December Letter

Dear Family & Friends,

Happy Holidays! How are you? Did you have a wonderful Christmas? I sure did!

Santa was really good to me. He brought me a new car that I can ride in!!! Wow! You should've seen my face on Christmas morning! I also was spoiled by all my wonderful grandparents and by my family. I think I am really going to like this whole Christmas thing!

We had lots of fun parties during the month as well. One at Aunt Melissa's house and then a big Christmas Eve party at Aunt Cindy's house. They were both so fun!

I did have one downer this month. I had to have surgery. I had to have tubes put in my ears and my adnoids removed. But the good thing is that the surgery went really well and now hopefully I won't get as many ear infections.

I continue to me my own man. I am very stubborn and like to do things my way and on my own terms. I have really got the hang of saying "No" when I don't want something and am starting to talk more and more clearly.

My favorite time of the day is when I hear the door from the garage open which means that daddy is home from work. It doesn't matter where I am in the house or how much noise there is, when dad gets home, I hear him and run to him to cuddle for as long as I possibly can. I love my daddy!

I hope that you all are well and that you are healthy and happy and looking forward to the new year. I have a lot of big things planned for 2010 including potty training!! Yeah!

Love Kyle Patrick Barnhisel

November Letter

Dear Family & Friends,

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. I sure did. We spent Thanksgiving at Grandpa Clark and Grandma Chris' house. It was super fun. I got to eat lots of veges ... broccoli is my favorite. I also was really liking the stuffing and the mashed potatoes as well.

And I got to spend lots of extra time with my family which is always great!

We also got to set up all the Christmas decorations! Yeah! Mommy said that when Eric was my age they had to gate off the family room to keep Eric away from the tree and it's breakable ornaments. She put the gate up along with the tree for me too but has since found that I am not the least bit interested in the tree or its ornaments so she has taken down the gate and I am free to roam (at least for now).

I can tell already that I am going to love Christmas. I am not usually too into movies but I love Christmas movies like Rudoloph and Frosty the Snowman. I just sit mesmerized by those movies with a smile on my face!

I love to dance and jump around. Mommy, Eric and I do a lot of dancing in the kitchen. Maybe when I am a little bigger, Eric will teach me his fancy break-dancing moves!

I hope that you are all doing well. I wish we could all be together for Christmas but know that our family is thinking about you all and hoping that you have a wonderful holiday season.

Love Kyle Patrick Barnhisel

October Letter

Dear Family & Friends,

How are you? I am doing well. I am learning many new things and becoming very independent. I am learning new words everyday and am very good at listening and doing what I am asked. I clear my own dishes, take things upstairs to the laundry when mom asks, put my shoes and coat away or get them out when asked. And when it's time for bed, all mom has to do is tell me to go and get my blankie and off to bed I go. I am such a good boy. I also got 2 big back teeth this month and have more coming in.

I am very big on doing things for myself. I won't let mom feed me anymore. I throw a fit if she doesn't hand me my spoon or fork right away, how dare she even consider trying to feed me.

Needless to say I end up like this more often then not but at least I am happy and am learning a new skill.

I was a dinosaur for Halloween this year.

We did lots of fun Halloween activities this month. I was pretty much all business at all of them, I was just there for the candy. :)

We had a family Halloween party which was pretty interesting to me. I pretty much just sat and people watched the whole time. There are some really strange characters in this family. :)

I hope that you are all healthy and happy. I miss you and hope that I get to see you soon.

Love Kyle Patrick Barnhisel

September Letter

Dear Family & Friends,

Hello there! How are you? I am doing really great and growing up too fast.

We spent a couple weekends up at the cabin this month which was great. If I had it my way, I would spend the entire weekend outside playing. I love being up there!

I learned how to say the word "Noooo" this month. And it was all thanks to Aunt Cindy's yummy chocolate cake which I was determined to eat ALL BY MYSELF!!

I am now officially a monkey. I like to climb up and get into things. My brothers are having to learn to put away stuff they don't want me getting into. I also like to climb up to the kitchen table and eat standing on a chair like a big boy. I am sure that the high chair won't be around too much longer. I also think that I am grown up enough to walk down the stairs like everyone else and so I end up falling down a lot but I am determined to do it like a big boy and get up and immediately try again. I am very strong willed and determined. What a surprise huh? :)

Mom had to break me of my bottle and my binky. She decided that once dad left for the hunt she would endure the crying and just get me off them. The first day without my bottle was hard but I am now so grown up that I don't use a bottle anymore and have graduated to the sippy cup. Once that was gone my binkies disappeared too and so now I am done with both.

I hope that you are all happy and healthy. I hope to see you all soon!

Love Kyle Patrick Barnhisel

August Letter

Dear Family & Friends,

Hello everyone! How are you? I am doing well but I have to admit that it's been a rough month for me. Mommy & daddy don't need a calendar to tell when the weekend is here, they just know that when I get sick AGAIN that it must be the weekend. First I came down with a ear infection at the cabin one weekend. Then the next weekend I broke out in hives from the amoxicillin I was taking for my ear infection. So now I am officially allergic to penicillian. Those were pretty horrible as you can see!

