Ash took his first steps by himself this week. He doesn't quite have WALKING per se - down yet - but he's getting there!! I think he's excited about moving around like "big people".

Max has started saying, "Let's go!". Ash just says, "go! GOOOO! go!" - especially early in the mornings.

took the boys to the park this week (thank goodness we've had 1 day where it didn't rain!!) and they had a ball playing with two friends of theirs Holt and (ack - name escapes me - I'll think of it later) his little brother. Their last name is Swank. Anyway - we are going to plan a playdate together so that we won't lose touch so much over the winter season like last year. They have been our "park buddies" for about a year now and all of the boys are very close in age.

Hmm....... had to take Max to the emergency room last Wednesday - he got some kind of virus and woke up with a 103+ fever but the weird thing was that he was SO hot all over! He felt like a microwaved bagel. (weird analogy I know - closest thing we could compare it to for the doc) Anyway - so he was off food for about 4 days and has slowly recovered - not sure what that was - the doctor says that toddlers just sometimes get "summer viruses". Anyway - I stayed home on Thursday with him to help out and he's feeling all better now.

woo. I am tired!! Max has decided that jumping up from his bed and running about is maybe his most favorite thing to do lately. I think we're going to have to go back to having a babygate on their door. So last night I was up at 1:00 and 1:30 and 2:00 and 3:30 and 6:00 (where I cleaned up all kinds of messes) and then again at 8:00 when I dragged myself out of bed completely exhausted. This has got to stop!! Meanwhile Ash just slept like it was his job - I think he maybe slept 14 hours last night. :::headdesk::: I wish someone would let me sleep like that!!
So - this morning - I actually stuck my hand in my coffee after the barista handed it to me. It felt very very light (I ordered a venti) and today was not the day for me to be shortchanged on coffee due to foam!! She added more espresso and milk and then remixed. Seriously. Just not today.
Also - last night at the Babies 'R Us, the cashier forgot to give Greg his driver's license back and he left to get the car (it was raining) and I didn't know he DIDN'T have it..... so we have to drive back out to Timbuktu to pick up his license after work today. (its honestly the most awful BRU around - but its by far the closest)

Ash can talk more and more - his first words were "thank you" - I think I maybe mentioned that. He can also say: "car", "hi" and "down". Down sounds more like DOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWNNNNNNNNN. Lots of syllables. Thank you sounds like "Da-Ku" - but its really distinguishable.

Max has added more and more phrases including: "What's going on?", "Alright" and "That's mine". ("night night", "thank you much" and "I love you" are also popular right now) He's also sort of learning to sing more of Row Row Row Your Boat and the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse song.

I think we're going to buy a babygate today.