Tomorrow is Dominik and Scarlett’s first birthday. I just spent an hour assembling the Playskool “Laugh & Learn Learning Home,” which will be lurking here in the living room along with their new beach gear Beth got them today. Hopefully it’ll be a nice surprise when they wake up tomorrow. By the way we’re sorry that we haven’t yet thanked whoever got Dom and Scarlett the “Laugh & Learn” toy but the shipping receipt didn’t indicate who bought it. So whoever you are stand up, take a bow, and let us know– it’s a beauty. I’m hoping tomorrow to get a lot of video and photos to document their first birthday which will show off it’s various interactive capabilities.
From the swanky new beach gear you might have figured out that we’re going to take them to the beach for their first birthday. Which is a really exciting prospect and a new milestone too. The only time we’ve taken them to the beach before they couldn’t really crawl so they didn’t get to touch the sand or water. This will definitely be a lot more … interactive.
Just a few thoughts about the developing mini-humans.
Dominik loves to look at plants and feel their leaves, he’s got a quiet smile with 4 teeth. At some point in the first week at home Beth called him “Bubbie” which morphed into “The Bubbincito” which eventually became “Bunbinimide (a new element on the periodic table?) which turned into”The Bubbin” we’re just as apt to refer to him as “The Bubbin” as we are Dominik. Also, let me say those various permutations are reserved for parental use only 
Although, Dominik hasn’t yet walked he has given up the army stomach slither for a full speed scrabbling crawl which he accentuates by slapping his hand down and making a slight howl of “Oh.. Oh.. Oh.. Oh..” with each motion and he pulls himself up with confidence. He loves to pull himself up in the crib then fall backwards onto the mattress repeatedly while giggling.
Scarlett is now showing a pretty distinct preference for walking over crawling. She’s loves to point at things she would like us to hand to her for examination and has already figured out that we’re more likely to give it to her if she cries. Whenever she finds a shoe of mine or Beth’s on the floor she will now always try to put it on. Her smile is usually accompanied with an infectious gravelly laugh. Oh yeah, and Scarlett’s nickname is “Sita” which branched off as the feminine version of Dominik’s “Bubbincito.”
Both kids are doing really well meeting new people, situations, and unexpected changes in their environment. My favorite thing to do as Dad is toss them about, hold them on my shoulders when we go for walks and make them laugh.
As I’ve finished writing this I see it’s already the 10th of July. Our kids are 1 year-olds.
Happy Birthday Dominik & Scarlett.
