Mr. Chatterbox

Last month at Austin's 18-month appointment our pediatrician told us that Austin should be saying 10-15 words.  I chuckled and told her he was well past 30 words. 

Instead of a baby book I have kept a calendar in Austin's room so I can write things down quickly as he does something new.  I document a knew word nearly every day. 

Here's a handful of words that Austin says these days (pronunciation is obviously not perfect, but these are words he says regularily and on his own - not just repeating what we say):

this; no; uh-oh; up; down; go; moo; maa; baa; dada; mama; papa; Kaka (Uncle Kelsey's nickname coined by Taylor many years ago); ouch; all done; keys; more; shoes; ball; ashes, ashes; apple; crash; hat; cat; dog; sheep; duck; quack; yee-haw; choo choo; car; cup; goose; gone; gosh; juice; chip; turtle; sun; zip; apples all gone; Cooper; egg; poop; stuck; purse; spit; push; I want this (I this); I go in there (I goin nare); fish; flower; baby; sad; stairs; wash; nose; foot; hands; eyes; whale; heavy; people; kick; chimes; I dance; Jesus; truck; tractor; drums (booms); trash; clothes; cookies; cracker; hot; bath; bubble; water; off; book; socks; mix; pants; star.....

Just to name a few I've remembered to write down!  It's been fun to see what new things he does and says everyday.  He is such a little boy!

5 years ago...

Jeff and I met 5 years ago today on Stadium Terrace's sand volleyball court. It didn't take long to realize that each of us actually knew how to play volleyball. We said hello on opposite sides of the net and sized each other up. He hit the ball hard and I returned it - something he wasn't used to. After the match he casually asked which apartment my roommate and I were in - 28. Having this information gave him my phone number without actually asking for it... what a smart guy.

He called me a couple days later to play ultimate frisbee but I was at work, so my roommate, Kimee, and I invited him and his roommates over to help us make cookies for a party we were throwing that weekend. He was the only one that showed.

We had our party and I think Jeff was one of the last to part ways. A couple days after that we went on our first date - Hiking the Y.

First picture of us together, atop the conquered Y Mountain.