Face Time

OK, now it's just time for some shameless face time. Go on, drink it in!

My College!

On our way through Kansas, Mommy, Daddy, and I stopped by--get this--Bethany College! Pretty cool that I already have a college named for me!

SCHNEIDERS!!!

Here is a family photo of all of Mommy's immediate family. You can see my Uncle Adam, Uncle Isaac, Uncle Jacob, Daddy, Uncle Daniel, Grandpa Bob, Auntie Jessica, Cousin McKenna, Grandma Kathy, Uncle Benjamin, Mommy, and me!

More Great Grandparents

Now, I have met all my great Grandparents--finally! The picture with "just the girls" is four generations of Gerstenkorn-Schneider-Pittmans. That's me, Mommy, Grandma Kathy, and Great Grandma Maggie. Aren't we pretty?!?

Now we, didn't get a picture with Great Granpa Jerry, but here is a picture with Great Grandpa Paul. He thought I was pretty special, and we had a nice visit. He told me and Daddy a story about when he went to a "quick draw" competition and shot two guys from Colorado and one from Kansas with rubber bullets and won a trophy that they later stole from him before he could bring it home! All that happened when he was delivering a bull that he had sold. Grandpa Bob said that wasn't the only bull in the story. I don't know, I seem to recall him only mentioning one bull. Maybe Grandpa Bob knows something I don't.

Cousin McKenna

I also met someone a little close to my age on my trip to Kansas. Her name is McKenna, and we are cousins. Her mommy is my mommy's brother's wife. My mommy calls her "Jess". Here's a picture of us being held by our respective Mommies. I'm still the one in white, Makenna is the one in pink, and her mommy is the one in blue, mine is in red.

Baptism

So, when we were all in Kansas, I got "baptized". Basically, I think it's just a fancy word for getting a bath with your clothes on. I'm not too sure on what went on, and haven't exactly figured out how to ask yet. These are pictures from that, though. The dress I'm wearing was made by my Grandmas. They put it together from the same material that Mommy made her wedding dress from. I thought that was neat!

Aunties Liz and Jen

I also met Daddy's two sisters in Kansas. Their names are Jen and Liz. They don't live in Kansas, but they made the trip just to see me!

They were my Godmommies at my baptism. I'm the little one in white in this picture!

Uncle Daniel and Uncle Jacob

I also met my Uncles Jacob and Daniel in Kansas. I thought I was seeing double at first, but it turns out they are twins. I was told they were big tough guys, but I'm not buying it. They didn't seem so tough to me. We got to see them graduate from high school on our trip. We're so proud!

Uncle Isaac

I also had a chance to meet my Uncle Isaac. He
lives in Montana, which I understand is a minivan. I am also told that he is a bouncer there. I don't know, he didn't bounce very much when he held me. Maybe they do things differently up there. Mommy told me that Uncle Isaac also likes girls--a whole lot. That's probably why we got along so well!

Uncle Ben

I also met my Uncle Benjamin in Kansas. He seemed to be pretty interested in me. He asked if I can do thing like throw and talk yet, and even though I can't, he didn't rub it in. Nice guy!

He also took me to show-and-tell in his second grade class. It was pretty neat, the kids in his class asked a lot of questions, and Mommy and Daddy answered them for me. In the picture, I'm the one just right of center in a tan and black baby carrier. You should be able to pick me out.

Grandma and Grandpa in Kansas

These are pictures of me meeting my Grandma Kathy and Grandpa Bob. They are my mommy's mommy and daddy.

We met at my Uncle Daniel's track meet in Marion, Kansas. Good luck finding that on a map! He was throwing things around, but I was the only 8-pound object attracting any attention that day. I'm just glad he didn't toss me!

What I've been up to lately

The big people that I live with have been busy lately and haven't let me use the computer. Here's what I've been up to...

Getting chubby.

I've gone from 4 pounds 15 ounces (down to 4.10) to 8 pounds 4 ounces! I guess I just like what they're serving me around here!

I am trying to add Sumo to my mixed martial arts repertoire.












Here I am blissfully snuggled up with Daddy after my bath.

So fresh and so clean-clean!












I'm not too sure what this one was. They dressed me in this get up, and it was pretty darn comfy. I've gotta say I rather liked it.

It's just so nice to actually fit into some clothes now!








This picture is of me and Daddy jamming. He played guitar and sang lead vocals. I laid down the hook with my backup vocals. We were pretty good for never having practiced before.

Maybe we can get Mommy to play the drums or something and get this show on the road! Maybe we can have a big family band and cruise around is a groovy, painted bus--touring the country and speading a message of peace, love and joy wherever we go! I don't think that's ever been done before, so we'd pretty much have the market cornered.

