Pearce's Birthday Weekend- Part 1

My baby boy turned 1 year old on Friday, January 25th!  We had a family party and it was just perfect in every way.  I started planning the party a couple months ago by ordering his birthday shirt from Pumpkin Butter Kids.  I found her on Facebook, I think, and I just loved all of the shirts she does.  I knew I wanted to do a "train" theme, so I placed the order and when I received it, I LOVED it!!!  Then I found the idea for the birthday wreath on Pinterest.  I am not crafty at all, but I thought this wreath was so cute and it looked easy enough to do.  I started working on it here and there and I love how it turned out!  During the past few years, I have seen how people decorate the high chair tray, so I knew I wanted to do that.  I found the ribbon idea on Pinterest, too and it was really easy!  I just hot glued different strands of ribbon onto a long strand of ribbon.  Then I just used the Command adhesive strips to attach it to the high chair.  My friend, Christina, who is in my play group, made Pearce's photo banner and birthday banner for me.  I just got the paper and she did all the rest!  Thank you Christina!!!  One of Chris's co-workers has her own little bakery business out of her house, so I asked her to do the big cake, smash cake, and cookies.  All I told her was that it was a train theme and that I wanted primary colors.  I LOVED it!  I had some snacks for the kids to eat on during the weekend...squeeze applesauce, boxes of raisins, and chips.  I put those in colored bowls.  Ashley brought a few of Nathan's trains and the tracks for us to decorate the table.  It really looked so cute!  

So, Friday afternoon, Mom and Daddy came to town and wanted to take Pearce to get his first "real" taste of yogurt, so we went to Orange Leaf.  Pearce was in Heaven getting little bites of every one's yogurt!  It was so funny!

Lora came later that afternoon and we all had fun just playing and loving on Pearce.  Ashley, Wayne, Nathan, and Charlotte got into town later that night as well as Jen and Robert.  Chris cooked fajitas for dinner and it was just a really nice, laid back evening.  Robert's birthday is February 2nd, so we had a little celebration for him with cupcakes and we all gave him gift cards to get video games.  He loved that!

Pearce loves his G.G.!

Pearce with Mama and Papa

Mama just can't keep from loving on this baby!

Jen and Robert who will soon turn 11!

These two had fun playing Angry Birds and playing on the iPad!

Saturday was party day!  We went out to lunch and then Ashley and I came home to give Pearce a nap and get everything ready. Chris cooked two different types of chili with all the fixin's.  Everyone came back over around 4:00 and then it was play time!  It was such nice weather that weekend, so we spent a lot of the time playing outside.  Pearce loved having his walker in the backyard and the cousins had fun having races and running around.  We also went on a wagon ride in Pearce's new wagon.  I just really wanted the weekend to be laid back and that's exactly how it was!

Pearce showing Uncle Wayne how to work his board puzzle :)

Ash and her baby girl :)

Ready, set, GO!

Pearce loved playing with his cousins!

Jen and Daddy

Me and Ash

Pearce enjoying one of his train cookies :)

Never in a million years did I think I would have a baby boy as perfect and sweet and fun as this one!

Cake and presents up next!

1 Year Stats

This morning we went to the doctor for Pearce's 1 Year Well-Check.  I love taking Pearce to the doctor because he is always so good for Dr. Sperling and the nurses and I love hearing them say he is on target for everything :) Today was no exception.  Here are his 1 year stats:

Weight:  22 lbs, 6.5 oz- 74th percentile

Height:  30 1/4 inches- 75th percentile

Head circum.:  46 cm.-  50th percentile

Dr. Sperling asked all about his sleep schedule and she was very pleased that he gets a full night's sleep and has two naps a day....although she said that he might start dropping his morning nap...NOOOOO!  She said if he starts not wanting to take a morning nap, to just let him stay awake until noon, have his lunch, and then put him down for an afternoon nap.  As I type this, he is asleep :)  We'll see if he needs to drop that morning nap....but I hope not anytime soon!  

She asked what words he is saying and I told her the ones I know for sure:  Dada, Mama, Hot, and that he says something for blankie, but I'm not quite sure what it is.  She said he will really take off with saying words if we continue to read to him and talk to him about daily activities.  He does babble all the time, so I'm not worried about that.  He has the beginning of an ear infection in his left ear because he has had a little cold and has been congested.  If his congestion isn't better in the next several days, I'll start him on an antibiotic.  

