Over The River and Through The Woods...

So, I took my new little red RAV4 to Grandma's - just Jim and I went. We had a grand old time!

I'm so proud of my new car - I saved up 1/2 of the cost, so I owe just under $11,000 on a BRAND NEW car, I bought a mini-SUV, and I got an average of 29 MPG on the trip with the AC on!!!! Wow, huh?

I'm proud of my boy too! He made it the whole way to/from my parents house (5 hr trip) without any major meltdowns or demands that I let him out of his seat! Wow, really, wow.

Grandma and Granpa both got such a kick out of seeing him, and he just lit up when he recognized them. He soooo loves my Daddy. I just melt everytime I see them together. I so wish they could be together more often. I would move home if I thought hubby and I had any hope of finding good jobs.

We had a great time on Saturday night - my brother, his wife and daughter, and my brother-in-law and Sister-in-law. We all played and ate and had a great time swapping stories and comparing Jim's quirks to different people in the family. The whole evening was great.

This morning we wore Jim out playing, then Grandma gave him a bath while my Dad and I picked up toys and packed my things in the car. We gave Jim a bite to eat and a ba-ba then plopped him in his carseat. He slept for 2 1/2 hours. Yay! Once he did wake up, we played and talked back and forth with stuffed animals and silly faces.

Hope everyone out there in bloggy-land has as great a weekend as I did!!

Life's Been A Beeeeach!!

For the last week we were with Jim at the BEEEEEEEACH for a family vacation! Woo Hoo!

So, why do I keep spelling Beach funny? That's because my little boy has learned the word, but he doesn't say it normal and short like the rest of us. I'm just thankful he got that vowel sound JUUUUUST right. :)

He seemed to like the sand on his toes, legs, hair, arms, feet, and just about everywhere the sun doesn't shine, but folks, he DOES NOT like sand and/or saltwater in his eyes. Especially when it is a shock - like when a huge wave comes out of nowhere and bowls him and his Mommy over for a fun-filled face-plant in the sand. Nope, not one bit.

Then again, Mommy didn't like it either. My Mommy-esque compromise for sitting in the mini-waves at all was that he let me keep one arm on his ankle. If I hadn't had my hand there I'm not sure what would have happened. As it was we both fell over and he was shifted about on the sand quite a bit. Yikes, huh?

All in all we had a good time. Jim learned to destroy sandcastles, while Daddy learned the fine art of fussing at a 1 yr old. Bo genuinely hoped to instill some artistic protection of his work, while Jim was trying his hand at being an art critic. Good Times!

Before we left for the trip I had sort-of put my foot down that next year I wanted to go somewhere else for our major vacation (should we be so lucky as to have one). I find that I'm re-thinking it, as it was such a good time. Watching Jim play with his little cousins (there were 4 under 2 at the house) was LOTS of fun. I so enjoyed seeing him romp and play. Being a working Mom I almost never get to see him interact with other kids - it was a beautiful thing.

Jim has some new words this week:

Wait
Rain - he learned this as a result of a really rough storm we had on Sun night :)
Beeeeeeach
Play

and he's perfecting the words:
Shoe
Down
Bye
Thank You
Please
Peas
More

It is so strange to hear his speach clear up and become more adult-ish. Wow. Just, Wow. He's so not a little baby anymore.