Nick's First Birthday

I didn't even post about Nick's first birthday!

We went to the zoo on the weekend. Each time we go he pays more attention to the animals. He liked the birds including the penguins. The penguins are one of Xander's favorites now, too. I was not thinking clearly and brought helium balloons along for each boy. The zoo staff informed us that the balloons would scare the animals. Oops.

Xander helped me decorate the living and dining area with stuffed animals and animal blocks. We had them in every nook and cranny! The Happy Birthday banner went up and the balloon (which we got back from the zoo staff when we left) was fastened to his booster seat. Xander picked out the balloon for Nick. It was red and said "I Love You."

We ate lamb-burgers and greek salad, although I think Nick had sweet potatoes instead. He also had a piece of the banana cake I made, with powdered sugar frosting. The cake was decorated with animal blocks and the Winnie-the-Pooh candle shaped like a 1. All these things are things I used for Xander's first birthday.

Mom and Grandma were on Skype to see Nick have his cake and open presents. He was fully pleased with his gifts. The ones that were open-able (i.e., not cash or check) were all big hits: foam letters, foam numbers, a bouncy ball, a knitted penguin, a musical book... I may be forgetting a couple, but there weren't a large number of gifts. It was absolutely perfect for a one-year-old. He walked around the living room saying "ball" and throwing it around.

We forgot to do the one-year prophecy game where we lay out several items - a ball, a pencil, a paintbrush, a baby doll, a tool - and see which one he picks up first. That item "predicts" his future occupation. I will try to do that soon, on one of these days that I remember it.

Unfortunately, I can't remember what Xander picked up on his one-year birthday. Maybe the pencil. That sounds right. I cannot find his baby book after our last move, which is a little bit tragic to me.

Nick will be thirteen months old in six days. He has already progressed by leaps and bounds from where he was at twelve months old.

-He drinks his milk just fine.
-He walks normally and very fast!
-He likes to climb things, especially the table in the children's section of the library. It's the perfect height.
-He says four to five words.
-He likes to look at books and has favorites.
-He can be quite happy for long periods of time, even sick, playing with Xander.
-He eats well with bowl and fork or spoon, though he doesn't usually use the utensil to put the food in his mouth.
-Though it's mostly a system of grunts and sounds, he knows how to ask for a book, a utensil, milk, water, more food, all done with food, all done with bath, all done with brushing teeth, look at that, what is this, and take me over there.