One-derful Birthday Boy

Last month, my baby boy turned one. I guess it was about time. A lot of the baby about him is fading away and he looks and acts more boyish every day. It isn't easy for me to mentally push that precious first year of his life into the past because he is almost certainly the baby of my babies, but it is also incredibly gratifying to contemplate how much he has grown and how much joy he has brought to our family these past 13 months.

When Wylie woke up on his birthday, he probably didn't know the day was different from any other. But for our family, it was both a sentimental and celebratory day, and we had a lot of activities planned specifically around our special birthday boy. After breakfast, it was time for a photo shoot.

With each of our children, I have chosen a photo of them at age one to display in our home. I am not sure how that tradition started--perhaps it was the picture of 12-month old Ramona beaming in a field of daffodils that inspired me to try to capture that blissful innocence in her younger siblings at the same stage of life. It is such a sweet age--still small enough to cuddle, but old enough to delight us with their emerging personalities. After snapping a huge number of photos in our backyard and going back to review them, this was my favorite of Wylie, and the one that will go up on the wall with similar ones of his sisters:

There were several other pictures that I also enjoyed:

Below is Wylie with a little red truck that actually used to belong to me. Apparently, as a child I asked for a red truck for Christmas one year. I'm glad I get to pass it on to my little boy.

Forest's mother came to visit that week and helped us celebrate. Wylie loved walking around as Grandma held him up.

Not long after picture time, it was time to start preparing for Wylie's party. Ramona made a birthday banner for him that we hung over a doorway.

Mika decorated a balloon.

I decorated a cake. (Nothing too fancy around here--I just wrote his name on it and stuck a toy fire truck on top!)

Forest came home from work with a balloon to surprise our boy. He loved waving the string around and watching it swing back and forth. Now it was time to party!

Once lunch was finished, we began overwhelming Wylie with birthday gifts. 

 The gift he kept coming back to was probably the light saber toothbrush that lit up and made noises.

After present time, we all gathered for some cake. Wylie brought his magic wand with him.

 Ramona helped him blow out his candle.

Here is the documentation of Wylie digging into that chocolate cake:

Our birthday boy had just a little bit more play time after he got cleaned up from his cake . . .

. . . and then he went down for an afternoon nap. While he was sleeping, we played with his new toys. Hopefully he didn't mind.

Once he got up from his nap, he got right back to playing again.

 Wylie got his birthday plate in the mail later day, decorated by Teresa.

Then he got to play some more in the backyard, where he continued to be photographed.

Dear Wylie,

    We are so blessed to have you as part of our family. Every day you remind us how exciting and wonderful life can be. When you were born, you brought some of heaven with you into our home. Now I hope to keep it here as often as possible to help remind you where you came from and who you have the potential to become. As your mother, it is thrilling to watch you learn new things and accumulate new skills. Here are some of the things I hope to remember about you, at age one:

Your huge gap-tooth grin completely melts my heart (adjective "huge" applies to both the gap and the grin). Sometimes that gap is just the right size for inadvertent whistling (I have never heard a baby whistle until I met you!) You have an explosive firecracker laugh that brightens the mood of any room you may be in. Often it is your sisters who draw that laugh out of your little lungs. They adore you and so enjoy entertaining you.

I love the way you kiss my chin and rest your face against mine when you are ready to snuggle. In your more mischievous moments, you steal my glasses right off of my face--you are so quick I can't avoid your little hands. You find a way to turn most objects into either a drumstick or drum, and your favorite past time is opening and closing doors.

Your first word was "dada." You finally say "mama" now but for a long time the equivalent was simply an insistent whimper. You still make that sound sometimes, and when I hear it I know you are asking for some mama time. You also like to say "yeah" and "yuh-ess!" I guess it is just a matter of time before you learn how to say "NO," but I still haven't heard you utter that word up to this point. Since you turned one, you started saying "Deeh!" for "drink."

You will take a few steps but your real talent is doing squats. When you get excited, you pop up from squatting position and raise both arms in the air triumphantly.

You are wonderful. And you will always be my baby.

Love
Mommy

School's Out!

School's been out for three weeks now, but I have been compiling photos and reminiscing about Mika's Kindergarten and Ramona's 2nd grade year. I finally got around to looking at all the pictures on their classroom websites and enjoyed hunting for my children in the various scenes. They learned so much and had a lot of fun, too! 

First week of school:

Bethke Elementary Wellness Day:

2nd Grade--History Fest at Greeley's Centennial Village (September)

 Kindergarten--Miller Farm Field Trip (October)

 Kindergarten Halloween Party:

Other Kindergarten classroom photos:

Book Buddies:

 2nd Grade Old Town Fort Collins Field Trip (November)

 Kindergarteners at an assembly: 

2nd grade program Dec. 6:

Kindergarten wacky hair day:

(Even though Paula wasn't in Kindergarten, yet, her bed head frequently qualified her for wacky hair day a lot of the time)

Kindergarten--Australian animal project (Mika chose Kangaroo):

 

2nd Grade Dr. Seuss Week:

I missed the memo that this spirit week was just for 2nd grade and also put Mika in red and blue for "One Fish, Two Fish Day." At least I didn't accidentally have her participate in Wacky Wednesday or pajama day.

JUST Ramona dressed up for Wacky Wednesday:

But Mika did get to participate in hat day a few days later:

Good grades:

Ramona's ukulele blister from music class (I was so proud):

Bethke Spring Showcase:

Kindergarten--Adams Mystery Theater Field Trip

Mother's Day--Mika says she loves me because I always walk her to the bus stop 💚

2nd grade Mother's Day picnic:

The kids composed partner poems in the style of Margaret Wise Brown's "Runaway Bunny." Ramona's partner was April. They each took turns reciting them for the Mother's Day program.

April: If you run after me, I will turn into a clock and hide in a school.

Ramona: If you turn into a clock and hide in a school, then I will become a teacher and I will look at you.

 Field Day:

After the morning activities, I came to pick up Mika and eat lunch with the kids on the playground. While I was getting the picnic food ready, Mika and Paula found a toad and chased it around the parking lot.

On the playground:

 All-School picnic!

Farewell picnic for carpool buddies Oli and Finn:

Kindergarten celebration:

 "My name is Mika and when I grow up, I want to be a teacher."

Mika with Mrs. Eddy

Extra celebration with ice cream afterward:

School was great. Now it's out!