Back Massager

Loved by both the grandson and grandma.

Sliding with Nana

Daniel got a lot of use out of Hayley's slide at the baby shower.  He could climb up the ladder and do the tall slide, thanks to assistance from his Nana.

This is Hayley, and it is her slide.  She seemed really happy to share.

He's lucky to have a healthy and active Nana to help him play!  I don't remember having these experiences with my grandmothers.  Actually, both grandmothers are physically well and youthful in energy, and would probably BOTH go down the slide with him! (Right, Grandma Becky????)

He tried to dive off head first most of the time because he was so excited.  When my mom was forcing him to wait, sit, and go, he thought she was trying to tickle him!  So he giggled and wiggled even more.

He was so happy he tried to kiss her.

And then he showed off a lot, since he was UP! above us.

He hadn't really done much sliding until this weekend, but afterwards, he really enjoyed it at other parks, too!

Play: Sink Time With Grandma Becky

Daniel has really enjoyed playing in water for as long as he has been able to notice he was in water... basically, from the beginning!  

Recently we've been letting him use his learning tower at home to explore water and cups and transferring water in the sink.  He does similar things each night at bath time.  We have had problems getting Daniel to QUIT this activity in our sink, and due to time or logicistics, we have to force him to stop (its dinner time! its been half an hour! we need to access the dishwasher!).

In the middle of March we visited Hermann and Grandma Becky let Daniel help her wash dishes.  He was able to stay and play for an hour and a half at her sink.  He really, REALLY enjoyed this time, and she was patient enough to enjoy his company, too.

He enjoys watching water trickle through holes and fall into the basin.

Pouring is a huge skill for him now.  He loves it!

The soap bubbles were new for him, too.  We don't usually hand wash dishes and don't have bubbles in his bath, so this was fun.  Of course, he tried to eat the bubbles... luckily, a little dirty dishwater didn't affect him adversely and he decided he wasn't very interested in tasting any more!

Visit with Two Grandmothers

This February (and March) Daniel's Great Grandma Landolt was hospitalized.  We visited her in Columbia several times.  She came to Columbia for a follow up appointment and stopped at our home for a little while.

Daniel was overjoyed to touch her walker.  And then when I wanted a photo of the three of them together... he was DELIGHTED to SIT on the walker!  Just look...

DDD for December 30

Today was a really great day for Daniel.  His behavior was stellar and not at all like yesterday's shenanigans of naughtiness.  He was so well behaved all day!

In the morning he helped me to clean the bathrooms, top to bottom.  He obeyed when I asked him not to flush the toilet (rare obedience in this thing!).  He also tried to help scrub the showers, which was sweet.

Later, we met my mom, my aunt, and my sister at the mall.  DHH stayed in his stroller and was sweet for nearly 3 hours!!!!!  He hasn't been sitting calmly in his stroller for ... 9 months maybe?  I was delighted to finally get to look at the mall without wrangling an upset baby who hates stroller rides.

Then we had lunch at a Mexican restaurant.  He dipped chips in (spicy!) salsa, drank water from a straw, and got to have a tortilla roll up of rice, beans, cheese, and guacamole.  He giggled a lot, too.  It was a great lunch date for him!

He seemed so happy to have his "Nan!" around.  After she left with Rachel, he kept looking out the window and pointing to cars and singing, "Nan. Nana, na, na, nan!".  

Loads of Fun with a Tiny Car

Daniel LOVES playing at the steering wheel of our vehicles.  Don't worry... never with a key!  Earlier this month my mom found this car for him at a yard sale.  I think he is getting his $10 worth of fun from this re-used toy!

I enlarged my favorite photos from the playtime.

He is turning on the ignition.

This is a much faster way to go!

He really played with the doors, going in and out and opening and closing them!

He kept trying to get in the side without the car door.  Hew as persistent, but the results weren't so good!

Dad gave him a push.  This was less fun for him than just playing with the doors or pushing it himself.  I think this is his independent streak showing!