Pre-walker no more

It was more than a week ago that Evan took a first step, but I can now officially say that he is walking! Tonight he started walking from one item to another independently-- in other words, he wasn't just walking to me because I was enticing him with a toy (which, coincidentally is the same trick we use with Bullit). It was so exciting to watch him, not only to reach such a big milestone, but to see the look on his face when it all clicked. He was so excited. He just kept doing it again and again, each time a little more brave. 3 steps, nose dive. 4 steps, nose dive. 6 steps, wobble, nose dive. Didn't seem to faze him though. And since this all took place on the part of our house that is carpeted, I wasn't too worried either.

Stay tuned for pics and/or video... don't have any record of it just yet.

The Sandman...

...is Evan's new nickname after this past weekend. We went for a quick trip to Hilton Head and while we were there, visited the beach. The last time we took Evan to the beach, he was just a spectator. This time, he was knee deep in action--literally. He loved playing in and eating the sand. I was convinced that sand must fulfill some kind of mineral deficiency because we could not keep Evan from shoving handfulls in his mouth!

The Grandparents Terreri were once again wonderful babysitters and let Jason & I enjoy ourselves child-free for most of the afternoon and evening. That was nice! We told them we would be visiting often... for Evan of course! ;)

And, we all enjoyed watching Evan on the verge of walking-- he's already taken a few first steps! We'll have a walker soon!













Jason digs Evan a hole. We weren't sure who was having more fun in the sand...






Evan... in the hole!

























At the Tiki Hut, spending a kid-free afternoon with our friend Brian. Jason has known Brian for 11 years... never a dull moment when he's around!








After a long weekend of sun, sand and over-indulgences, Evan takes a breather on the hammock. Not shown in the picture is Grandma Terreri swinging the hammock for him--what a life!

Training continues

Jason & Evan's Ironman training is going well. Here they are, hard at work; Jason on the bike trainer and Evan jumping in his Jumperoo. They are watching Finding Nemo for motivation: "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming..."

Baby shoes

Like almost everything else these days, the choices for infant/toddler shoes ("pre-walkers" as they're called) are endless. It's not just the color and style of shoes, but the whole science behind choosing pre-walker shoes. Soles must be flexible, heels must be rigid; make sure there's a thumb-width between the big toe and edge of the shoe; not too tight or high around the ankles. And then there's the theory that early walkers should be left to go barefoot so that feet can develop properly. Of course, when Jason & I were growing up, we were laced up in ankle-high, hard-soled leather booties.

After a visit to Stride-Rite-- are you kidding me they sell infant sandals (not even a full shoe!) for $42??-- Evan and I wound up at Old Navy and found a pair of cute, flexible (and cheap) sneakers. So much work for such little feet! And for the record, no, he is not yet walking. I'm guessing we have a week or so before the first official steps.

Below are more pictures to keep you amused.

Word of the day

Evan's newest words are "guh" and "da." Until now it was only ma-ma-ma and ba-ba-ba. I would like to say the "ma" came first because he was saying mama, but then I have no idea where the "ba" came from because he doesn't really take a bottle.

Anway, this may be small change to you, but Jason and I are very excited because he's finally saying dada! Now maybe he'll call out "dada" when he's yelling to get out of his crib. One can only hope!

Happy Easter!

Banana pancakes, Easter egg hunt and a wonderful dinner with friends sums up our first family Easter. Pancakes were a hit; Easter egg hunt was fun, although I think Bullit was confused; and dinner was incredible-- thanks to our friends the Bergers for cooking up a 5-star meal that included Beef Wellington and great "bargain" white wine!

Friends are good for hugs

Little Bella invited Evan to her house for an Easter party in her neighborhood. Despite falling asleep at the Easter party, Evan had a great time playing with Bella. He showed off his crawling skills by chasing her around the house; he spent time playing with his favorite toy-- Bella's doll house; and he loved it when sneaky Bella gave him bites of her food when no one was watching.

Picture for posterity

Too cute not to post. I'm sure Evan will love his mommy later for posting this shot.

Training Partners: Ironman, Part Deux

Today marks the first day of "Ironman, Part Deux" training for Jason. Jason will again race the Ironman, this time in Panama City, FL on November 3. This time around, he has a training partner! Thanks to our nifty convertable jogging stroller, Jason can run and bike with Evan in tow. Evan has already spent plenty of time in the jogger when we trained for half & full marathon. It became our routine to take Evan out on a Sunday 10-mile run.

As for the race in November, Evan & I would love to have some company waiting for Jason at the finish line!

Balloons are funny

Just ask Evan--balloons are hilarious! He was introduced to a balloon yesterday and Jason & I have never seen him laugh so hard or for so long. He liked it so much, our friends let us take the balloon home. Cheap entertainment!

Brotherly wisdom

Bullit has taken on an active role in teaching Evan his best tricks (yes, Bullit does know some tricks). Below, he shows Evan the most efficient way to carry his toys. Thankfully, Evan does not [yet] follow Bullit's lead in carrying his toys out the dog door. All in good time...

Jason & Cara live here too

He gets it!

It's an amazing thing (for all parents, I'm sure) when you realize that what you've been trying to teach your child actually sinks in. Two days ago, I showed Evan (for the 1ooth time) how to clap his hands, and this time instead of looking at me with bewilderment, he actually did it! It was so cool! He continued to do it over and over again that day and ever since. Add to that, he showed me yesterday that he understood me when I asked him to give me one of his toys. He reached over and placed it in my hand. Again, so cool! And although not consistent, he can also wave bye-bye.

If only he understood me when I say, "please get your clothes and do a load of laundry..."

Swing, swing

Recently, Evan rekindled his love for the swing. Unfortunately, this swing doesn't fit in our living room, but it does still put Evan to sleep. After 20 minutes at the park, he is more than ready for an afternoon nap!

Ta-da!

Great Grandparents Visit

Last weekend, Evan's great grandparents stopped in for a visit. Jason grilled an amazing lunch for us and we enjoyed the sunny but chilly weather.

What child labor laws?

9 month stats

No picture. Just a quick note to say that at 9 months, Evan is 23 lbs and 31 inches. Growing like a weed!

Stuck!

Clever though he is, Evan hasn't yet figured everything out. This morning while I was working at the computer, he started whimpering like he was hurt or stuck. When I turned around, this is what I found. He somehow climbed into his toy bin and realized he couldn't get out. I of course responded immediately by grabbing the camera... then I helped him out.

Visit with Grandparents Terreri

Here are the pics I promised in the post below. We had a wonderful visit with Grandpa & Grandma Terreri and Evan really enjoyed their company (and showing off for the camera).