Tool Time

Barrett was busy installing more cabinet locks (in our bathroom this time.) Jack though the power drill looked like a pretty cool toy so he went to check it out and "help" daddy work. The boys with a power tool
It looks to me like he is in love! I see projects with power tools in the future for Jack!

Backpack

Jack got a big boy backpack from some friends for his birthday. We decided to let him try it out. He was pretty proud of himself. How grown up does he look with a backpack on and a paci in his mouth?!
It even has his name on it! Love it!

Random Phone Pics

So now that I have an iPhone I have been using that more ofter to take pictures. Up until right now I wasn't too sure how to get those lovely pictures off the phone and on to my computer. Now that I finally figured it out (and it could not have been easier to figure out) I have a bunch of random but cute pictures from the past couple months. Enjoying the nice weather at the swings
Love the overalls

Spaghetti Night at Mom-mom and Pepa's house

Going shopping at the $ store to fill up our Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes

A visit to the Galleria at Christmas time

How much fun to have a baby with me this year to enjoy Christmas time with at the mall. Love it!

I love this. Here are all of our favorite drinks we got to enjoy while at the mall - Barrett's bold black coffee, my mocha frappuccino, and Jack's bottle of milk!

One afternoon while feeding lunch to Jack and Zach they both fell asleep while eating - both within about 30 seconds of each other. It was too funny. It looks like we will need to start having an earlier lunch time.

Cruising' in the radio flyer

What a messy face! Jack sure enjoyed his black beans at On the Border!

Yup, he's cute!!!!

Into EVERYTHING

Jack has become a wild man! He really does seem to be into everything! You look away for a second, turn around, and he has something in his mouth, he has opened another cabinet, he is touching something that should not be touched or climbing on something. This sofa table originally had decorative things on the bottom shelf. We eventually took of those decorative things because Jack kept getting into them. Now that the fun stuff to play with is gone Jack has decided it is a great place to now climb into!
Oh my! All I can think about is that he is going to fall out and fall onto the tile floor.

So now we have a beautiful (not) pile of pillows on that bottom shelf to keep the little climber off the shelf.

Another project that Daddy has been working on this week is installing cabinet locks. This here is why. I will say that this particular cabinet is the one that he is aloud to get into since it is all our plastic containers, but oh my, even just having one cabinet open can make a BIG mess!

But I wouldn't trade these days of chasing around this wild man for ANYTHING!!! This is a challenging stage, but man oh man is this kid cute and super sweet!

Shiny and White

We are getting little man (and us) in the routine of brushing Jack's teeth each day. He enjoys brushing his teeth. I think it is mostly sucking the water off the tooth brush that he truly enjoys. Whatever works! Looks to me like he is taking this very seriously!
Good team work keeping those teeth shiny and white!

Camping Under the Table

Well, Jack had his first camping trip (under the kitchen table) with his best buddy Zach. I covered the table with big blankets, carpeted the tile floor with blankets and pillows, got out the battery powered lantern for inside the tent, and loaded up the tent with books and toys. Sounds like fun doesn't it? I remember loving doing this as a kid!
They enjoyed their time camping in there....only for about 10 minutes of so. Oh well. It was fun to try out anyway. We will for sure be trying this out again maybe when they are a little bit bigger and can actually appreciate all the hard work I put into making this fort for them. Ha! Good times...

Wagon Ride

Jack got this radio flyer wagon for Christmas and is loving it! When we go for walks in it he is totally at peace and so content.

We have taken several walks to go visit Mom-Mom and Pepa down the street. Jack is always so happy to see them and always gets a huge smile on his face. Whenever we leave their house Jack turns around several times in his wagon to check and make sure Mom-Mom is still standing outside of her house watching us walk down the street until we turn the corner. It is so cute!

Such a happy one year old!