But I have a good doctor and they quickly got those cleared up. Then last Friday, I started throwing up and ended up passing it along to Eric, mommy & daddy. Lovely! Well, hopefully September will be a better month healthwise for me.

Despite all that, I never slow down. I am a typical one year old. I am into EVERYTHING and mommy really has to keep an eye on me because I love to climb on things, open things, dump out things ... whatever I can to cause havoc.

I LOVE the tramp! I love to run around in circles on it but being that I am little and completely unpredictable mommy or daddy have to sit on the tramp with me and I have to be on it without my brothers because they really love to bounce me. I can often be found trying to climb the tramp ladder to get onto the tramp and standing there crying because I can't. Mommy knows it's only a matter of time before I can get up there on my own and then my time outside in the backyard will have to be even more regulated.

I LOVE going for bike rides. Mommy & daddy finally got bikes of their own and mommy's has a seat on the back of hers for me and I love it. When they take me off I cry and try to get back in it.

I LOVE reading books. Well, I love dumping out all the baskets of books. And I love being read to but I don't like anyone else to hold the book or turn the pages ... I get to do that!

I LOVE the computer. I climb up on the chair and love to push the buttons! And I get very angry when people don't move and let me take over.

And I LOVE toys. If anyone takes a toy from me OR if they have a toy that looks cool and I decide that I want it I scream and cry like someone just punched me in the gut. What a stinker I am!

But despite all the trouble that I can get into I am a wonderful baby and mommy & daddy love me. I love my dad and could cuddle into his shoulder forever!

I hope that things are going well for you all. I would love to hear from you.

Love Kyle Patrick Barnhisel

July Letter

Dear Family & Friends,

Hi! How are you? I am great! I am enjoying summer and have got to do lots of fun things this month. I wasn't big enough to do much at the 4th of July Carnival but I still had fun just walking around, taking it all in.

I have discovered the joy of swinging. I love it! My brother Eric loves to push me in my swing and I could stay in there forever ... it's super fun!

I am very cool! I have definitely found my personality and am as strong willed and active as my older brothers.

I love being at the cabin and checking out nature. But I want to do it my way without anyone telling me what to do!

And I am of course ... as cute as ever!!!

I am starting to get really good at running. I still fall down some but that's okay. My favorite game to play with my brothers is called "baby monster". That is where I am the monster and I chase them around in circles. It's so fun, I could play it forever. I also love to wrestle. If I find anyone laying down I immediately lay down on top of them and try to wrestle them. I love pulling my brothers hair as well. I am a bit of a trouble maker that way. I also love to turn off the TV or DVD player when people are watching, unroll the toilet paper, get into peoples rooms and mess up there stuff ... pretty much any kind of trouble I can find. :)

I hope that you are doing well. I would love to hear back from you!

Love Kyle Patrick Barnhisel

June Letter

Dear Family & Friends,

Hello! How are you? I am doing well. No real major milestones to report this month. I have officially entered the "clinging to mommy stage". When we go to the gym in the morning I used to just go and play in the playroom no problem but now as soon as mom puts me down I fall on my face and wail! :( I stop shortly after but I still have to put on my "don't leave me mommy" act. I also shy away from other people who try to hold me if mommy is around. And if mommy isn't picking me up when I want her to I just bury my head in her legs until she gives in and picks me up. I am pretty cute so it usually works. :)

We celebrated Father's Day this month which was great. I am lucky to have the best dad in the world. Even though I am a mommy's boy these days I still "run" to daddy as soon as he comes home and snuggle right into his shoulder. I love my daddy!

I had to endure another ear infection this month and seem to have a cold that never quite goes away. Maybe now that the warm weather has finally arrived I will be able to kick it. We have had quite a nice spring, lots of rain and not too hot. Mommy and daddy have LOVED it!

Believe it or not, we didn't make it up to the cabin at all this month ... what a bummer! It's just been busy or too rainy every weekend. We will have to make up for it the next couple of months.

I hope you are all doing well and still learning new things!

Love Kyle Patrick Barnhisel

May Letter

Dear Family & Friends,

Hello! How are you? I am great! Just as sweet and happy as ever!

This month I have learned a lot. I can walk like a pro and go both up and down the stairs all on my own. I have seven teeth and enjoy eating.

I LOVE to be outside, enjoying the fresh air and exploring.

I love the cabin.

I love being with my family.

I love splashing around in the bath and could stay in there all day. I love being on the tramp and don't even mind my brothers bouncing me a little bit although mom and dad certainly don't let them bounce me too much!

Hope you are all happy and healthy! I love you!

Love Kyle Patrick Barnhisel

April Letter

Dear Family & Friends,

Happy Spring! How are you? I am doing great! What a great month April is.

In April I got to celebrate my first Easter. I love all the candy that is around for Easter.

I also love April because it starts to warm up. I love to play outside. I can sit outside playing with my trucks forever.

And of course, April is my birthday! Yeah! Birthday's are great. I think I am going to like them. I got to eat chocolate cake which I LOVE! And I got lots of presents which are super fun. Presents and cake ... I like it!

