Cael and I went to Freddy's today, and before we could make it through the front door, we were accosted. Usually, it's the girl scouts (damn them and their cookies!) but today it was a guy from the Statesman Journal. He shoved a newspaper in my face and asked if I would like a free copy.

I said yes.

No one knows why I said yes. I don't like papers, I don't need papers (if it isn't on Stewart or Colbert, it isn't news!) and I certainly didn't want to put it in my cart and deal with the inevitable, "Are you going to pay for that?" from the checkout lady. (We all know that "dealing with checkout ladies" ranks somewhere just above "sand in underwear" on Allies Scale of Discomfort.)

But I took it.

Apparently, taking offered free stuff means that you have to stand there and listen to Paper Dude go through his entire spiel. It's like an invisible tether of obligation. Little did he know, I didn't even want the free one. If I didn't want his free paper, I sure as heck didn't want to sign up for a monthly subscription. And no, two gold dollars don't sweeten the deal. Unfortunately, I'm just so good at smiling politely (what? I am!) that he was so encouraged he felt the need to keep going and going. He even worked Cael into the pitch, saying how adorable he was and being quite the charmer.

Then he got to the end of his little checklist and I denied even the smallest subscription. The moment the final "no thank you" left my lips it was like a switch was flipped. Paper Dude's face fell flat, he turned his back to me and actually made "Have a nice day" sound like a threat.

I barely refrained from chasing after him, calling, "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to reject you! Can I get the one that comes with the coins? They looked very shiny!"

Grocery stores should totally have back doors.

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Cael took his first unassisted step yesterday - in the bathtub. Because the logical transition is to go from utter terror of stepping without a hand-hold to free-styling through knee-deep water in a ceramic death-trap. Right?

Today he has taken a few more steps on his own, but still prefers crawling and walking with support. Maybe he's just waiting for his next bath?

Also, today was his first venture into the toilet bowl. Sensing a pattern?

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Cael turned one last Wednesday, and so we check in with his stats!

Cael @ 12 months:

His percentiles haven't changed, so he's still a runt with a big head. He's actually so small that he can't use his new car seat. It's designed for "one year or 20 lbs" and he's too little. You'd think his big head would count for something!

Due to his excessive drooling (Really, it's ridiculous. It's like he has a hole in his chin), he's on prescription cream for his chin and neck. Be sure to file that away so that you can all tease him about that when he's a teenager.

He's accomplishing a lot of things and is very proud of these accomplishments (and rightfully so). He's figured out what makes us applaud him and likes to applaud with us, usually anticipating it and starting the clapping for us. Sometimes he starts clapping for himself even before he's finished the task.

Walking is coming along. He will walk and run if he's got a hand hold, but is afraid to let go - even though I'm sure he could take a few steps on his own. He doesn't really use the hand for support so much as comfort.

He eats everything. Loves veggies and cheese and Cheerios. He's not nursing anymore and likes water more than milk, but he'll drink the latter. He had his first treat on his birthday, an overcooked carrot cupcake (one day I'll figure out how to use an oven - one day!) with cream cheese frosting.

He still doesn't know "no" (if his constant eating of pine cones is any indication).

Clio likes Cael's toys, but only when they're in his hand. Luckily, Cael is big on sharing. He likes to give her what he's playing with and watch her chase it.

Once a week Cael goes to the library for their "Brainy Babies" bilingual class. It's a lot of singing and chewing on rubber balls. So, not that different from when he's at home. "La Araña Pequeñita" is his favorite song.

Right now he's figured out that his dad is on the other side of the closed door, so he used his walker toy to haul himself over and has started banging on the door and crying. We'll all be glad when Ryan's finals are over!

Off to rescue him...

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