Marching into March

March was a great month filled with lots of fun and one huge milestone after the next with the biggest milestone being Clay's first birthday (that will be an entirely separate post).  Both Clay's art class and my photography class wrapped up in March (again, that will be a separate post) but until then, here's what March held for us!

Clay feeding himself peas for the first time!  I know it's kind of goofy to get all excited about him feeding himself peas but it really was a big milestone and I am sure it's a milestone that he could have reached earlier.  Towards the end of his first year, I found that Clay could do tons of things if I just gave him the opportunity.  I was just so used to doing things for him that I didn't really think to allow him to explore his independence but every time I did, I was amazed and proud!

Clay's ability to express himself and have mommy and daddy understand seemed to skyrocket this month.  He started pointing at our fruit bowl every morning (and almost every other time we were in the kitchen) and saying "nana nana" for banana.  Then as the banana got cut up, he'd get very excited (hands flexed into jazz hands of sorts and arms shaking in anticipation and an intense and slightly anxious smile plastered across his face).  He also started pointing to balls and saying "ba" for ball.  He started saying "bye bye", A singular "bye" meant outside.  "Ahh"continued to mean cat.  "Yaya yaya yaya yaya" was a big part of his vernacular; most of that was only understood by Clay but he also started saying "Yaya" for my mom (which is good because her "grandma" name is Yaya).  He started saying "Ba!" for Grand Bop (my dad) and he also started whispering "Pop-pa" for Jim's dad (who is Poppa).

Clay was looking at some pictures that Granny sent us.  When we got to a picture of Nana (Jim's Maternal Grandmother), he pointed and said "Nana" without being prompted!  Here's a picture of that happening!

Of course I don't have a picture of this (I do have video of it but am not quite sure about loaded videos to blogger) but about midway through March Clay would get behind his dinosaur (a "walker" toy) and just motor around the house like it was nothing.  He'd just about sprint through the house and was happy just making his trek up and down the hall, then through the living room, kitchen, dining room, den and then start again!

Clay cuddling with one of his beloved Karen Katz books.

Poppa and Granny came in town for a visit which ALWAYS puts on a smile on little man's face (that and the remote that he thought was an appropriate prop for a "three generation" photo).

Meaghan Musgrave and Clay meet for the first time!  With Megs being early and Clay having a slew of illnesses, we kept the babes from each other for a while.   It's okay, their love conquered all!

Clay gets to try a brownie for the first time!

Ummm, yeah - he LOVED the brownie and ate it all!  He also demanded a bite if he saw Mommy sneaking a brownie at breakfast (wow, how having kids will make you take a good, hard look at one's eating habits!)

During the spring we had a standing date with Grand Bop for dinner and a show (GLEE!!!).  That also meant that Clay had a standing date for cuddling and reading with Grand Bop (or "BA!").

Clay and I took advantage of the great weather and hit up the Arboretum.    It's crazy to think about how much he's changed since last year!  We took pictures in front of these flowers last year when Clay was just 2 weeks old; I'd love to post that picture but our old computer died and those pictures weren't on the memory card that's been loaded to the new computer.

There is a water "wall" that splashes all over the ground and Clay loved crawling in the puddles.