Who Knew?

Yesterday, when Brandon came home from work, he saw a purchase I had made and said, "You bought those? I didn't think that was something you'd do." It was these (except the Halloween variety): 

I was kind of surprised he said that because he knows of my affection...there has been quite a few times where Brandon has smuggled one of these cookies from work for me because he knew I'd be jealous if he had one and I didn't, or when he's encourage me to snitch one from the dessert table at a potluck before the dessert portion of the evening officially began. I may or may not have gone to Target yesterday morning because of a hunch that they were going to be on post-Halloween clearance. They are so soft and sugary! Who cares that they are store boughten and not made from love (and with a giant mess) in my humble kitchen! And FYI, the Target brand kind are just as good. A guilty pleasure for sure.

The other 'Who Knew' thing is about our child...of course. And it is: Who knew how amazing it would be to watch Russell begin walking? I've been seriously reveling in this stage. He started walking a little over a month ago, just before General Conference (a biannual conference when Mormons listen to talks from their leaders), and it was one of the funnest and most joyful things I have experienced. He had experienced with a few independent steps here and there, and as I had mentioned before, he had been obsessed with cruising along furniture and walls for months. And then finally, he just took off. Within the span of about forty-five minutes, he went from walking a few steps to climbing up stairs and doing laps around the kitchen. All that cruising finally paid off!

We happened to be in Mexico, and my parents, grandparents, and my Aunt Jeanne got to witness the spectacle. It was wonderful to share that with them. Each evening, we took Russell down to the beach, where the firm but forgiving sand from low tide provided the perfect environment for him to explore and practice using those legs. That first day, I didn't even take any pictures, I just wanted enjoy the sight. Who knew such a milestone would be so special. 

And now a month later, it is still so fun to follow him around--mostly because it is still so clear that he is loving this new freedom. He babbles and laughs to himself as he walks from room to room; he is often more content to explore than to play with toys. He's got this waddle that makes his bum shake and a perfectly round Buddha belly that just leads the way. Just last week, I witnessed my child running off with a group of kids to play and I said to myself, "This is happening already?!"  I didn't have to encourage him, he just went...my baby. Imagine what I'll be saying on his first day of kindergarten. He still prefers to eat stuff off the ground and suck on the toys rather than interact too much with the other kids (and he is still so short that the other kids tend to yank on his hair and ears), but he wants to be with them, has the capability to do it, and now all I can do is watch it happen.      

The first video is of Russell doing all his tricks, walking, waving, and doing baby sign language.  He knows about five signs and mostly uses them in the right context with his own interpretations of how to do them, but it is fun to see him learn and then use the signs. 

The second video is of Russell walking in his 'big boy shoes'. The shoes are much clunkier than his other shoes but are important for walking around on our Arizona landscaping...ie rocks. He has a heavier step than normal because he isn't used to wearing such a heavy item on his feet and it was really funny at the time, but I'm posting this (although it is rather shaky) because he is so happy and is making his typical "life is so fun" sounds.