And Word #12 is...!

So as of the other day Mabel had eleven words under belt, things like Mama, Baby, Dog, etc.

Well, word #12 came and was the most important of all - Finley.

Here take a listen...

Shake That Booty

So after dinner most nights we have a dance party in our kitchen. On this night, we were channeling our inner Michael Jackson. Check out Mae... so smooth.

And in this next clip one might think I'm scratching my belly, but that would be because one has never seen an air banjo solo before.

Little Beans

Went to this coffee shop last week where they have this big playland for kids... it's called Little Beans. Couldn't get enough of the place.

They had a little playhouse with a really sweet piano to play

They had a convenience store where I ran the checkout

Poor Mae got a little ambitious, went a little too hard, too soon, and needed a breather/nap mid-morning

They had a tunnel that you could crawl through

SECOND WIND

And they had a fire truck that I basically monopolized and didn't let anyone else get in the driver's seat... and as you can see, they had legit fireman outfits, complete with clear goggles.

So I'm at the park today and these kids are playing in the playhouse and I go to walk in and this little dude says, "Sorry, can't come in here unless you can read" and slams the door in my face.

Did I get discouraged? Did I hang my head? No, sir, not this gal. Old Finley Skertich went home and got out the flash cards and the puzzle letters and had at it.

And, little man, I'll see you tomorrow at the park, and I'm gonna walk right in that front door and usher you out and change the rule to "Sorry, can't come in here unless you're cool."

What Gives?

Hey Fin, what gives? I mean, I thought this was Finleys Beginleys but the last three posts are all about Mabel… I mean, what's up with that?

Okay guy with awesome hair but interesting ribbed tank top, you've got a really good point. Mom got me some new clothes so I'm about to break it on down - here comes FINLEY'S FASHIONISTA SHOW!!!

First off, ladies and gentlemen, an average pair of blue shorts and a shirt with a bunch of designs. Okay, so I coulda started with a bang but I figured I'd kick this thing off a little more conservative - GOP style.

Next up, a tutu. This, you should know, is for my new dance class that I take. I showed so many moves around the South Loop I started getting recruited nationally. But I decided to stay close to home so I'm now dancing at the Hubbard St. Dance Studio downtown.

So you know how I made fun of big man's ribbed tank top? He sent it to me, and I paired it with my new skirt. Thanks, ribbed-shirted big man.

What, did you say there's some mud outside? Oh dear Lord, what are we gonna do? I'll tell you what I'M gonna do, I'm gonna throw on my rain boots.

And last but not least - TA DA! It's March and I'm coming in like a lion, a lion with a brand new swimmiesuit, baby!

The Many Faces of Mabel Jane

Mae is really starting to become my buddy. We can even play together for short periods of time now, though I spend most of my time on Sister Patrol. That's what mom and dad call it because it actually takes three of us to make sure Mae isn't

a) eating things you're not supposed to eat, i.e. toys, dishwasher soap, dirty diapers she gets from the trash, recycles, paper, you name it.

b) trying to climb up on something, at which time she usually falls and somehow lands on her head.

c) just making all hell break loose.

But without further ado, I'd like to bring you the many faces of Mabel Jane. Let's start with this one, where I got all mom's necklaces out and put them on Mae.

Here's Mae's winter cheeks look

A nice little smile to warm up the room

Not sure what she's doing here but my photo editor thought she looked funny here so we're posting

And finally, Mae's nose has been running more than a marathon since January, it's like her nose has run the circumference of the globe, so thank goodness she taught herself how to blow her nose.

Mae's New Friend

So we made our annual trip to the Dog Show last Sunday and it was quite the occasion. As usual, we made the rounds and saw all the dogs but with one in particular made a long-lasting friendship, or at least Mae did.

It started with a simple hello, the usual dog sniff of the hand.

Then he said he wanted to tell Mae a secret so she gave him her ear and, well, he took it.

And then he fell in love with Mae and things got out of hand.

And then, well, nothing. He went into some fake grass area and ran around in a circle. Mae said goodbye and told him we'd write.

Oh, and one more thing - has anyone seen the Summer? I'm pretty much ready for the pool.

New Pictures