Well checks are still happening.

Life continues on, even in the midst of so much unknown.

All I have to say is : god bless plastic water bottles. That 8oz bought me hours of 15-month contentment.

Things I don’t want to forget:

James follows directions — okay, so the ones he wants to follow. But he definitely understands everything.

He has about six words I can really make out:

mama, dada, uh huh, Jack (his favorite word and person), kitty cat, dog.

I keep hearing him talking in phrases. Things like, “yeah, guys I got it.” Or: “see you later.”

I’m sure he’s not but it sounds like it.

He understands things that baffle me. Such as the different keys — he knew my car key was my car key despite me never having shown him. Likewise he knows how to use the house key.

He loves books and reading. Balls. And anything his big brother has.

He does nothing half ass. He’s all in with whatever it is. Case in point: the kid barely moved for eight months. He’d just sit or lay on the floor. Happy and smiling.

He didn’t roll over till that eight month mark, as well (Jack was right at three). When he did it was as though he had been doing it for months.

He didn’t crawl till 11 months (Jack was an eight month crawler), and again — it was full speed ahead. No awkward movements.

I figured he’d be on the later side of walking given these events but shortly after he turned one, he just simply got up and began walking. Effortlessly. Again, as though he had been at it for a couple months. No need to balance on anything or anyone.

Ironically, for Jack hitting the other milestones earlier, James walked before him. Just goes to show that you really cannot compare your kids, or any kids, for that matter.

We’re all on our own pace and schedule and that’s fine. There’s a million and one different ways to the same finish line.

All roads lead to Mecca.