33 and Ten Months

A couple of weeks ago The Boy and I each reached a couple of milestones, so I thought I would just blog about them at once.

I turned 33!  My age is a palindrome for the first time in 11 years (can something be a palindrome when it's only two characters?...  Or when it's numbers, for that matter?  I'm going to say yes and yes).  First I was so excited that my dearest youngest sister and BFF and her two tots came to visit from back east, just in time for my birthday of all days!

Together again!  The older sister had by now found the toys in the kids' loft upstairs

BCFs.

Second, we thought it would be fun to throw a friend party this year (hopefully to make up for last year...), and it turned out so great!  My birthday was on Sunday, and there was a ward talent show on Saturday, so we had it a couple days prior to the actual day.  Julie made a fantastic Boston cream pie/cake (and yes, it was a total coincidence that this party fell on Pi Day), and a lot of fun friends and family came to share it with us.  We should have parties when Elise is in town more often!  HA.  Julie made the actual day very special, with surpreezes throughout the day.  I was glad to add Catching Fire to our DVD collection, and also Frozen a few days later.  I remember growing up that Disney movies often were released around my birthday, which was just the best thing ever.  I hadn't seen Frozen since we saw it in the theater (no, I didn't want to watch it online... the anticipation of the home video release was always one of the most exciting things about a Disney movie!), and we also a few days later saw the latest (brilliant) Muppet movie, which I call a continuation of the celebration.

It was delish, and not a single piece survived the night.

Penneh was really excited about the cake.

Later The Wife made one of her specialty gourmet Oreo cakes.  No one can make one like she can!

The next morning Mom and Elise joined us for a fun 5K in Vineyard, which we did last year, though this year's experience was quite different...  Not only was it a little more expensive and the course completely new, but we were all hampered by the FREEZING wind.  It basically was trying to knock us over the entire time.  Would it be too much to hope that the wind might at least SOMEtimes be pushing your back rather than against your front?  But it never really seemed to.  We all did all right (I came in at about 22:30, about a 7:04 mile, though it was a little more than a 5K at 3.18m... why is it so hard for races to be accurate distance?  Also, why is my racing pace so much faster than my daily run pace?  I mean, I can think of a few reasons, but still), especially when we realized that Julie and I hadn't run a 5K since last summer.  It was also exciting to have an opportunity to use my brand new LockLaces!  Never tying my shoelaces again?!?  YES PLEASE.  The Wife comes up with the cleverest ideas for presents.  Dad's recovering from a little injury, so he was good enough to watch the little ones, safe and warm in the car.  Then, of course, the next day we had a big family Sunday afternoon gathering with foods and treats and St. Patrick's Day/birthday fun for me and Penny and Jonny.

Note the flags and Penny's hair.  It was ever so windy.

Matching shirts from Mommy/Wife!

And then, just a few days later, The Boy reached the double digits!  (The Wife's update post coming soon.)  He's doing so great and growing so fast.  He's crawling and cruising all over the place, is a pro at going up and down the stairs, and is probably days away from walking (!!!).  We're working on clapping and waving (the first is coming along, and the second is taking a little longer, but coming too... we realized that since I work from home we hardly have any opportunities to wave bye-bye, so we're trying to remember to make a point of it whenever I go upstairs to work or whenever either of us goes anywhere for any significant amount of time).  He babbles and blows spit bubbles and sticks out his tongue and is starting to say sort of words, and he's very quiet and attentive and observant when we drive in the car.  He's much better around new people and places, though he definitely still loves to cling to his parents, especially his mommy.  He loves bananas, avocados and bread, and uses his four adorably spaced teeth (and counting) to great effect, though he's taken to grinding his little chompers, which makes a most alarming sound and which we try to prevent from happening.  He often spreads his arms high and wide as if he's just done the most amazing trick ever, and for the most part he's sleeping better than ever, which is a huge blessing that never goes unrealized or unappreciated by us.  Our place seems to be getting smaller and smaller as The Boy gets bigger and bigger, but we make it work all right.

Oh my adorable peeps.

We've been making our way through the Disney movies.  They don't usually hold Bobo's interest for very long.  But look!  They're making the same face and pose!  Lawlawlawl.

And here we see 1) his interest not being held for very long, 2) his love for the stairs around the corner, and 3) another pose similar to Bambi's!  Lawlawlawl again!

His hospital cap is definitely starting to reach its limit.

Oh, that face.  Also, note the most historically inaccurate Noah's ark toy ever.

It's blurry, but that's kind of what happens these days.  Also, note one of his favorite toys (you can play with it, but you can't eat it!).

He loves reading, which makes us ever so glad.  He really likes turning the pages and closing it at the end.

Just two more months until you reach a year, my son!  That is just crazy, but also awesome.  We can't wait to see what surprises this little man has in store for us.