And just like THAT...

Perhaps we should just let this clip speak for itself.

10 months old

Helloooo world, here comes Owen!

More! More! He wants more!

Today was a big day!! Owen signed for the first time!!!! My baby boy talked to me today for the first time!! I can't use enough exclamation points to convey my pride, happiness and overwhelming love for this creature! Somehow it feels as if life has become even richer...all because he said he wanted "more".

It happened at lunch time today. As is typical, I was feeding Owen a variety of things for lunch: cheese, chicken, fruit and of course, his favorite, veggie puffs. He had finished off the puffs on his tray and I replaced them with pieces of chicken. He ignored the chicken, started waving his hands and just looked at the dining room table instead. At first, I thought he was just fidgeting...perhaps the "I'm done eating now so I'm just gonna play" routine. Then, it dawned on me...he was looking at the puffs canister and signing!! A fluke? Wishful thinking on my part? I picked up the can and asked "More?". He responded with the correct sign for "more". My heart suddenly became 2 sizes bigger. My baby is communicating with me. There really aren't words for this feeling.

Just to clarify...he didn't come up with this sign on his own, of course. We've been signing to him for the last few months, mainly at mealtimes. So far, we've really only introduced a handful of signs and have not used them as consistently as I vowed to do (long before I was even pregnant...thanks to those American Sign Language classes in college). But, I guess it was often enough for him to get it!

I resisted the urge to call Rob at work and share the news, hoping we could just surprise him with the new "trick" at dinner. No dice. I suppose the ability to communicate comes hand-in-hand with free will. And Owen's will wasn't for sale at dinner tonight...not even for MORE puffs.

PS- We now have a lovely blueberry puree stain on the carpet to commemorate Owen's first sign. Once I figured out what he was doing, I was so quick to sign back that I forgot I was holding his lunch!

All play and no work!

This week has reminded me of why I decided to quit my job...making memories with Owen is THE most important thing I can do right now. We have been on the go every day this week and having so much fun. Parks, lunches, playdates, being tourists in our own city and saving plenty of time for just blowing kisses and being happy.


Today, we returned to the farmer's market and bicentennial fountains for some play time with friends.


Owen loved the water and took no time at all getting right in the middle of things. The place was packed and "big kids" were running wild!


But, Owen didn't care a bit...too much to see and do to care about the potential hazards around him.
























We followed up the fountains with some yummy Jamaican food from the market and some quality time with my mama friends. Have I mentioned how much I'm gonna miss this bunch?

Whirlwind weekend

The Stone family was busy this weekend leaving our footprints all over Nashville. With just over 3 weeks left before the move, we are drinking in as much as we possibly can of this fair city.

Friday brought another playdate with Carson and another opportunity to enjoy the SWINGS! Any excuse to visit a park is a good one, especially when it involves playing with a friend!
Wheeeeee...


Not so fast, buddy. Let the ladies get our picture!


Cheesin' for the camera...



Saturday was one of the most beautiful mornings we've shared in long time. We went to Cheekwood Botanical Gardens and enjoyed their gorgeous grounds before skipping out for a brunch that included gooey buns and spinach crepes! (notice that good food is always blog-worthy in my book)






After Cheekwood and a good afternoon nap, we explored a brand new park with new swings and slides! Owen's affinity for slide climbing continues and he climbed the biggest slide we could find.



On Sunday, we went to the farmer's market where Owen sampled some good down home country cookin'. All his southern grandparents would have been so proud! He gobbled up turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, green beans, cornbread and squash. And unlike other meals, most of this stuff actually made it in his mouth instead of on the ground. He knows better than to waste good food!


After lunch, we walked out to the Bicentennial Mall to watch the fun in the splash fountains. While we weren't really prepared to get soaked like all the other kiddies, we did manage to sneak off away from the action and get in a little bit of water fun.





Monday brought Daddy's birthday and anticipation of some 4th of July celebrating. However, the heat scrapped our plans for a picnic and we sought some air-conditioned play instead. We stopped in at a play area we'd never been to before and what do you know? Walking through the door at the exact same moment was one of my mama friends and her family. So, Owen was in heaven...a really, really cool playground and a friend to share it with! Owen followed Parker all over the place, including up the stairs several times over. Yep, just as expected...stair climbing is not a problem. The boys were going full tilt and loving every minute of it.






We topped off the day with an afternoon nap for the whole family (this NEVER happens) and then just stayed close to home to enjoy each other's company. After Owen went to bed, Mommy and Daddy enjoyed watching some fireworks from the balcony with a nice, cold beer. A perfect ending to a fantastic weekend.

The last straw!

Well, the last straw full of diet coke, that is.

So, Owen has always had a fascination with straws. Ever since he first began showing an interest in our food several months ago, he likes to chew on straws. Never really knew what he was doing with them, just liked to hold them and gnaw on them. Well, last night I got a "to-go" cup from dinner and was holding it in the backseat next to Owen. He reached out for the cup and I put it over to him so he could chomp on the straw. Next thing I know, brown liquid is moving straight up the straw and he's got a mouth full of diet coke! Poor thing, he had no idea what hit him! In fact, I think it probably tingled his mouth some and he just sat there, slackjawed, letting all the coke dribble down his chin. I was floored. My baby boy had learned to use a straw!

As soon as we got home, I filled a glass with water and provided a clean straw for him. Perhaps it was just a fluke so let's try again. Sure enough, he sucked it right up. All day today he's been drinking from a straw. Yet another cool party trick added to the Owen Stone repertoire. He is also:

* Blowing kisses. Well, he doesn't quite "blow" them with his hand but rather responds with a pronouced lipsmack when you ask for a kiss and show him how.

* Responding to the words "splash, splash, splash" with immediate double-handed splashing in the nearest water source.

* Shaking his head "no"...although we're sure he has no idea what it means since he very rarely hears that word. He sometimes shakes his head so vigorously that he follows up with a giggle.

Add to all of this his waving at everyone he meets and you have one cute kid. As if I had to tell you this!