Happy birthday baby!

It's been a big day for Graham. It's his birthday, and he started walking! (His first steps were yesterday, but he refused to attempt more than one at a time. He's progressing rapidly.) Footage:

Graham walks! from Katie on Vimeo.

Note in the video that we are all wiped out by our record 100+ temps today, and Finn's ever-increasing interest in imaginary play. Two months ago if you'd have told him that ball was a fish he'd have said "no, it's a ball," and looked at you like you were crazy. Now he tells *us* it's a fish, and that we should pet it.

Yesterday we had a lovely small party for Graham, with family, close friends, cake, and cupcakes, but the presents and cake footage were taken with the actual video camera, not my phone, and needs to be converted and edited. Hopefully we'll get that up before his next birthday.

This was the last weekend for the train that goes from the mountains clear down to the beach, so that's what we did Saturday. Here's a shot of the boys enjoying the ride.

An hour each way where both boys were entranced, and we mostly got to sit still in a cool redwood forest. Can't recommend it highly enough.

So Happy Together...

Why bother doing a blog post if I can't get a song stuck in your head, right? But then I reward you with a video, fresh from this morning. This airplane was Finn's present for his first birthday. Graham has been using it for a walker/push toy lately, and that has renewed Finn's interest in it. Here they are sharing nicely. Mostly.

Walking together from Katie on Vimeo.
And in case that weren't enough, now I will explode your head with more brothers-together cuteness.

Yes sir, good times around the Fortney house lately. Graham turns ONE on MONDAY! He'll be walking soon, he's moving closer to an all people-food diet, and he understands a TON of what we say to him. Finn, who has always been fond of songs but not so much singing, now sings all the time - random lines from everything from "Wheels on the Bus" to "Eight Days a Week" to "Lisztomania." But he would like someone to explain to the Beatles that babies cannot, in fact, drive your car.
I'm doing great. My job is simply wonderful. If you are a library geek I would be happy to explain to you all the reasons why. On top of that I get to walk to my office through a redwood forest and drive home with a vista of Monterey Bay. You may know I have a yard 5 houses from a duck pond, that it backs onto a creek and is popular with local deer, skunks, and the like, but did you know that my house is within a few miles of:

• beaches (with sea lions. And surfers.)
  
• mountains
  
• book and record stores (new and used)
  
• a ROLLER COASTER
  
• a butterfly migration hot spot
  
• an annual aquatic parade
  
• a steam train
  
• at least 3 wine bars and innumerable wineries
  
• 2 or 3 breweries
  
• restaurants from Afghan and Brazilian to ... Thai and vegan? What's a cuisine that starts with Z?
  
• TWO weekly farmers markets
• gourmet chocolates
  
• three completely unrelated independent local grocery stores/small chains
  
• so many great bakeries I sometimes think my head will explode

There's more, I'm sure, but that gives you a picture. You'd never guess that I like food, huh? Life is good. Come visit.

Clambering!

Graham is really learning to get around. He can rather easily climb up the 7 stairs on this playground. His new daycare has big blocks to climb on---I think that's where he has been practicing. That or he goes out at night when we're all asleep. He's been standing on his own a bit more lately but I still think that walking is a few weeks away. We'll see!

Climb it! from Jonathan Fortney on Vimeo.

Here he is eating berries. He, ah, likes them. Both boys practically gorge themselves at the Saturday morning farmers' market, and then the rest of Saturday and Sunday. It is rare for any berries to see Monday alive!

And Graham is enjoying our backyard. This is the view coming up from the creek. The stone path is new.

The Santa Cruzians

A quickie on my way out of town! The boys really love their new swing set, which we got for FREE from Kim and John. Thanks! Graham, being a baby, loves peekaboo, which we play a lot. (Especially after I've strapped him into his car seat, which is sometimes not fun.) [Speaking of not fun, it is TERRIBLE changing that kid's diaper. He hates being on his back. He writhes and bucks like a bronco, all the while trying to grab himself "down there." It is an experience *not* for the amateur diaper changer.] The video has the background noise of Finn constantly chatting. This is what most of our days are like. One very long run-on sentence from morning til night. :)

Peakaboo! from Jonathan Fortney on Vimeo.

Here are the boys down at the pond at Westlake Park. There are ducks. Many many ducks. 40? And of course, they like bread.

Graham is a great cruiser, but I think actual walking is still a few weeks away. It is pretty rare that he'll stand unaided, and that only lasts 1-2 seconds.