I see what you're doing over there

Don't think I don't keep tabs on what you're up to when you think I'm distracted.

I look like mommy when she was my age!

Grandma made her hair into a little waterfall at the top of her head, too!

I take off running during outfit changes!

I change clothes several times a day, and I take the opportunity inbetween outfits to take off running - it's such a fun game! Mommy and daddy chase me, and when they catch me they give me cuddles and kisses. I also like to escape during diaper changes. I squee and squee and squee! It's so fun!

Much like mommy, I kick off my covers in the middle of the night

Here's proof. I also remove one sock in middle of the night. I'm the one-socked wonderkid!

Mommy said I look like I'm up to something

Mommy, I'm ALWAYS up to something.

I'm SO clever

Mommy and daddy are trying to teach me to sort shapes. But I'm clever - I pull the top off of the bin so I can more readily access the fun shapes. Once the top is off to the side, I have all the access to my toys that I could ever want! When mommy and daddy put the top back on, I just look at them, smile, and take the top off again and continue playing with my toys.

It's easier to play with the blocks when I dump them all out.

Now I can more readily survey what toys I want to play with! Perfect!

Happy birthday to my Godmother, Christina!

Hmmmm... I wonder what's on the other side of the chair

If I can only climb a little, I can find out!

And I sing the ABC song with them!

Sometimes I sing (like here), and other times I just humm along with them, but I almost always dance to the music.

I play the ABC song... repeatedly and deliberately.

I know which knob on my musical table triggers the ABC song. And I play that song repeatedly. At first, mommy and daddy weren't sure that I knew what I was doing, but then they noticed that, as soon as the song ended, I would aim for exactly the same spinner to make it start again and smiled. BIG. Mommy and daddy sing along - and if they don't, I yell at them! They think it's funny, but I still get my way.

Look at me crawl!

I crawl at two speeds: slow and deliberate and faster than light. And sometimes I make a beeline for my destination, while other times I crawl a few steps, then sit up and clap for myself, then crawl more, sit up and clap for myself, etc. - until I reach my destination. Mommy put her camera on multi-shot option so she could catch a series of pictures in quick succession. Here I am taking a few steps, then sitting up to clap for myself. Well done, me!

I was minding my own business when mommy pulled out her camera

Once I heard the camera turn on, I looked up and flashed this smile. And mommy says I'm a ham. Pshaw!

This is what happens when daddy dresses me

Mommy just shook her head in disbelief.

Caroline "Michael Jordan" Ries, deep in thought while sitting at her musical table

This requires great focus.

Eleven months old... my first year is coming to an end!

I can hardly believe it. It's flown by!

Mommy got stuffed grape leaves from Whole Foods (Whole Paycheck) - and I liked them!

She was so excited that I ate some that she forgot to take a picture! MOMMY forgot to take a picture! Can you believe it?! Mommy said the fact that I ate stuffed grape leaves is proof that I'm half Persian.

Mommy said that if I keep undoing my diaper, she's going to have to toilet train me!

I really like the sound the stickies make when I remove them! I do it repeatedly and smile.

A self-satisfied look after I pull myself up to standing against the ottoman

Wouldn't you be proud?!

Mommy says this dress looks like one of the Peanuts characters should be wearing it

Who the heck is Charlie Brown?!

Oooh, flowers!

Did you get them for me to play with for your anniversary? Happy 9 years, mommy and daddy!

I enjoy ripping up tissue paper!

It pulls apart so easily -- then I have lots of colorful strips of crinkly fun surrounding me!

Daddy likes to play with my toys, too

I can't blame him - they're so fun and colorful! And this one makes fun noises, too.

Time for my morning stretch!

Streeeetch!

Mommy was right -- Harry & David pears ARE wonderfully tasty treats!

Mmmmmmmm...

I was eyeing daddy's ice cream, so he let me have some

Believe it or not, I didn't care for it.

Let me demonstrate my "Victorian baby" dance...

Mommy's sorority sisters told me that mommy was known to dance on a few tables, too, but she didn't do that until she was in college. Clearly, I'm ahead of my time.

I don't know what it is about mommy's nose, but I LOVE to bite it!

And I have some serious teeth! Daddy actually caught it on camera once.

Mommy, what's this?

You say it's a phone, but it doesn't look at all like one. For starters, the phone is attached by a cord of some type. Did you people also write on stone tablets when you were young?!

Who needs toys with stems this cute?!

They keep me entertained for HOURS. Then I'm off to play with tissue paper. Or boxes. I LOVE opening boxes. Daddy said I may be the first baby to actually open my own first birthday presents! Don't worry, I'll have my people take plenty of pictures. My people are good at that. :o)

I'm no fool -- I know the good stuff is in mommy's purse

Oh YEAH?! How would you like to be a bear rug?!

I'll smoosh you! I'm strong enough.

Mommy thinks it's funny when I fall asleep with my arm (or leg) up

Although not as pronounced here as other times, you get the picture. So to speak. I defy the laws of gravity!

Mount Bear: I came, I saw, I conquered (again)

And then I checked to make sure he was okay, because I'm STRONG.

I'm ready to eat now!

I'm in my special chair, waiting for you.

They taught me to do the same thing with my earth ball!

I had grandma running all over the room trying to catch that ball! Who needs the gym when you have me?

Grandma and Grandpa taught me a new trick

I take off my socks, then one by one, I pick them up, throw them (sometimes not very far) and crack up laughing. HA HA HA HA!!!