Our Little Chatterbox

So we always knew that Mary Ellen would be verbal, but this kid continues to surprise and delight us with her blooming vocabulary.

You name it, she'll try to say it. She names her colors. She names the animals in her puzzles. She gives me plenty of ideas about what she'd like to have for lunch, snack, etc. She loves to "play," "walk," "cook," and "read." She loves to ask for basketball, either to play on the porch or to watch on TV. So her pronunciation isn't perfect, but she's getting the hang of this talking thing and fast.

This week she started putting a few words together. Here are a few of my favorites:

Upsie Daisy

I don't know.

Open it. Shut.

I did it.

The quiet days in our house are gone. Long gone. And I love it.

2011 in Review (Part 2)

 It's time to ring in 2012, but since I promised a few more pics, here goes. Just a few more highlights from 2011:

Mary Ellen discovered Sesame Street.

Ok, so she was asleep, but the Cardinals Won the World Series!

Our little lion on Halloween.

Outside Grandpa's office in December.

Nana came to visit often this year, and this visit brought us to the beach. Best. Day. Ever (according to Mary Ellen).

Mary Ellen was the model for many of Mama's projects. She makes a good model, no?

It's okay to share a lap from time to time, right guys?

This could be me circa 1978.