FIRST STEPS!

Our little man has started to get a handle on walking! I knew it was right around the corner, but I still can't believe it. The other night, as Ellis and I were getting Will ready for bedtime, Will let go of an ottoman he was holding on to and took a step forward. Ellis gasped and I shrieked, so Will immediately plunked down on his bottom (and grinned and giggled at us).

But tonight, as soon as Ellis and I got home, we took turns getting Will to walk to each of us. He did it assisted (holding on to a finger or two), but really had a handle on the "mechanics" of walking. The boy LOVED it. Just laughed and giggled like it was the best thing.

Then, a little while later, after dinner, I set Will down on the kitchen floor on his two feet. He stayed standing and then took a couple steps to me until plopping back down on the floor. Of course, I shriekd hysterically and gave him a gigantic hug and kiss.

Y'all, I seriously cannot believe how much Will has changed in just the last week. He is not a little baby anymore, but growing into a little boy. He really interacts with you, which has become tons of fun for Ellis and I. Some favorite new games? Hide n' seek, chase (he chases you or the other way around), throwing the ball back and forth, playing peek-a-boo, and knocking over a pile of blocks after you stack them in a tower. Will just absorbs everything around him, and then shocks us with something new almost every day. (Like today, when he picked up the cat's toy (after seeing me use it once to entertain Mitzi) and immediately using it the way you are supposed to, watching for the cat's reaction. (See video below))

I just love him so much. I could just smother him in kisses and hugs nowadays.

A Boy and his Cat

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The Ritual

Ellis started doing this from the time Will started sleeping by himself in the nursery - he used to do it to "make sure Will was still breathing" when Will had slept for more than 3 hours straight and we hadn't heard a peep from him. I started getting in the habit a couple months ago and now we both do this every night before we go to bed. No longer worried of whether Will is breathing or not - we just do it because it is so peaceful and terribly cute to see right before we go to bed - kind of our way to say "good night" to him one last time ...


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Welcome Baby Cate

Cate was born yesterday at 6:05 pm weighing 7 lbs 2 oz. Click here to see pictures of the beautiful new baby girl! Hats off to Jennifer for delivering Cate without an epidural or any other drugs! Way to go Jennifer!!!

Saturday at the Zoo

This weekend, Ellis went on a fishing trip with the guys, so I was a single-parent for almost 4 days. Will and I both survived! Whew! On Saturday, Grandma and Grandpa went with us to buy a new car seat and then off to the zoo. Of course, Grandpa got some great pix of Will that I must share!

(P.S. Thanks so much to everyone who commented or sent me emails about car seats. We have decided on the Britax Decathalon - fits our cars better, has great safety ratings, and Will seems to like it better too. Given the overwhelming support for Britax over Evenflo, we opted to shell out the cash for the Britax. )

10 Months

Last Saturday, our little baby turned 10 months old. The biggest change over the past month has been Will's interaction and communication with the world around him. He has learned to wave bye bye, and although he is not talking yet, you can tell that he is trying to say words back to you. He is fascinated if you copy the sounds he makes. He looks where you point (like at the animals at the zoo) and likes to point at things himself for you to see. The other day, he played peek-a-boo for Ellis and me - he would cover his face with the burp cloth while we said "Where's Will?" and then giggle when he moved it and we said "There he is!"

Will continues to be a very active baby. He just is so curious about everything and does not want to miss anything. He almost never sleeps at day care and will sleep at home for about 30-45 minutes in the morning and another half hour in the afternoon. But he does sleep through the night beautifully, so I'm not complaining too much. Still not walking yet (thank goodness) - he is perfectly content to pull himself up to grab whatever is in reach on a table and then crawl at lightning speed to the next place.

He also has a wonderful belly laugh now, which just makes my heart melt. Just when he is wearing me down or I've had a bad day, he will cackle at something he finds hysterical, and it puts me in a wonderful mood. Its amazing how the little things will be so funny to him.

And he loves to dance. Put on some music with a beat to it, and he will rock back and forth to the beat or, if he is standing, bend his knees in time with music. It makes me smile so big when I see him do that.

Keeping up with this active baby can be tiring, but WOW is it SO worth it! :)

Trick-or-Treating

First, Will had a little nap on Daddy's chest after a long, active day at school ...

Then, he was up and ready to go! Will really loved playing dress-up - didn't mind any part of his costume at all.

"Whoa, Mom & Dad - this wagon moves fast!"

Will had a blast crusing the neighborhood and watching all the kids and grown-ups walking around. Eventually, he discovered there were a couple things in his pumpkin ....

....And proceeded to gnaw on the candy wrappers. Even though he didn't eat any candy this year, I think he was perfectly content with playing with the candy in the wrappers!