The Birthday Bash and Happy Easter!

Happy Easter everyone! I actually don't have any pictures to post from AJ's second Easter, but AJ did walk for us several times taking 6-8 steps a couple of times. I will try to get some video of him walking this week while I am home with him on Spring break!

The following pictures tell the story of AJ's March Madness Birthday Bash...

The one-year olds got the party started with their own game of basketball! AJ took the lead in showing them the slam dunk!
Heidi helped AJ open the first few presents...

then Kaylee took over to help with the last few presents!

Okay, I had to get a picture of the pink and brown cupcake balloon that we got AJ for his birthday. I wanted AJ to have a balloon floating by his crib when he woke up on his actual birthday, so I had Brian stop and get one late Wed. night. However, the only balloon options at that point were the pink birthday balloon or an Easter balloon. Needless, to say my little man ended up with a pink balloon, but luckily the babysitter had a nice blue one for him as well!

Here's Uncle Mark showing AJ how to use his very first remote control car that they got for him. It's fabulous! AJ also got a ride-on fire engine, books, summer clothes, a Fridge-Farm, a Little-People tractor, a DVD with differenct kid's shows, a dunp truck with blocks, money for his piggy-bank and sand for his sandbox! THANKS EVERYONE!

I may be no Martha Stewart, but I did decorate AJ's birthday cake myself and was quite proud of the way it turned out! This cake was for the guests!

Aunt Cindy made AJ his very own basketball cake.

The cake looked so much like a ball, that all AJ wanted to do with it at first was throw it off of his tray.

So, I had to cut the ball in half so that AJ could get to the cake part (remember he doesn't really like the icing). Once I did that, AJ was on a roll.

Happy 1st Birthday little man! Mommy and Daddy love you so much!

The end result! YUMMY!

Happy 1st Birthday AJ!

Well the big day has come again and my baby is 1 year old! I have been moved to tears yesterday and today thinking about the pure joy and happiness I felt the day he was born. I cannot imagine my life without him as he continues to fill our lives with love and laughter.

AJ is now into throwing everything! He deliberately puts things in containers, into your hand, or onto the floor or table. He tries to brush his hair which is absolutely adorable. He eats all table food now and we brush his teeth at night with a little finger scrubber (he loves sucking the toothpaste off of it). He no longer sucks his fingers, which I think he stopped when he got the flu 2 weeks ago and couldn't breathe through his nose for a week. He also talks himself to sleep which just melts my heart as I hear him jabbering sweetly to his little animals.

We had a mini-birthday celebration tonight with the grandparents and Uncle Eric. AJ enjoyed himself tremondously with all the tissue paper and boxes of course. He got a new sandbox and sand toys, a doggie jack-in-the-box, trucks, books, a learning tool-kit, a swimsuit and lots of cute Spring and Summer clothes. The big party bash is on Saturday, but tonight was another great one to remember!

AJ enjoying his first cupcake! He ate almost the entire cake part and left almost all of the icing on his tray (just the way his mommy would eat it)!

"Alright, dessert!"

"Let me smash it first."
"And yum!"

AJ's new sandbox! All it needs now is the sand (and maybe some nicer weather).

"Let me see what I got in here."

"Alright, toys for my sandbox!"

"And a toolkit. Now I can help Daddy fix up the garage!"

"But here's my favorite... tissue paper. YES! What a great day!"

1) AJ playing catch! 2)AJ manuvering his walker! 3) AJ screaming with Daddy!

Blizzard 2008!

We got SNOW! A LOT of it! I think this is the most snow I have ever experienced at one time here in OHIO! We bundled AJ up today and took him out in it. However, I don't think he was too impressed. Nuge on the other hand LOVES the snow, and it has been very entertaining watching him hop around in it (the snow completely covered his legs).

Here are few more cute pics of AJ... He finally discovered the little cubby hole under our counter where Brian and I keep our work bags. AJ has also realized how much fun it is to take things out and put them back in. Notice too that a sock is missing (he NEVER keeps them on without shoes).

I finally took the crockpot and George Foreman off this shelf and stocked it with AJ-proof materials (tupperware, kitchen gadgets, tin cans, magazines, etc.). It keeps him busy while I make dinner, although it usually looks like a hurricane has gone through by the time AJ is done with it!

AJ practicing his letters... he's so smart!

Since AJ wasn't very entertaining in the snow, I took video of Nuge instead!

