Happy Birthday Theodore!

 Auntie Kenzie made and sent Theo this onesie just in time! She's the best.

 Once he got a taste for ice cream, he became a little demanding.

 And root beer. (I know he's drinking soda, but it's Virgil's. Only the best.)

He covered his ears when we sung Happy Birthday, which is what most people instinctively want to do, I'm sure.

Right now Theo is walking past me (!). He explores everything, loves to sing "patty cake," mimics when you say "uh-oh," used to wave hello but decided to stop, crinkles his nose when he laughs, loves to play ball, and today is ONE year old!

These pictures are from his party we had on Friday, and I spent most of my time chasing him down as he speed-crawled away the second I wasn't looking. He got a scratch on his face, crawled across pavement with bare knees, and explored bushes and trees. He was practically shouting his boyhood at me.

His party was ball themed, as throwing a ball is his favorite thing to do. I made far too many cupcakes and thought too much about specific shades of sprinkles, but it was so much fun to be with our friends who have been around during this whole crazy baby journey. (And who remained friends during that whole non-sleeping phase.)

Theo has added so much to our lives, and he has personally taught me how to love, sacrifice, and be a less selfish person. Most importantly, he has been patient with me as I try this Mom thing for the first time. We love him so much. I can't begin to explain all the emotions and feelings I have today. I feel full to the top, content, and happy. In about two seconds I'm going to be a soppy mess, so I'll leave it simply at that.

Don't eat the black stuff

Jon's spent the entirety of his first Father's Day last year appropriately--he was becoming a father. But constantly walking around the neighborhood in the rain, no sleep, and having to fend for your own food wasn't exactly the fun day I planned.  I would whimper between contractions about the nice dinner I had planned to make. I know he really didn't care--as he drove 45 minutes to find an open pharmacy to get me a single Ambien after midnight as we hit over 20 hours of labor--and that's why he deserved a special father's day. It's hard to describe how much I appreciate everything he's done this year for me and Theo.

Jon and David are a lot alike, and they both have been talking a lot about lobsters. David more about cooking one, Jon more about just eating one. So when Vanessa approached me with the idea about a lobster adventure, I knew it was the perfect super-special fancy thing for Jon. So we met on Saturday night at Uwajimaya to pick out our dinner from the lobster tank. Lobsters are basically large insects of the sea. We picked out a big guy, put him on ice and brought him home. Then we cooked them. Jon panicked a bit at the last second as the lobster stretched wider than our pot diameter, and used the lid (and a squeal) for assistance. Twenty minutes later we had a red lobster and a steamy lobster-y smelling apartment. (Still smells like the ocean by my stove). You can eat several parts of the lobster  other than just the tail and claws, but only Jon was brave enough to try the roe. Imagine his surprise (and yet, not, based on the taste) when he realized that he had actually sampled the lobster's poop.

ALL CAPS

 Did I mention he also grew a mustache? These were the best shots I got in the milliseconds it was on his face.

Theodore, previously content merely with walking to his parents at their pleading, started walking around of his own volition on Sunday. Cute wobbly steps.

What is happening here? I'm confused. I still don't feel mature enough to be the parent of a toddler. The day will soon come when Theo will cast his eyes down in shame at his mom doing something embarrassing. Like tomorrow.

My mind is exploding a little bit. There are a million emotions I am feeling, probably best expressed by a page full of exclamation and question marks. I can't stop time from making this little baby a little baby man. But please let him stay a cuddly mama's boy. That's all I ask.

and we're back

 Theo doesn't realize just how much he needs that sun hat. 

 The long way to Multnomah Falls, so pretty.

 

 He didn't eat a lot of it, but he made a mess, which is just as important.

I realize I have taken a mini blog break, caused by grandparents visiting and then Theo and me catching some springtime virus. I dread us being sick at the same time, as I am at my absolute neediest (and whiniest, if you ask Jon). Unfortunately babies couldn't care less if their mamas are sick. Theo had a raging high fever for a few days, even having a mild febrile seizure one night. Luckily he has a paranoid mother that had already read up and asked his ped about this very topic months ago, because it looks much scarier than it actually is. (If you are a mom or are going to be, I highly recommend familiarizing yourself with this topic, it saved me from having a severe panic attack. Instead, I just got a small one.)

Anyway, we missed much of the warm sunny weather this weekend, although we did get out Saturday and flew a kite. Last weekend Theo got lots of grandparent love and presents, and we did a dry run to see how Theo would react to his first birthday cupcake. Prognosis is good on that front. I can't he is two weeks away from being one year old. !