  

She also said he can start drinking whole milk now.  We can either just drop the formula cold turkey and see how he likes whole milk, or gradually introduce it.  She said she wants him to be off the bottle in the next month.  That makes me kind of sad, but he really doesn't drink his bottle in a full sitting, so I think he's ready.  I think what we'll do is start the whole milk tomorrow in his sippy cup and then give him a bottle of formula right before bed.  That's really the only time he will drink a full bottle....when he's in his nursery with the lights out and sound machine on.  It's like he knows it's bedtime then.  We'll try that for a while and then drop the formula altogether.  

Pearce got 3 shots today.  Two in on thigh and one on the other.  Poor baby boy!  He cried so hard and couldn't catch his breath until I picked him up and gave him a bottle.  Then he was happy!  We don't go back until he is 15 months old.  When I was in the waiting room, a new mom was there with her 2 week old baby.  I got a little twinge of envy seeing the newborn baby, but then my little guy crawled over to me and pulled up on my leg and started smiling and "talking" to me.  Sometimes I do miss the baby stage, but gosh, Pearce is just so fun right now!  I don't know what the future holds as far as another baby....maybe we will, maybe we won't.  I am just sooooooooo thankful for what I have.  There are some blogs I read of girls still waiting for their baby and I just almost can't read them anymore because I know that hurt so well.  I will never forget that.  Anyway, my little guy is happy, healthy, and on his way to becoming a toddler!  

*Birthday post coming up....as soon as I go through the 300 pictures we took....yes, 300 pictures!  

1 Year Old!

Pearce, you will turn 1 year old at 12:55 today!!!  How is that even possible?!  We have been planning your party and I think it will be really fun!  We are just having a little family party.  Auntie Jen and Auntie Ashy are coming this evening with your cousins.  Mama and Papa and G.G. are coming, too.  All of the decorations are up and I think they look so cute!  

Here are some things I want to remember about your 11th month:

*Your top right tooth finally came through!  Now both of your top teeth show...it is so cute!
*You love to "love" on your blankies...you will hug them and coo over them.
*You clap on demand now.
*You can do "touchdown" where you raise both of your arms up....not all the time, though.
*You babble CONSTANTLY and it is sooo cute!
*You throw little fits when I move you away from the dogs' water bowls ...not so cute.
*Size 4 diapers
*Size 3 shoes
*Size 12-18 month clothes.
*Still drink Similac Formula
*You can drink from a straw now!  You learned that from Mimi when she let you have a few sips of her sweet tea!
*You got your first haircut.
*You love it when Daddy makes you a juice blend of spinach, and fruit....I think it's yucky, but you and Daddy sure love it!
*You DO NOT like to have your face wiped AT ALL!
*You got a new carseat as an early b-day present from Mama and Papa.  It is so nice and you like the extra room now!
*Your first word was "dada" but you don't say it towards daddy.  Your first official word now is "hot!"  When Daddy holds you while cooking he always said "hot."  The other night I was fixing your dinner and you tried to touch it.  I said, "No, hot."  And then you started saying "hot, hot, hot!"  It was so cute!  I got it on video!
*You started a new game of throwing your blankies over the crib when I put you down for a nap....then you would start crying.  At first, I didn't catch on.  You were crying for a long time which was unusual because you usually play for a bit and then go right to sleep holding on to your blankies.  I looked at the monitor and didn't see your blankies.  So I snuck in your room and sure enough, the blankies were on the floor.  Poor baby...they must have dropped!  Then during your afternoon nap, I was watching you play on the monitor and I saw you stand up and after a few good tries, you threw both of your blankies over and then started crying.  Oh man.....you are a smart one!  I told myself I would go in once to give them back to you, but after that, you would have to cry it out.  As soon as I gave them to you, you went right to sleep.  And then it happened the next day!!!!  I have since tied one blankie to your crib.....you are a mischievous little guy!!

