Taco

or Balloon
Football
Shoes
Dog
Night-night
Apple
Eff bomb (don't ask)
Sock
Pop-pop
Later (like later man)

These are some of the words dominating Will's vocabulary these days.  He is a sponge and we definitely have to watch what we say around him.

All I want for Christmas is...

Well Will didn't have a chance to get his request into Santa this year...he was too busy screaming when I put him in his lap.  He even threw the candy cane Santa handed him on the floor.  Hopefully Santa will overlook this small incident and make an exception for Will this year - I have a feeling his grandparents will make sure there is more than coal in his stocking.

What a difference a year makes!

2011
13 months

2010
2 Months old

Fall Frenzy...

It's hard to believe the Holidays are already here.  Where has the time gone?  It feels like only yesterday that the leaves were changing and now the trees are bare and the first frost is well behind us.  Our Fall has been very eventful.  Mark had shoulder surgery on his rotator cuff in early November and the recovery is still in full swing - it will be many months before he is back to "normal".  In between chilling ice packs and driving back and forth to physical therapy appointments, we've been going to music class and playing in the park behind our house.  At 13 months Will is learning to run without falling, climb up on his Daddy's lap since one arm is in a sling, repeat everything we say (the good and the bad), hide the remotes in the weirdest places and open every cabinet, drawer and container he can find and scatter things all around the house.  These days it seems like each week is better than the last.  We have so much to look forward to.

Enjoy these pictures from the last couple weeks.

Larry the Monkey, Charlie the Skeleton, Patrick the Builder, Will the Lion

Will and his buddy Joshua

Enjoying his birthday presents

keeping daddy company after surgery

ruling the roost 

Will LOVES to read

up to no good

It's official!

Will is walking!  And he won't stop.  I'm thrilled with the timing...Mark had shoulder surgery this week and can't lift more than a couple pounds for 6-8 weeks so the fact that Will can get where he wants to go without being carried is great!  Now if only I could teach him how to take out the garbage!?  I'm sure feeling proud of my little toddler and a little sentimental that my baby is so independent and growing up right before my eyes.

Happy Birthday Will!

We had a great time celebrating Will's 1st Birthday last weekend!  Thanks to everyone for making it so special.  Will did not really like his birthday cake but has been thoroughly enjoying all his new toys (pics below to prove it!).  

Happy Birthday Sweet Boy!

Right after this he tried pushing the whole cake off his tray!

Opening presents with Grandma

Loves all the "TRUCKS" he got 

And the love of Thomas begins...

Chillin' at his party

Obsessed with his new car/"TRUCK"

"TRUCK" 

"Get this stupid hat off me MOM"

Playing with his new toys

It was like Christmas morning!

Pics from Sept/Oct

First trip to Funland with Daddy

Rehoboth Beach 2011 

Bike ride at the beach

Waiting for Daddy to come home

Still eating like a champ.

New toy (note the jean diapers lol)

Picnic in the front yard

First day of school

10 & 11 Months

Will's tenth and eleventh month have been filled with lots of firsts. When I think about them all it's totally overwhelming for me.  He is growing up so fast - is this why there are so many expressions about how quickly the time passes?  I can certainly relate to these sayings..."Time flies when you're having fun", "It seems like only yesterday..." "The days are long, but the years are short".  

Here are a few of his firsts over the past two months just to give you an idea!

• Will had his first run in with natural disasters - a earthquake and hurricane all in one week.  We survived and so did our house!
• I bought him his first pair of shoes! Real shoes - size 3.5 wide - cause he insists on "walking" everywhere, especially in public and I don't want his feet to be cold or dirty.  Real shoes for a little man are expensive!
• Will had his first day of "school" - he started a Mommy's Day Out program at a local church preschool this Fall.  It's one day a week for a couple hours.  Good for Will (interaction with other kids, getting used to someone else caring for him, etc) and Great for Mommy (no explanation needed here people!)
• We had our first visit to the ER because of a 105 degree temp on our first night of vacation resulting in our first diagnosis of a double ear infection.  :(  Not fun but thankfully the first round of antibiotics did the trick! 
• Will took his first steps when I was in Wisconsin last week right in front of my mom and I.  It was so exciting!  And he is continuing to be more and more daring and independent with the walking.  He is cruising like crazy, bending down to pick stuff up and letting go! of my hands to venture further.  It won't be long.
• Will has officially said his first word.  He has been repeating and imitating the way we say book, daddy, cracker and baby (to name a few) but made it official this weekend when we were driving on the highway and he pointed at a semi and proudly said "TRUCK".  I beamed with pride!
• We attempted our first round of baby proofing at the house, I packed a lunch for Will to take to school for the first time, witnessed Will's first mini tantrum in public (can you say arched back - stiff as a board - on the boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach - because his smoothie was gone!?!) and ordered his first real kids meal when we were out to dinner recently.

Next up...Will's 1st Birthday!