First Birthday Party

Balloons, cupcakes, and a #1 candle = FUN! We had such a fun time planning and preparing for Jesse's First Birthday PARTY. Emphasis on the 'party' because we celebrated 3 days before his actual first birthday. We celebrated on his due date, which is also a special day. It also just happened to be a Saturday really close to his birthday. :)

We had friends come over to celebrate Jesse and also decorate Christmas cookies. We were so blessed to get to share this special time with those we love close to us.

Photo Op

We're celebrating ONE!

Birthday hat. We practiced wearing it some leading up to the party,

but we didn't wear it too much at the party.

He loves his Daddy. Look at those eyes!

Henry was also celebrating his 16th month Bday.

I love the green icing mustache! :)

Here, Ardyn, let me push you.

We can work this together, girl.

Sweet Kyley and Avery came - Jesse loves those ladies!


Avery and Jesse letting Barry know that they see him.

He wanted to come be a part of the party so badly.

Getting ready to sing

Jesse enjoyed everyone singing to him :)

We also practiced blowing a candle out, but Jesse never quite caught on.

Next year we'll do it! :)

Jesse was NOT shy about eating his cupcake

Yummy!

Oh, yes. This is good.

I don't mind being a mess.

We appreciate our friends for coming to celebrate with us! We love you all! :)

A Year Ago Today

I've been super nostalgic this past week thinking of what was happening 'a year ago today'. I tell Jesse each day.

December 10th, 2009 was my last day to teach my 2nd grade class. It was a Thursday.

He was due on Friday, December 11th, but we knew we had a C-section planned for Monday, the 14th. Jesse was a breech baby, so we knew we'd have a C-section unless he did some last minute flipping. I took the day off school and actually went shopping. Some ladies working in a shop asked when I was due. They were a little nervous when I told them, "Today!" :)

On Saturday, we went to help move in our new Youth Pastor. They had their 4 month old there - Jesse's soon to be good buddy.

Sunday was so special. A year ago today. It was our last time at church without Jesse. We had communion that day, which is always a sacred and emotional experience for me. Add to that the pregnancy hormones and the weight of it being hours before we'd meet Jesse - I was a mess. :) It was the perfect way to prepare for the birth of our son. Grandma and Grandpa Sandwick came that afternoon so they could be around for Jesse's arrival. I didn't think I'd be able to sleep. But I did. :)

The rest of the sweet story is 'a year ago tomorrow.'

Santa's Helper....or Mama's

Preparing for Christmas was fun this year with my little helper. One day he'll be a good helper. This year, he wants to be right there - in on what I'm doing. That means it takes me longer. :)

Everyday house jobs are more interesting with Jesse. I guess it's more fun to have someone there with me all the time. I'd sure rather manage Jesse while I work than do it all alone. Dishwashing - Jesse wants to pull everything out of the dishwasher: clean or dirty. He'll even crawl up onto the door. I usually get started while he's throwing stuff out the dog door or looking out a window. He's distracted. I hurry!!! He hears what I'm doing. He's on the move! Faster than me! Hurry, Mama, close the door!!! :) Goodness.

Laundry. Same kind of story. Jesse's distracted. I head into the laundry room. I hurry. He hears me, he makes his way in, moves the laundry basket aside. My attempt to block him out is unsuccesful. The thing is, he'll look for any piece of dog food that's been dropped on the floor. Who beats who? Jesse or Mama?

Well, just imagine all that with decorating a tree. We debated what to do about a tree. I really love having a Christmas tree, but we knew it would be just another HUGE temptation for Jesse. So we put it in the office - where we can close the doors! Success!

Picking out the tree for us - notice my boys in shorts.


This one? That one?


Sparkly, Mom! Where have these toys been hiding?

Be sure to use lots of these!

This is the best way to wrap a present. Roll it out...


Then flip it over and SHAKE IT!

Making Up For Lost Time

Mercy! It's been too long since I've posted. This boy has me on the go! We're only a couple days away from Jesse's first birthday!! I'm excited to celebrate this milestone with our Jesse David.

First Tooth

In the last month, we've been busy. Jesse got his first tooth at 10.5 months. Just one! :) It seems like so many babies get their teeth in twos. We have a little 6 month old girl at church with two teeth and four more on the way. :) I was a little ansy for Jesse to start getting teeth, but then I learned that his bites aren't as sweet with teeth. Jesse has liked to bite on my chin for a while. NOW that's not fun.

Bruiser

Jesse had some sad things happen this past month. As he crawled around the house, we had TWO bloody mouths. He was crawling in the kitchen once, missed his hand, and hit it mouth on the tile. Dad was there for that one. Then, the next one was in the same week. He was crawling around the couch as I folded laundry. That one produced a swollen lip. I was sick with sadness for my baby! I felt so bad - what could I do to prevent this?! We've made it several weeks without any more bloody mouths. (Knock on wood.)

It is with great sadness that I post these pictures.

