We went to Kansas City for Easter to visit all of Erica's family. There were only 2 of Erica's cousins that we didn't see. We went to the zoo and Autumn showed the lions how to growl, she also showed the crocodiles and rino and zebras and birds and ...well you get the picture. Autumn will be the only child in preschool who says that a cow goes ROAR rather than MOO! She had fun hunting for eggs and playing with all her cousins. 
Favorite Aunt Jane let me help feed the birds.
Autumn is being trained to scratch backs. She is also learning the art of massage but at this point only manages the beating on muscles bit.
Well, with all the studying and thinking and observing and experimenting that Autumn does we were starting to think that we had a future Nobel Prize for Science winner on our hands but now maybe we might have an astronaut (they'd better fix the problems with the shuttles before she goes up into space!)
Autumn likes to help with any task. See, she helped get Isaac ready to leave. She started by trying to climb in the seat but she didn't fit. Then she gave lots of kisses before they left.
Autumn's cousin Isaac came to visit and she took him to her new favorite place, the Children's musuem. He got to play in the pond and she ran around the prarie and woodlands. There is a room called the Habitot designed specifically for kids up to 48 months: http://www.mcm.org/habitot.shtml. Here are some pictures
After her 15 month check where we talked about her not eating really and refusing to use a cup rather than the bottle, she used the cup that night at supper. Then she wanted it with her when she went to get her PJs on. And this morning she refused to use it at all. What a stubborn little stinker she is!
She played the piano with daddy for a while, our keyboard has buttons that change the 'voice'. Kurt changed it on her a couple of times and now she is almost as fascinated with pushing those buttons as she is with pounding on the keys.
Autumn found her jacket on the floor the other day and tried to put it on. She actually managed to get both arms in the sleeves, though it was upside down. Then she spent probably 15 minutes trying to figure out how to close the front. She really is a thinker this one. Then she wore the jacket around the house the rest of the morning (till nap time).
For Autumn's birthday I had bought some ball pit balls and put them in her little one ring inflatable pool from this summer. She didn't really play much with them. We recently saw a picture in a parenting magazine of a little boy in a laundry basket filled with the balls. So we tried it, what a hit! See for yourself.
Getting burried in them was the best. She scooted way down and then pulled the balls over her head. Then you could hear lots of growling and giggling. It was hours of entertainment. We created many games, we sang row row row your boat and tipped the basket from side to side. When she wanted it to go again she'd sway from side to side herself. We played baby in the washer and shook the basket really fast and 'agitated' the balls and that was her favorite, huge grins!
