Great Grandma Berta came over this morning and we hung out. She was lots of fun as usual. She thinks everything I do is hilarious, even my poop cracks her up! She was trying to change my diaper and it was so gross she kept making funny sounds...I thought that was pretty darn funny. Almost as funny as when I pull my hat down over my eyes so I can't see and then run around the playroom. Life here at the Banta house is just full of laughs!

Grandma Donna and Granpop Bill came over tonight! I haven't seen Grandpop Bill in so long he had never even seen me walk. Well I showed him big time. Now that I am getting so good at it I walk all the time. All day long I walk back and forth across the playroom. I am even getting really good at stepping over all the toys, which Mommy says is an important skill to have if I am going to live in her house!

I love ice cream cones! Really, eating an ice cream cone is even better than eating it off a spoon!

I also love Grandma Berta! I had the best time playing with her this morning. Thanks for coming over to watch us while Mommy was a sleepy-head :)

We skipped Gymboree today. Mommy is gonna see if we can put a hold on our account so maybe when I get a little older I will enjoy it more. We'll see.

Instead I had a great time running around my playroom talking my head off. It was really nice to have the place all to myself again after all that company. I have a new mission....I want to climb on all the furniture. Unfortunately, I am really not good at climbing. I am a really good walker, but I can't climb up on anything by myself and it is really making me mad! When I can't get where I want, guess what I do? Yup, I cry and fuss. It isn't easy being me!

I had an interesting morning. First when I woke up and saw my cousin Emilia I got really excited. Then I saw Cousin Aaron and got even more excited. When Cousin Sam walked into the room I almost lost it! I love it when my cousins come to visit!!!

We all went to Walmart to buy Grandma Berta a new microwave, that was kinda boring. Then we went across the street to the Asian supermarket. I never go to the supermarket with Mommy, so when I saw all that food I got a little overwhelmed. I realized I was hungry! Mommy made me a bottle real quick and I was happy to sit in the cart and drink it while we explored the store. There were all kinds of neat fruits and vegetables. Lots of dead fish, and even some that were still alive! All the big kids got to pick out Asian candy and Emilia shared hers with me! It was so yummy!!! Mommy said that when I get bigger she will take me and Quinn there and we can pick out our own weird candy! Yay!

This morning me, Mommy, and Grandma Berta went to the playground at the senior center. It was a cool playground, but I wasn't old enough for it. After we played a while we went into the center to check it out. All the old ladies were all over me, saying what a cute little redheaded boy I was. I saw that one coming! Mommy said I was definately the youngest person there, and she was probably the next youngest, lol! Mommy is so funny sometimes :)

After that we went to brunch at Bob Evans. I wasn't into it. I fussed most of the time. The only thing that made me happy was drinking apple juice through my silly straw. I also managed to get my hands on a packet of butter and before Mommy realized I bit it open! Butter is yummy :)

Yesterday was Gymboree day, is 24 weeks up yet? I really do not enjoy the Gymboree! I think my problem is that I am just not a follower. I prefer to go my own way....like the opposite direction from Gymboree. Oh well.

Today Daddy came home!!! Yay! I got so excited when I saw him. Even though it was almost my bedtime I started running around in circles because I didn't know what else to do. I kept falling because I was so tired, but I didn't want to go to bed. I just wanted to stay with my Daddy!

I discovered something today......I really love ketchup! I can't believe I have been eating my french fries plain my entire life (all 13 months of it). We went out to lunch today and Mommy was sitting right next to me. She handed me a french fry and then took one for herself, but she dipped hers into this red stuff before she ate it. It looked interesting, so the next time she handed me a fry, I gave it back to her. She was confused so I looked right at the ketchup and pushed her hand towards it. She finally figured it out and dipped it for me. It was so yummy!!! I made sure she dipped all my fries for the rest of the meal, and even tried to get her to dip my grilled cheese (she refused). I growing up so fast! Pretty soon I will be dipping all by myself!!!

Cooper and his cousins went to the tire park today, it was so much fun!

Cooper playing with the steering wheel at the park. He could barely reach, but that didn't stop him!

Cousin Emilia...she is such a great little mommy!

Cousin Sam....he runs so fast!!!

Cousin Aaron...Cooper just loves his red hat!

Cooper and Emilia climbing up the slide.

"Look Mom, I climbed all the way to the top!"

Swinging with Cousin Emilia on the tire swing.

We went to Cici's Pizza for lunch. It was all you can eat pizza and lots of fun!

Cousin Sam at the pizza place.

Sixteen plates! Now that is a lot of pizza!

What a fun day!

Cooper really loves his new swing! Thanks to everyone who helped make this smile possible! :)

I had a great day today! My favorite part of the day was playing with Portia. I was holding her toy and she came and grabbed it out of my hand. I thought that was the funniest thing ever and I laughed and laughed. Mommy doesn't understand why it is funny when Portia does it but not when Quinn does! Anyway, I kept grabbing the toy back from her and we had a great time playing. I love Portia so much, even if she is a little too barky.

This morning we all went to the playground! Everyone except Quinn, he had school. It was a cool playground but there were too many kids there for me. Plus, the ground was made of that recycled rubber stuff and I really didn't like how it felt to walk on....my feet bounced too much. Mommy said I looked drunk cause I was wobbling and weaving even more than usual. Then we took a walk down to the creek and back and by the time we got to the car I was out. It was a big morning!

I had a great bath tonight! No crying or anything! Maybe I finally outgrew that whole "fear of baths" thing.

I haven't seen my cousins in a whole year! Well, I am only 12 months old, so you do the math.....I don't really remember seeing them at all. I was all about the being swaddled and drinking bottles back then. When Mommy showed me all these wild kids in my playroom this morning I wasn't sure what to do. Then I realized how much fun my cousins are and I jumped right in and started playing with them.

While Quinn went to speech me and Mommy went to the Mom's Club meeting. I walked all over that church and everyone was so impressed. Mommy put on my Robeez and they made it a lot easier to walk, but they are a little tight so I need a new pair. It was a fun meeting, I got to eat a whole bag of animal crackers and two mini blueberry muffins. I played a little in the nursery but Mommy stayed with me cause she knew I would just cry if she left.

It was a pretty exciting day, can't wait to see what tommorrow brings! Oh, and Grandma Jan you are right! I ate an entire cup of diced pears and some pieces of hot dog today. I don't know if you realize this, but the all beef hot dogs taste a whole lot better than the tofu dogs!

Cooper's birthday feast, corn.....

and pickles!

Just in case you couldn't figure out how old Cooper is.....

This is yummy cake!

The ice cream is pretty good too!

I've been watching Quinn, I know exactly what to do with this spoon!

This is what happens when you enjoy your birthday cake a little too much!