Bloody shirt from crawling incident #1

Fat lip from crawling incident #2

Barry Love and Sharing



Jesse LOVES his dog! I'm so glad we have Barry for Jesse's entertainment. :) There are times I get frustrated with Barry, and I'm pretty certain Barry gets frustrated with Jesse. But they are two good buddies. :)

Scott feels sorry for Barry sometimes that he doesn't have a lot of toys. Barry always tears his toys up, and honestly, I'm more focused on toys for another fun little buddy in our house. So we've amped up Barry's toy supply, but Jesse wants to share.

Jesse: I'd like to play with this toy too.


Barry: REALLY?!?!


Giving Barry some love...

LOOK! No hands!

Throwing things out the dog door or looking for Barry. Jesse still hasn't gone all the way out yet. Things Jesse has tossed out the dog door: shoes (a favorite), pacifier, his socks, his sippy, his spoon, his toys, a pot (he lugged it across the kitchen). It's always amusing to find what he throws out.

They love looking out the window together. They really, really want to go play with the big boys (4th and 6th graders) playing ball outside. This picture makes my heart happy. :)

A VERY regular occurence

My boy get more and more fun. He's a precious, wild, happy, busy, loving, demanding, messy little boy. And he's SUCH a blessing!!! What an amazing year he's made this!! :)

Halloween?

The question mark is because we couldn't decide if we'd dress Jesse up for Halloween or not. It's kinda tough deciding some of those things that I know Jesse won't remember, but I want to do them because it's fun. We have a child now, and it's fun for us to dress him up for Halloween.

Scott's actually more of a Halloween person than I am. He gets SO excited for October. He'll go to the grocery store with me and buy lots of candy - because of the holiday. He'll eat on it all month long, staying as fit as a fiddle, because he works out and plays basketball. Then when Halloween comes along, we have to buy more candy for he real trick or treaters.

So, Thursday before Halloween on Sunday, I decide to go looking for a costume. I checked out the mall...nothing. I even went to a Halloween store. Creepy! That's what I don't like about Halloween. I love the cute costumes, trick or treaters, and candy, but I do NOT like scary stuff! The store had scary noises and creatures everywhere.

I decided not to spend a lot of money on a cow costume. I thought it'd be cute, but Scott might night agree. :) I headed down to the 99 cent store. I found a fireman hat, little fire truck, and a really less-than-exciting fireman outfit...each cost $.99. I thought, if I don't find anything else, we can go with this. The costume also fit 2 year olds, so it would have been too big for Jesse anyhow.

Next stop: Party City. I can really appreciate all the fun costumes! It kinda makes me want to dress up like a hippy or police woman or a giant monkey. That's fun! :) I became inspired by a cowboy hat. I can do this! I'd get Jesse a bandana, he could wear his cute jeans...I could get some felt and make a vest and chaps for him. This could work!

I have to give credit to my friends Amanda and Amber who I've seen use felt. MY favorite thing about felt is that there's NO HEMMING!!!!

Here's what we ended up with on Halloween. :) My handsome cowboy!

Cute Cowboy

I do NOT like this hat!

Spread 'em, Cowboy!

Should I be worried?

Uh, Mom. This git-up is crampin' my style.

I'm happy for now :)

Gazin off into the distance - makin' sure the cattle are ok and there's no storm a-brewin'

He means business - no misbehavin' around these parts

Hey! A happy cowboy!

My little guy is ready to be RID of this bandana!

I love this cowboy!

More Wisconsin Trip Pics

I'm behind! I'm so behind on writing about our happenings. I wanted to post some more pics from our Wisconsin trip, because there were so many fun things we got to do while we were there. Then I'll write about the current happenings of this crazy, fun, happy house.

Jesse decides he likes bananas.

This was a surprise, because he hadn't liked them before he devoured this one.

Grant teaches Blake and Jesse a new trick with the balls



Meeting Uncle Carl's calves. Jesse like them, but I'm not sure they liked Jesse.
He was pretty loud.



Jesse met Aunt Marilyn's horses.
It looks like he'll be like his Mama and love horses! Good boy! :)



Great Grandma pushing Blake and Jesse at the park by her house. It was cool!
We had to bundle those kids up! This is also the park we'd sled at every winter we went to Grandma's.



Fun Grant got all covered up in the fall leaves!

Tim and Grant having a blast in the fall leaves :)

Great Grandma fed Jesse in the high chair used by my dad and his siblings. I loved it! She also had some fantastic homemade applesauce that Jesse ate up like crazy!

Aunt Marilyn took Jesse and me to the Chitwoods' house in Dodgeville. She took us on a beautiful drive that included going by this barn where my Grandpa farmed. My dad grew up here and also farmed here for a bit before I was born.

This is the house my dad grew up in and later moved back into with baby Adam.

I love that Wisconsin has such deep roots for my family.

Uncle Dan took us on such a fun trip up to the airport in Milwaukee. We stopped by Little Norway. Jesse needs to learn about and be proud of his 1/4 Norwegian heritage. :)

Jesse fits just right in this 30 gallon milk jug

A sod roof in Little Norway


Last pic with Uncle Dan before leaving Wisconsin. Thank you so much Uncle Dan for driving us all over the state!