One Year Pics

12 Months Old

3 weeks ago (I know, I'm way behind) my baby boy turned 12 months old. In case you didn't know, that means that Jack is now a ONE YEAR OLD!!! At Jack's one year appointment he weighed 18 lbs 8 oz (3rd percentile) and was 28 inches long(3rd percentile.) Jack wears size 3 diapers. He is in 9-12 month clothes. Right now I am wishing there was a size 10.5 months for pants. Some of the 9 month pants seem a little snug around the waist but the 12 month are just way too long. Jack has a head full of brown hair, big blue eyes, 4 teeth on top and 4 teeth on the bottom.
Jack sleeps around 10 hours straight at night with normally a morning nap and afternoon nap, 1-2 hours each, although recently he seems to be leaning toward possibly taking just one nap in the late morning/early afternoon.
Jack is eating all finger foods - basically just whatever we are eating cut into small pieces. Starting on his 1st birthday he started gradually having whole milk mixed into his bottles. He is now completely through with nursing and completely on whole milk. He has about 4 six ounce bottles a day. We keep trying sippy cups but he is having a hard time transitioning to a sippy cup from a bottle. We continue to try. Eventually he will take a cup of milk, right?

Jack continues to be in love with his paci. It is his best friend right now.

Jack continues to cruise all over the place. He has begun taking a few steps here and there, but nothing too consistent yet. He is one cautious little man (when it comes to walking without holding on.) One of these days he is going to just let go and take off!

Jack's "Winter ONEderland" 1st Birthday Party

I had been wondering for months what I wanted the theme to be for Jack's first birthday party. While looking online one evening I came across the theme "Winter ONEderland" and from that moment I knew that was it! What could be better? A party in the winter and he was only going to be turning ONE for a winter ONEderland party once. So Winter ONEderland it was!!! Most ideas came from pinterest and other peoples blogs. What did people do before internet? The Invitation - one picture for each month of Jack's life.
The welcome sign hanging on the front door - Welcome to Jack's Winter ONEderland

The Big Cake - those cake decorating classes I took while pregnant with Jack finally paid off! Vanilla cake with blue buttercream icing with almond flavoring

The smash cake

Melting Snowman cookies

Make sugar cookies. Frost with white icing. Put a marshmallow in the microwave for about 25 seconds then put the marshmallow on top of the frosted cookie. Decorate with colored icing to make it look like a melting snowman. Loved this! They were actually quite tasty too!

Jack's highchair

Snowballs (balloons) and snowflakes (foam snowflakes found in the $1 spot in target) hanging from the ceiling in the breakfast room.

The buffet area with a birthday banner and giant tissue paper snowballs

Dining room - more falling snow and snowballs

I took a picture of Jack each week, documenting his growth throughout his first year then displayed those 52 weekly pictures on the wall in the dining room.

Living room - still decorated for Christmas with the addition of.....snow falling!

Jack's monthly pictures

A clothes line with some of Jack's "baby" clothes hanging up.

"Melted Snowflakes" (water)

"Snowman's Hot Tub" (delicious homemade hot chocolate made in the crock pot)

Hot Chocolate Bar - Fluffy miniature snowballs (marshmallows), Frosty whipped Cream, Cozy Chocolate sprinkles, and Chocolate dipped candy canesHot beverage snowman cups"Snowman's Mud Bath" (coffee) For dinner - 21 pizzas, veggie salad, fruit salad, and chips (let me just add we ate pizza at our house for dinner for about the next week! That was a lot of pizza!)

Me and my little snowman

"Happy Birthday to you..."

Digging in

Yum!

Mommy and Daddy with the birthday boy!

Daddy and Jack

Icing face

What a mess but oh so cute!

Is the sugar starting to kick in already?!

Time for presents

The wrapping paper and tissue paper were his favorite part of the gifts I think.

Thanks everyone (we counted 54 people - family, church friends, and neighborhood friends) for coming to my party!!!

What a precious little one year old snowman

Playing with new toys

Game - Pin the carrot nose on the snowman

Smash cake, birthday bib and picture
(not sure why the picture won't turn the right direction for me)

The Gifts - I think Jack will be set with toys for the next year!

Party Favors

Snowman Kit
Just add SNOW!!!!

Hat, googly eyes, carrot nose, coal mouth, scarf, and pom-pom buttons. Once it snows just build a snowman and decorate it with these goodies!

Jack's first birthday party was too much fun! A lot of time and planning when into this but it was all well worth it! I'd say the party was a celebration of Jack's first birthday along with a celebration that Barrett and I made it through the first year as parents! We couldn't ask for a better son and look forward to all that is in store for Jack this next year.

Happy 1st Birthday, Jack!!!!