Lots of Firsts

Will and I returned a couple days ago from Kansas City where we were visiting Melissa, Nathan and their new baby Gideon. While we were there, a lot of "firsts" occurred.

Will had his first Halloween of trick or treating. While he was around last year for Halloween, he was only a little over a month old, and an evening of passing out candy wore him out.

Halloween 2007

This year we made it to the receiving candy stage, and he seemed to enjoy it more. We went to the Trunk or Treat activity at church, and Will wasn't thrilled at first with his zebra costume (probably because it has a hood and he does not like anything on his head). But as soon as he saw the other kids running from car to car, he seemed a little more excited. He never did get to the point where he would hold out his basket or do more than stare at anyone giving him candy (I can only imagine what he was thinking). He's always shy around strangers, so going from one new face to the next didn't help him warm up to anyone. After the Trunk or Treat, we had to search for a neighborhood that had porch lights on (does Missouri not believe in trick or treating?), but we finally found a good stretch of houses in a nice area. By the end of the evening, when the person at the door would hold out the bowl for Will, he'd gingerly reach in and take one piece, always keeping an eye on them. Most people would say that wasn't enough and give him a handful because he was so adorable.

Once we got back, Will was very excited to discover that he now had a basket full of candy. He started raking through it, holding up handfuls and laughing, as if he were thinking, "It's all mine!"










Will "helped" me carve his first pumpkin a few days before Halloween. He is a true boy and loved getting his hands on the goop inside. He also insisted on tasting that goop, and I could only stop so much from reaching his mouth.


















After taste testing the pumpkin, he just decided to sit in the bowl we were throwing the seeds into. Everything was a mess, but we both had a great time.

Major points to anyone who recognizes that our pumpkin is Strong Bad from homestarrunner.com.

Will also had his first McDonald's experience. He liked the French Fries, but he wasn't thrilled with the chicken nuggets. And his first Happy Meal toy--a Barbie.







And for the biggest first of all--Will took his first steps on Wednesday November 5th! He'd been standing without touching anything for a few days, as long as he didn't realize it, and we were trying to convince him to walk, but he'd always just lean forward and fall into the person closest to him. But that morning, he took the plunge and walked two steps to me. Later in the day he took between seven and eight to Melissa. She was a lot closer to him, but every time he'd reach her, he'd bat her hand away, so she'd scoot back, and he'd go a little farther. Each day he becomes a little more sure, but I think it will be awhile before he's off and running. Sometimes he gets so excited that he forgets to balance and just ends up laughing in a heap on the floor.

As for Anthony, we finally received our first letter. There was no mention of his virus, so I'm assuming that he recovered and wasn't sent back to start his first week over. He had to sneak the letter out because they're not allowed to send mail. He's grouped with a lot of "stubborn" people who don't seem to understand how to act, so they all end up doing a lot of push ups and having their privileges taken away. Hence the sneaking out of mail. So we finally have an address to write him, and we know he's okay. He's up at 4 every morning and has 15 minutes to make his bed, get dressed and get downstairs, and then a lot of the day is physical training, marching, and trying to cope with the mind games the instructors play. He's starting week 3 now, so 4 weeks to go! Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. They mean so much to us!