11 Months Old

My baby is less than one month away from being a year old, and I CAN'T believe it! I really need to start planning his party! Well, we finally made it back to the Dr's for a well-baby check-up and AJ now weighs 22lbs. 5oz. and is 30 inches tall. He stands for long periods of time while clapping and playing. He took three steps for Brian and I last weekend, but hasn't really taken any since. He could do it, but he's really just not interested. We can't hardly get him to stand to even try. He justs pulls his legs up so he can sit and crawl. He's extremely efficient at crawling and getting around. He crawls with toys in his hands. He pushes objects while crawling. He catches a ball and tries to throw it back to you. He eats with a spoon (I put the food on it and hand the spoon to him) and tries to dip it in the food to get some more. He likes to feed mommy by putting his freeze-dried apples in her mouth :)! He gives Nuge treats. I've also noticed that he really tries to put things where he sees mommy put them: shapes in the matching holes, little people in their cars, etc. He's even played Power Rangers at the babysitter's with the 3 year old boy. He eats lots of real food now, and will soon be completely off of the baby jars. Some of his favorites are yogurt, grilled cheese and macaroni and cheese. He just needs more teeth to come in so he can chew better! He only has his two, front bottom teeth, but it seems like he's working on about 4 more.

I really can't believe I haven't taken more pictures, but what happens is that everytime he does something new and cute, he's on to something else by the time I have the camera ready.

I had a few snow days this month, so one day I got the playdough out for AJ to experiment with. It lasted about 2 minutes before he couldn't keep it out of his mouth. He also had a lot of fun pestering Nuge. Nuge was happy when I returned to school so he could go back to sleeping his days away peacefully.

Naked baby on the loose!

This is AJ's new favorite game to play. He thinks it's hilarious!

Sleepin', Cruisin', Jammin', Slammin'

Just a few pics and a cute video to share from the past couple weeks...

This is how I found my boys last weekend when Dad had baby duty. TOO sweet!

AJ can zip around with his little walker - that is until he runs it into a wall or something.
AJ making lovely music with the kitchen gadgets.

Our future basketball star! Thanks Uncle Eric for the fabulous sports center!

10 Months Old

For AJ's ten month birthday, he got a VERY special gift - his FIRST tooth! It must have popped through last night and AJ handled it like a champ! He hasn't even seemed that fussy today! This month AJ has been mastering his "getting around moves." He crawls at the speed of light, goes up stairs, walks between objects that are close enough for him to grab onto from one to another, and pulls himself up on flat surfaces like walls and doors now. He doesn't really walk around furniture or along walls (although he could), because I think he knows it's quicker to just crawl. He can also stand alone for a couple of seconds, and can let himself down easily and with control from that standing position. He has a few new tricks (just discovered this weekend): he likes to put his mouth/tongue on our sliding glass door, which leaves the very cool breath marks, he purposefully drops food onto the floor, which Nuge is LOVING, and he hits all the buttons on the stereo until he gets the music to come on. He absolutely LOVES music! He also loves to turn the pages in his books. His favorite books are the touch and feel ones as he actually knows where to feel. Here are some pictures from the last month (mostly from this past weekend)!

AJ and Daddy getting ready to cheer on the Buckeyes during the National title game (Brian had to hold AJ's hands so he would keep the hat on long enough for me to take a picture). Too bad we lost!

"Look - a little seat just for me!" "Mom, I promise I won't rip all the laundry out of the basket."
This is how our family room looks at the end of each day, but AJ has a blast! Notice that I strategically place his larger toys in front of the T.V. area so he can't get to it!

Some of you think that AJ never cries. Well, here is the proof! Last night after his bath, I spiked up his hair just for fun. AJ's thoughts, "Mom, I hate the spikey hair." Really he just wanted his bottle and instead I was trying to take a picture of his hair.

"Mom, my hair is STILL sticking up. WAH!!!!" Again, AJ wanting me to pick him up after waking up in the morning and instead I am taking pictures.

AJ loves his dump truck. The best is that the blocks make noise when you bang them together!

AJ loves to play in the curtains, which often results in Nuge being scared out of his mind.

AJ with the garage. He just discovered that items could go down the elevator shaft.

AJ trying to get his music on. He also tries to get Daddy's books!

This is how I managed to get my grade cards done.

The aftermath! AJ thought it was great! Daddy, not so much!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone! AJ spent his 1st New Year's with the McLaughlin Fam. Thanks Uncle Mark and Aunt Connie for hosting - we had a great time! The night was filled with cards, laughs, food, and new this year - a Wii bowling tournament. AJ actually went to bed around 8:30, but when the noise started at a quarter 'til midnight we got him up to join in on the celebration. He had a very concerned look on his face as we all cheered and hollered when the ball dropped - he was probably thinking that we were all crazy! Here are a few pics from the night.

Great Uncle Ken with AJ sporting the 2000 decorations.

With the new year came the start of Brian's term on Pickerington's City Council. Here he is at his new desk in city hall (nameplate and all). The bottom picture shows him taking his oath of office.