Fun at the Beach!

Hi everyone!
We went to the beach last weekend for a much-needed getaway. It was so much fun! I can't think of anything that brings more enjoyment for Daniel and me than introducing Pierce to new things.
When Pierce first saw the ocean, he was a little overwhelmed, and then very excited. He demanded to be put down and went running towards the water immediately! It was very windy and so he poked his belly out to stabilize himself, which was quite funny. He loved Daniel holding him and letting the waves crash into him. He would just cackle with glee. He did try to eat a lot of sand before he decided it was better to play with it and feel it in his hand than to ingest it, right about the time we had to go home!
Pierce's first sight of the ocean, the first time he touched the sand, the way he clung to us as the waves crashed-those are things we cherish, and we can't help but foist our merriment onto you. Of course, some pictures have been featured in black and white to protect the identities of those untanned. We trust you'll afford us this folly.
Lots of love,
Megan, Daniel & Pierce

Getting Settled

Well, we are still working on getting everything set up and running smoothly here in Winston-Salem, but we are pretty comfy finally. Our house sold today and we are ecstatic about that even though we will miss our first home. After 750 miles of searching through neighborhoods we found a home about 10 or 15 minutes from Daniel's work and have most everything set up now. It was a little (lot) disastrous at first, with all of the appliances in disrepair, broken water pipes, and electrical issues that landed us with absolutely no power for several hours one exceptionally hot evening. We think that everything is fixed now except for the dishwasher, which we have to "trick" into rinsing the dishes.
Daniel is really getting into the swing of things at work. He's such a trooper, working a full day and coming home to fix a million things every night. He says that he is really enjoying his job, getting to be his creative self! All of his days are packed with work, home repairs (hopefully those are over), and enjoying time with Pierce before he goes to bed.
Up until last Friday, I have spent every day scheduling the repairmen and making sure that I am at home for them to do the repairs. In the midst of that, I was able to get a lot of the unpacking done, so the upstairs is pretty well put together except for hanging pictures. The downstairs is another story...but most of that just needs to be stored in the basement garage. So I guess I'll get to start on the fun stuff, like painting the rooms soon.
Pierce has been doing great. He is almost 15 months old now! We thought his first year passed quickly, but this year seems to be passing even more quickly. He weighs about 21lbs and seems to grow an inch a day! He has 10 teeth now, including two brand new molars, which he has been breaking in by biting almost anything that gets near his mouth. We think that there are two more molars on their way shortly.
Everyone has asked if he is walking yet. The truth is that he is definitely not mommy's "little" baby anymore. It almost seems like he is running at times! Nothing is safe from his reach. He has learned to tiptoe and stretch his arms way above his head and feel around on the counters and tables for things.
Pierce has become a great conversationalist, like his Daddy. He tries to repeat just about everything we say, which has been very cute. I just asked him to say "elephant" and he responded with as many syllables but a completely different set of consonants. It is a very fun game, for me at least! He loves to read and will bring a book to us and sit on our lap, but he insists on turning the pages himself and chatters along with the story. Sometimes we catch him just talking to himself while he is playing. His favorite thing to say is "uhuh" over and over again on the "phone." I have no idea where he learned that.
We have a "workshop" for Pierce now, where he can get into anything he wants, nothing is off limits and he can be as messy as a toddler should be. That has been a great source of enjoyment for him and relaxation for me. I can sit and read a book (or update his website) at the desk Daniel set up for me with my cameras and computer, which are all miraculously out of his reach. He will "work" for hours at a time in this room with or without my "interference." I am so thankful that we have it, especially now that the temperature has been three digits everyday and getting outside during the day is no fun for either of us.
I put a few pictures of the house and some pictures of what Pierce has been up to in the photo album, so be sure to check it out.
Love,
Megan, Daniel & Pierce