Hello Stickers

For Gracie's birthday her great aunt sent her a card filled with stickers.  I let Gracie & Sawyer play with a couple of sheets and this is how they decided to use them.....

 caught on camera

 sawyer loved it

 gracie loved it

time well spent

Mr Beans

ok so in my house not everyone loves beans but there is one that loves every bean I can put in front of him.  On this day it was his first taste of baked beans and I can say he loved it.  Take a look!

lets compare

As you know we celebrated my baby boy turning 1.  The past year has gone by fast and with him walking early and into everything it just makes it seem like it is going by so fast.  I am so excited to see how much he changes in the next year.  His personality will come out even more and watching him talk even more will be just crazy.  I think he will be happier to be able to express what he wants.

time for the weigh in:

height: 30 1/4" (67%) - daddy is very happy that he is about average

weight: 21lbs 14 1/2oz (60%) - daddy is very happy that he is about average

head circumference: 18 3/4" (89%) - not much of a change from 9 months but still no surprise here

Mom Look at Me:

• you have a total of 12 teeth this includes all 4 of your 1 year molars
• at gracie's birthday you swallowed your first penny
• you had your first ear infection
• you can now go down steps
• you want to climb on to anything and do
• you still have a morning nap that you need due to whining but it can not last more then 30 minutes or you won't sleep in the afternoon
• you love being chased.
• you love being tickled. 
• you are in 12 month clothes
• you are officially in size 4 diapers due to the amount you pee, I have been told this is a boy thing
• my favorite is the random cuddles and the kisses you give me
• nicknames: squirt, sweet boy, buddy, pumpkin, you little bugger, little man
• nicknames when you are up to no good: rat, bugger

If I were to set you down in a room you would:

• touch everything
• knock things over
• put them in your mouth
• eat what ever you could
• talk to anything
• then you will sit down and play with something for about 10 minutes then find something new

Surprises

Even though it has taken along time for us to believe you do repeat word/sounds.  You say things like hi, hat, mamma, dadda, and kind of gracie.  It is just strange when someone else says he just said hat.  I think ok I am not that crazy.

Food

All table food baby!

• We have pinned down your terrible diaper rashes to tangerines or strawberries. {this was a lie, we have no idea but it is gone and we thought maybe it was the formula but God only knows}
• you have now had eggs, cheese, and yesterday you chugged your sisters milk.  Your tummy was just fine.  You steal you cousin Nora's sippy of 1/2 juice & water and chug that as well.  
• you love chicken
• you did have cold cuts this week and I did not warm that up and I got a big no no from a few people on that, oops!  I promise I will warm it up for now on!

Routine - These are pretty true - you are now using a sippy for all feeds except for the bedtime bottle

• 8am sippy
• 10 nap
• 11:30/12:00 Lunch
• 1:30 sippy
• 2:00 nap
• 4:30 sippy
• 5:15 dinner
• 7:30 final bottle (this final bottle goes like this: 7oz of water, 3 scoops of formula, add oatmeal)
• bedtime around 8pm

all bottles are 7 oz 

Things that melt our hearts

• We love your hugs so much!  They are not often but when you give them we stop and soak them up.  If you give hugs to others we tell them to take it in and it will end soon.
• When you are cold you put your hands by your tummy and hug us.
• When I come home from being home and you have gotten to hang with the sitter you walk/run to me and give me the biggest hug.  Melts my heart every time! 
• Gracie and I love getting you out of bed in the morning.  You are so happy after sleep!
• When you get up before Gracie I will set you on the hallway floor.  You will them walk down the hall and look in Gracie's room.  You always smile like you know she is sleeping and how you can push her buttons.  You then will walk to her bed and yell at her.  It seriously is so funny!
• Your big smile.

