Jack Walks

And I missed it! While I was at water polo, Grandpa Matt was holding Jack's hands as he was standing between Matt's legs. Matt said that Jack "allegedly" let go, took two steps and fell to his bottom. Does this count if the parents don't see it? I think it does. Oh man! I am gone for 2 hours and this is what happens. At least he feels like he can take some chances with someone else watching him. That is great.

New Independence

It's not even July and I am celebrating Independence! Jack is growing into a young boy. He is not breast feeding during the day, Steve takes him for hours on end and it feels really good to be able to just relax without a constant buddy. Though now I am starting to savour those times with him when he hugs me or sits next to me to explore something like a whisk or when I get to feed him to sleep at night. He's getting more fun.

I turned 30 last week as well! It's quite an honor. I play water polo with these women in their 40s, 50s, and 60s, have such great friends in their 30s, have an impressive mother and mother in law, and to be one more step closer to them is fantastic. I was saying all week that I have much more confidence than at 20 but the ability to make some seriously fun decisions about where my life will go. 

What topped off my birthday was a wine and cheese party that my husband surprised me with. I didn't think I wanted a party but to be surrounded by all these great people (and those who couldn't even be there) made me really happy and thankful that I have them as guides and companions in my life. 

That's a secret, I guess. Put yourself around good people and all the bad ones fall to the waist-side. Life is really too short to waist your time on the dark side. It's really going to be a good decade. (Now waiting for my other half to get there, hee hee hee!)

The Thinker

Time is flying by and all of a sudden, Jack will be 1 year old next week. He is doing so much. 

Physically he is crawling like a mad man and pulling himself up to stand. He is just now starting to be daring and let go to reach another chair nearby and stand for a couple seconds by himself. We just went to his first Gymboree class which was so much fun and met some new people and saw some old friends. Jack just loved following the kids around, meeting them, taking their eyes out of their sockets. The class is great because they are moving so much, singing, doing things together to help them walk and climb. He has 6 teeth with 2 coming in a little secretly this time. 8 in total by his birthday I presume.

Mentally he is a little engineer. Grandpa McGhee (AKA Opa) says that John was like him, always trying to figure out how things work. A couple weeks ago it was the light switches and now it is knobs. He loves to open and close doors.  Huge breakthrough was when he was closing the door yesterday to the bathroom and the cupboard door was blocking it. I asked him what could be in the way and what would he do and he closed the cupboard door and then closed the bathroom door. It was fantastic! He was really intent on figuring out how the fix that problem. 

He is still a big guy. I am not sure if any pounds are flying off of him but I am not worried. He might just be a tall boy. He goes to the doc in 2 weeks to see how he is doing and get a shot, eww. Dr. Nash is great for him though and great for me because he is so mellow. Maybe we can figure out what Jack's little rash on his cheeks are from.

In our house, Steve and I have had our 4 year anniversary. I got out my wedding dress to bask in it's beauty and then we gorged ourselves in a 4 course meal with wine. Yum. Steve wouldn't let me wear my wedding dress but I guess I can wait for our second wedding for that;) (We will be getting married again to each other. I will keep you posted.) 

Grandma and Grandpa Hough came to visit and loved playing with their little grandson. Jack's God Mum Anna and her hubby Ben visited from England. It was great to see our good frineds who live way too far away. I have been happy to get away on the weekend to get a massage here and there or do some Andria time. I have also been playing polo with my awesome ladies every week. I love it. It has been great to have the sun out and Jack napping so well (knock knock on wood.) I can finally do some email and blogging and whatever else I need free hands for. I also had a chance to wine taste with my uncle John who is such a great guy for showing us around a couple wineries. He is starting a great blog about wine and marketing which I hope to study more thoroughly once I get some time to go back into working. Check it out if you are interested. It is getting a lot of attention. http://thinkwinemarketing.wordpress.com

Pictures to come!