Sunday, March 29, 2009

Birthday Boy





Half of me can't believe a whole year has passed and the other half of me can't believe it's only been a year. So many moments to look back on and smile. What a year it's been! We feel so blessed to have a happy, healthy one year old boy. J had a great birthday. We had a nice morning celebration last Wednesday before we went to work. Opened a few presents and sang happy birthday. It was really nice. So hard to bring him to daycare. I wanted to spend all day with him so badly. Luckily the day flew and we had a nice celebration when I got home. Noisemakers, party hats and all. After dinner, he got his first taste of cake. He was definitely more interested in the icing than the cake, mushing the icing between his fingers and shoveling it into his mouth. Had a bite of cake, but was quickly disinterested.

Yesterday, we had birthday party #2 at a local park with our neighborhood friends. Having had a little practice under his belt, the cake eating was a little more animated and much more colorful. Turns out he likes chocolate cake better than white. Blue icing everywhere...hair, face, and I found later...in his diaper (yuk!). It was a beautiful day and so nice to get together with everyone. We're looking forward to party #3 over Easter weekend. That will be a big blowout in Newport with two other little ones to celebrate with. J will have this cake eating thing down!

J had his 12 month appointment last Thursday. The doc said he looks great. He's 23lbs, 12oz and 31 inches. Long and lean...just like his daddy. He's crawling all over the place and cruising along furniture and anything else he can pull himself up on. Not walking yet. He likes to walk while we're holding his hands, but I think it might be awhile until he braves it on his own. We practice standing a lot and he thinks it's hilarious when he stands for a second and falls on his behind. I tell him he needs to "balance" when he's standing and he kind of puts his hands out and bends his knees...it's pretty funny to watch. He looks like a little surfer. He's into everything and has a very healthy appetite...just like his mommy : ). We're trying all kinds of new table foods. He's eating whole peas and cooked carrots, broccoli, zucchini, chicken, burgers, pasta...and when he doesn't like it, he's mastered the art of pushing the food out with his tongue. Which he also finds hilarious. He's got about 8 teeth now and is working on a few more, I think. He can't get enough of the outside. Loves to go for walks and now knows which direction the neighborhood playground is. He's pointing at everything under the sun and communicates very well that way. He can be very demanding with his finger. As long as he continues to use his first finger, I'm okay with that ; ). He does say mamma and dadda and babba, but we're not convinced he necessarily associates them with anything yet. If you ask him where his ball is, he knows to look around on the ground for it. And, if you ask him "where's the light?" he looks up and points at a light. So, I think he knows more than he lets on some of the time. He gives us high fives and is starting to wave "hi" and 'bye" more and more. He loves to dance and shakes his booty every time any kind of music comes on. He gives us lots of hugs and is such a little snuggle bug. We're embracing that now, because we know it won't last long.

Well, we should get moving with our day...lots of errands to run. Hope this finds everyone well.

Lots of love,
T, M & J