First Steps into the New Year

Greyson took his first steps today! Roque and I were on the love seat when he pulled up on his feet to where we were, then turned, and took 3 steps towards the couch. It was completely unexpected. He held both his hands up in the air the whole time as if to say, "Look guys, no hands, no hands!" We immediately grabbed our Flip in hopes of capturing a repeat performance, but to no avail. Instead, we caught the aftermath of a gleeful Greyson, clapping and crawling around with his eyes closed, to the tune of our cheers and disbelieving laughter. We have no idea why he was closing his eyes but I am convinced that he was making fun of how small my eyes are when I smile.



The kid has great timing. It is crazy to me that my son, who has been so resistant to the notion of walking, chose the first day of the new year to make the switch. We think it was his personal birthday present to Uncle Bigs who turned 32 today (Happy Birthday, Oldie!). It was the week leading up to Mother's Day when he first said "Mama." If he keeps it up, he'll probably wish me "Happy Birthday" in perfect Mandarin.

We spent our first morning of the new year puttering about our yard. We mowed the lawn, swept, trimmed and cleared. It has become one of our favorite things to do as a couple. Growing up, I never saw my parents work on anything together. Roque's parents modeled that to him all his life, so it feels natural to him. To me, teamwork in a marriage is foreign and such an unexpected blessing. I always underestimate the importance of having common interests. For Roque and I, it's yard pride. We spent the rest of the day hanging out with my sister and her family. They came down for a visit today and Greyson got to romp around with his cousins and Uncle Enoch.

Today was the last day of Roque's vacation. He is so sad to bid farewell to unlimited Greyson time and return the 9 to 5. He's been downright depressed about it, cuddling Grey Grey all day and showering the both of us with extra kisses. It has been a rare treat for Greyson and I to have so much of Papa around. Hearing Roque lament about it makes me realize how much fathers miss; new sounds, first words, new quirks. It makes me more thankful for the privilege of being around Greyson as much as I am. I think this was the best vacation we've ever had, just staying put at home. We traded the excitement of traveling to new places for lots of naps, lots of puttering around the house, and exploring our new neighborhood. It was well worth it.

Riding Around with Bald Cousin Aidan


The Uncle Enoch Ride