Thanksgiving, Touchdowns and Trees

Hi everyone!

Well, it's been awhile since my last post--so sorry. As you can agree, life is full--especially during this so-called holiday season.

You'll be pleased (I hope) to learn that I survived my first Thanksgiving! I had it all--turkey, stuffing, potatoes and beans. It was very yummy. I'm already counting the days until the next Thanksgiving. We went to our friends, the Reed's, since daddy had to work the next day. Then we did head to Ohio for Che Che and Uncle Mike's baby shower over the weekend. It was a very full weekend to say the least. It's a good thing that I don't mind traveling.


Thanksgiving with the Wandels and Reeds! Good food and good friends!

During my Thanksgiving dinner! After dinner!

I hope it's okay, but I'm going to brag about my latest trick! I can do touchdown! Check out the video below to see what I mean. I can also clap my hands. So at church when we are standing and singing choruses, these skills come in very handy. Little do the people around me know that when I raise my hands at church, it's because daddy is whispering "touchdown" in my ears.

With Thanksgiving behind us, we Hoffman's are in full Christmas mode. Last weekend we cut down our tree. How surprised was I when daddy actually brought the tree inside. Then mommy and daddy started putting lights on it and hanging pretty shiny things on the branches. I decided to help, so I pulled on the lights and tried to pull off the shiny things--but they were too high for me to reach. Mommy didn't seem to appreciate my help. Well the tree is up and looks pretty--except for the bottom two feet, which is a bit bare. We've been celebrating Advent nearly every day. I'm looking forward to Christmas!

There is one other big event coming up before Christmas--my 1st birthday. It's hard to believe! Mommy and Daddy say I've changed a lot over the last year. I know I couldn't do touchdown a year ago--that's for sure!!

Well, I'll write more after my birthday.

Love to all!

Jamee

Bzzzzzzzzzzzz--One of these 7 is not like the others . . .

So, has the suspense been killing you? I was a bumble bee for Halloween this year. It was a lot of fun--though I wasn't allowed to have any candy yet. Something to look forward to I guess.

We started off by visiting Uncle Paul, Aunt Susanne, Arin, Sydney, Obi and Eli at their church where they were giving out candy at the "Trunk n Treat." Holy cow, there were a ton of cars and a ton of people. The Kurtzes were--can you guess?--Dr. Seuss characters. They looked pretty amazing! We walked right by Thing 1 and Thing 2 and didn't even recognize Sydney and Arin. We only stayed for a few minutes because we had to go to our church to help with the Fall Festival.


Well, Mommy went crazy with the bee theme and Daddy graciously went along with it. Check out our Halloween family photo below.


In case you need help figuring out what we all were--I was the bumble bee, Mommy was the Queen Bee and Daddy was our hive! And yes Mommy made the hive and the queen bee costumes. (Don't tell her, but you can tell!) All the outfits together put us back a whole $1.25 thanks for stuff we had around the house. It was fun to be a bee family! Now the pressure is on for next year!


At the end of the day, I was soooo beed out. I barely fit into the car seat with my bumble bee outfit on, but once I was snug as a bug in a rug I was out like a light!

No this isn't a Halloween costume, this is an event at my Daddy's store. They had Skippyjon Jones visit the store, Halloween morning, for a book reading and signing. Skippyjon had the biggest ears I've ever seen in my life. He also thinks he's a dog. I thought Pippi and Delala needed some counseling--but this cat really needs some serious help! I had fun--we even had a little Skippyjon Jones parade. I hope that I can go to Daddy's store again when they have other visitors.

Not really much new since the last time I wrote. One thing I forgot to mention last time though is that for the first time, I was leaving work with Daddy and we were walking to the car. We passed this college kid and he asked Daddy how old his grandson was. Daddy laughed and said I was his son. Good thing this happened to Daddy and not Mommy. She might have slugged the poor guy!

Well, Halloween 2009 is history (hey, I already have a history!!). I'm looking forward to next year when maybe I can even eat a little candy--we'll see. Hope everyone enjoyed my photos.

Love to all!

Jamee

I Love Fall!

Hi Everyone!

"They" tell me that it's been a beautiful fall here in western New York. Since I have no point of comparison, I'll have to take "their" word for it. It is very pretty.

On Sunday, Mommy and Daddy were raking leaves in our yard. Mommy got the camera and started shooting. I like playing in the leaves and I'm pretty good about not eating them. By the end of an afternoon of raking and mowing, the yard looked perfect. Today, after a night of wind and rain the yard is all covered in leaves again! I'm excited, because I'll get to play in the leaves again soon--after they dry.


Mommy, Daddy and I took advantage of a beautiful fall Saturday and took a walk on the canal. We stopped at lock 32 for the above photo op and grabbed a snack before we headed back on the return hike (my snack was cereal and pear--yum yum).

A few weeks ago a family in our church invited everyone to a hayride. So I went on my very first hayride. It was fun! After the hayride, I got to meet their horse. Look how close I got. Horses are BIG!

