Birthday Bash!

Jack is a very lucky toddler. He got not one, not two, not three, but four birthday celebrations! One on April 23rd (the original birthday party date), one on Easter Sunday when we celebrated with the Brimer bunch in Morristown, another small soiree on his actual birthday, and finally the official birthday party on the rescheduled date - today! It's been a week of fun and lots of celebrating. We are exhausted but very grateful for all the love!


Party #1: Sick Boy. We awoke on the original party date with a temp of 103.3. After a trip to the doctor we had to cancel party plans b/c of a virus (is it sad that I was thrilled it was a virus and not another antibiotic??) While I was very upset, I realized (after much pouting) that it could be worse. So we decided to have a small party with my parents, Lizzi, and Ali since they were in town.



This is Jack with a fever. Not exactly a pitiful patient.





Mimi came by to see the sick birthday boy and bring him his gifts from her and Granddaddy. Jack LOVED them! We have an inflatable pool, nautical clothes, awesome books (one of which giggles at him which is hysterical) and much more! Thanks Mimi & Granddaddy!





After spending the weekend moving Lizzi into her new apartment, Grandpa and Gramma came over to cheer up the sick Jackman.




They also brought toys to help with the fever. Gramma looks very surprised b/c Jack busted out Mozart's 5th concerto...told you he was gonna be good with piano.




That night Aunt Ali came over and we tried our first cupcake!!!




Um, it was not a success.




Then we opened gifts! Uncle John and Aunt Cristin sent this awesome pirate doll and hat! Jack is practicing saying "Ahoy!"





So many presents!!!




I feel like this looks says, "Really Gramma? Another book?"





After Jackman went to bed, the adults got to work unpacking and assembling Jack's gifts. It felt somewhat like Christmas Eve night.




The next morning we tested out our DinoTrike. i think it's safe to say that this has taken the place of the walker. Not only does it play music and roar but has great ramming capabilities. Just ask Bean, our cabinets, or my toes!





Party #2: Easter. Technically Easter was Andy's birthday (and Easter itself for that matter!) But since this was our chance to celebrate with Granddaddy and Uncle Adam & Aunt Kate, Andy was willing to share some of the birthday spotlight with us :)



Here we are checking out the yard with Granddaddy and Daddy. Yes, Andy and Jack are wearing the same shirt. I know!!!! So cute!!!



Smelling the flowers with Granddaddy.



Reuniting with our dear friend Oat Bran.





Next we opened up our gift from Adam and Kate - really cool clothes and some super preppy, super awesome swim trunks! For some reason though, Jack kept eating the tissue paper. Strange...





Yay for the Grandmothers!!!



By the way, check out how pretty Mimi's yard looks!




We had such a blast at the Brimers, that Lizzitante and Jackman required a brief nap.



Then Grandpa was kind enough to put us to bed when we got home. We love a good bedtime story :)




Party #3: Jack's Birthday! We woke up on April 26th to stormy weather (which was perfect b/c that's the EXACT weather of the day Jack was born!) All day I kept looking at the clock thinking "This time last year I was getting my epidural." "This time last year I was getting ready to start pushing only to realize that Jerry Springer was on the hospital tv in the background." "This time last year Jack was 1 hr old!" "This time last year I realized that our lives just became infinitely more amazing!" It was a very surreal and amazing day - and Andy & I have loved every single second.

Fuzzy b'day shirt!




That night Lizzitante and Ali came over to celebrate Jack's b'day with cupcakes. Cupcake round 2 was MUCH more successful. Maybe having the threat of Bean stealing your treat was what changed it all...


Party #4: The Official Birthday Party! After a week of anticipation, we finally celebrated Jack Cousteau's Under the Sea Birthday Party! Anderson's Noni was sweet enough to make us a red knit hat just like the one Jacques Cousteau wore. So if your wondering, what's up with the unconventional birthday hat? There you go :) The guest list was stellar: Anderson, Melissa, Brandon, Uncle Allen, Aunt Kerry, Cousins Ben & Eli, Mimi, Lizzitante, Aunt Ali, Amanda, Haven, and Lake. It was awesome!




Thank goodness we woke up with no fever and ready to party!



The day before our BFF Anderson gave us a TON of awesome presents! It's so much stuff I can't even list it all. Jack is very lucky indeed to have a friend like Anderson :)



Here's Jack explaining to Melissa at the party that his thank you note to Anderson will be a little late since it's taking him a while to learn how to spell the word "plethora" in his thank you note.





Jack & Lizzitante!




Love my birthday boy!





This reminds me of those Highlights magazine pictures "How many toddlers can you find?" The answer is four! Jack, Lake, Haven, and Anderson! Even though adults outnumbered children, this definitely made me realize that my life with 1 child is nothing compared to how it's going to be in a few years. And I say Bring It On!


Jack's birthday party comes with its own juggler! And she even brings with her a bunny! We love you Ali!!!!




Look how cute!




We were all obsessed.



See?




Haven LOVED the bunny :)





Lizzitante did too.





And so did Jackman!



A party isn't a party without a slip n slide?!




Within 10 minutes, Cousins Ben and Eli were total slip n slide pros :)




Our final birthday cupcake! This one was very much enjoyed. 3rd times the charm!


Thanks to everyone who made Jack's birthday week so amazingly memorable. Like all things this past year, it didn't go exactly as I had meticulously planned. But it ended up becoming even better than we ever imagined. Happy First Birthday Jack!

(Warning: the following is for baby book purposes. Read only if very bored!)

1 yr old stats:

• Weight: 24 lbs, 6 oz 75%
• Height: 29 3/4 in. 50%
• Head: 19 1/4 in 95% (That's right people. He's a genius!)

What we can do:

• Crawl two ways - sniper and regular.
• Pull up on anything and everything. Cruise from object to object. Will walk a little while holding onto my legs.
• Can get into "downward facing dog" position.
• Rides along on his riding toys without needing help.
• Says & recognizes ball, momma, dada, and dagobah. In fact, this evening I asked him 5 different times who I was and everytime he said "Momma." That alone was the highlight of my life :)
  

What we love:

• Playing with Sister Bean
• Going after the curtains, the remote, my phone, and any kind of balls or cars.
  
• pulling books out of his bookshelf
• bath time. We'd spend all day in there if we could.
• Sticking everything and anything in our mouth

What we eat:

• still on Stage 3 jar foods. We are huge fans of Yobaby Yogurt. In terms of finger foods, we have loved Puffs, Cheerios, Mummums, and as of late scrambled eggs!
• Working on sippy cup. Am packing up bottles tonight and going cold turkey with it tomorrow.
• Tried milk last week. It's not working well with Jack's tummy. So we've switched to Lactose Free Whole Milk. Fingers crossed that it works!

How we sleep:

• Bedtime routine: Bath, Pajamas (which we hate getting out of the tub and getting dressed), then book.
• We like to read two books a night. Then say our prayers (a quick Our Father and Hail Mary since he doesn't have the patience for much more!) and lay down to sleep. We have still got the paci, but will start giving that up once the bottle habit is kicked.
  
• Bedtime is between 7 and 7:30. Wake up is from 5:15 to 6 am. We've been waking at 3 or 4 lately and crying a little but that seems to be dissipating since we've started taking Claritin for our allergies.
• Still using sound machine. Not sure if we will try to cut that out or not.