backwards. Yesterday she got herself stuck under the couch.

Too Hot

In an interesting aside, some of Amelia's biggest fans were recently blocked from viewing their favorite blog at work. Apparently, the combination of the name "Amelia Rose" with the amount of pictures on the blog triggered a human or machine internet filter to block the site as p_ _ n (don't say it or the filter might block us again). A classic example of the problem with internet filters, they don't work. Studies have found that filters block sites they shouldn't and let in ones that should have been caught.

The Supreme Court has overturned laws requiring filters in public libraries, recognizing that internet communications warrant the same level of constitutional protection as books, magazines, newspapers, and speakers on a street corner soapbox. See cases here.

Unfortunately, the Court recently changed course and upheld a law requiring filters in public libraries. (123 S. Ct. 2297).

The internet can be a dangerous place for children. Amelia will be watched and monitored closely by her parents but hopefully not by her government.