Your Binkies

Just a note: Your doctor says it is time to start to break you of this habit, that you need to be done with using binkies by the time you are 15 months old. How are we supposed to do that? You love them so much (I never would have guessed you would be so attached!) I say to myself, "Ok, we are going to only give you one at nap time today", but then I end up giving you one because it calms you. You ask for them if you see them sitting out on the counter or around the house. You carry an extra in case of an emergency. You know how to do binky tricks, like holding 2 in your mouth at once. How am I ever going to be able to keep them from you? How are we ever going to meet this 15 month deadline?

Finally!

A year after your birth you finally got to meet your Aunt Rachael and Uncle's Dalton and Malcolm! This was one of my goals for this summer-to arrange a time to get together with these crazy kids. They came for your birthday party with Grandma Ellen, but unfortunately had car troubles and missed the party! But they were still able to make it over that evening and spend a few days with us. All three of them were pretty excited to meet you. And you were just starting to warm up to them when it was time for them to leave. Let's just hope we can get together for another visit with them this summer!

Your Birthday Cake

In celebration of your special day, Mommy made you a homemade cake with blue frosting. Yes, I said blue frosting. Now why would Mommy make such a bad choice and frost your cake in blue? It was partly a trial run for the party, but it also just seemed fun. Well, it probably did not seem so fun to Daddy, who was cleaning your highchair afterward with a toothpick! There was blue frosting everywhere including on you, who immediately was taken in for a bath! But you absolutely loved every crumb of that cake! I was so glad that I gave you just a piece and not the whole thing because I seriously think you may have tried to eat it all if I would have given it to you. You worked on your piece for quite a while, eating it slowly, savoring every bite! It was a great way to end a great day.

Happy Twelve Month Birthday!

Hip-hip-hooray! Look who is having a birthday! Daddy and I cannot believe that we have been taking your picture with a special birthday treat since you were one week old! What a fun tradition this has been! How big you have become! And how interested you are in these tasty treats now! We love you little guy-thanks for being our sweetest little baby!

The Birthday Balloon

Where are we Little Bear? Yes, we are at the grocery store to buy you a birthday balloon!

You could not believe it when the worker handed you your very own balloon!

You were pretty excited about it!

We knew with how much you love to look for balloons every time we go to the store, that we had to get you one for your birthday. We met Daddy at the store when he got off of work, and we picked out one together that we thought you might like. We took it home with us, and you thought it was pretty cool to have it to play with. Happy birthday Little Bear-so glad we could do something special like this just for you!

Your First Piggy Back Ride

Your first piggy back ride with Daddy-and you loved it!

Our First Mommy's Day!

We all had a wonderful first Mother's Day! We took you to the neighborhood park for the first time to try out the swings and slide. It was fun to watch your reactions to both (and by your reaction, we would say you are not quite ready for either). But it was fun and we look forward to the many trips to this little park when you get older.

Daddy also decided to cook a fancy Thai dish for dinner from scratch. It was tasty and so was the lemon pie he made for dessert! It was a great first Mother's Day and I will never forget getting to share it with you!

Just Cause You're Cute

Had to post this picture. There is no story to tell with it, but I just love how happy you look. Love your little smile. You are just so wonderful. But you know that, because I tell you that all day long!

What You Are Eating

Lately we buy a lot of baby snacks at the store. You even recognize the yellow Gerber packaging when we walk down the isle. I know that you know it is food because you do a loud, "MMMMM!" Your favorite is probably the cheddar cheese puffs. But you are fond of pretty much all the snacks we have given you. Baby food, baby food, baby food-that is what is filling our kitchen cupboards at the moment!