Happy Birthday to the J-dog!

It is so hard to believe that our little baby is one year old already! The J-dog's birthday on Thursday was relatively uneventful, as I had to work, but we had a small birthday party on Saturday with just some close friends who have a baby the same age. There was brunch food and Bellinis for the grown-ups, and string cheese, melon pieces and Cheerios for the little ones. And of course, the piece de resistance - cupcakes! Although he got off to a slow start, the J-dog eventually dug in with gusto and enjoyed eating his first sweet treat. He obviously doesn't have too much of a sweet tooth, as he eschewed the icing for the cake itself, but the icing still managed to end up all over the place.

Present opening was spread over the course of several days, as he received oodles of loot. Favorites include a classic Chatter Telephone, a (pink!) watering can, and a little green dump truck from Mom and Dad (to go with his beloved little blue car). He also received some adorable outfits from friends and family, lots of good books, puzzles, stacking blocks and his first crayons and coloring books. Lots of things to keep us busy, and in style, for the next year!

As the first year milestone is upon is, so is the inquisitive mind and hard-headedness of a toddler. The J-dog's determinism has gotten him through the cat door of the gate that blocks off the rest of the house from the living room, so we have to be ever-vigilent to make sure he doesn't make a break for it. He gets better by the day at standing and cruising - we think he'll be walking soon. And he enjoys going to the park and crawling around to explore the grass and trees, while watching the joggers and bicycles go by. He is also a total flirt, smiling and waving at anyone who passes by. It is easy to see that he is a sweet boy with a vivacious personality. Even though he definitely keeps us on our toes and wears us out by the end of the day, every day continues to be a joy and an adventure. And as my semester is coming to an end soon, I'll be able to go back to spending all my days with my little boy as he continues his explorations of the world....and possibly some new adventures coming our way soon. Here is a picture from an outing in the park this past week. It is so fun to just go hang out with him as he watches the world go by.