07.19.09 ~ Cool Shades, Flamingo

Jason, Liam, and I just got back from a wonderful and relaxing week on the Outer Banks in North Carolina. Like last year, we went with Jason’s Mom’s side of the family and stayed in a big house just off the beach. This year we were an even bigger group of 15 people and two dogs. Liam had a full week packed with of his two favorite things: the outdoors and attention. Not surprisingly, Liam loved playing in the sand and water on the beach. On the beach and by the pool at the house, Jason’s mom and Tim set up baby pools for Liam and Ethan to play in so that they could enjoy the water in the shade. Occasionally we also took them down to stick their toes in the ocean water. Liam was slightly concerned about the waves, but not actually scared. He stared at the water coming in and rushing back out and made little “oooh oooooh” sounds. When we tried to put his feet in the water, he would only commit one foot and hold the other up like a little flamingo. In the baby pool on the beach he carefully sucked the salt water off all of his beach toys. Soon he learned he could use his shovel as a spoon, which resulted in a lovely diaper full of diarrhea later that evening.

Liam’s Nana took over quite a bit of his care (changing, bathing, and playing with him) so Jason and I got a break and were able to kick our feet up and relax. In the evenings when Liam was in bed, we played cards, watched movies, played mini-golf, and had a few cocktails (all activities at which Jason excels). In the mornings, when Liam’s internal alarm clock woke him at the usual 6am, we dropped Liam and his diaper bag off with Carol and Tim, rolled over, and went back to sleep. Bliss.

Liam also got to spend time with his little cousin Ethan. By the end of the week they seemed to recognize each other and (reportedly) greeted each other happily in the mornings. (Ethan was also dropped off with Carol in Tim each morning). We had been hoping that Liam would learn to crawl from Ethan over the course of the week. Instead, it was Ethan that picked up Liam’s terradactyl screech. Unfortunately, not as useful as crawling.

At the same time last year and in that same house I was less than 20 weeks pregnant, we didn’t know the sex of the baby yet, and we spent endless hours talking about what it would be like to have two babies along for the vacation a year from then. So much has happened in the last year since that first trip to the Outer Banks. Not only did we find out the sex of the baby, we went through the rest of the pregnancy, his crazy birth, my crazy recovery, and we’ve started the wonderful process of getting to know Liam. Now, at 7 and ½ months, he has so much personality and life. There we were one full year later, again on the Outer Banks, living all the things we had talked about one year ago.

And here is Liam’s tooth progress: two on the bottom totally in, the top left just popped through, and the top right looks like it will be here very soon!

And a few pictures of Liam at school during the month of June: