Nothin' better than hugs on the beach.

Today we spent almost an hour on Skype with Gigi so Walker could show off all his new tricks:

1. Creating a big O with his mouth and making “OOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH” noises
2. Trying to put on his shoes
3. Walking
4. Speed crawling
5. Stacking BOTH sets of his rings
6. Singing “Itsey Bitsey Spider” complete with hand gestures
7. Blowing kisses
8. Combing his hair
9. Playing piano
10. Taking a break on his back
11. Destroying castles made of blocks with hands and feet
12. Playing ball
13. Jumping and dancing
14. Putting things in his round box

Gigi was beside herself. I would just move the computer around to follow Walker. It was particularly interesting when he went walking up and down the hall.

I then put us to work. Our front plants are a bit unruly. It’s been some time since we paid any attention to the lavender, the big shrub, or the evergreen tree, the latter not having been trimmed since we moved in ten years ago. PG&E sent us a bit of a gruff letter since they have to get around the shrub and the tree to read the meter and I guess the meter reader doesn’t like fighting his way through the brush. Larry did a great job on the shrub and I proceeded to trim the tree. But it wasn’t just any trimming. I wanted to turn it back to the way it was when we moved in — well manicured with pretty round “puffs” of greenery. So I trimmed, and trimmed, and trimmed and it now looks like a nicely coiffed poodle. The tree looks OK but I think Walker might be a bit concerned that I might come at him with some scissors now that his hair is a tad long.

As we were outside, we met Diane. She was visiting her elderly father a few houses down the street. She grew up 47th Ave along with 69 other children. Yes, there were 70 children ON OUR BLOCK. And, if you’ve been in any of the houses in the sunset, you’d know that even two kids in one of these houses is a lot. One house had eight children. Even if there was a small extension, I can’t imagine anyone had any privacy – ever.

Walker has 6 teeth coming in – four molars and two in the front. He’s taking the discomfort like a trooper. I know it will take weeks for the choppers to fully come in but it’s official that he’s in the process of DOUBLING his teeth.

Walker tries out his new favorite activity in his front yard

All that walking is thirsty work. Walker stands with Daddy and takes a milk break.

Walker has forsaken his walker toy. He seems to have decided that it’s OK to walk with us, and in fact, seems to prefer it. We’ve been cruising up and down the hall and around the kitchen and living room. I think I’ve walked a mile just inside the house. This morning we went outside and walked in front of the house and then we decided it was time to take him to the beach to try walking on the sand. You can see he had a wonderful time in sand and fog. He did manage to bring half the beach back home with him in his shoes, the folds in his pants, his sweater, and all over his sippy cup.

Daddy catches us having a moment.

Full of sand, Walker hams it up for the camera on the walk home.