Go go go!

After a week of duking it out with a very nasty cold we were finally able to go back to some of our normal activities and outings.

All that time was not wasted however, as Rhys used it to make his mobile debut.

In the fort we built.

Happy to be on the move!

It started on Valentine's Day and he never looked back. He went from nudging his bottom to a crawl/drag move very similar to what Brea did - he kind of crawls on one knee with the other leg tucked underneath. Then, this morning, he made it up the living room steps! I tell ya, this kid is going places. Actually, it probably had more to do with me stepping outside with the garbage and Brea following me, leaving him alone. I guess the feeling of being deserted gave him the extra push he needed to yank himself up the steps. It was a very good thing we got the gate up over the weekend. He is SO happy with his new-found independence though he is also being very clingy. I didn't experience this from Brea who was always happy to go with whoever to do whatever. With Rhys though, as soon as I leave the room, he lets out a cry and tries desperately to scamper after me - unless big sis stays with him that is. What this means of course it that I'm even busier than before. It is even harder now to get things done and I have to admit the house is quite a mess.

I tell you, there is nothing more fun than a kitchen with a toddler who tells me she doesn't need a bib anymore and a baby who is starting to be able to grab at his own food. Every meal leaves a Pollock masterpiece under the table. Rhys is doing so well with eating, I'm very proud of my little guy as he shoves pieces of waffle, or crackers, or Cheerios, or cheese into his mouth. I especially love the big grin he gives every time he's successful. He seems to be doing things faster than Brea did but I suppose he also has an example to follow.

This morning, we headed out into the sunshine for a walk in the woods - I love the crisp air and the babble of the water flowing by. Brea was in fine spirits today and brought her "walking stick" with her - she picked it up along the dykes last week and stows it in the garage for whenever we go out for treks. She liked using it today to point out all the fine things we saw along the way: there was the green "moff" on the trees, the "crumbly" pine-cones on the ground, the "big tree that fall down", and my favourite, the "volcano" - a hollowed out tree stump. As we made it along the trail and came to various forks, she would point with the stick and ask "which way do we go Mama? Do we take the path on the left or the path on the right?" - thanks Dora! She would invariably choose whichever headed deeper into the woods and away from civilization because she didn't want our walk to end.

We are incredibly lucky to live where we do and have the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and the wildlife. I was hoping for another glimpse of the four golden eagles and the bald eagle that we saw a few weekends ago, or the herons that lives in our area but we not as fortunate today. Nonetheless, it was a wonderful walk as Rhys slumbered in his carrier and Brea gathered more rocks for her collection.