Walk, Walk, Walk...Crash, Repeat

We say it often to each other so we'll share this with you, too: having a one year old toddler is a bit like owning a puppy. Will's favorite things to do are: play, eat and sleep. With all the walking that he does now, he has no problems falling asleep for naps or bedtime. This morning, he actually laid down in his crib, waved to Mom, and rolled over for this nap...as seen in the pictures (he looks JUST like how Dad sleeps). After a quick recharge followed by a refueling, he is ready to explore his world once again. He no longer chooses to crawl if he can help it, and he absolutely refuses any help. As Dad puts it, "no training wheels!" By the time Will's bedtime comes, Mom and Dad are right there with him, just as exhausted.

Sat-ART-day

Move over, Van Gogh! Last time Will and Mom went to Target, they explored the Crayola aisle. Will has since practiced using crayons, markers, and tonight...paint! This morning, he did a little coloring but tonight was even more exciting when Daddy and Will played with fingerpaint in the tub. Once again, hard to say who was more excited by the activity. Mom was called to the tub to see the "tub gremlins" and take some pictures. Thank you, Crayola, for a fun, washable, non-toxic Sat-ART-day.

Put Me in the Zoo

Today, Daddy had the day off of work (yay!), so the whole family went to the San Diego Zoo. Will LOVES animals...in books or in person, so we knew the zoo would be a big hit with him and we were right! He was totally in awe by all the animals, and, weirdly enough, the animals seemed to be very interested in him. Every time we went up to an exhibit, if the animal was awake, it would make it's way over until it was right in front of Will. He seemed most fascinated by the grizzly bear, polar bear, monkeys, and elephant. The lions were sleeping, which is too bad, since he loves those lion slippers and his lion stuffed animal. Another one of his favorite exhibits was Mom with the camera. With his new found skill of walking, he insists on being very independent and wanted to walk up most of the paths holding on to Dad's finger, but, he kindly takes time to look back at Mom and grin and wave...as she pushes an empty stroller. He's already such a Daddy's boy. Oh, and Daddy wants it known that he ate camel meat while deployed one time. Take note, camels, you can be eaten.

Oh, and we would like to offer a CONGRATULATIONS to Aunt Leah and Uncle Bob and a WELCOME to Will's newest cousin, Zachary Michael.

Corn and Cleaning

This weekend, Will enjoyed some corn on the cob. We'll let the pictures tell the rest:

After his bath, he really made Mom and Dad laugh when he found a widowed sock (you know, left without its mate by the dryer) and used it to "clean" the coffee tables and the stroller. This was endlessly amusing for Mom and Dad, since Will went around with his "cloth" and cleaned all the tables and little things that Mom herself cleaned last week when she dusted and de-germed things. Apparently, Will was watching closely. Hopefully, this habit is one that sticks, too. If so, his future wife is one lucky lady.

Hello Toddlerhood!

We haven't posted in a while and that is due to several reasons: 1. Dad was still away, so Mom was very busy. 2. Mom was busy catching her breath every time Will attempted to walk across the room.

You see, he suddenly just takes off walking...with no real destination in mind. He's just so proud of himself that he has this new skill which seems to get everyone who sees him excited, that he wants to do it more and more. We're still working on the "brakes" aspect of the whole thing..but...seeing as he's a boy and he's been moving his feet nonstop since Mom was 4 months pregnant, things are only going to get busier around here. Thank goodness Dad is back to be a 2nd "spotter".

Lions and Tigers and Wills, Oh My!

The Crombez family sent Will a pair of lion slippers the other day. Since then, Will wants to wear them during every waking moment..and even the napping ones. If you try to take them away or set them aside instead of putting them on his feet, he gets very angry and does a rather convincing lion impression until you put his slippers on his feet. Perhaps he got that little habit from his Gramps who wears slippers to the airport, or his Uncle J, who wore slippers to Mom and Dad's wedding reception and family holidays? Mom and Will spent the day doing laundry, emptying the trash, and cleaning the apartment. However, cleaning with a 1 year old is a little like bailing out a sinking boat with a teaspoon. Will "helped" by tossing the laundry into the washer (his favorite), unfolding all the folded clothes, starting the dishwasher (a close 2nd to laundry), and "reorganizing" his toys-on the floor- after Mom put them in their baskets and moved on to clean the kitchen.

Oh well, we wouldn't trade his help for the world!

Walking: Take One

Like we said before, Will's first steps are a little wobbly. He has pretty good control for the first 3 or 4 steps and then he sort of throws himself into Mom's arms. He does much better when his destination is the couch, coffee table, or wall opposite his current location since he knows they won't welcome him with a cushioned fall like Mom does. We'll be chasing him around in no time.

Wobbly Steps

Will started taking his first steps on Wednesday night. Suddenly, just before bed, he decided he would try standing on his own, without the assistance of furniture. He does this with his tongue sticking out...for good measure. After several big sighs, he took some steps forward toward Mom. He's been practicing at home, at friends' houses and at the park ever since. He gets a good 4 or 5 steps in before throwing himself at Mom. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to be the destination of these momentous steps as well as the videographer or photographer, so, a video will have to wait until Dad comes back in a week...unless we get creative this weekend with the camera positioning. These pictures will have to do for now!

It takes a lot of concentration to walk, you see!

Camo Buddies

Will and Snuggles got a special package from Gram today! In addition to some end of season toys from New England, Snuggles received a brand new outfit from Ian. Thanks, Ian! Coincidentally, Will was also wearing his camo outfit today. He thought it was very funny to see Snuggles in new clothes. The camo buddies played a little football before bathtime.

Making Connections

I guess it's been a while since there was a "live" video of Will. (as opposed to the slideshow versions) Lately, Will has been showing how many connections he has made with the use of objects around the house. His receptive language (language he understands) is amazing and it's so fun to watch him figure things out. He responds to so many requests like "shut the door", "get your shoes", "time to brush your teeth", "Where's Snuggles/Mom/Dad?", "Want to go on your bike?", "Want to swing?", "Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner Time", "Throw the ball", "Bath time", "You need a new diaper", "Pick a book to read", "Play peek-a-boo", "Stroller time", etc. etc. He has begun to place his sippy cup on the coffee table when he isn't using it and he tries to talk on Daddy's cell phone a lot, too. He even picks up the remote control and aims it at the TV, waving it furiously in the air, hoping Big Bird will somehow appear and sing the opening to Sesame Street. Hopefully you find him as fun to watch as we do; he sure is a character!

Tune Up Time

If a tricycle needed the same maintenance as a car, Will is surely due for a tire rotation and an oil change. Every morning he rattles the blinds and bangs on the sliding glass door, even though it is still dark out. He then proceeds to try to put his shoes on, and, when that doesn't work, he patiently hands them to either Mom or Dad...repeatedly. After breakfast, teeth brushing, and getting dressed, Will is finally where he wants to be: out on his first bike ride of the day: at 7am. The same process occurs after lunch and before dinner. Today, he even dressed to match his bike!

On his evening bike ride, Will likes to watch the kids playing soccer at the park. Tonight, when he came home, he immediately found his own soccer ball and played a rousing game of fetch with himself while Mom made dinner. He has also developed this amusing habit where, if he is into something he knows he shouldn't be into, and Mom tries to scold him, he covers his eyes. Ahhh...the 'ole ostrich theory...if I can't see you, you can't see me, right? Umm...not quite, Will. Good try though - stay away from the toilet paper, the fridge, and the outlets please!