Artie has been pulling to stand since a very early age, and in fact would do it repeatedly, like he was trying to do squats! He's strong, for a baby, and we often have the unsettling sensation that he's deliberately trying to get stronger. I try not to speculate and maybe inadvertently put the kids into a box, but between this and his fascination with balls it's hard not to see sports in his future.

By the time his first birthday rolled around, he had been walking for several weeks, so by then (and especially by now) he really was a pro. It's weird seeing a baby as young as he is walking so confidently, the proportions don't see quite right for that; the doctor was quite impressed. That day he impressed us again by taking all his one year shots like a pro, and hopefully has a degree of immunity to measles now.

Dede is, obviously, a pro at walking, but we've tried to expand her skills in other ways. She just wrapped up a season of basketball, and has just started a monthly taiko drumming session. (I take lessons once a week, and she is very charmed to do the same activity I do!) Lex has also introduced her to a new hobby: rock hunting.

They both are major extroverts who love getting out of the house and meeting new people. Lex and I can't understand where they get it from. But, out of respect for this, we try to get out of the house every single weekend, and I take every other Wednesdays off at work and take them someplace fun, which (at Dede's request) is usually the zoo.

My husband took Dede for a weekend away when I was still pregnant with Artie, or maybe he had just been born, which seems like a big difference but honestly it’s all kind of a blur to me. Ever since she’s been asking nonstop if she and Dada can go back to the “footmountains” together — Mama and baby not exactly welcome but not expressly forbidden either. Lex initially planned a trip for them both but I muscled my way in because Christmastime with two kids is short and the number of Christmas experiences I was able to put together was even shorter. It was also worthwhile, we thought, to see how the kids would take to travel at their current ages. Dede is four, Artie is nine months old.

And, well, Artie screamed almost the entire drive. There were times he screamed so much he seemed to pass out, only to wake up half an hour later and scream some more. Despite this, he seemed totally fine every time we stopped the car and took him out.

The main objective of the trip was to visit Santa, who was waiting out in the rain for kids that first night. Very devoted to the job. Dede asked for a camera; Artie didn’t really know what was going on but he was having a good time.

We also saw trains! We headed to the Railtown 1897 State Park, which didn’t have trains running this time of year but did have a tour, plus plenty of space to run around in. We put Artie in the grass for the first time expecting he’d panic like most babies too but he dug it.

As always, the kids enjoyed exploring the hotel room at least as much as any of the sights we saw. We could probably plan a hotel room-based vacation and they’d like that just fine (just not too far by car, Artie pleads).