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| And so the next phase begins. | 
Phin has changed from a blob on the floor to a fully mobile little creature. Intentional forward motion started a week ago with some inch worming. Soon that morphed into rocking on his hands and knees. Now he is just shy of a full fledged hands and knees crawl. These developments are sweet!! I am excited to see our little guy pull new tricks. Not long he will be walking, then running, then pulling 360s on tele-skis and helping his dad haul deer out of the mountains. But the near term sober reality is that the days of setting him on a blanket while I cook dinner or do other chores have abruptly ended. Being nearby is not enough, I have to be right there as it seems danger has the gravity of a black hole. I have watched him slip under the futon several times (it now sits on the ground.) He hit his head on the wooden furniture a couple of times – interestingly, he is too young to cry about a small bump because he doesn’t know how to draw attention. And he has found the only exposed computer cord in the room. I see significant child-proofing in the weeks and months to come.  
Val is off to Kake for a week. This time she goes with her mom who will watch Phin during the day.  Thanks to Sue for helping out. I hope to use the duty-free time to fill the freezer with the help of my folks who arrive from Anchorage this weekend. 
 
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| Once under the futon. | 
 
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| Twice under the futon. | 
 
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| "Sweet record collection dad . . .." | 
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| One way to get chores done. |