Baby Turns 1!

Baby turned 1.  Ridiculous, right?  As planned prior to his birth, his birthday theme was The Very Hungry Caterpillar.  Yes, I have planned next year's theme, too.  Don't judge.  I didn't go all out, and it was super low-key and relaxing.  It was the easiest birthday party I've ever planned.  Here are the goody bags...

More goody bags and the hat my mom made him when he was born.  It still fits him, but his motor skills are developed enough to rip it off his head immediately.  Better picture of the book and hat.

Thanks to a friend, we had caterpillars, signs and butterflies to post everywhere.  I stuck close to the fruits and chose some of the Saturday foods.  I also made some salads to keep the adults filled.   It was a 2PM party so we didn't have the pressure of serving an actual meal.

I printed out all of the weekly photos and placed them around the center column as a giant caterpillar.  It came out better than I imagined.  

We bought an ice cream cake.  Luckily, Coldstone Creamery had one because I waited too long to order one anywhere else.  The smallest Coldstone size was cheaper than the similar size at Baskin Robbins, too, so we all lucked out.  I made the number one and caterpillar out of clay because I'm too cheap to buy it off of Etsy for $40+.  I think they came out cute and came out to be like $3.

It was a great party.  I like to keep them small at this age so it was really just best friends and immediate family.

On his actual birthday, as tradition dictates, I got him an overpriced cupcake.  He was hesitant to eat it at first until Husband put a piece of frosting in his mouth.  After that, he inhaled the entire thing.  He was done very quickly.  While he was eating, he also went to work on the other end and was a giant stinky mess at the end.  Husband chose the diaper end, and I chose to clean up the high chair.  It took us both about 20 minutes to get everything and everyone back to their original shape.

Also, as with Little Miss, Baby has outgrown the nickname Baby.  We've thought about it, and his nickname is going to be Captain.  Husband calls him Commander.  Technically, I call him Captain Crankypants, but that won't keep his dignity intact as he gets older.  It will be appropriate from time to time though.  He'll always be my little baby.

April 2015 Weekend Update

April was the beginning of a very busy time for us.  If we get through to Memorial Day, we can tackle anything.  The first weekend was Easter and the end of Spring Break.  Little Miss had a great Spring Break.  It started with a little bit of sickness, but she rallied and got to enjoy 2 days down in Williamsburg and Busch Gardens.  The next day, she went to Mount Vernon which she has been asking to visit for months now.  That night, we had dinner with friends of mine.  Little Miss hit it off with her kids and asks about them constantly.

For the Saturday before Easter, we went over to Brother-in-Law and Sister-in-Law's for dinner.  We had an early dinner and had a relaxing evening playing video games and watching the babies play.  On Easter Sunday, we hung out at my parents' house for a bit.  We had a relaxing dinner and I brought some cupcakes for dessert.

The second weekend of April was the Masters.  We had hockey that morning and then went to my sister and future Brother-in-Law's for a housewarming party.  My aunt and uncle were in town.  My uncle had yet to meet the baby.  It was a lot of fun.  On Sunday, we (and a billion people) went to see the Cherry Blossoms in their peak.  It was a beautiful, unseasonably warm day.  Little Miss really had a blast though.  Baby was less than impressed, but he was very well-behaved.

The third weekend in April was ridiculously hot.  I went to the Nats/Phillies game for my friend's birthday.  Then, we went to dinner and out on the town.  I'm still recovering, I think.  It was a blast though.  That Sunday, Little Miss had a birthday party for one of her good friends.  

The third weekend was the baby's birthday party.  I'm in denial that he is 1.  That will be a separate post.  That Sunday, Little Miss had ANOTHER birthday party for a friend.  Afterwards, Little Miss and I went to The Melting Pot for dinner together.  I had a Living Social deal that expired so I took her as a treat.  She was great at the restaurant and eating, but next time, I'm thinking we'll just do the chocolate.  

Week 52

Week 51

Week 50

So big!

Baby is standing!  He's done it before, but he really started standing quite a bit yesterday and loves to show off.  He's still taken a step here and there, but I would not call it walking by any stretch.  His increased exercise has increased his appetite.  It seems he's always hungry yet never tired.  This one is not a napper like his sister, but he is good-natured at least.  He gets a short morning nap and a longer afternoon nap.  He only sleeps in his crib though so if we're out, he stays up.  I haven't tested being out all day to see if he'd ever given in and sleep in the stroller.  He will nap in the car though.  

Week 49

Week 48

Food, Glorious Food

Baby loves to eat.  He was slow to take to it, but he loves it.  He hates feeding himself.  He just looks at me and then looks at the food like, "OK, go to it!"  I've been trying to get him to feed himself more.  He will eat his snacks - Puffs, Cheerios, the occasional piece of meat.  I get that fruit is slippery and some of the softer foods are harder to grasp, but he doesn't even try.

Last weekend, I put him down for awhile to give it a go.  He ate some, but he stuffed his face and then choked.  I let him figure out what to do, and he did get better.  I slipped him some food once in awhile, too, to make sure he was eating instead of just smooshing it all into the tray.

He mostly swept it all to the floor.  He seemed upset by this.  At least, it was accidental.  Little Miss used to drop her food to the floor.  I'm sure he'll learn that trick eventually.  In the meantime, it's time to break out the tarp again.  Good thing I kept it from Little Miss though I keep joking that I'm going to put it beneath Husband's chair.

