Lovin'

• My hubby carrying my skis and lunch...what will I do when Freddie is skiing?
• Sunshine
  
• "Toddler" cuddles
• Bagels for breakfast and lunch
• Blue skis
• "Tear it up!"
• Groomed runs
• Olympic curling
• More and more steps
• Reminiscing about "one year ago"
  

Birthday Boy

Happy Birthday my sweet boy. You are One today. The three of us smile and laugh each and every day. Thank you for the reminders of what's important and how to love.

52 Weeks

Vocabulary:

• "Heeeeee dada" ("Hey, Daddy!" when he enters after work.)
• "Ga Ba", said with your arm extended and your finger pointing ("Go! Boodog" when Boodog comes over during meals)

Estimated stats:

• 18.5 lbs.
• 27.5 in.
• Still rather tiny

Diet:
Things you never throw on the floor:

• Pirate Booty, Veggie is your favorite
• Cereal bars, especially love Kashi apple
• Homemade banana bread
• Butter toast
• Cookies
  
• cake
• Whole milk, You're up to about 8 oz cold milk in a cup per day with meals
  

Things you sometimes throw on the floor:

• Peanut butter and jelly sandwich
• Banana
• Cheese toast
• Chicken chunks
  

Things Mama feeds you:

• Cream of wheat
• Oatmeal with applesauce
• Sweet potato with butter and salt
• Earth's Best tender beef and spinach baby food

Nursing:

• First thing in the morning (5am-ish)
• Last thing at night (7pm-ish)

Working on:

• Walking. You've pretty much given up on taking steps right now. Your daddy thinks this is because you've got a language explosion going on and there is not much room in your brain for much else.
• Talking. You're babbling up a storm. You carry on conversations and are so animated. You chatter away when you are looking at books or interacting with the dogs.
  
• Eating with utensils and dishes, when you're not making music with them. You are pretty insistent that you get the bowl too these days. You put your food in the bowl and out of the bowl and in the bowl a few times before it gets to your mouth.
• More teeth. You've got three on top and three on the bottom and more coming.

Favorite pastimes:

• Flushing the toilet, but Mama has to watch this because you often head to the roll of toilet paper next.
  
• Carrying around your toothbrush. Your spoon now comes second to your toothbrush.
• Banging on your drum.
• Closing doors and cabinets and drawers.
• Playing chase. You look over your shoulder, squeal, an take off expecting me to come after you.
• Talking on the phone. You love to put that cellphone to your ear and then talk and carry on with your arms waving around for emphasis.
  
• Stroller rides. So much to look at these days, my guy, so you haven't been dozing on our walks.

Likes:

• Cuddling. You put that head on my shoulder and give a tight squeeze and sometimes a pat on the back.
• Baths. And ya just gotta hold your penis the entire time.
  
• Being tickled, especially little pinches on the inside of your thighs
• Kisses on your toes and hands

Dislikes:

• Getting dressed, although now you cooperate more often by pushing hands through and offering the right foot for your sock and shoe.
• Getting your face wiped, but you are fussing a whole lot less about it lately.

Personality:

• Outgoing! You've got me talking to people whether I want to or not. You'll look and look and look until they finally make eye contact with you and then you tilt your head to the side and give a big ole cheesy grin.
• Strong willed. You are making it known what you want and don't want.
  

Your birthday is tomorrow. This time last year I was walking in the park when I knew my water had broken and you'd be showing up real soon. I called your Daddy and he met me at the hospital where we waited for you. A year ago, Buggers, a whole year! I know it's your special day, but it will always be a special day for me and your Daddy too.

We love you.

**I hope to update later tonight with more photos. We're travelling today, so things are hectic!**

51 Weeks

Oh my goodness. 51 weeks. I cannot believe we are at 51 weeks and only one more weekly installment remains.


You've got two new teeth this week, so that makes three on top and three on the bottom. You've got two more cookin' so you're still getting some fussin' on.


I'm sitting here trying to compose this weekly post but am stuck, Buggers. You've got lots and lots going on this week, but honestly I cannot organize my thoughts and think of any of it. All I can think about is that you are going to be ONE, a year old, and how different life is for your Daddy and me now. How much we wanted you and waited for you and how being a family of three brings us so much joy.

Carnival 2010, The Quickie Picture Post

We're worn out. Glitter fills every nook and cranny of the floor. The dining room table has been turned into a mass of beads and stuffed animals. But it's all good.




Mardi Gras is a great time for us and actually not much different now that we've got Freddie. Still lots of beers and bloody marys (maybe not 60 of them over four days though, but 40 perhaps?), still Popeye's for lunch, still costuming and the hunt for the Zulu coconut.



We've had a great few days.



Charlie made sure we were well taken care of, loading up the potty and parking it in just the right spot. It does make life on the parade route much easier.


He also got our ladders, and chairs, and snacks, and drinks, and blankets to make sure we were comfy.




