The milestone you've all been waiting for...for real this time

There have been little baby steps all over this house today! Jackson took his first unaided step last night. As with every other new thing he's learned, I of course thought was that it? Was that really his first _____? Then this morning he took two little ones toward me without holding on to anything and I knew for sure. He was so happy with himself that each time he took steps he had to stop and clap, thus interrupting any further stepping. He is also blowing kisses complete with sound effects, playing peekaboo any time he hears the word "where," and waving whenever he hears "bye." He got a little frenzied at lunch and began doing all his tricks in a row at warp speed. He ended up sacrificing one side of his peekaboo.

Curt is in Honduras with a mission team from our church. Because I went to San Francisco with my mom, we have been already been apart for 9 days. I haven't heard from him since Monday and that was only a text. I kept my phone in my hand for three days straight and then finally gave up thinking he might get to call me. Hope deferred was making my heart sick. Today my phone died and I just didn't feel like looking for the charger. I felt that it would be a relief to just accept that I would not be hearing from him and surrender even the slightest possibility of getting to talk to him. Somehow that gave me some control and it helped my frame of mind.

Knowing Jackson would be walking any day, I had this incredible vision of our reunion with Curt at the airport. I would set Jackson on the ground and he would walk right up to his daddy, who would be shocked and amazed. Now the only problem is that his flight doesn't land until 11:30 Sunday night. My dilemma is whether I should wake Jackson up and take him with me or get someone to stay with him while I pick up his daddy. Either way, Curt is not going to be able to leave Jackson in his crib when he gets home. He will be too excited to see his boy. We'll see what happens. My little vision will never play out the way it does in my mind, but it would still be sweet to have Jackson there. All I know is my hubby is going to be very tan from the Honduran sun and looking svelte from only eating ham sandwiches. Meanwhile I am glowing white. My only consolation is that this week I saw a number on the scale that came within a half pound of what I weighed in college. P.T.L., y'all.

Dada, it's time to come home.


The picture in which my mother's pants looked like the Little Mermaid.