To the bride and groom...

Our good friends, Becky and Martin, were married this weekend. I was a bridesmaid and Nate was very helpful carting things here and there, driving, purse-holding, etc... Walter joined us for the rehearsal, but spent the evening of the wedding with his Uncle Jess, Aunt Erin and cousins. A big thank you to them – it was nice for Nate and I to have the night off and be able to enjoy the party. 

The ceremony was beautiful (many tears were shed) and the reception was a lot of fun. Unfortunately, I don't have any photos to share today. I asked Nate to hold the camera, but never actually asked him to take photos. The poor guy had his pockets so full of things I asked him to hold, I really can't blame him. So, for now, you'll just have to take my word for it – the bride was absolutely stunning, the groom was very handsome, and they did a wonderful job of putting together a beautiful wedding. Congratulations Becky and Martin! We are so happy for you. 

Memorial Day weekend

The three-day weekend went by in a flash. We had visitors – the Barlow family brought friends for Walter and Molly to play with. We went to Bratfest, the zoo, and the park. It was Walter's first time exploring the big kids park. His buddy Aliyah, a park pro at the age of two, showed him how it was done. He had a great time swinging and took a couple trips down the slides with us. The kids were all smiles. 

And that's not all! We grilled out and played in the yard. Nate got a chance to go golfing and I got tomatoes and peppers planted in the garden. There was barely a moment of down time all weekend, but we had fun.

Of course, every time we left the house I forgot to pack the camera. There are so many other things to remember! Sippy cup – check, sunscreen – check, hat – check, etc... Oh well. Here are some shots of the kids playing at the house – the only place the camera is sure to be.

Just playin' around

Here's a quick 30 seconds of Walter and me. Please excuse the quality. It's not easy being the camera person, director, producer, and co-star...

I'm exhausted

We have a very curious boy on our hands. I have been following him around all weekend, trying to avert disaster. I've been pretty successful, for the most part. I wasn't fast enough to catch him before he dumped a glass of water in Grandma Bredel's lap. I need to stop underestimating the length of his arms.

Seriously, why buy toys?

A short list of Walter's favorite things to play with right now:

1. a wooden spoon

2. the cardboard tube from a roll of wrapping paper

3. the remote control

4. napkins, catalogs, magazines, anything paper

5. Molly

Why buy toys?

We got lazy. We left the bathroom door open. Walter snuck in and unrolled an ENTIRE roll of toilet paper. I caught him in the act but it was too late. Little stinker.

 

11 months

Communication has been big this month. Walter is talking all the time, if not with his mouth, then with his hands. He is imitating our sounds and movements. He's still only mastered one real sign - "all done." He knows some others, though, and shows excitement when we sign "milk" or "more." He waves and claps when you ask him to - well, most of the time, anyway. And he's making all kinds of new sounds. "Mamamamama" is my personal favorite. 

And you should see this kid move! He loves to be chased and caught. And he laughs like crazy when you pop around a corner and scare him. He is keeping us on our toes. I've caught him in the china cabinet, more than once, using his Great Grandma Bredel's sugar bowl like a drum. (I need to put a lock on that!)

Click here for photos from the last month. Just one more month to go before our little guy is a one-year-old! Time flies when you're having fun.

Happy Mother's Day

It's my first Mother's Day! Nate and Walter got me my very own copy of The Very Hungry Caterpillar Pop-up Book. And let me tell you, this thing is cool – the most elaborate pop-ups I've ever seen. I think I'll save reading this one to Walter until he's a little older and less likely to tear it apart. 

Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there. I hope you enjoy your day!

Climbing

Walter has a new fascination with the stairs. He's never shown much interest in climbing them before, even with Molly taunting him. (She's learned to sit just a few steps out of his reach.) I caught him three steps up today, and now climbing is all he wants to do. I take him into another room and he immediately turns around and heads for the stairs again. He's pretty quick about going up, but has no idea how to get back down. He just turns around and stares at me until I pick him up and return him to the bottom so we can start the game again. 

Giggles

I think I promised (a long time ago) to post some video of Walter laughing. Here it is:

He's high-pitched and full of squeals, but it's music to my ears.

This went on for quite some time. Finally, a use for that big exercise ball...  

Fun outside

What a beautiful day! It was so nice to get outside and play. Walter gave his new swing a test ride this afternoon. He loved it! Instant smiles. (Thanks Gramma and Grampa – great find!)

He also decided to give the lawn another try. He still won't walk on it, but he's definitely showing an interest. He bent over to touch the grass and even sat down on it. I don't think it will take long before he's running through the backyard.

Facing my fears

Nate dragged me back to the dog park today. I am happy to report it was a snake-free trip – no screaming or jumping required. This time I entertained Walter by running after his hat, which kept flying off in the wind. 

Afternoon sewing project: a chin strap for that hat!