10 things you should know about me

1. The dot. Let's get this out of the way up front. That red spot between my eyes? It's not a bruise or a boo-boo, though I have plenty of those, too. It's a birthmark. Or technically an haemangioma. Anyway, it showed up a month or so after I did and is supposedly going to go away. I don't care because I think it's cool. It helps dad spot me quicker at daycare. Mom and dad always threaten they're going to tell the next person who asks that they put a ciggarette out on my forehead, but they never do.

2. My dog. Seeger is really nice to me, which is astounding when you consider that I showed up and ousted him from MFLO (most favored little one) status. I like feeding from my high chair. It makes me laugh a lot. He's handsome and cute. Mom always says it's hard to be both. Dad usually rolls his eyes.

3. What I do for a living. Granted, I'm only 13 months old, but I'm pretty busy. During the week while mom and dad are at work, I go to St. James Child Development Center where I entertain a lot of ladies and play with my friends. I also eat and drink and take a couple naps. St. James rocks. All the ladies who take care of me there are SO cool. And I think they secretly like me best.

On Wednesdays it's stay-at-home day. Mom tries to get work done, so I usually play with one of my grandmas (I've got two, and one grandpa.) And Saturdays and Sundays are other stay at home days. But we usually go on adventures. (Note: At 13 months, just about everything is an adventure so don't be too impressed.)

4. My friends. I have a lot of friends. Pretty much anyone who likes to pick up the wood chips at the playground and put 'em somewhere is my friend. I also have a friend named Eli who is six months older than me and has a really big dog named Brisco. Then there's all the kids at St. James who are my friends. We used to call them Oliver L's Army (like the Elvis Costello song) but Oliver L. switched to another daycare. I also have lots of cool cousins and aunts and uncles (both psuedo and actual) but more about them another time.

5. My music. I have my own playlist on the family iPod, but obviously I didn't pick the songs myself. It's got some fun stuff on it, though. I like to dance and I've recently been working on this new move where I spin around. I'ts pretty cool. I also like School House Rock (old school) and They Might Be Giants on DVD.

6. Streaking. I started streaking solely to entertain my parents. But now I've come to enjoy it quite a bit. My best streaking opportunity is immediately before my bath which happens every evening between 7:30 and 8. (If a nightly bath sounds excessive, keep in mind three things: I'm low to the ground, I like to play in the dirt and I like to rub food in my hair.) As soon as I'm stripped down to my nudies, I take off full tilt and run around the house. It inevitably gets a laugh and is really a good time.

7. Places I've been. Monterey/Carmel, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, El Paso, Spain, Germany and a triumphant tour across Michigan. Not bad for 13 months!

8. What I can do. I was walking at 10 months and I can eat an astonishing amount (see No. 9) when I'm in the mood. They say I don't "talk" but I say I talk quite a bit. They just don't understand me. I have a devastating smile and I'm not afraid to use it.

9. Food. I'm willing to bet my college savings that I can down a scrambled egg faster than you can. I also consume peas in remarkable quantities. I dig sweet potatoes, blueberries, pears, apples, green beans, corn and any kind of meat, poultry, fish or soy product. I used to like strawberries and avocado but I'm giving them a rest just now. Anything in the cracker family is alright by me.

10. Mom and dad. Dad is the bigger and smellier of the two, but he's really fun and likes to turn me upside-down. Mom smells better and is a good person to hang out with when I'm upset or unsure about something. She's kind of obsessed about things like putting lotion on me and buying me footwear. Dad is more in charge of toughening me up, I think. My favorite thing is when we all play together.