Eventually, I gave in, fed him some food, and then just took him out to have his bottle.  This is the very excited face he got when he saw I was cleaning up and the exercise in torture was over.  I have a suspicion, he knew he'd hold out longer than I.

At the end of the evening, he had a challenging diaper, but then there was a bonus one that didn't leak but it just was a scene out of a movie.  He kept rolling and kicking, and he just had the mess everywhere - on his feet, on his hands.  I was positive that he was going to eat it.  I cleaned him off, but I just felt like he was never going to be clean again so I just ran a bath and plunked him in it.  It was quite the end of the day!  Good thing he's so darned cute.

Hockey

Little Miss has been enjoying Learn to Hockey Skate.  We don't feel like they're doing too much with her, but we'll see.  I don't get to be as much of a spectator as I have been in the past as Baby doesn't like to sit and watch or hang out.  He likes to be on the move.  I usually walk him around.  Last weekend, he ate an entire fruit cup.  His favorite was, surprisingly, the pineapple.  

 We have another month to go so we'll see how much Little Miss progresses.  She enjoys it at least.  At this point, that's the most important part.  

Week 47

This was a tough week.  He's always on the move.  He wanted to grab the camera or only look at his sister.  One of the puzzle pieces he is holding is his favorite.  Whenever he is home, he carries it around with him everywhere.  He will shriek if you take it away from him.  He's not dependent on it though.  He sleeps without it, eats without it and can leave it at home.  However, when he's allowed to roam and play, that's the first thing he grabs.  He empties his blocks and scatters them everywhere and goes straight for the train puzzle piece.  He never even plays with his blocks.  He just scatters them.

In a Perfect World

Tonight, Husband came home and said Little Miss was angry with him.  There was some activity after school that we weren't planning on attending.  She wanted to participate.  He explained that we need advance notice and planning.  So, they get in the car, pick up Baby and head home.  She gives him the silent treatment the entire time.

Later, Husband joked that she didn't like him, but she protested.  I told her that she will be upset with Husband again in the future.  She will be upset with me in in the future.  She will be upset with both of us in the future.  She will be upset with Baby in the future.  At that, her head snapped up.  She said she would never be mad at her brother.  

I felt it was very important to put these words in writing because the day will come when her brother makes her angry.  Guaranteed.

Big Day!

Baby has been standing assisted and taking steps while holding onto a ledge or the couch.  Today, he pulled himself up on my leg.  He had a block in each hand.  Then, he leaned back and stood on his own, unassisted.  We were very impressed.

After, I kneeled on the floor and stood him up and he took steps towards me, but then his little legs got tired.  We gave him tons of praise, and he was very proud of himself.  

It's only a matter of time before his legs pick up strength and he nails this walking/running/jumping.

So cute!

Little Miss was trying to give Baby a kiss, and I was trying to capture it, but Baby is too aware of cameras and is too much of a ham.  He was having none of it.  Just wants his close up.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

We're not an Irish family or a family that owns a lot of green, but I dug some out.  Little Miss thinks her shirt is too blue/green, but it's the best we could do.  She has a necklace, a bracelet, and a crown.  I think she's covered.  Baby has his shirt and bib.  Little Miss protests his bib because he's not Irish so I reminded her that she isn't either.

 Then, Little Miss begged for a selfie so we made that happen.  She also told me I didn't have enough green on and pinched me.  She's a strict one with the rules.

So big!

This is Baby's favorite thing to do.  We've done it with him, but the Inlaws do it with him all the time.  He just is so proud himself for the interaction.  He's constantly waving his hands up in the air.

Week 46

Week 45

Week 44

February 2015 Weekend Update

February was a good month and, as always, flew.  Good golly, February went by quickly.  The first weekend, Little Miss and I did Bingo Night at her school on Friday.  She won a game and had great fun with a couple of classmates.  The next night, she had a sleepover at the In-Laws' apartment with her cousin.  

The second weekend was Presidents' Day weekend.  My office closed early on Friday so we took advantage of that and went to Maryland.  My aunt, cousin and his girlfriend were there and got to meet the baby for the first time.  The kids were showered with gifts.  The weather was bitter, bitter cold though.  We stayed in and played on Saturday, and the couples went out to dinner on Valentine's Day, but we were stir-crazy by Saturday.  Sister, Brother-in-Law (to be), Nephew, Cousin and his girlfriend and Husband, Little Miss and I all went bowling and to the arcade.  It was a lot of fun and nice to get out.   

Surprisingly, Baby was really great in the snow.  He really liked it and giggled even though he's kind of, well, a baby in the cold usually.  It must have felt funny to sit in it.  He also enjoys wearing his snow suit.

The third weekend of the month, Husband's friend came over.  It was cold out so we were pretty happy just staying inside and eating our way through the cold weather.  That's pretty much what we did the next day, too.

I'd like to say we had a blast the last weekend of the month, but it was cold again, and we did nothing.  On Friday, Little Miss and I went to Family Gym Night where Little Miss wore herself playing basketball, jazzercise and scooter hockey.  It was tiring to watch her.  Unfortunately, I had plans, but we wisely cancelled due to the ice storm we received.  So, we kind of just stayed in and played games.  Little Miss did her homework.  All in all, it was a nice, quiet weekend.