I love puffs!! Yum yum!

Mommy and Daddy celebrated their 5th anniversary earlier this month. We spent their anniversary weekend doing fun family activities (though they did have an evening out to dinner without me). We went on a hike in the woods. I really enjoyed the first 45 minutes of the hike, but then got a little tired of the whole thing and decided to take a nap.

Before I fell asleep! I love riding in the backpack--I feel like such a big boy!

The other family outing was to The Strong National Museum of Play here in Rochester. This was my first visit but I'll be back (Mommy and Daddy got a family membership). What fun I had--and Mommy and Daddy did too.

Don't we look funny!!! This was a funky mirror at the museum.

I think this was the goose that laid the golden egg! I don't think the egg was really gold! Too bad, it could have helped out my college fund.

Life continues to be full. It's hard to believe that in less than two months I will be 1! Some new things I'm doing these days are:

• Crawling faster than Mommy and Daddy can. I play chase with Daddy and I can almost always catch him.
• I stood up once for about 10 seconds by myself and then got freaked out and sat right back down.
• Pout--yep, I can put on quite the pout now. Mommy's so not impressed by it!
• I understand "no" when I want to.
• I can put my toys back in the box (again--selectively).
• I walk behind my walker as long as Mommy helps by not letting the walker go too quickly.
• I scream, twist, kick and rollover during diaper change time 60% of the time--not my favorite activity.
• I've eaten mango, and stew and really like both!

Well, Halloween is Saturday--stay tuned for my next blog posting. Guess what I'm going to be for Halloween . . .

Love,

Jamee

An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor . . .

Hi Everyone,

Well my apple a day did not keep the doctor away since I was already scheduled for my nine month check up. On Wednesday, I had my check up. I am now 19 lbs. 2.5 oz. and my height is 28". I'm still growing. The doctor and nurse always say what a happy baby I am--I try not to let all this go to my head (it's tough though). I also got one shot at this visit--a flu shot (just the regular flu shot not the H1N1 version). So, hopefully, I will make it through the winter without getting sick. It was a pretty easy doctor's visit. I don't have another appointment until I am 1 year old!

So, my coolest adverture was on Saturday! A nice lady who works with Mommy, her name is Joyce, told Mommy about a fruit farm not far away. We went for a visit on Saturday to pick some apples. It was the greatest place with a train that we rode on, a petting zoo and lots and lots and lots of apples. Check out the pictures below. Stay tuned for future adventures.

Chicago, Train, PaPa's B-day, and Teeth!

Hi Everyone!

I'll write more after my 9 month birthday coming up on Tuesday, but wanted to post a few pictures of my first train trip (overnight) and my first trip to Chicago to visit my "Aunt" Helen.

Mommy wanted Daddy and me to meet Aunt Helen who lives near Chicago. Oma and Opa were going to go too. We decided the cheapest and the most convenient way to travel there was by train. The train allowed Daddy to work all day on Friday because the train did not leave Rochester until 11:00 p.m. It arrived in Chicago at 9:15 a.m. where Oma and Opa met us and picked us up. From the train staition, we traveled to an amazing bakery--The Swedish Bakery in Chicago. Mommy, Daddy, Oma and Opa got lots of yummy looking things to eat. I of course am still too young to eat any. But, Mommy and Daddy liked this place sooo much, I'm pretty sure they will go back some time when I'm a little older.

When we were finished visiting the bakery and the other Swedish stores around the area, we headed west to visit Aunt Helen in Downers Grove (near Wheaton--Mommy's college). We spent a lot of time with Aunt Helen over the next two days. We even had Chicago style pizza--Mommy's favorite (I just watched everyone else eat the pizza).

It was a great and quick trip--we were in Chicago for approximately 36 hours before we were on the train again heading back to Rochester. Mommy and Daddy were very proud at how well I did on the train--I pretty much slept most of the time so it was easy to be good!

The traveling wasn't over as the following weekend we headed east to visit Mimi and PaPa for PaPa's 89th birthday. PaPa makes 89 look very young! I had a great time visiting. We walked down to look at the lake a few times and I had fun crawling around on the grass while Mommy and Daddy were digging a flower bed for Mimi. Of course the birthday celebration was wonderful too!

Well, I've gone on longer than I planned to. I should briefly mention a few new things I'm doing. My spoken vocabulary is growing--I'm now saying mamamamamama, dadadadadadada and babababababa. Sometimes I even mix them up--mamababababa. I'm into everything--I really love to explore. The other day, I figured out how to open up the wood burning stove. Mommy and Daddy were thankful that the stove was not on yet for the season. I can now wave hello and good-bye and can do a pretty good high five as well. I also enjoy riding on the vacuum cleaner when Mommy vacuums--and she vacuums a lot!!

The biggest change since my last entry is that I now have teeth! Two bottom teeth that came in last weekend while I was visiting Mimi and Papa! I'm very glad to have those teeth come in--they were a real pain!

