Party Animal

Today, we celebrated your birthday.

Happy Birthday, Baby!

You, my child, are a party animal.  Fifteen minutes before your party was set to begin you were having an epic overtired meltdown.  It was deserved though, seeing as you had only one nap.

However, when the doorbell rang and your first guests arrived suddenly you were all smiles.  If you could talk, I swear you would have said, "Hello, ladies.  Welcome to my home!  Would you like to play?"

We really must conquer this shyness with which you are plagued.  You had a friend that is almost your age, a friend that is only 3 months old (but she'll get more fun, I promise), a 3 year old friend, and a 1st grade friend that is in one of my classes.  You loved everyone.  I'm constantly amazed by your love of new people.  You did NOT get that from me.  Strangers scare me.  Once I know someone, I open up but until then, I am super shy.

We're going to work on sharing toys... but you did pretty well for your first time.

Growing up, Daddy and I didn't really have birthday parties.  Mainly birthdays = family party.  Of course, we're almost a day's drive away from our families.  Therefore, Daddy and I decided we'd do a small party.  We'd invite our friends (and people who adore you) and just do it that way.  In the future, we're probably just going to make your birthday a family day for the three of us.  We'll do something special together and skip the party.  Of course, I said that when you were born and we still ended up with a party.

Your party hat lasted exactly three seconds.  Luckily, I got pictures!

Granny and Grandad came down for Thanksgiving so they were here for your party.  Hooray!  Since Grandma and Grandpa couldn't make it, we Skyped so they could be part of the party, too.  They enjoyed seeing you gum your cake.  

"Hi Grandpa!  Hi Grandma!  I've got cake!"

You are definitely a fan of cake.  I made you an apple cupcake.  I tried them and they were delicious.  They were in no way healthy, but they did contain all natural ingredients.  Sugar is all natural, right?  Instead of topping it with a super sweet frosting, I made you whipped cream.  You love whipped cream.

Mmm, Mama!  I like this stuff!

More whipped cream, Mama!  MORE!

Your guests were very nice and brought you some presents.  Most 1 year olds I've seen don't understand the concept of present opening.  Ohhhhh, brother, you get it.  In fact, we may have created a monster.  You love opening presents.  You really don't need us to help you open presents.  You understand.   Christmas ought to be interesting.

Okay, okay Mama!  I've got it!

This is my concentration face...

Can I keep this bow, Mama?

You loved the monkey, the books, and the blocks.  However, the stacking cups were your absolute favorite gift.  You played with them for hours.  I've never seen you play with one toy for so long.  You love them.

Shhh Mama...I'm playing with these cups.

All in all, it was the perfect first birthday party.  I hope you had fun, Little One.

We love you!

One Year!

Dear Wombat,

Today you are one year old.  Um, when did that happen?  I cannot believe it was a year ago that we met you for the first time.  You were so little, so helpless, so perfect.

"Hi baby..."

It goes without saying that you have turned our world upside down.  You make the bad days better and the good days great.  And to be honest, Little One, the bad days aren't all that bad with you around.

In one short year, you've grown and changed so much.  I already miss the squirmy, cuddly baby you were a year ago.  However, I love the walking, talking, independent little boy you are becoming.  Daddy and I work hard to make sure we have fun together every day.  It's the little moments the three of us spend together that I love.  Those are the moments I never want to forget.

Age: 1 Year Old! 

Height:  **pending next week's doctors appointment**

Weight:  **pending next week's doctors appointment**

Favorite activity:  You love to walk.  You want to walk all. the. time.  

Peek-a-boo, Daddy!

Sorry, can't talk Mama...got places to go.

Honorable mentions:  You enjoy saying "hi!" to everyone we meet.  Last night at dinner, you put your fork up to your ear like a phone and said, "Hi!"  It was so funny to watch you "talk" on your phone.  Daddy had to confess he talks more on the phone than he thinks.

Least favorite activity:  Not getting your way.  Finger and toe nail trimming.  We are going to have to work something out, buddy.  It is one of those tasks that has to be done.  You hate every second of it.  You do NOT like your feet or hands touched.  I don't know if we should have done more trimming when you were younger (you still hated it then, too) or if it's just one of your quirks.

Check mate, Daddy!

Milestones:  It seems every day you're doing something new.  Within the last week, you have become obsessed with silverware.  It has clicked in your head why we use forks and spoons.  We've had several episodes of wrestling a spoon out of your hand after you've grabbed it from our hands while we're feeding you.  I believe the screeching that ensues translates to:  "NO MAMA!  I CAN DO IT MYSELF!  I DO NOT NEED YOUR HELP!"  

See Mama!  I can do it myself!

Have I mentioned you're fiercely independent?  When you were learning to walk, you did not want one of us to hold your hands to help you balance.  It's only gotten worse since you've gotten more steady.  I would let you walk in public more often if you were content to hold my hand.  Instead, you snatch your hand away from me and toddle off wherever you want to go.

Holy Baby Bed Head, Batman!

