First!

~First day of Autumn! 

This is my favorite time of year- the blue skies, fresh, clean air, rustling leaves. It's also very sentimental as it reminds me of New England, Chris and I were married in fall and our son was born in fall. We also tend to move in the fall, so it feels like a new beginning every year as the breeze blows through.

(this is my Fall image, since I haven't gotten around to taking any leaf pictures yet- but the flowers are still in full bloom!).

Meagan P., these are from the seeds you saved for me. I planted a few and they TOOK OVER!

~First (unexpected) day at my new JOB.
There is an alteration shop on base and they have been looking for a seamstress. I took the plunge. I hate alterations, but it'll be some of the best sewing experience I've acquired as of yet. And I get to play with all sorts of cool machines. Did you know there is such thing as a hemming machine?? I sewed on like 20 pairs of stripes, but it'll progress to the real thing as I get faster.

I went crazy last night going back and forth between leaving Johnny or continuing to stay home. It came down to money and the opportunity to work in a professional sewing atmosphere. It's only a couple days a week but that really is perfect because I really can't leave that kid for very long without feeling overly guilty. He is just going to be hanging out with his dad and auntie tho, so no big deal :) It will definitely be good for Chris!

~First night of Johnny in his toddler bed!
He went into his crib for real at 6-7 months. He's hated it since day one and cries every single time we put him in it. He sleeps great in it, but has the run of his room and now the upstairs almost completely so I've never put him in it to play or anything, so if he's awake he's crying to get out. Now he climbs (carefully) on and off the couch so we went ahead and put the little rails on the side of the crib to make it a bed. Tonight I bathed him, got him dressed, tickled him and laid him in the bed- and left the room. He fussed for about 15 seconds then just started talking and now, only a few minutes later, I can hear him snoring! No pacing, rocking, cooing, singing. He was very content to lie down and go to sleep in his new big-boy bed. He's just like his mom and hates feeling caged in!

Now for the big news (and this would of course happen the first day I leave the house for hours with the worry that I'll miss something awesome fresh in my mind):

~First STEPS! 
11 months and five days, Johnny started walking on his own. Soooo cute! I missed the very first go-round but got to see him do it all evening, which was great. Chris got him going this afternoon, he said it was a tiny little shuffle, but by the time I was here it was a bona-fide walk. *tear* I know some people who get very choked up as their kiddos hit milestones and grow up. I think I'm the opposite, I'm so flippin' excited to see him grow and learn!!

 A few other cute baby things:
If you say "Doh!" J will hit his forehead/face with his open hand and giggle.
He kisses me often with a wide open mouth, tongue out, on my chin/cheek/mouth/eye... Which usually ends with me trying to keep him from biting me.
He throws the ball to Luckie and claps when he brings it back.
He makes 'car' noises (which consists of a various array of raspberry/slobber noises) as he slides the computer mouse across the floor. Adorable. He does the same thing with a mouth full of food he doesn't appear to like. Not so adorable.
He likes to put things down my shirt for safekeeping. Today it was his ball, yesterday it was his sippy-cup.

Anyway, don't want to overload you with cute! I'll save some for his first birthday post :)



P.s. Guess who is coming around again? Our midwife! (No, I'm not pregnant- my sister is! And she is having Elisabeth deliver her little one in April). It occurred to me that we never got a photo of J with her after he was born- so here it is, 11 months later :)

We love her!! It was so good to see her and I'm really looking forward to her monthly visits! *warm fuzzies*