As I type this, I can remember the day you were born so clearly.  I was so excited but so scared at the same time.  All I wanted was for you to be born healthy.  Mommy is a big worrier and Daddy is the exact opposite!  As soon as you came into the world, you were so big and healthy and crying and the most beautiful baby in the world!  Looking back, I had absolutely nothing to worry about.  That day was such a happy day as well as all the days following it!  You are nothing short of a miracle and were always part of God's perfect plan for us.  This is the end of the monthly updates, but just the beginning of a whole new chapter in all of our lives.  That sounds so cheesy, but it is true and it's your first birthday and I'm allowed to be a little cheesy :)  

Pearce, you have made Daddy and I so happy this past year.  You just get more and more fun each day.  You make us laugh, you make us smile, you make us a little frustrated at times :), you make every day a surprise!  Daddy and I feel so incredibly lucky to have you.  Here's to many more fun-filled birthdays to come!  We can't wait to see what you will be up to next.  We love you more than we can ever say.  

Happy Birthday Pearce!!

Pearce's First Haircut!

It was definitely time for Pearce to get a little haircut!  His hair has grown so much and was almost constantly in his face and scraggly-looking, no matter how much I tried to keep it brushed to the side.  It was also growing over his ears, which I couldn't stand.  I didn't want to get too much cut, just cleaned up a little.  So, off we went to Pigtails and Crewcuts!  One of my friends in my play group goes here and her baby's hair always looks so cute.

*BEFORE*

First time riding in his new carseat!  An early birthday present from Mama and Papa.  He loved the extra room.  Thank you Mama and Papa!!!!

Here we go!  I was so nervous about how he would do, but sitting in that fire truck, playing with the steering wheel, AND watching a movie kept him surprisingly still!  He was soooo good!

"Hey lady, those things are a little close to my ear!!"

*AFTER*

I love it!  The girl was so sweet and fast and did such a great job!  I love that he still looks babyish.  It's so much cleaner and not in his eyes anymore!

We got his first haircut for the bargain price of $26.00 which includes tip!  A little pricey for an 11 month old, but it was so much fun to take him and he was so good and the girl was so sweet.  I think it was totally worth it, especially since Pearce had fun!

We went to Target to get a birthday present for one of his friends and took some pics of the sides and back.

Then when we got home, I had to take some more pics outside :)  Look how cute he looks in this outfit! 

Pops and Mimi and an early birthday celebration!

This past weekend, Pops and Mimi came for a visit and for an early birthday celebration with Pearce!  Pops is leaving for Rwanda on the 25th for a medical mission trip!  They came with two big presents and Pearce had no trouble ripping into the paper...and then trying to eat some of that paper.  He opened his presents Friday night and then Daddy put them together and Pearce was ready to play all day Saturday with his new toys!  He got a little play center that has a slide, basketball and goal, and a baseball and bat!  Perfect for him to crawl all over.  He also got the cutest little zebra ride-on toy.  He didn't quite know how to move it at first, but now he totally has the hang of it! 

Pearce loves to clap now....and every time he does clap, we all say, "Yaaaay!"  It is so cute!

How cute are these??

Daddy showed Pearce how to sit on Mr. Zebra and move his legs to make Mr. Zebra go.

Pearce loved going up and down the slide!

Pops loved taking Pearce on a wagon ride around the block.  The whole time Pearce was just squealing and yelling and having the best time!

Saturday night Chris cooked us a great dinner, but the main attraction was Pearce eating his cake!  He was starting to get tired, so we put a hold on dinner prep and just went ahead and gave Pearce his cake.  I got 5 different slices of cake at the store for all of us.  Pearce's was white cake with sprinkles and I put a little number 1 candle on his cake.  We were trying to get a good picture of Pearce with the candle lit, but I was so afraid of him putting his hand on the candle, so then I just blew out the candle and gave him the cake....TOTALLY forgot to sing Happy Birthday to Pearce!!!!!!!  I feel awful about that!  I guess we can say this was a practice run, but ugh!!!  Oh well, he LOVED his cake and we all loved watching him play with it and take bites and smile and clap!

The adoring grandparents!!

After this, Mimi cleaned up and Pearce went straight to the tub!  We had such a fun time with Pops and Mimi as always.  Thank you so much for a great weekend and for spoiling our baby boy!  Pops, we hope you have a great time in Africa...can't wait to see all of your pics!  During his trip, Pops is going to go on a day trip to see the mountain gorillas!  I can't wait to hear all about that!  I hope you see a mama and baby gorilla!  We love you Pops and Mimi!!!!