LET'S COMPARE
sorry i have no stats for troy

Build-a-Bunny

For Gracie's 4th birthday my parents decided to take her to build-a-bear.  She of course picked a bunny.  You may not know she already has 2 one was mine when I was little and the other was a gift before she was born.  My gracie loves her stuffed animals a lot and cherishes them.  We thought that making one would be even better.

 putting in her sound

 making the bunny smart

giving the bunny lots of love 

 making a wish

she had no idea what a wish was

putting in the heart

what a great gift

Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving we headed to Cincinnati.  The weather was beautiful.  We were able to do lots of outdoor activities.

 mr nolan loves to swing

 my gracie swing so high

 she touched the branch multiple times and thought it was awesome

 Gracie & I went on a horse and buggy ride

it was a little windy

 we then all went on a firetruck ride

 to see the trains at the greenhouse

where nolan meet santa for the second time

Party #2 {Part 2}

For Nolan's party we had corn dogs, baked beans, animal crackers, and chips.  Super easy!  As and extra special treat we got a popcorn machine from a friend, that was a big hit.

 you may be wondering why they are all hanging out in this group

 but it is just them in awe of the popcorn machine!

 birthday photo booth

 Each family that came to a party got their 

picture taken in our photo booth area.  Those
pictures were on disposable camera's and I
will try and put a few up when I get them back.

 the birthday boy

 food line

kids table 

 nolan giving uncle cliff snuggles

 aunt kristen and nora

amelia enjoying a caramel apple 

 Happy Birthday

Nolan just starred during the birthday song, 

he was not sure what to do with it.

 for the first minutes he was just touching it and we got 

him to stick his fingers in his mouth that was about it.

by the end this is what we got, although he had not really 

ate much of the cake he did put a lot of it on his face. 

Nolan's 1st Birthday aka Party #2

Well, my baby boy turned 1 and I am just shocked how fast this kids is growing.  I will compare more later but he is running to grow up and I am just trying to keep him my baby as long as I can.  I did a Safari theme birthday party.  I did not go crazy with animals but it was cute.  Decorations & set-up first:)

this is a terrible picture of the invitations but they were so cute

Nolan's smash cake 

 the birthday chair with the tie/shirt i made

Yes, a caramel apple bar.  I saw this on pinterest and said it 

was a must, it was a big hit.  The sign also gave a few 

mixtures they could try if they were not feeling creative.

 I bought already caramelized apples.  I made the ones for gracie's 1st, took forever.  I just set out warm carmel in my fondue pot for a little extra.  Toppings included: chocolate chips, nuts, pecans, chocolate sprinkles, rainbow sprinkles, candy corn, graham crackers, nerds, mini m&m's, mini reese's pieces, crushed Oreo cookie, crushed vanilla cookie, and a few others I can't remember.

the birthday sign 

 I heard later there was a debate but I did 

indeed make the mini pies.  Apple & Cherry.

 the bunting made with the same fabric as his baby blanket

No we did not play games he is one and most people just enjoyed talking.  I think as the mom you end up talking to whom ever is in the room that you are checking on.  I think I was in the kitchen the most.

Party #1 {Part 3}

There were lots of pictures so here is the last set for Miss G's day.  Before all of Gracie's friends got to the house Gracie got to open one gift...

A Princess Aurora Dress aka Sleeping Beauty

Gracie loves Sleeping Beauty right now even though she has only seen party of the movie and said it was too scary for her, I think it may be the pink.  Anyway, I found this dress and her next gift at Once Upon a Child a consignment store and just thought it would be the theme for gifts this birthday.

Gracie & Mommy 

Daddy & Gracie

I love this picture!

 I love the bond they share.

 birthday kiss

 you should ask gracie about Nolan's kiss she calls it the bit kiss, yuck.  

Sleeping Beauty PJ's 

and her Sleeping Beauty Princess Doll 

 I do not actually do any other barbie's just the "princess" doll things.  Yes they are similar but barbie's are just to old for her.  These girls are at least from a movie and I super glue there shoes to their feet and there clothes are never to be taken off.  That is the rule in our house, have you ever put those clothes on a doll?

Birthday tradition of the balloons on the birthday 

morning and she is showing off her 4 fingers.

My cute girl with her sheep before school on her actual birthday.

I was more excited I think then she was to be able to take treats for 

her birthday.  Gracie made this year so easy on me she requested 

donuts for her class.  I love this kid!