Eight is Great!! (Outerbanks Vacation post still to come)

Today, Zachary turned 8 MONTHS OLD! We had a very nice weekend at home for the first time in a while. To celebrate Zach's 8-month birthday today, we started the day at church. He wasn't in the mood to sit quiet for the hour + service... about half way through, Len and Zach went to sit outside of the sanctuary, so he (Zach) could sing and pray as loud as his little heart desired without disturbing anyone around us! When we came home, it was time for lunch, so we tried yogurt again (yesterday was the first attempt and he was not a huge fan - he liked the carrots he tried last weekend much better). It was a little better today with the yogurt, but I can tell it's not one of his favorite meals. After a nice long afternoon nap, we finished off the day with a dip in the pool - this was Zachary's first time in the pool here at home, and he really seemed to enjoy splashing and kicking in the water. He even did his famous "fishy" move underwater... it was just adorable!



I still can't believe how the critter has completely transformed our lives... all for the better!! I think about all of my blessings probably on a daily basis, but it's these milestones when I truly sit down and reflect on all of the amazing things Zachary has seen and done, as well as how he continues to fill our hearts with love! This past month was quite an adventurous one for our little family, as Zach continues to learn and grow with every minute that passes. It was a VERY busy month for us all... there wasn't one weekend that we weren't on the go somewhere! Some of our favorite moments include:

• Going to his first parade, celebrating the 4th of July in Bel Air


• Wishing Cousin CJ a Happy 8th Birthday in NJ
  
• Visiting with 2nd Cousin Connor and Cousin Julie again, while they were home from Japan on vacation


• Meeting Great Aunt Nancy for the first time at her book reading in Hightstown, NJ
  
• Taking our first long family road-trip with a final destination of the Outerbanks, NC (we had a few stops along the way)


• Seeing Daddy's Alma Mater, ECU, and driving by his old fraternity house near campus in Greenville, NC


• Meeting friends Mark and John, their girlfriends Ellie and Jill, and the whole Morgan clan for the first time in Atlantic Beach, NC


• Petting a dog for the first time - Uncle Bob and Aunt Robyn's Border Collie "Ralphie", as well as Mark's English Yellow Lab "Hardy"... he LOVED them both!


• Taking his first boat ride on the Intercoastal Waterway in NC on Mark's new boat
• Going for a swim in a pool AND touching the Atlantic Ocean with his toes
  
• Spending the afternoon on the beach, playing on the blanket (he wasn't really a fan of the sand yet) and having a snack oceanside - what a life!

I can't wait for the many more adventures I'm sure we'll have... like some of the things we're still awaiting - his first tooth (it's gotta be close with all of the chewing and drooling he's been doing!), crawling, walking, talking, etc. For now, we're just so happy and proud of the little guy, and all he has seen and done. He's just so energetic with his little arms and legs constantly moving, making raspberries and clicking noises with his tongue, jumping in his excersaucer and his doorway Johnny Jumper, saying "Daddy" and "Da Da" (though we're not sure if he really connects it with Len yet), and rolling across the room (since he doesn't seem to have any interest in crawling). We also find quiet moments to read books (he loves to turn the pages and bang on the cover with his hands), snuggle and cuddle (with an occasional nap with Mommy in the bed), and sing songs together. Either way - full of energy and activity, or quiet and peaceful - every single moment we have with the critter is nothing less than precious and memorable!