1 Year Old! (Caution: Picture Overload)

Dear Jake,

It has been a very busy month to say the least. Your birthday was on a Thursday, but we decided to have our little “family” celebration on Friday. Dada took the day off work and we just had a day of fun with you and Max. First, we went to “Safari Park” in Southlake. It is a little indoor play facility that has a little train that you got to ride, these big mechanical animals you got to ride, and a big ball pit, slide, and trampoline. You and Max had a lot of fun, and we cracked up when Max decided he wanted to ride the big chicken. You ended up riding the zebra, but you weren’t too sure about the whole thing. After that we got you and Max some chicken nuggest from Chick-Fil-A, which you both love, and then we went home so you boys could take a nap. I got us a reservation at the Rainforest Cafe at Grapevine Mills Mall for dinner. Thank goodness I got a reservation because we would have had to wait for probably over an hour and it just isn’t worth that. You and Max really enjoyed the atmosphere and watching all the animals and looking at the fish. We got you and Max an icee drink in this big frog cup and you both loved it. After we ate we took you to the Build A Bear Workshop. We picked out a really soft monkey for you and Max picked out a panda bear. We then decided that your monkey needed a shirt so we bought him an OU t-shirt. They had all these little accessories that you could give your stuffed animal, you were pretty insistent on giving him a ball, so we did. Max picked out a Batman suit for his panda bear, it is hilarious. Before we left the mall and called it a night, we stopped and got you boys a cookie from the Great American Cookie store. You both devoured it and had chocolate all over your face by the time we got to the car. It was a great day.

We would have had your birthday party on Saturday, March 20th, but my volleyball team that I’m coaching had a tournament that day. It ended up being a good thing because it SNOWED that day and your party was at the park. I really have no idea what I would have done. So the following weekend Uncle Ty, Aunt Bethany, Emery, Kade, and Aunt Joy all came for your party. On Friday we went to the zoo and had a great time, the weather was perfect. Saturday morning we got pictures made, and then we had your party on Saturday afternoon. Your cake was adorable and the little “smash” cake they made for you was too. When we got to the park the wind was awful. It was so bad that your smash cake got blown off the table and ruined. I was so sick about it and ended up calling the cake place to see if they could make another one. Thankfully, they did and Nona went to pick it up. It wasn’t as cute, but I was just glad you still got a cake. You didn’t really eat that much of your cake, you were more interested in smearing it all over the high chair and floor. Unfortunately, the wind pretty much ruined the party. I helped you open your gifts as quickly as possible and I have no idea who got you what, but you got a lot of neat toys that you and Max have been playing with.

I would have never thought that I would have a curly headed child. I thought it was definitely a recessive gene, and when people see Max’s curly hair they always ask me if I think you are going to have curly hair too. I have always thought there is no way you are going to have curly hair, but I was wrong. At first just the hair in the back started to flip up a little. Now you have curls in the back and the top is starting to have wave to it. It reminds me of how Max’s hair started waving like that when he was 6 months old. You still don’t have a lot of hair, no where near how much Max had at your age, but I do think it’s going to be curly. After we get you out of the bathtub it is very wave and curly. In fact, I dare say that your hair is curlier than Max’s.

There is a reason we had a monkey themed birthday for you and bought you a monkey stuffed animal. I call you “monkey” all the time because you climb on everything. You can climb onto the ottoman or the couch, you climb on top of the toy box and then stand on it. You are such a little daredevil and very different from your brother in this way. You are so mischievous. When ever you get something you know you are not supposed to have you will try to run away from us. I think it’s funny now, but it’s definitely not a behavior that’s going to be allowed. Your life will be much easier if you learn to obey now. Trust me.

Like all children, you love technology. If you could have anything you wanted you would have 1) my laptop, 2) my cell phone, 3) the remote control- in that order. This last class I just finished was such a beating. Every waking moment that I wasn’t busy with you and Max I was working on it. I am very sleep deprived from staying up late too many nights in a row. This past Wednesday Dada stayed home from work to watch you and Max so that I could finish an assignment. You came to visit me and you got very excited to get your chubby little baby hands all over my computer, you also liked my highlighter.

Have I mentioned how cute it is that you suck your thumb any time you feel a soft blanket or a tag of some sort. Lately, when we come to get you in the morning you won’t let go of your blanket, so we usually just let you drag it around in the living room. It is pretty much the most adorable think ever.

At around a year old was when Max started to like Sesame Street. You and Max get to watch one “show” in the morning, which lasts about 30 minutes, and one show in the evening. We have this DVD with Ernie in it called “Count With Me” that Max has been watching lately. It has lots of songs in it and lately it has caught your attention. Sometimes you even dance to some of the songs.

So I mentioned the fact that we got pictures taken last weekend. I didn’t get as many of you as I would have liked, but we did get some good ones. I also got one of you and Max together, you two love each other so much. You always want to play with him and when you can’t find him you say, “Bubba?” We NEVER call Max that so I have no idea where you came up with it. When I told Max I was going to take you to the doctor for your 1 year check up he told me that he didn’t want you to go to the doctor because he wanted you to play with him. (By the way, you were 22.6 pounds and 31 inches tall! In comparison with Max who, at a year old, was 23 pounds and 30 inches tall) I really love that you two are so close. I also think it is really cool that you and Max have cousins your age. We attempted to get a picture of you, Max, Emery, and Kade. It was an absolute circus. Below is the best picture we got, you can tell how challenging this task was. We also got a big group shot taken and I think it turned out really well, except for the fact that I look like a cow. MOOOOOOOO!

1 Year Old

Brothers

Cousins

The McAlister Families

I cannot put into words how much joy you have brought me. Even though it has been a tough year, you have made all of our lives better. March 18th, 2009 was one of the most wonderful, and traumatizing days of my life. It was a day that I will never forget. Even though your birth was rough on me, I would do it all over again 100 times for you. I remember in the hospital you would be sleeping and you would suddenly make the funniest faces and Nona and I would just crack up. You looked like a little old man when you were born, but you were my little old man. I am blessed beyond measure to have such a beautiful, healthy family. When we came home after your birthday party, it hit me like a ton of bricks that you were growing up. I could not believe that my baby was a year old. I cried because I’m so lucky to have you and because it makes me a little sad to think that you will never be this small again. No matter what, you will always be the baby of the family, even when you tower over me. As much as I crave time to myself, I always find myself missing you and Max when I’m away from you. Walking into the room and hearing you yell, “Mama!” as you waddle towards me is a precious picture in my mind that I will never forget. Words cannot explain how much love a mother feels for her children, it is the best feeling in the world. I am so proud to call you my son.