Lilypie 1st Birthday Ticker

Milestones

Nathanael has now fully entered the world of walking. Yesterday he was doing laps around the living room for entertainment. :)

His most recent accomplishment was standing up without an object to lean on. We were playing in the front yard in the morning, and he just stood up. He has yet to repeat the feat, he prefers to use his old method when there is furniture around.

I love being present for all these tiny yet exhilarating milestones. We celebrate every day!

Well, I have come to acknowledge my fixed belief: all blog entries without photographs are in some way lesser. I don't know if I'll ever move past this belief, but for now, a totally unrelated picture of Nathanael and his cousin in their sweet shades (April 2008).

Living Room Amusement Park

Nathanael has enjoyed the vacuum cleaner as long as he's been aware of it. Michael decided to let him get a little more involved this time. It has already commanded a repeat performance! :)

The Big Trip

[Editor's note: I wrote this post in early December and am now cleaning out my drafts. Enjoy! (Just imagine that you're reading this two months ago!)]

So, we went on our honeymoon... a little late, perhaps. Michael and I were married December 20th of 2005 and our cruise was November 4-10, 2007. However, we had a grand time and were quite as overly affectionate as a newlywed couple can be! :)

We drove up to Idaho Falls on Friday, November 2 and visited with my sister and her family for a few minutes while dropping Nathanael off with them for the week (everyone who has kids knows what an unpaybackable favor this is!) Kim did a great job handling two boys, and despite a few minor colds, the boys did pretty well themselves. They love to play together and Nathanael got to be patient because his cousin was very loving!

After that, we drove down to North Ogden to stay with my aunt and uncle for the night before our early morning flight to Florida. We met up with Michael's brothers the next morning and got on the plane. Despite Michael getting selected for additional security screening and our seats being scattered all over the plane, we made it to Palm Beach International without a problem. My dad picked us up and we enjoyed a fun evening at home (for me!) in Wellington. The boys took a dip in the (freezing!) pool and Caroline and I ate the leftovers of her birthday cheesecake. :)

In the morning dad took us to the cruise terminal and we began the arduous process of boarding the ship. We were very near to the front of a really, really, ridiculously long line, and the process was still quite long and boring. Also, our ship was selected for some type of inspection, so we (all) waited an extra hour or so to get aboard.

So, as anyone who has ever cruised before can attest to, the food was abundant and delicious (moreso for me because I didn't prepare it!!!) and the service was gracious and prompt. We loved our servers and our "stateroom stewards!"

Our three stops were Key West, Grand Cayman, and Jamaica. Everyone's favorite was Grand Cayman: we got to swim with sting rays!

We had a very cool local tour host and also got to snorkel and eat lunch on an amazing beach. The water there was so clear and warm. I felt like I was in a photograph!

We came home well-rested and sunburned, happy to see our little boy, and all the better for the break from real life!