A lot has happened over the last month but the most exciting has been the start of swim lessons. For Valentines Day Mike planned the perfect family day starting with a trip to the YMCA for swimming and ending with chicken wings at Flamin Joe's, my favorite place by far. We had so much fun , Mike especially loved taking MJ down the water slide, at the Y that Monday I called and signed MJ up for swim lessons. The lessons are at 9:30 on Saturdays which a year ago would have sounded like the break of dawn to me but now its almost the middle of the day, its f
unny how much changes. MJ is a natural in the water and the best looking baby there by far... that could just be the mom in me... but he does look quite adorable in his Hawaiian swim trunks. No suprise that his favorite part is jumping into the water from the ledge. Note: He doesn't actually jump he sits on the edge and throws himself forward when you yell jump. We also sing songs but MJ is usually more interested in watching the other kids and trying to play. Mike is a natural in the water too and although he was the only dad in the water during the first lesson 3 more dads joined him the next week. Nothings cuter then watching Mike sing "Do you know the Popcorn man."
MJ hasn't only been busy in the water in fact if he isn't busy its because he is sleeping. He has crawling down to an art and I swear breaks sound barriers with his speed. He can also pull himself up onto anything and everything, and can get just about anywhere if he has something to hold onto. We have caught him standing up in the middle of the room a couple times but the moment he sees us he falls on his butt. We also started a sippy cup last week which he has fun with but doesn't really see as a source of nutrition. In the land of nutrition he would live off of Strawberries, Cheerios, and Meatballs if we let him. At
dinner we try to give him some "people food" than follow it up with a couple jars of organic baby food.Another fun thing MJ has started is telling stories. He gets so animated when he gets into a long one that you cant help but laugh. His best stories are usually the ones he tells us when we get home about his day at daycare. Even though none of its English you can get the gist of the story
by his facial expressions and tone of his voice. Once we were lying in bed and he was holding onto the headboard jumping and bumped his head. He got down, crawled over to me, and started telling me all about it. In mid story he grabbed the headboard and laid his head on it showing me where he hurt himself. He also tells great stories when he is swinging my back scratcher through the air. I have no idea what kind of things he is dreaming up but I usually ask him if he is off slaying dragons and saving princesses.With him being such an "active" child we have been trying to get out of the house as much as
possible. In the beginning of February we stayed the weekend in Moses Lake which was a lot of fun. MJ had a blast playing catch with Grandpa and loved the sink bath Grandma gave him. MJ also enjoyed a man day last weekend while the Monek women went to a baby shower. He is still mesmerised by Taylor but now that Riley is getting bigger he has fun playing with him too. Then there are the trips to Baby's R Us to play with the toys and buy goodies, Five Mile Pizza to play in the balls, and the mall which has a playground. 
Mike and I often reminisce about those early months where we applauded every time he smiled even though chances are it was just gas. Now it seems as though he learns a new trick every day. Some days I wish he were a little baby again just cooing in my arms, other days I wish it were time for him to go off to college, but all it takes is one of his toothy grins for me to remember that he is at the perfect age and I wouldn't trade a second of it.
