Birthday Boy

It happened- our little man turned one!  I didn't think it would happen (or perhaps hoped it wouldn't really happen) but it did.  He still seems like my baby, though.  Maybe it's because he has a busy 3 year old sister or because he's so sweet and cuddly. Either way, he doesn't really seem old enough to be one.  Despite my denial, we did celebrate his big day. 

We started off his day with a pumpkin muffin for breakfast.  He loved it and was enthralled with the candle.

Later that morning, Chloe enjoyed helping me make the cake.  She sports a chocolate goatee after licking the bowl.  (She looks thrilled, I know).

Here's the birthday boy, ready to party!

He was being really quiet, so I was curious if he would even get into the gift opening.  

He thoroughly enjoyed it, and strategically (and engineeringly) opened each gift.  Gift opening is not just fun and games anymore.... 

He had a great time and at first was more interested in tearing into the next gift then playing with what was underneath the wrapping paper.

My mom sent this little baseball player Beenie Baby toy.  Ben wasn't sure what to think of the "man doll" and didn't even like the word doll for it.  He especially didn't like when I asked Mitchell to give it "loves."  (Whoops)

But Mitchell was obsessed with the.... uh, plush figurine, and kept crawling over to it all night.  At one point, he picked it up, took off the toys' baseball hat, looked it right in the eye and yelled "Dada! (Dad).  How can Ben not love it now?  Apparently, it looks just like him.....

 He loved crawling around to play with each new toy all evening.

After a swing like that, we've signed him up for T-ball this spring.  Get the Yankees on the phone.... we've got a ball player here.

With his new loot.

To keep with the baseball theme, we went with a few baseball cakes. 

The baseball one was for him to tear into.

Daddy helping him blow out the candle.

Digging in!  I was especially excited to see how/what he would do with his cake.

He went at it slowly, at first....

And got bigger and bigger handfuls....

He finally started to get aggressive with it.  He was loving the chocolate and sugar so much that at one point, his lip was quivering due to the sheer enjoyment.

Things started to pick up at this point- until he realized he had had enough.  Notice in the picture his tongue is out and he's spitting out the cake.

He was full and extremely satisfied and we thought he was done.

But then he realized how much fun it would be to bathe in the cake and started rubbing it all over his head.

Apparently Mitchell and I are more alike than I originally thought.... Bathing in chocolate is a dream of mine too!

Ready to hit the tub!

We had such a fun day with our Mr. Mitchell and an even more wonderful year.  I was a few days overdue with him and it was the longest few days of my life at the time, but he was worth the wait!  What a sweet, lovable joy he is in our life.  He brings such a wonderful spirit into our home and makes all of us want to be better just by being around him.  Here's to another wonderful year with our Mitch Man (if it doesn't go by so fast!)  

And thanks to all who sent gifts/cards for his special day.  He really does love them all and we appreciate you remembering him.

Here Comes Trouble!

My baby is becoming very mobile and trouble has started brewing in our house as a result......

It all started with some delayed crawling.  The trouble is, I now can no longer leave a room and come back and find him in the exact same spot.  (That was fun while it lasted).

The crawling gave him the confidence to try kneeling, which allows him to enjoy more toys.

The other trouble with crawling is that it has allowed him more freedom to explore the house, which includes the kitchen!  He loves my cupboards and is thinking about throwing a Tupperware Party soon.

Chloe, at this same age, would empty my tupperware out almost every day.

The kneeling led to pulling himself up to stand, which, lucky for me, took longer than I thought it would (he's been much slower at milestones than Chloe).  This was just delayed trouble.  He loves my utensil/miscellaneous drawer as well.

Lots of messes, but it does keep him entertained!

Chloe also loved this same kitchen drawer at the same age too.  

Feeding himself is so cute......

Until THIS happens........ trouble, trouble, trouble.

He loves playing with Chloe now, which is so cute and fun for me to watch.

He's becoming quite the pretend chef too.  He makes a mean plastic waffle.

The trouble is- I now have two little people that can completely tear apart a room in 5 minutes flat.  And by the end of the day, it's not just one room, but 3 or 4.  That's called double trouble.

And with the pictures above of feeding himself lead to this trouble...... food and mess all over my floor.  I know this is disgusting, but this is what I swept up off my kitchen floor last night.  And this is just 2 days accumulation!  I need to sweep everyday to prevent my floor from looking like the city dump.  Regardless of how long its been since I swept last, all of us are constantly walking around with little (or big) crummies stuck to the bottom of our feet, which is so annoying.  And the crummies conveniently come right off your feet when you step on the carpet, leaving my family room looking like a well littered beach.  Luckily I love vacuuming, which I now need to do 3-4 times a week as well.  Of course in my often delayed efforts to sweep and vacuum, Mitchell crawls around and enjoys a nice snack off the floor or carpet in between meals.  Waste not, want not, right?  Trouble.......

I didn't have a picture of Mitchell, but here is Chloe at the same age right after a meal- food all over the floor.  

But how can anyone be too much trouble when they are doing this in between all the trouble making?

Northwest Trek

2 weekends ago, Ben's parents and  brother were in town and we decided to go to Northwest Trek, since they have never been there before.  It is a huge wildlife park with hundreds and hundreds of acres of wildlife where the animals roam free.  You get to ride on a big tram that takes you right out in the middle of these free roaming animals.  The day we went, it was very cold and pouring rain.  Actually, it rained the entire time EXCEPT when we were on the tram (the only time we wouldn't have minded it raining).  But despite the weather, we had fun.  This place is a fun alternative to a regular zoo, with the fun tram ride.  It's a little more up close and personal being able to see the animals within inches of your hands/face with no cage in between you.  (You even get to have your window open on the ride).

Chloe, our animal lover, was so excited.

She was squealing, laughing and smiling the entire tram ride.

Here, she waves to her animal friends.  She then turned to me and said, disappointed, "Mom..... they didn't wave back."  Darn it.

The last time we were at Northwest Trek was in October of 2006, exactly 2 years ago.  Chloe was just 22 months old, and enjoyed it then too.  Look how much she's changed!  Don't mind me in this picture either....... this was during my "fat" stage and I am not looking great, at all.

With Nana, spotting another animal.

Mitchell thought all of the animals were "dogs" and kept yelling out "Daw! Daw!" (for dog).  Dogs, deer, moose, what's the difference, really?

We ducked inside the gift shop at the end for some relief from the rain.

The whole crew!  What troopers for enduring such weather.