Helping Hands

Today, Iggy was fascinated with the laundry basket and the laundry that was inside of it. She would pick something out, walk around the room a couple of times and then drop it into various piles on the floor. I was able to catch some of it.

10 months

Last week, Iggy turned 10 months old and we decided that a trip to the Iwo Jima memorial was just the ticket to document the momentous occasion.

Iggy getting her sea legs. Not too sure about the wet grass.

Jed and Imogen giving the Marines a helpful push.

Two loving the grass and attention from the kiddo.

Finally used to the grass, Iggy starts strolling around.

Iggy watching Dad, while Dad watches Two roll around in a huge puddle in the grass.

Jed: "How big is Iggy?"

Iggy: "I'm not your puppet. You can't make me do that."

"Fun" facts about Iwo Jima:

• The battle for Iwo Jima lasted for 36 days.
• Nearly 70,000 troops, mostly Marines engaged over 21,000 Japanese soldiers.
• On February 23, 1945, US troops had completely surrounded Mt. Suribachi and had raised a small American flag.
• Later that afternoon, a second, larger flag salvaged from Pearl Harbor was raised by the five Marines famously depicted in the war memorial.
• News photographer Joe Rosenthal photographed the flag raising which won him a Pulitzer Prize and inspired the the memorial.
• The figures of the memorial are 32 feet tall and are raising a 60 foot flag pole. The flag flies 24 hours a day.
• On the base is a tribute of Fleet Adm. Chester W. Nimitz to the fighting men on Iwo Jima: "Uncommon Valor was a Common Virtue. Below this is "Semper Fidelis," Latin for "always faithful," motto of the U.S. Marine Corps.
• The memorial is dedicated to the U.S. Marine Corps. dead of all wars and their comrades of other services who fell fighting beside them.

Walking

Yup, that's right. Iggy has started taking some steps on her own. Just today she walked from the kitchen to the dining room, took a brief break to regain her balance, and then continued to stroll into the living room. Our pediatrician didn't believe us when we told her that she started taking a few steps. He made us show him when we were then for Imogen's 9 month check up. At any rate, here is proof that she indeed is taking some steps.

Some days nap time is a struggle especially because Iggy loves to stand and jump in her bed. She's a girl on the move.