Love the weekends

Another great weekend.  It wasn't the 80 degree weather we had earlier this week but the sun was definitely shining and we took full advantage of it.

Friday afternoon, one of the neighbor girls came by to see if Grevin could come out and play.  They have been playing in the rocks outside and wrestling all week.  This time, she taught Grey how to drive...

Saturday morning, we got out of bed early-like usual- and rode our bikes downtown for coffee.  I love being so close to downtown where we can sit and enjoy a coffee and a blueberry muffin as we people watch early in the morning.  When we got back to the house, we packed up and headed out for our monthly hike.

I am not sure if I have mentioned it but for my New Year's Resolution, we are hiking a new place each month. So far, January-Sugarloaf Ridge State Park; February-Jack London State Historic Park; and then this weekend in March, Lake Sonoma. 

Lake Sonoma was amazing.  We hiked for over two hours and only saw 2 other hikers (twice when we passed back by them from coming up from the shore access trail) and 2 people on horseback.  I was amazed at how many people were out on the lake, even water skiing in March...I mean, it has been warm this past week, but BURRRR! They have a great campground so we are planning on camping there later this summer.  Great hiking, water access...hmmm, now we just need a boat!

"Come on, let's go!"

The whole family

Giving daddy wet willies...

Dropping sticks into the lake

Doing what boys do best...

If you look closely you will see the lake in the distance...down the BIG hill that we had to hike back up!

We also dog sat again for Bruno and Grevin had so much fun playing with him again.  He liked to sit really close to Bruno until he licked him and then run away laughing.  It was really really cute :)

After our hike, we headed over to the Wings for a belated St. Patrick's Day where they made yummy corned beef and cabbage. My cousin's wife had posted on her blog about making an Irish Creme Cheesecake so I decided to find a recipe and give it a shot.  It turned out pretty yummy if I do say so myself-very similar to a New York Style Cheesecake with a hint of Baileys.  The boys played hard and thought it was pretty funny watching Bruno and Bella run around chasing each other.  Once the boys fell asleep the adults even got to play some games.  Fun times for EVERYONE!

Resting before dinner

Grevin and Andrew are finally at the point where they want to play with the same things...good thing Michelle got a two seater!

Swinging

Michelle and Andrew had just put together their new water table so Grey had to help test it out.  He liked it so much we got one the next day!

We were so exhausted by Sunday, that we just hung out at the house, taking lots of long naps!  We did make it to Costco but that was about it...I think I am ready to go back to work just to relax....

Grey's First Birthday Party

What would I have done this weekend without Zephy, Grammie, and Grandpa??  We had plans to set up for the party on Saturday, do last minute errands, and both Zippy and Grevin were sick.  Zippy had a 24 hour stomach bug which made him curl up in bed all day.  Grevin had a high temperature, was laying on my lap whimpering, and didn't want to eat.  Now, all of you who know Grevin, this is highly unusual.  I took him to urgent care that afternoon.  Turns out he had a double ear infection and his left eardrum had ruptured.  Once we pumped him full of antibiotics, he was MUCH better!  He still wasn't himself at his party but at least he got to enjoy it.  While my mom, Doyle, and Ben helped me take care of Grevin and Zippy Saturday, Zephy, Grammie, and Grandpa were hard at work doing all the errands and cleaning that we were suppose to do. I don't think I can thank them enough!!

The weather was BEAUTIFUL for Grevin's birthday.  We were all able to hang out outside on one of the first really warm days of the year.  All of our friends were able to come, Doyle said he has never seen that many kids all together outside of childcare! It was nice to enjoy the beautiful weather with  Grevin's friends and family (a small party of about 50 people, including 15 kids!).

Eating lunch with Grandma and Uncle Ben

Everyone playing in Grammie's backyard

Noah mowed all of the yard for us!

Grey and Ruby playing in the new ballpit

Singing happy birthday to Grevin! (the cake was originally supposed to be a soccer ball but with all of the chaos before the party, we didn't have time to do more than put blue icing on it!)

He was not quite sure what to do with it...

His cousin Andrew liked the icing!

It tasted much better eating it off of his arm!

Maddy reading birthday cards for Grey

Helping open presents

Loves playing with his new ball!

Almost as much as playing in the cooler...

On the way home...he partied hard!

Thank you to everyone who came out to play with us.  It was a wonderful day!

Thank you, Dominique!

We had Grevin's 1st birthday pictures taken a couple of weeks ago by Dominique Long.  They turned out so amazing!!!  If anyone is interested in having their pictures taken locally, check out her website: http://www.dlongphotography.com

She was great with Grevin, came with so many fun props(including the balloons!), knew alot of great locations to take photos, and was so easy to work with.  I posted a few of the pictures back in February but here are a couple more that I just love:

Happy 1st birthday, Grey!

Happy 1st birthday, Grey!  I can't believe we are here already...I swear it was just yesterday that we were at the hospital waiting to hear that first cry, making sure you had all your cute little fingers and cute little toes, finding out that we were bringing home a happy, healthy baby boy.  But then other days, it feels like years ago when we had to hold you all night long because you did not want to sleep without human contact, when your daddy would walk you around the house singing the ABC's to get you to calm down and fall asleep.  You have grown into such a cute little boy now and my baby has disappeared before my very eyes.

Grandpa DeShazer said our lives would definitely change once you were born and he was right. But I think it changed for the better instead of the worse like he was implying.  Yes, I like to go to bed before 10 pm now because I know you will be up by 6 am.  I used to LOVE to sleep in but your happy, bubbly smile in the morning makes it totally worth getting up(even though I am lucky and can convince your daddy to get up and let me go back to sleep for an hour on the weekends).  We go for happy hour drinks and out to dinner around 6 now instead of heading out at 8 pm for the night.  You are so much fun to take with us, you smile and wave at everyone and enjoying the sights and sounds of being out in public.  I have yet to spend a night away from you, just because it is so easy to take you with us everywhere!

You never sit still.  Yes, part of this is your age, the other part is your daddy's genetics.  You love to be where the action is...and if there is not much going on, you will cause the action!  It takes about 2 seconds for the living room to be covered in toys.  If I am getting clothes for you out of your dresser, you like to take EVERYTHING out of that drawer.  Luckily, you like to put the stuff back, too, just not as organized as it was before...I have given up on folding your clothes!

Some days you want to be more independent, doing EVERYTHING yourself, playing by yourself, walking everywhere.  Then the next day, all you want to do is have us feed you, play with you, and carry you everywhere.  I love the days when you like to cuddle, you have gotten really good at that!

This first year has been amazing, we are so lucky that you are such a happy, active little guy.  It is so fun to watch you grow, take in the world around you.  I am so excited to see what the next year has in store...

I love you through and through...yesterday, today, and tomorrow too!

Love, Mommy

 Helping dad put together your present from Grandma & Grandpa Oglesby. 

Playing with the soccer ball

The morning of your 1st birthday

A look back at the soccer ball

MONTH ONE

 

MONTH TWO

MONTH THREE

 

MONTH FOUR

MONTH FIVE

 

MONTH SIX

MONTH SEVEN

 

MONTH EIGHT

MONTH NINE

 

MONTH TEN

MONTH ELEVEN

 

ONE YEAR!!  

 

 

 

(you may notice something different about the ball.  There was an unfortunate incident with the blue soccer ball and a little dog...) 

Ouch!

Grevin had his first run in with an  end table on Monday-right between the eyes!  This is what happens when you want to fling yourself object to object to get somewhere fast instead of trying to steadily walk there. First of many, I am sure!