Fast and Furious

Dude. Seriously. This kid is in milestone overdrive. Last night, Wyatt crawled for the first time! He's been taking a few "steps" before losing his focus, but he's done it several times, so we know he has the mechanics down. He ought to be a speeding bullet of a rug rat in no time. As I mentioned in my last post, he's also learning to climb. We finally lowered his crib in order to prevent him from taking a dive over the top. Last night he also attempted to pull himself up to a standing position on the couch. He couldn't quite get there, but he looked determined, which seems to garner quick results in Wyatt land. I'm also trying to teach him how to crawl down backwards from the couch. I got a picture of him on my cell phone standing steady after a crawl-down lesson, and I expect we'll see more of this pose as he figures out how to pull all the way to standing. And since every time he's in a standing position, he tries to take steps, I foresee an early walker... I keep having to remind myself that my milestone-ramming, super tall little boy is really only 7 months old. Sometimes he looks so much older than that. Oh, but those chubby cheeks give him away... :)

I'm also happy to report that yesterday I slipped into the jeans I wore for my engagement pictures two years ago. I wore them comfortably for most of the day until Wyatt managed to get carrots on them. Fun with laundry! But it felt great. I'm not quite to my goal weight yet, but getting into some of my skinnier clothes is definitely incentive to keep fighting the good fight. It'll probably take a "mom job" after we're done having kids to get me back into my favorite bikini, but I sure do have a lot of great jeans I'll be thrilled to wear all winter. :)

More about me, me, me: I've been wrestling with an old manuscript lately. (Yes, reading Twilight inspired me.) I love my characters and the premise, but something was eating at me as I tried to move the story forward. Well, I figured it out! Now I can move forward, and potentially finish this thing! I realize this is kind of cryptic, since I'm not going to reveal my secret ingredient... or even the kind of recipe for that matter, ha ha, but I just had to share. I made a breakthrough. And for a writer, that kicks ass. :)

Here's the happy mama with her munchkin. I so rarely have pictures of myself posted anywhere, so I figured I'd drop in and say hello:

Read the Signs

I basically decided that if I was going to start reading again after Twilight, it was going to have to be something very different and potentially mindless. I found the perfect transition book to help me enjoy some lighthearted chick lit again. It's called Baby Proof by Emily Giffin. The protagonist is pleasantly sarcastic and completely grown up, which helps my cause. I needed something written in a voice that sounded nothing like Bella Swan, so I wouldn't keep comparing and getting bored when she didn't fall madly in love with a vampire and repeatedly almost get herself killed... So yeah, this one works. Hopefully the books keep on coming. Ideas are always appreciated!

Wyatt, now 6 1/2 months old, is really on verge of crawling. I know I've said that several times, but he actually pushes with one knee now and magically finds himself a couple feet away from his initial location. I don't think he quite knows what out of his arsenal of movements actually works best, but he'll probably figure it out any day now. I started putting outlets plugs all over the house in preparation, and Ryan even put corner guards on our ridiculously sharp coffee table corners. We haven't installed the cabinet locks or actually moved things out of their low-to-floor positions (i.e. vases in the entryway...) and we still need to get something to guard the fireplace from little hands, and I guess we're gonna need a couple retractable gates... oy. Not sure how these changes will look in our house... Get over it, Shannon. You're a mom now. These things go with the territory... And really, can I complain when I already have a pile of toys in the living room and blankets spread all over the floor for playing? How is that not an eye sore? :) Only the best fo my little dude.

Speaking of the boy, I forgot to share his latest measurements from the doctor. He was 20lb 13oz (90th percentile) and 29.5" tall (off the charts). Still on his way to some sort of high-paying professional sports career, I think. :) But you know, we'll settle for a doctor; so he has options.

I will very briefly touch on one more topic from our day, before calling this blog quits. I am exceedingly grateful to God that my husband is safe today. And I have a brand new level of understanding as to why the 2nd Amendment was written for the good guys. Holy CRAP. If you know Ryan (or me, and want to know more details) give one of us call, and we'll give you the breakdown on how Ryan's CCW (permit to carry a concealed weapon) saved his life today. I'll blog little more about it next time. Not trying to be cryptic, just absorbing it before I spit it out to the masses.