Mattaya's Month of May

Mattaya's trying on the new Nike kickers that Gramma Julie and Auntie Cindy found in Fargo.

Ready for our first swim lesson.

(Little did we know about the water's frigidity.)

We adapted...kind of.

Daddy's photo shoot was cut short. Apparently everyone in the swim class has to sign a waiver for photography to be allowed.

This ADORABLE dress is from Gramma Pam. Mattaya got so many compliments at church that day. :)

"Daddy, Daddy, it's SO cold; stay right here!"

"I'm gonna pump...you...up."

"What does this lady think she's doing, anyway?"

"If you swallow a little water, just cough like this."

(Mattaya quickly became an expert.)

"Yay!!! A duck! I'm gonna get it!"

"If I brush them, they will come."

"Hey, where did you come from?"

Daddy modeled Gramma Pam's Mother's Day gift before we mailed it.

Uncle Luke graduated with his Master's Degree in...something.

April showers bring...May...snow?

"I see the duck...I want the duck...I'm just...so...cold!"

"Look, Daddy learned how to blow bubbles!"

"I've gotcha where I wantcha, and now I'm gonna gitcha!"

"Just trying to thaw my toes a bit."

The look says it all.

Mattaya's new beach towel came equipped with flip-flops.

Great-Grandma Mabel really liked her Mother's Day gift.

And Gramma Julie wore her present all day long!

Dave, Matt, and Luke (as well as Becca!) planned and served a meal for the moms.

Complete with ice cream cake!

Grampa Gary and Gramma Pam sent LOVELY flowers.

"This is how I can drink from a cup."

"Hey--I have an idea!"

"Watch what I can do!"

"I'm so funny!"

"Gramma bought this spring outfit that was still warm enough to wear in North Dakota."

(Our spring isn't very warm...it's mostly like winter with an occasional thaw.)

"I now say, 'Da da da,' and Daddy celebrates with these jammies."

"So Mommy puts these jammies on me to inspire me to say, 'Ma ma ma,' but I play hard-to-get."

"She gets a little excited when I make this face. I so enjoy yanking her chain!"

"Me with Great-Grampa Lee."

Grampa Leander and Gramma Catherine moved into The View this month.

"I finally got to meet Great-Aunt Verna since she came up to help with the move."

"I taught Verna how to suck her bottom lip. She was a pretty quick learner."

"She refused to even TRY the book biting technique, though."

Four Generations

Gramma Catherine sure enjoys Mattaya :)

"Auntie Cindy bought me this gorgeous dress; everyone thought I was 'just darling'."

"Hey, Gramma Cate--look what I can do."

Gramma Catherine got to feed Mattaya for the first time.

Great-Uncle Larry came to help with the move, too.

"I'm sure glad he finally brought Great-Aunt Cindy with him this time!"

"I think I need a napkin."

She wasn't too sure about her first bite of Garden Vegetables.

Our "hoppy" little girl in her frog pj's.

We're SO excited to start wearing summer clothes!

Mattaya has finally learned to sit like a lady.

(This is no "lucky picture"...she's honestly been sitting like this A LOT this month.)

"See it?"

"Daddy says I look just delicious!"

Matt really does like Andes Mints.

Thanks, Cousin Amanda, for the cute outfit!

"No pictures, please!"

(First thing in the morning.)

"Mom, I think these pants are getting a bit short."

A continuation of the Pajama Parade.

(She outgrew all her sleepers at once.)

Sleepy but happy!

What a cheerful sweetheart!

"Hey, Daddy--didn't you know I can stand in my crib?"

The Mussolini pose.

"Something is a little stinky in here."

"Whassup"

A couple of you asked to see the nursery. Here it is as you're walking in.

To quote Grampa Dave: "Panning to the left."

(Only those of you who have had the pleasure of viewing the Peace Gardens video will find that humorous.)

To your immediate right as you enter the nursery, there are steps up to a loft. Hardly makes sense, but it's where we keep an "office" for all my speech-path stuff.

And we've come full-circle.

Daddy left the fridge open, and Mattaya went straight for the caramel.

Mommy warned, "Mattaya..."

"What, Mom--it's just carrots."

We've been getting out for walks whenever it's warm and not-too-windy.

Mattaya loves to feel the wind in her toes. :)

We recently introduced banana chunks.

Mattaya does a fair amount of squishing. We call this pre-digestive forethought.

She likes them so much she licks the plate clean!

"They're GONE."

A couple more licks...

...and we're ALL DONE.

Must go wash that messy baby.

"Just call me 'Crash'."

Mattaya has mastered the walker. She's all over the place in the blink of an eye. She'd much rather walk around holding our fingers, but our backs can only handle it for so long.

Here she's taking off through the entryway, headed for the living room (which we've set up as a race track...kind of...not really...we just pulled the table to the middle of the room so she fits on either side. She often does several laps before making her way back to the kitchen for bites of waffle from Mom's plate).

Entering the living room. And the tongue is just a-going. She discovered her tongue a couple weeks ago....

Everything is pushed JUST out of reach. :)

She rounds the corner.

It's really quite hilarious because she's squealing and screaming and talking and singing and yelling the WHOLE time!

First it was tags, now it's nutrition labels....

She learned to wave bye-bye!

Where's Mattaya?

She's learned to do peek-a-boo herself. We usually start it, but after that, she waves the cloth over her head. So cute. :)

Peek!

There she is!