I am so close to walking. I can stand on my own for a few seconds and am very seriously contemplating walking on my own. I walk along everything and soon I will just let go and take off. Mommy says then I will be even more of a handful. Mommy has to always put the coloring book basket up on the table when I am in the kitchen because I like to rip the books up. She has to make sure that the bathroom doors are closed because I have discovered how fun it is to unroll toilet paper. I like to dump out cups and bowls of food. I am into EVERYTHING these days. But I am so cute, no one really minds. :)

I have FOUR teeth now. I am small for my age, not quite 20 lbs yet, so I guess I do have some of my mom in me after all even though I am the spitting image of my dad. I am quite a talker ... anyone surprised? I jabber on all the time although not much makes any sense. I am going through that "cling to mommy" stage right now where if I am even a little bit sad I will cry if mommy is not in site. What can I say, I love my mommy!

That is what's going on with me. Hope you are all well.

Love Kyle Patrick Barnhisel

March Letter

Dear Family & Friends,

Happy Spring! Although it doesn't feel like it here. We have had quite a snowy end to the month. What is up with all this snow? I have discovered how great it is to be outside, crawling around on the grass and enjoying the outdoors but lately, every other day it snows! We are ready for a real spring around here!

This month we celebrated my cousin Koen's 1st birthday. We celebrated it on March 1st since he is a leap year baby and his birthday didn't offically come around this year. It was a fun party. I love the treats and playing with him and his new toys. Soon it will be my turn!

I am very much a daddy's boy. When I see my dad come in from work my legs start to kick and I smile from ear to ear and I just get so excited! I have learned to say dada and say it often!

I got my second tooth this month. But it's not where you'd expect it. I have a fang. It's my upper right fang. Weird huh?

I love to stand. Last month I had just started to stand but now it's all I want to do. I stand up and walk along everything. I am sure it won't

I am very content to sit and play. I will play in my room or the play room for hours without any trouble. I am such a easy, contented baby.

I hope to see you all soon.

Love Kyle Patrick Barnhisel

February Letter

Dear Family & Friends,

Hello there! How are you? Are you learning as many new things as I am? I hope so. I decided to do what Eric did this month and tell you some words that describe me.

I am an EATER: I love to eat! I could sit in my high chair forever and just eat. I love pineapple and bananas. I love daddies spaghetti (ground up). And of course I love chocolate. I don't get it too often but when I see it coming I get so excited I start to twitch!

I am a PLAYER: I love to play toys. I will sit in my room and play toys forever. I am a very content and easy baby. I love to play with my play table and ... don't tell Brandon ... but when he is gone to school I love to play with his dinosaurs! :)

I am a ONE TOOTH WONDER: I got my first tooth this month. And in true Kyle fashion, it didn't even bother me. I am looking forward to getting more choppers and eating more foods!

I am a CRAWLER: I also learned to crawl this month. I started out slow and am now finally starting to move around more quickly. I am an excellent army crawler but I can also crawl up on my hands and knees too. I usually do this on the hard wood floor and army crawl on the carpet.

I am a STANDER: I am starting to try to pull myself up to things. I usually just end up on my knees and not all the way standing up yet but I am close.

I am TRICKY: I often spend the time in my bed when I am supposed to be sleeping sitting up and playing. I don't fuss about it, I just play until mom lays me down again and tells me it's not play time but sleep time. :)

I hope that you are all doing well. I would love to hear from you!

Love Kyle Patrick Barnhisel

January Letter

Dear Family & Friends,

Happy New Year! How are you? I am doing great. I have learned all sorts of new things this month. Just recently I have learned to crawl. I am still very slow at it and so I am not getting around very fast (mommy is fine with that). I can army crawl a little, get up on my hands and knees and really crawl a little and supplement with rolling to get to what I need. I am sure that by the next time I write to you I will be an expert crawler and mom will have to have put up the gates and other such barriers to keep me safe.

I have sitting up mastered and I can even sit myself up on my own now. When mommy comes in my room to get me in the morning I am usually sitting up, with one leg hanging out between the crib slats, just waiting for someone to come and release me, like a little jail bird.

I love the bath. Since I can sit up on my own now I sit in the bath and scoot around and splash and have so much fun. I love it!

My Barnhisel/O'Berry strong willed jeans are already starting to show (much to mom's dismay). I love to argue with mom by shaking my head "No" at her. If mom says yes to me I smile and shake my head to disagree. And if mommy tries to give me my next bite of food when I am not ready for it, I shake my head at her. Speaking of food, if I don't like what mom is feeding me or I am done, I rip off my bib and throw it on the floor. My personality is definitely starting to show!

I love to say "Ma-ma-ma", usually in a whiney voice when I want my mommy.

I go to bed at night between 5:00 and 5:30 and sleep until about 6:00 in the morning. Then I get to watch cartoons with my brothers for a little bit since mom doesn't think there is any reason for anyone to get up that early.

Well that is about all from me. I hope you are all happy and healthy. I would love to hear from you.

Love Kyle Patrick Barnhisel