Welp, Paul walked today. First at school, then at home, then again and again. We’d seen one or two unsteady steps and then toppling into the target, but this was four steps, five, plus lots of standing steady in place. Then as we were signing off a call with Granddad and Susu, he flaps his little hand at the camera and distinctly says, “Ba Ba!” So we’re going to call it his first word, too. (Bryan’s got his version and a video on his blog.)

Big day, the 27th of July! If he’d come on time, he’d be just about a year old.

It would be overgenerous to say that Paul is walking, but he has definitely taken between 1-2 unaided steps. He’s in the zone.

I’ll know the kids have reached a developmental milestone the day they don’t stuff every morsel of fruit into their mouths before even considering a bite of something else on their plates. I swear Paul just inhaled tonight and disappeared a whole pile of peaches.

Dad: “Annie, do you know how old you are?”

Annie: “I’m seven. I’m eight, Mr. Paul seven. I’m nine.”

She’s growing up so fast.

I’d just like to note and celebrate that both (all) of our children sleep through the night, in the same room. We’re exiting the crazy little-baby years. A moment to appreciate the progress before we’re swept up in the next round of challenges.

“Oh, Annie’s evil. She’s evil to the core.” Said Dad, proudly.