First "real-live" steps and the BEACH!!!

Let me warn you this is a large post! Sorry : )

First let me say yesterday Joey took his first steps!!! and he has been doing it ever since. My friend Katie came to the door so I put Joey down standing up (he has been standing for a while) and next thing we both know he is walking. I think both of us were very shocked!!! He took about 5 steps and dropped down and now whenever we stand him up he takes a few steps each time. We are so excited...soon I say we will have a full-on walker!

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Now for the beach!

This is my favorite picture from the beach...I know you can't see any faces but I think it is a classic Father & son shot. Joey absolutely loved the waves hitting his feet and the wet sand and shells. However, once he got into the dry sand and it stuck to his skin he got very mad and we would have to go rinse him off.

Here he is touching the shells, he loved the rippled ones!

Him and I checking out the ocean...check out the big bruise on his head too! A little clash with the fireplace hearth : )

Making handprints in the sand!

Dad and Joey splashing...the kid is BIG into splashing : ) He loved to splash with his feet while he walked too!

He would crush sandcastles as fast as we could make them-fun!

Here is our water baby ready for a dip in the pool

Splashing again!

All bundled up in his shark towel and ready for lunch

Joey wanted to move independently around the pool but crawling hurt his knees so it didn't take long and he was walking around like a monkey on his hands and feet....everybody got a big kick out of it, and he is still doing the "monkey walk" at home

Here is Joey's first train ride with Daddy



And his first Merry-go-round ride with Mommy.

We liked it so much we went again the next day and rode a lion this time

Joey and Mom at Margaritaville... but we told Joey no margaritas until he is 2-bummer!! Just kidding of course!! Very cool restaurant and store...but the food wasn't as good as we thought. Great Margaritas though, Mom sacrificed and tested one out...just like Mom to take one for the team :)


Here is Joey with Arnold at Planet Hollywood. Not even 10 months and already hanging with the stars.

Joey and Dad with the Blues Brothers car at House of Blues-very cool place!!

Dad dreaming about buying this chopper...if only we had $40,000 laying around he would have bought it. It was the beginning of bike week and Joey loved the motorcycles -he would get so excited at the engine sound...Bill and I are in big trouble.

Finally the highlight of the trip. We never thought he would get much out of it but Joey LOVED the Ripleys Aquarium. We all had the best time.

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His very favorite the Jellyfish...just look at that face!

One small step for babies everywhere! at the Mars exhibit in Ripleys

Joey loved the stingrays and sharks, look at the top of the picture and you can see a hammerhead above us.

Checking out the horseshoe crabs

The fish peek-a-boo wall-great smile

Wow, look at that big fish Dad!!

It was amazing how engrossed Joey was by all the animals. He would point at them and watch them - he was way more interested than I ever would have thought! Can't wait to take him to the zoo!