We made it out each night for the parades. Perfect attendance. We're serious about some parading on Bordeaux Street. Having so many parades pass on the end of the block is nice, but living 4 blocks from Napoleon where all of the parades pass is even nicer.

Thanks, Holly, for this shot!

Freddie fit right in and knew the parade day drill. He napped on cue and didn't mind being given a gentle nudge to get him up at at 'em for the evening shift of parades.



We made it through four parades on Sunday and late into the night for Bacchus. The crowd for Bacchus is always thick, but it was especially packed because everyone wanted another glimpse of our hero, Drew Brees.



Charlie *had* to have one of Drew's signature throws, a black football with a fleur de lis. He got his ball from the float although he didn't get to catch the pass from Drew.



It was cold, really, really cold on Monday but we still went out. We needed to see Coach Sean Payton. And get more beads. Duh.


Somehow we missed Sean Payton but Charlie caught an autographed football from Reggie Bush. He's pretty pleased with himself.


This morning Freddie decided to sleep in and the poor child had to be roused from his Lundi Gras slumber to get suited up for Fat Tuesday.


We made it to Zulu, secured a couple coconuts, watched Rex roll along St. Charles under the oaks, and made a beeline for some fried chicken for lunch.


Whew. If Freddie is *really* on this Mardi Gras vibe, he'll sleep until 9am tomorrow.

Happy Mardi Gras! Sweet dreams.

Baby in the King Cake

Only one family photo today. Wish I had taken more.

Happy Mardi Gras, y'all.

More after our nap.

My Valentines

Sorry, Charlie

I know, I know...you thought that'd be the last you saw of the oompy suit, at 34+ weeks of pregnancy.

Sorry, love. It's warm and cozy and I'm regretting not having purchased in blue when I saw it at Target this year.

More Sandwiched Cookies

Remember these? I had a box of red velvet mix just waiting to do this.


Never thought about making them for Valentines' Day.

But be warned, red velvet mix is....


...red.

Yummy. Easy. Make them now.

Ingredients:

• 1 Box red velvet cake mix
• 1/2 Cup butter, softened to room temperature
• 2 Eggs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix ingredients until combined. **My butter was "room" temperature, but my room is only about 60 degrees today with it being so cold outside. The cookies didn't turn out as expected and I think it's because I wasn't able to get everything mixed properly with the butter still being a bit too firm.
   
3. Drop spoonfuls of cookie batter onto baking sheet about two inches apart. (I smash them down into patties or else they are very fat!)
   
4. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
5. Cool.

Cream Cheese Filling

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Cup butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 8 oz. Package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1 1lb. Box of confectioner’s sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla

Directions:

1. In a mixer, cream butter, cream cheese and vanilla.
2. Gradually add sugar and mix until smooth.

Makes about 12 cookie sandwiches (24 cookies).

50 Weeks

Buggers, sorry to say but it is another pajama day around here with Mama being sick. You don't seem to mind. You actually slipped right into your tater suit for the parade last night with your pjs on and then again to go to the grocery store to get some milk. Who ever would have thought that I'd be going to the grocery because we were out of milk?


The weather outside is rather yucky, but I still drag you out. All the ladies like to fuss because I take you out in bad weather. They stop me, put your hood on your head, grab my hand and look me square in the eye and tell me to get you home. Today I got some of that at the deli counter in the market from a little old lady, but her sweet husband said you were beautiful and then commented how *happy* you are. "He is one happy baby. I know that's a sign he's got a happy mama and daddy."


It's your first Mardi Gras and I should have known by all that moving you did in my belly last year during the parades that you'd be a dancing fool. I can't even imagine what you are thinking watching those floats roll by...the colors and the lights!


I love how yow you imitate us. You are holding that phone to your ear and babbling away, even throwing in some hand motions. Oh my. I also love when you give hugs now that you give some back pats along with it. Cannot wait to see what you come up with next.

Listening carefully to Daddy who is about to brush your teeth.

You are taking steps on your own here and there but you're still very cautious. You really prefer to pound across the floor on your hands and knees, especially if you're being chased.

Pirate Booty!

Still waiting on some teeth to come in. One on the top and one on the bottom are just about ready to make an appearance. I am more than ready to finally see them, as are you I'm sure. You haven't been so interested in eating, but today you discovered Pirate's Booty. Yummy.


We're in the final stretch to the big O-N-E little man. Sigh. We've gotten here much too quickly.

Parading

The Mama is sick. And things aren't really running as they should around here because of it. So the plans to go out to the parade were called off. Until....we hear the first band going down Magazine Street.


Charlie popped Bug into his "tater suit" and hit the street with the kid and the ladder.

I bundled up, grabbed the camera and met them on the corner. And this right here made it completely worth it...


He danced and shook and wiggled with every marching band all while keeping his stogie in place. Next time I will have video. He was in awe of it all.


Fingers crossed that the predicted rain over the next few days stays away. We've got lots of parading to do!