On second thought, maybe not.

One big familly

On the most joyous feastday of Cinco de Mayo, those two Big People were at it again! They plopped me into my chair, stuck me in the back of that red, vibratey thing they brought me home from the hospital in, and a few hours later I found myself in strange new surroundings once again!

This time, it was strange, but vaguely familiar, almost like I had been there before. The other big people I met there were very interesting! I got to meet my Great Grandma, who you see me pictured with above. It was explained to me later that she is my daddy's Grandma, which also means she is my Grandma's mommy. Yeah, it took me a while to wrap my brain around that. I'm usually pretty quick, but I've just got a lot going on up there these days.

Now, when it comes to big people, there are big people as compared to me, and then there are big people as compared to other big people. My Great Grandpa is one of the latter. Now, I am a mere 20 1/4 inches tall. Great Grandpa is 77 1/2 inches. If you can't imagine that, there was one point where he walked past as I lay on the floor, and his foot spanned the length of my curled-up body! That's like a Buick driving past any of you big people who might be reading this. In any case, I'm just grateful that we were both sitting down when he held me--I don't know if I'm ready to be that far from the ground!

I also got to meet my Daddy's aunts Jen (they called her "Binky', but from the get-go, I wasn't fooled), Marion, Charlotte, Valerie, Paula, and Harriet (who I had actually met before). I also met one of my Daddy's uncles Gerard, and Gerards little people Cameron and Paige. Cameron made me realize I've got a lot of growing to do in the next 8 months! Paige helped my mommy a lot when she changed my diaper, and she asked a lot of questions when it was my lunch time!

Those Great Big People I met on Saturday sure were neat! They laughed a lot and seemed to be very nice. I can hardly wait to see them all again.

Also on this trip, I'm proud to say, I crossed the borders of my second and third states, and had my diaper changed in both! I plan on doing that in many more states, especially in the next few months! I hear Mommy and Daddy talking about "Kansas" and "Colorado" and "Michigan" and "Indiana" and a little bit about "Pennsylvania", "Ohio", and "Missouri". I can't wait to poo there, too!

~;^@

It's my birfday!

Well, it's May 1st. As you know, faithful reader, I was born on April 1st. That makes me one month old today. The time has gone by fast, but mostly because I've been learning so much! I'm starting to get used to the Big People, as weird as they are. They seem to be good folk.

This picture is one of me and the non-milk giver sharing a moment of quiet contemplation over where the time has gone. I twirled my hair, deep in thought, until I faded into a restful slumber.

That lasted 8 minutes before I woke up covered in poo and hungry beyond belief.

And so life goes on for me, Bethany Rose.

~;^@

Take the binky from my hand, Grasshopper...

Ahhh, my yellow friends. We meet again, as we have so many times before. I bow to your skill, honorable adversaries! The strength of your neck and the fury of my fists shall once again be put to the test!

Here in this duck-covered arena we shall meet in fisticuffs!

Let us begin!





Alas, the tempest has passed, and unleashed its fury justly on you, my fuzzy yellow friends!
The whirlwind of my combined marshal arts, you could not withstand!

My offense is unstoppable, my defense impregnable, and my focus unwavering! It is thus that you have been bested, most worthy adversaries!





I salute your honor in defeat, long-necked combatants! I deem you still most worthy, still, and I know that we will meet again in friendship.

Peace.
~;^@

WARNING: NOT FOOD!

I know I have amassed a loyal fan base out there. Now, I have acquired some new knowlege that I must impart to you all. It is essential that you devote your total attention to this post! Put down your binkies, and softies, and woobies. Leave your blankies, and ba-bas, and fuzzies and PAY ATTENTION!!!

There have been occassions in my young life in which I have expressed hunger to my Big People. It is typically expected that the long-haired Big Person picks me up and, well, I pretty much tune out after that, but all I know is the rumblies in my tumbly go away.

In any case, that other Big Person quells no such rumblies! In fact, when I express my desire for num-nums to him in the usualy way, he will put me up to the middle of his face and my famished mouth finds its way around what I can only describe as a "face binky". I don't know exactly what one would call it, but it pushes out wind (sometimes emitting a whistling sound), and occassionally crinkles up or wiggles when I come into contact with it.

I will continue to investigate what exactly is going on here, but I must urgently inform you all, beloved readers, that this "face binky" IS NOT and DOES NOT PROVIDE FOOD in any way. If any of you has any insight into this anomoly, please inform me so I can put this "X-File" to rest.

~;^@