Words:  We definitely have ball ("ba") and every once and a while we get "Da, da, da!"  You only dole out the "da da"'s when you're in the mood though.  My favorite though is when Daddy or I will call "here kitty, kitty, kitty," you almost always add a "kitty, kitty, kitty" to our call.  Shockingly, the cats aren't buying it and still give you a wide berth.  Though, you got to pet Ollie the other day and you were beside yourself with glee.

Dad!  I petted the kitty!

Sleep:  Naps remain hit or miss.  Some days you get two...other days we're thankful for one.  Your bedtime remains consistent (between 7 and 8pm) and most of the time you sleep all night.  However, when your teeth are bothering you, all bets are off.  The mournful cries in the middle of the night break my heart.  Of course, I've never seen Daddy jump out of bed, throw off his CPAP machine, and race into your room so quickly.  If I wasn't half asleep, I'd giggle.

Best Moment: Today was just about the best day ever.  It is definitely the best birthday I can remember.  The three of us spent the day together.  We got your hair cut, went to lunch, and went to a children's museum for you to play.  It's amazing the difference two months makes.  You were a different child at the children's museum this visit.

Dad...I like this car, but I'm not sure about this lady with the scissors.

Worst Moment:  Honestly, considering I missed your trip to the doctor to get your flu shot, I can't think of a "worst" moment.

Fast Daddy!  FASTER!

Eating:  You are an eating machine!  We're slowly giving you the same foods we're eating.  You loved the chicken thighs, chickpea fritters, and avocados we had for dinner the other night.  I'm excited about you trying new foods.  You love broccoli and asparagus, too.  The whipped cream and your birthday cupcake were a big hit, too.

Whipped cream is outstanding!

Yummmmmmm!

Teeth:  No new ones that we can see.  That being said, you had a horrible teething couple of days last week so something is going on in there.  I just can't get your mouth open enough to see and there is no way I am sticking my fingers in your mouth...you bite!

Birthday present, you say?

Oooo...trucks!

It's been a wild and crazy year, buddy.  But you're the best thing that has ever happened to your daddy and me.  We love you to the moon and back.  We can't wait to see what the next year will bring us.

Love,
Mama

Family Time

Today is usually Mama's cranky day.  I love my job, but I hate leaving you every Monday.  However, it's a long weekend so tomorrow will be my cranky day.

We went to breakfast this morning and did our weekly shopping.  After our trip yesterday and your lack of naps, we made sure we were home for your naps.

This afternoon, you were playing in the living room with Daddy and I.  Lately, you're fascinated with pillows.  Sometimes you'll lay down on them or put your head on them.  Today, you kept laying on a pillow that was put in the corner of the L part of the couch.

Then I got an ingenious idea.  I took all the living room throw pillows and piled them in the corner, added Daddy's big red blanket, and laid down on the pillows.  I immediately had your attention.  You toddled over, sat down beside me, and leaned back on the pillow pile.  "Hi!"  I said.  "Hi!"  you replied.

!!!!!

It made my day.  Daddy thought it would be funny to play "tickle Mommy."  (I hate being tickled.)   He waited until you were watching and then he tickled my tummy.  You laughed as hard as I did.  When he stopped, you came over and tickled me, too.  Then you'd stage dive over me or just fall back on Dad.   The three of us spent almost 30 minutes playing on the floor.  Tickling Mommy, tickling Daddy, tickling Robbie.  It was so much fun.  Instead of stopping and running to get a camera, I just enjoyed the moment.

Later, Daddy took a quick picture of us using my cell phone so we'd have some kind of photographic proof of the time.

It is so exciting to see you learn new things.  We know you're smart...it's amazing to watch you demonstrate your intelligence.

Happy Halloween

from the cutest Hokie Bird around!

Yum Dad, is that a cake walk?  Do I like cake?

Oh, hello ladies...I'm the Hok.ie Bir.d.

That's right, ladies.  Check out my tail feathers.

There sure are a lot of people here, Dad.  Do we know all of them?

All in all, it was just enough festivities for your first Halloween, buddy.  Next year, we'll be chasing you all around that gym.  Mama needs to start thinking of your costume now!  Grandma made some really good costumes over the years.  I don't think the jar of Peter Pan peanut butter will ever be topped.  We are homemade costume people.  No more store bought for us!

Goofy

You are such a goof, kid.  In the last week or so, you've started doing several silly things.

1.  You enjoy doing what Daddy and I have termed "trust falls."  You will randomly launch yourself at one of us...whether we're ready to catch you or not.  Sometimes, we aren't even looking at you when do it.  Luckily, you giggle with glee when you fall and seem to be keeping the trust falls to the play mat or a spot where you have tossed pillow.

2.  You love climbing into our laps and leaning back against us.  Then you slide down and lay between our legs, giggling.

3.  You have started laying flat on your tummy and sliding across the hardwood floors.  Sometimes you'll peer under the couch as you go by to see if you can spot any of your wayward toys.

