Isaac turns one!

It's hard to believe that it's been a whole year since Isaac joined our family.

  He was so tiny, pink, and squishy.

Now, he's still tiny... but white and lean.

 I guess his sister wasn't much different at this age.

 Isaac for sure has more teeth (8 and counting).

He loves pointing at anything and everything to get us to look or carry him where he wants to go.

He is still cruising - pulling up, standing, surfing within the comfort zone of a baby/toddler height surface. He will stand up and balance (holding nothing) for a few good moments before he (and we) get too excited that he falls back on his booty.

 He weighed 16 pounds 6 ounces at his 12 month visit - still very very small. We try to get him eat, but there seems to be some confusion as to what food is.

 And that's why this happens... okay?

Don't judge.

Or if you choose to judge anyway, I challenge you to a day with the child who won't sit still and we'll see where YOU end up feeding him. The carpet, wood floor, under the dogs' noses, and the high chair are his frequent dining locations.

He is completely finished nursing (I AM FREEEEEEE!!!) and enjoys slugging down his whole milk like a champ.

I see this picture resurrected at his wedding, with one right next to it from 20 years later slugging an ice cold one.

Ending nursing again is definitely a bittersweet finale. The gift you give your child is undoubtedly and scientifically the best nutrition for him and I love being able to provide that for him. But I will not miss lugging the pump and accessories to work 5 days a week, pumping 3 times a day, packing/labeling/cleaning bottles/nipples/valves/caps/shields/etc. That pump and I have now been practically inseparable for 2 years of my life. That's longer than most of my houseplants live.

He has started in the next classroom at daycare and seems to be doing well. He was out with a fever last week for 2 days, and since it was Memorial Day on Monday, he only got 2 days out of the class... but he now sits at the tiny kid table to eat and sleeps on a cot. My little boy is growing up!

He is making new sounds every day and crawls so fast that you really have to keep an eye on him.

At any point in time, you have to watch where you're going to avoid stepping on some random toy or piece of furniture, as we've relocated 3 ottomans to block the stairs (if Isaac realizes they are fair game, he is GONE before you can say "NO ISAAC!"). I think he's practicing for the baby stair racing that happened at his birthday party.

 Although, it wasn't a contest - Elam won, hands down, every single time. Ian even gave Isaac a 10-stair-handicap at one point and Elam still took the gold.

So Isaac's been in intensive training every since.

Speaking of birthday party, it went very well and we were so grateful for all the family and friends that turned up or sent their well wishes.

Most of the family did this:

 While I cleaned and cleaned and shopped and wrapped and decorated and baked and cooked.

 I'm getting smarter, though, since this time I avoided having hard to prep foods or kinds that need me to keep an eye on the oven.

 Here's the photo display I put together of Isaac's first 11 months. I threw some of him and his sister in there, too.

 The efforts of cleaning (even though it's hard to look past all the toys).

 It never, ever looks this good. And only did for about 10 minutes before everyone showed up. So that is why there is photographic evidence.

 Mara got into her little party dress and party mode.

 She was full throttle the whole party.

I guess that could have been because of the cupcakes and pound cake she kept scarfing.

But I purposefully left the icing as a side item, since she and her Daddy prefer plain cakes/cupcakes.

 You can see I made Liz's Redneck Caviar with chips, double batch of rice crispy treats, strawberry pretzel salad, cupcakes, pound cake, vege trays with ranch, and then had some of Isaac's favorite snacks out (animal crackers and gold fish).

 Max is now over 2 and is taller and weighs more than Mara.

(That's Max's grandfather holding Isaac)

 A shot of all 4 kiddos!

 Boys and their toys.

 I didn't make a big cake for him to smash like I did with Mara... just gave him a cupcake and loaded it with icing for him to make a mess.

(And note the cupcake vulture lurking nearby in fancy princess shoes).

 Suuuure... when I WANT him to make a mess... he's the daintiest eater.

 Come on, get messy!

 Seriously? That's the best you got?

 Anyway, so we pulled the pound cake out, which Zack repaired for me after the top/side fell off.

 We had Mara and Max blow out candles, so that's why there are two.

 

 

 

 

 I think Mara is always eating at birthday parties, isn't she?

 Isaac, eat the cupcake, not the candle.

 THERE YA GO!

 Um, yeah, not a fan, Mom.

 Happy 1st birthday!

 

  And here's our happy little family.

 

 Gotta wash all that cupcake down with something (no he didn't eat all that icing, I scooped it and tossed it)

 Aunt Claire and her nephew!

 The stash - ignore my leg.

 Boys!

 Family.

 Look, no hands! One day I'm gonna be a big boy like Max!

 Isaac wasn't the best present opener, so big sister was graciously willing to help

 Thank you, Mara, for your sacrifice!

 Isaac loved all his gifts!

 

 We did let him rip a lot of the paper, or remove the tissue paper.

 

 See his standing skills? He was so proud to show off!

 

 It was a great day and I'm so blessed to have these children.

They are my happiness.