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.