Picture Post

Just thought I would share some random photos from the past week. My boys continue to love to hide in and peek out of things,

wear hats, gloves, and boots,

and vary from torturing each other to adoring each other.

Every so often I take a picture of Jack that reminds me of a picture I have of Alexander from around the same age, and I feel compelled to compare them. Here they are sporting hats at ages 12 and 11 months old.

The Princess and the Prisoner

This morning I was cuddling in bed with both boys when Alexander and I had this conversation:

Me: Alexander, what do you want to be when you grow up?
Alexander: A Princess.
Me: Oh, what would you do as a princess?
A: I would have a dance party so I could dance and wear pretty clothes.
Me: Oh, and what do you think Jack should be when he grows up?
A: Hmmmm... a prisoner in jail.

When I relayed the conversation to Justin, his response was, "Well, let's just hope he's not precognitive."

Jack's first haircut

Jack was getting a little bushy around the ears, so tonight I gave him his first haircut. I think it turned out okay! It's hard to capture a haircut properly in photos, but here are a couple anyways. I know it's tough to check out the haircut when those gorgeous eyes are staring at you! ;)

Ye Olde Yahoo Playgroup

Yesterday Alexander was reunited with some friends from our first playgroup (and I was reunited with their Mommies!). He had not seen Jaeda in almost 2 years, and he had not seen George in about 6 months. The three of them had not been all together since this photo was taken, in July of 2006.

George, Jaeda, and Alexander:

It was truly amazing how well the three of them fell into step and played together like they had never stopped.

Oh, and kudos to us for creating the second set of friends within nine months of each other (and all same sex siblings, and in the same age order)!

Frank, Jack, and Maia:

Welcome back to the States, Deborah, Jaeda, and Maia! We are so thrilled to have you closer again!

Tent!

Jack had a couple of Target gifts cards from his birthday that were burning a hole in my pocket, so today while shopping for the next few upcoming birthdays, we went ahead and used one of them to get this cool tent.

We were, however, only the brief owners of this tent, as after only a few hours of rigorous play it broke. We swiftly returned it to the store and upgraded to this even cooler (and hopefully sturdier) dinosaur tent with tunnels. Jack is just the right age for this since he gets totally goofy over peekaboo. Alexander features more prominently in the pictures only because he's a better poser!

For those with an eye for detail, I did realize soon after taking these pictures that I had put the head of the dinosaur on backwards and I fixed it.

Outside!

When the pool is away, the children will play... in puddles on the tarp!

and with rocks!

and eat sidewalk chalk!

Jack's family birthday party

For Jack's family birthday party, I decided on a nursery rhyme theme to play on all the nursery rhymes with his name in them. I'm no artist, but I have fun making decorations for my kids' parties, so these are what I made for Jack's:

Unlike his friends' party, which was rained out, this party was blessed with great weather, so the kids were able to play outside in the kiddie pool, blow tons of bubbles, and generally take advantage of our first *real* backyard.

I like this shot of all the kids eating cupcakes even though it's the backs of most of their heads because... well, can you tell how nice and still they're sitting?! I love how little Mackensie seems to be wondering why she isn't up at the table with a cupcake, too!

Jack got lots of great presents (thanks, everyone!), including some markers and paper from Aunt Eileen, and here he is creating his first ever piece of artwork:

The obligatory first birthday cake face picture:

Thanks everyone for coming! Oh, and I swear this will be the last post about Jack's first birthday! :)

New camera!

Sadly, my Sony Cybershot did not survive it's fall down the stairs a few weeks ago, so last night I was *forced* to purchase a new camera: a Canon Powershot. Good pics? We'll see... here are a few of the firsts.

Having fun in the backyard pool today:



A snowman with three bellybuttons standing next to a cactus:




Two monsters. One with one leg with two feet one one leg with no feet and one with a very, very, verrrry big head and small legs:

Happy Birthday, Jack!!

He will be one tomorrow. There's nothing more bittersweet.

Then:



Now: