Ok mama and dada, I know you planned that I would stay in the crib until you needed it for something else (another baby, perhaps), but I had other plans. When I woke up from my nap the other day, Ga found me trying to "ride" the crib like a horsey, so just like that, the famous "Elephant Bed" and a brand new mattress were set up in my room. Grandpa Hochmuth made this bed for my cousins Jamie and Katie, and now it's my turn to take a roll in the jungle.

So now I've got a mixed theme going on. A sort of "think globally, act locally" idea with the earth, elephants and cars/trucks/bull-DOE-zers.

Of course mama and dada weren't sure how it would go over with me, so they kept the crib set up, just in case.
But just like giving up the bottle was no big deal, neither was giving up the crib. I was a little unsure about the whole thing until dada showed me how to sleep in my big boy bed. After that I slept the rest of the night like a charm. If only giving up "pass" and potty training were this easy...

Labor Day weekend, a non-hurricane, and a trip to the park Everyone was all set to spend the weekend at the beach.
I had my party accessories all ready to go. The adults were ready to party too. Dada went fishing, and I waited not so patiently for him to return. On Saturday, mama and dada celebrated their five year anniversary. On Sunday, Ga and Papa celebrated their 40 year anniversary. After I went to bed, they had a champagne jam.

Who votes I look like dada?

Like mama? Here is am doing one of my most favorite activities...driving the golf cart. I like to take at least five rides a day in this baby.

On Sunday, dada and papa hung up the plywood on the windows, just in case Gustov came closer to the Texas coast. We are all thankful that the storm didn't wreak as much havoc as anticipated.
The return of the lovebugs. Poor lady lovebug, must you always stay with your lover?
Ga looking as spriteful as her wedding day, forty years ago!
On Sunday evening, to be safe and clear of Gustav's path, mama and I took the ferry back to Galveston, picked up mama's car, and headed for Katy. It was a hot journey, but we made it, no worse for the wear. On the way home, we stopped at a playground because I'd been asking to go to one all weekend. I tore down the purple slide. Playgrounds make me happy!
Wee, I like to spin in circles.

And take a quiet moment to rest. But not for long...

My cousins, Marianne and Brenden, and Aunt Bridey just made their annual trek to Texas. This year was super cool because we all met up at Ga and Pawpaw's beach house.

I was immediately enamoured by Brenden, or "boy" for short, especially after he started reading me Curious George stories, my fave.
Me and Marianne played at the beach - I gave her a fun for her money on being able to keep up with me. I'm just fast!
Good times building a sand castle.
And cooling off with a pop-sicle back at the beach house.
Look everyone, I'm taller than GA!
We all love to eat watermelon at the beach, especially Brenden. He's got on braces now, so he's limited in what he can eat.
Marianne and I shared pop corn, one of my new favorite foods. If I could eat ice cream for breakfast, pop corn for lunch and gummies for dinner, I'd be set. Of course I eat most of what they put in front of me, but if I had my druthers...Sometimes we get bored at the beach when we aren't allowed to go to the Ocean during the heat of the day.

Then, we have a BIG WATER BALLOON FIGHT!!!!
And get Aunt Bridey...
and dada and HIS NEW BOAT all wet!
Sweet Marianne - hasn't she grown up into a beautiful young woman?
This is one of the only pictures taken in Katy. We spent as much time at the beach as possible.

Point made. Where the bull-DOE-zers are, I am.
Ga and Pawpaw were just so happy to have all their grandbabies together.
One of our favorite things to do at the beach is get ice cream - see below for picture of the ice cream truck.
I am learning to share.
I want to grow up to be just like Brenden. He is funny and sweet and creative and of course, loves ME!Mama and Marianne checkin' it out.
A bathing suit shot? Well, she's seen better days, but mama's been working hard at the gym. Can you believe they've been married almost 5 years, together almost 15?

Pawpaw with his prize golf cart in the background, charged and ready to go.
Pawpaw did fireworks with Marianne and Brenden. I didn't like the noisy so Bridey took me inside. One day Marianne and Brenden got to go to the waterslide at Crystal Beach. That's Marianne shakin' her stuff up the hill to get to the slide.
Sweet ride.
One day Brenden, Marianne and Bridey drove to Sugarland to meet Wesley Wright, the new Astro relief pitcher. We got hugs from Junction Jack on the way in.
15 second moment of fame - we were on the Channel 13 news. Well, our feet were...

We're all growing like weeds.

But, all good things must come to an end. My buds all left last weekend and are safely back in Missouri and ready to kick off another school year. All we can do is wait for next year. Love you guys!

A few weeks back, mama and dada's friends Charlene and Robert were married. Charlene and Robert are part of the TaeKwonDo gang, so the wedding was a great chance for mama and dada to catch up with friends. The Howells family went to the wedding, and then joined us in Katy for the night. After the wedding, mama and dada took Michelle and Dave out on the town.

There was some serious fun to be had that night!

Uncle Justy brought his girlfriend, Shauna. She's a fun chick too.

On Sunday, we all got up early-ish and went down to the beach to visit Papa and Ga. The Howells family joined us. Everyone got a kick out of riding on Papa's golf cart. And then, they descended...
That's right, crazy fingers and
Crazy legs were back in town for the next two weeks.