End of summer & end of first year

In the last few weeks we have been enjoying the end of summer and the end of Oliver's first year of life. This has mostly meant two things for Oliver: 1) playing outside (parks! lake!) and 2) being naked! 

Oliver's been working hard at perfecting his stair climbing skills. He's quite good and no longer tries to go head first on the descent.

Last week we took advantage of the nice weather and went to Cedar Lake in Minneapolis. It was warm enough that we all got in the water. We had a great time.

tiny turtle we found by the lake

father and son on the beach

Oliver took his first steps on September 8th (at 11 1/2 months). He still prefers crawling but is quite fast at walking while assisted. He also likes to "rearrange the furniture" (i.e., push his highchair or chairs around) to practice his walking skills. So helpful, that one. 

I can't believe he'll be one year old in a few days! Watching him grow up is so bittersweet. As a developmental psychologist, I have always been fascinated by development, but before having Oliver, I didn't realize how emotional it could be. It has been exciting and heartbreaking at the same time. I am so excited for him to get older and learn new things and yet I want him to stay a tiny squishy baby forever. xoxo Oli!