4.  You need a patty cake intervention, child.  At least once a day you will either climb up into our lap or come over to us while we're sitting on the floor, grab our hands, and clap them together.  That is your sign that you want us to sing patty cake.  You are content to do this for a long time (30 minutes or so).

Tonight, you would come clap my hands together then toddle over to Daddy who would shake you gently to "roll" you, I would "pat" your back or your bum (and you would laugh hysterically), and Daddy would "toss" you in the air.  As soon as he put you down, you'd race over to me and clap my hands to start the whole process over again.

(Someday, Mama will have a half decent cell phone camera so we don't have tons of grainy pictures.  It's still better than Daddy's phone though!)

Game

Yesterday, Daddy took you to the doctor to get the second half of your flu shot (sorry about that).  I hate that I couldn't go, but honestly, it's better when I don't.  I get more upset about you being hurt than you do.  Daddy always says you cry for a minute or two, Mama cries for ten minutes.  Anyway... yesterday you were crying as Daddy walked out of the exam room and into the waiting room of the office.  In the waiting room there were two little girls.  You immediately stopped crying.  Daddy said, "Oh, since there are girls here, you have to be a big tough guy, huh?"

As soon as you walked out of the doctor's office, you started sobbing again.

You sure showed Daddy not to disclose your flirting methods with the ladies.

Some things are sacred, Dad!

11 Months

Age:  11 Months

Getting you to sit still is becoming quite a challenge!

Favorite activity:  Walking!  You took your first steps a few days after you turned 10 months old.  Now, you're walking more and more often.  Crawling is still your preference when you want to get somewhere fast, but your walking is getting better with every day.

Slides are awesome, MAMA!

Honorable mentions:  Can we talk about your obsession with soccer balls?  You love any kind of ball.  We have many.  When we go to work with Daddy, I see your little mind whirling at all the soccer balls around.  You go up to strange children who have a ball and YOU STEAL THEIR BALL!  If we ask you where your ball is, you look at it or go and get it.  This morning, you saw a ball that I had washed sitting in the sink to dry and clearly said, "Ba."  Not your normal "ba ba ba" but the "ba" that is the first part of the word "ball."  It's very clear to us that you mean ball.

Yes, this is another soccer ball.  I love them all.  This one sings, Mama!

Lately, you are also quite the chatty Cathy.  You are constantly chattering about something.  We're looking forward to the time when we can actually understand what you're trying to tell us.

You also love pushing the stuffed animal bin around the living room.  Most days, I come home from work and it looks like a stuffed animal bomb went off in the living room.  You're so pleased with yourself as you push it around the room.  It's exciting for us to watch your problem solving skills and your determination.  If you can't get the bin to move, you keep trying until you get it to move.  Sometimes, that means you lose your cool, get frustrated, and start screaming at it, but you don't give up.  I hope you keep that determination as you grow older.

Least favorite activity:  The temper tantrums have begun.  You are a mellow, happy, easy going kid...until we take something you want (and can't have) or make you stop walking.  Oh heavens the screaming.  Luckily, you seem to forgive and forget quickly.  I could do without the screaming and crocodile tears though, ok, buddy?

This swing is super fun!

Milestones:  Uh, WALKING, of course!

I'll just move this over to the other side of the room.  See you soon.

Words:  Still no Dada.  Your favorite word right now is "ma-me."  We keep working on Dada though.

I'm playing with Catch Me Kitty, Mama, what do you want?

Sleep:  Naps are hit and miss.  Bedtime, however, is sacred.  You usually fall asleep between 7 and 8pm and we don't hear more than a peep from you until 6-6:30am.  The last few days, you've been "sleeping in" until 7:30am.  It has been delightful.  Of course, the time change is coming up in 2 weeks...we know we're on borrowed time.

The Wombat eating a wombat.  (This one's for you, Grandma!)

Best Moment: Those first steps may have been the best moment this month.  When you sit in my lap and grab my hands so that I will clap (and do patty cake) is also pretty wonderful.  However, when I'm singing to you at night and you lay your head on my shoulder and wrap your arm around my neck, my heart melts.

You look so grown up...even with no shoes on.

Worst Moment:  The temper tantrums are not fun.  I fear this is just the beginning.

No, Mama, I wasn't just eating this book.

Eating: We are slowly trying to give you less purees and more finger foods.  However, YOU are more interested in squishing said finger foods between your fingers.  You will eat the little bites when I put them in your mouth.  You have recently learned that feeding Mama is much more fun than eating your dinner yourself.  Hooray, now Mama's eating dinner twice.

You're also fascinated with spoons.  You haven't mastered the spoon yet, but playing with it is lots of fun.  You'll get it someday, Little Guy.  Don't give up!

I'm not getting any food this way, Mama!

Teeth:  Seven and counting!  We think you're teething again, but we haven't been able to see any white spots (no sticking our fingers in your mouth...you bite!).

I refuse to open my eyes until you stop flashing that thing in my face, Mama.