Happy 40th Anniversary!

Next Sunday (December 16th) is Lola and Papo's anniversary. They were married 40 years ago in Michigan. After all these years they are proud to have two children, three grandchildren, and one granddog. Happy Anniversary! I love you!

Christmas Decorations

Daddy always has the house decorated and the lights up by Thanksgiving Day. Last year I wasn't able to appreciate the sights and sounds of Christmas, but now I really enjoy looking at it all. I drag my parents around the house to show them the decorations (as if they did not know they were there). I drag them outside to show them the lights. And if you were to come and visit, I will drag you all around, too. Thanks to Mommy I even get to see mall decorations a lot!

We have two Christmas trees and my folks weren't sure how I would do with them this year, but I've been very good about leaving the ornaments where they belong. I only like to look at them . . . especially since they taste so bad.

Animal Noises

Daddy went deer hunting this weekend (poor Bambi) so it was just Chopper, Mommy, and me (Mommy always calls herself "single" whenever Daddy leaves overnight). We did a lot of Christmas shopping, cleaning, and laundry. Actually, she did all of those things and I was just there making those tasks more difficult.

During dinner Mommy videotaped one of my "tricks." You see, within the last few months I developed a new love for animals and vehicles. I point them out wherever we go. I may not be able to verbally name any of them, but I can make many of the animal noises and Mommy caught some of them on camera. I'll have to learn what a deer "says" to make feel Daddy guilty for shooting two of them!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am very thankful for many things. Besides my parents and my milk, I am also thankful for my extended family. Lola and Papo came to Dallas so on Thanksgiving Day we had lunch with the Termulos, and in the evening we had dinner with the Hoges. Most people stuff themselves with all the great food, but my eating habits have changed dramatically so I ate close to nothing. At least I won't have to go on any of those post-holiday diets I hear so much about. I'm pretty satisfied with my chicken-nugget/fish-sticks diet.

For the first time I got to play with both sets of cousins in a single day, but as usual they all outlasted me and I needed some sleep. Oh, and I'm also thankful for my bed, blanket, and noisemaker.

Ready . . . get set . . . go!

Before bedtime I like to practice my throwing technique for my future as a pitcher (or quarterback). Don't worry, there will still be time during the off seasons to volunteer my time and talent . . . and model. I'm quite rough around the edges right now, but keep in mind that I'm only 17 months into my life so I haven't yet developed all my motor skills. Plus, I'm not exactly practicing with a regulation ball.

16-Month Pictures

Here are pictures of me at 16 months. I was so cute back then.

Q.T. Butt, M.D.

I refuse to wear anything on my head and since most of the cute Halloween costumes out there require some form of head gear, my options were limited. So this year I decided to dress up as a doctor like my Papo (internist) and Uncle Cesar (pediatrician). But, I'm going to be a specialist so that I can make the big bucks (and of course, give it all to charity). Mommy wants me to be a plastic surgeon so that I can keep her looking young.

Nona monogrammed my costume "Q.T. Butt, M.D." for me and I had a few opportunities to wear it: During my school's costume parade . . .

My playgroup's annual Halloween party at Kiely and James' house . . .

and Trick-or-Treating on Halloween night . . .

Comparisons

Here I am (on the far right) at 17 months old for our group shot during this year's Halloween party:

One year earlier when I was 5 months old (still taking three naps and late for one of them), this was our picture with the same group but a few less kids (I am on the far right again):

Which party do you think I (and ultimately Mommy) enjoyed more?

Grandparents

I have been blessed with two sets of great (as in awesome) grandparents. Nona and Papa (Daddy's parents) live here so I get to see them weekly, but Lola and Papo (Mommy's parents) are in San Antonio so I don't get to see them that much. However, if they all lived here they would certainly be fighting over me!

Last Thursday my folks had to work (Mommy had to work for another speech therapist) and they missed my first costume parade at school. So Nona and Papa came to see me. There were a few other "Nonas," but I had the only "Papa" there. I guess that those kids aren't as loved as much as I am.

Then my parents left for the Texas-Nebraska game in Austin on Saturday and Nona and Papa stayed with me until Sunday. (Sidenote: There are a lot of things my parents do that I don't understand, like that work thing, but why they don't bring me to those fun games is beyond me.) I kept Papa really busy since he didn't seem to mind that his Huskers lost to Daddy's Longhorns. I had a great time because Nona wouldn't let me cry and Papa took me to the park twice a day. Papa even let me climb on some scary playground equipment . . . and I got to bust my lower lip! Now I look real tough so I'm going to intimidate that "scratching" boy in my class. I'll teach him how to fight like a man.

Happy 5th Anniversary!

Happy Anniversary to my wonderful parents! Daddy, you're one lucky man! Mommy said that this has been the best five years of your life.

(Sorry about the quality of this picture- I had to scan it from the wedding album which is heavier than me.)