Well, enjoy the pictures--no teeth picture yet. Mommy and Daddy have a tough time getting me to show my teeth, so that will have to come later.

Love to all!

Jamee

Mommy, Daddy, Aunt Helen (90 years young) and me.

Che Che and me at Che Che's work. In February, Che Che and uncle Mike will be having my new little cousin! I can't wait!

On the train!

Mommy and me at Wheaton.

Happy birthday PaPa!

On the Move

Hi Everyone,

A lot has happened in the last month! The biggest of which is that I figured out how to move around. At first I found that I could get from point A to point B by sliding around on my hind end. It was slow going, but it worked. Then I learned how to get on all fours and rock back and forth. That was fun, but did not get me anywhere. I noticed all the big people watching me with anticipation, but until Thursday evening I didn't quite know why.

Thursday night I pushed my hand forward and . . . I moved! It was really cool. The next day I got brave and took three crawls. By Saturday, I was really on the move--watch out Mommy and Daddy! The one down side is that now my knees are a bit rug burned--oh well. The video below is taken on Saturday (my first full day on the move). I wasn't quite listening to Mommy, but I think she was still very proud of me. I should also point out the way cool saucer in the background. I love spending time in the saucer. Now that I'm mobile, I think Mommy and Daddy really like the saucer too. Aunt Susanne found it for me at a garage sale. My mommy and Aunt Susanne love garage sales! Anyway, enjoy the video. Be sure too to check out the misc. photos below the video.

Crawling in my pajama's is a bit more challenging--my feet come out of the legs of the pjs and I get tripped up.

Cousins Sarah and Timmy were here with my Aunt Lucy a week and a half ago. They helped me learn to get in the position to crawl. However, it still took me a few more days to actually get it right. I appreciated Timmy and Sarah's help though!

Aunt Lucy and Uncle Mike, Timmy and Sarah brought me this awesome kitchenette. I LOOOVE IT! It helps me learn my numbers, my colors, my directions (up down, on off, open closed) and it sings to me too. There's even a library on the back of the kitchenette that Daddy likes. Thanks Guidos!! I wish you were here closer to play with me more often!

Mimi visited while Timmy and Sarah were here. She was visiting a dear friend who was very very sick. We were glad that Mimi came because we gave her a surprise 70th Birthday party. Timmy, Sarah and I posed for and decorated the photo. I think that Mimi really liked her special birthday gift. Happy Birthday Mimi!!!!!!!!

Mimi's dear friend, Mrs. Derby, went home to be with the Lord a week ago. She was 86 years old and lived a very full and happy life. I am so glad I got to know Mrs. Derby. Daddy and Mommy took me to visit her many times these past several weeks. She was a special lady.

Here is Mimi, me at 5 1/2 weeks old and our good friend Mrs. Derby at the dinner table.

I have a swing in my back yard, however, this swing is at Mimi and Papa's--on their front porch. It is sooooo much fun to swing! Weeeeeeeeeee! Thanks PaPa for putting up the swing!!!

I really enjoy bath time. Mommy's friend Mary Lou gave me these cool bathtub toys and now I love bath time even more!

Well,I'm still learning and growing. I'll keep you posted!

Love,

Jamee

Jamee Goes to the Beach

Hello everyone!

I just returned from the Atlantic Ocean. My first visit! Wow is it BIG and POWERFUL! It's also pretty FUN! Mommy, daddy and I left July 11, had a very nice visit with my Great Great Aunt Florence and then arrived July 12 at Kure Beach NC where we eventually met up with Oma, Opa, Aunt Nancy, Uncle Mike, Caleb, Aunt Susanne, Uncle Paul, Arin, Sydney, Obi and Eli and my "pretend" aunts and uncles and cousins--Aunt Pat, Andrea, Joanna, Don, Julia and Erica. There were 20 of us all together in an amazing beach house. We had beautiful weather--sun and mid to upper 80's and had such a wonderful time together. This was my first time to meet my pretend family--they are pretty terrific. They all helped mommy and daddy take care of me during the week. I'm posting a few of the pictures that mommy and daddy took so you can see some of the fun we had.

This is my Great Great Aunt Florence and me! She is a very sweet lady. I also met her daughter Ann Marie.

Mommy and daddy thought we all needed a break from the 13 1/2 hour drive, so we stopped for a picnic lunch on the second day of travel at Petersburg Battlefield just south of Richmond, VA. We checked out the cannons while we were there.

This is where I hung out at the beach. It provided protection from the sun but let me watch everyone swimming in the ocean.


We had a scavenger hunt and our treasure was these matching shirts with our names on the back. Apparently they did not have a size small enough for me in the lime green color so my shirt is a darker green. They are nice shirts!

My first time in the ocean. I wasn't sure what to think of the water and the sand. Daddy helped me be a little braver than I might have been otherwise.

I got a little braver as the week went on and actually got wet up to my arm pits.

I loved playing with my bucket and shovel.

On our last evening, daddy, mommy and I took a stroll to the pier for one last time.