Benjamin's Birthday Party

Round cake to let my son play in--$6
Big cake to share--$50
Helium tank to inflate dozens of balloons--$30
Invitations--$60 (pricey, but oh so cute:)
Park Pavilion rental--$22
Number of hours spent planning--unknown
Getting up at 4 am to work on this blog--crazy
Seven pounds of nacho cheese, 6 pounds of nacho chips--$12 (makes up for the price of the invitations--a good deal)
Watching Benjamin eat his birthday cake with his hands--priceless
Realizing this is the last first birthday party to plan--One box of Puffs Plus with lotion--$1 (Target has them on sale 4 boxes for $4)

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Birthday cake...
Hmmm, a ball cake. I wonder who that is for?
He's so excited!
Singing happy birthday to Benjamin (I sang it to Ben every Tuesday for several months--because he was born on a Tuesday. Even better was on weeks when he had it twice--Tuesday and the 24th..never thought I would be this cheesy over a kid)
Hey, this looks like a ball...

I had to show him that it was okay to try a bite :)
No thank you, Mommy doesn't want a bite...

I guess Aunt Pearl and Colin were wanting a little taste
Allie got to do this a few weeks ago
Yes, there is cake in between his eyes!

Wednesday

Jenn and I had some errands to run yesterday. We decided to go together so Benjamin and Allie could play. Wow, what a difference a year makes!!

Ben and Allie--a car date (carseats included)
Got milk?!?!
Here Ben, you hold my paci for a while...
Hold on a minute, this isn't a ball...
We celebrated Rusty's birthday last night with dinner at Nonny and G's.

Addie is sporting her favorite bib--I love my Uncle Matt and Aunt Whit!!
The birthday boys.

These are a few of my favorite things

In honor of Ben's birthday, I thought I would give people a little insight into a few of his favorite things and habits...

Favorite toy: a ball (or anything resembling a ball...including watermelons!)
Favorite non-ball toy: a water bottle
Favorite security item: his woobie and pacifier
Most consistent ritual: a dirty diaper first thing in the morning..yucky, I know
Funny habit: crawling around with his ball in his hand
Favorite no-no: opening the central vacuum outlet, repeatedly
Favorite word (this week): MAMAMAMAMA :)
Favorite foods: cheese and bananas...and milk
Favorite books: Pat the Bunny, Goodnight Moon, and Toes, Ears, and Nose
Favorite singer (besides Mommy): Norah Jones
Nickname: I call him Bunny, Matt calls him Buddy or Bud
Most unusual thing he has done (yet): climbed out of the exersaucer about a month ago
Most annoying habit: smacking people with his ball and crying when we walk into church
Favorite position: sitting up on one knee
Favorite sleeping position: on his tummy, hands under him with his woobie over his face
Number of teeth: 8 total (4 uppers/4 lowers)
Favorite sleepy clues: pulling at ears, rubbing his head and eyes, and the obvious of laying down in the floor and closing his eyes.
A few of my favorite things:

When he gets up in the morning, I get him out of his crib and he lays his head on my shoulder, sings, and pats my arm with his hand.

How excited he gets when he hears the garage door opening when Matt comes home.

When he tries to crawl away from me in the bathtub before I get him out...every night. Like he really thinks he is going to get away from me.

When I say, "I'm going to get you" he crawls faster away from me.

I love how inquisitive he is when he looks at things.

When it gets really quiet, he is into something he shouldn't be.

At bedtime, how he will find his woobie and cover his eyes.

How he made me a mother almost one year ago.

A few of Matt's favorite things about Benjamin:

He loves balls of any kind.

He comes crawling to me when I walk into a room.

He said DaDa first.

He gives high fives.

He sleeps through the night.

He loves it outside.

Water fun

We went to the pool the other evening for a night swim with Kennedy, Colin, and Courtney.

Kennedy and Colin jumping in...I don't have any idea why they have all those floats on
Just give him a ball and he's happy...
In the pool (ball in hand)
Kennedy throwing Ben in to Courtney
Taking a few steps to Uncle Jason

Matt and I had a "date night" with some friends from my work. We went on a riverboat cruise...Ben didn't go--he stayed with Nonny and G.

Allison and I. She starts CRNA school in January and is quitting work.

Matt and I

Balloons and bruises

Benjamin, Mammaw and I went to Party City last night for some birthday party supplies. That is where Mammaw introduced Ben to a balloon. I knew immediately that we weren't getting out of there without a balloon...might as well add one to the shopping list in any store that has them now...he is obsessed. I guess this is the "guilty Mommy" since he fell down the stairs yesterday. No worries, just 3 of the possible 17 steps. He has a really nice purple bruise right beside his eye and another above his eye. Thankfully, they do not show up on camera :) Wait, I hear sirens...DHS is pulling up...

My first balloon
The balloon string is wrapped around his leg and neck...

Matt finally installed the child (and adult) resistant latches on the cabinets under the kitchen sink. We hate them!

Ben hates them, too!
Do you think if I stand on my tip-toes I can get in?

The Gram Cam

Here are some pictures taken with Grammy's camera. I brought them home last night after Ben opened his first birthday present and found a couple of pictures that I hadn't seen before.

A cousin pic
Is Aunt Amy here? No, just Grammy letting Ben sample some topping for a jello salad. I'm sure he didn't scream when you took it away did he?!?
Hey, what is this? Ben's first birthday present! Thanks Allison!
Am I allowed to touch?
Maybe I will just use it as a stage..

Check out the tummy


Getting the hang of it now!
Oh my goodness! There are balls in that box!

The goal says, "Yeah" when you dunk the ball. Ben is hilarious-he stops and claps his hands when they say yeah!

Wagon Ride

Benjamin sitting in his diaper bag-after he emptied it!

We had some pool time this afternoon. We have a "corral" that Ben sits in under the umbrella where he can play in the shade.

His new favorite toy, besides a ball, is a water bottle.

Mmm, banana popsicle
Kennedy is Benjamin's buddy


After dinner tonight, Colin and Kennedy pulled Benjamin around the neighborhood in his wagon. You could hear him squealing as they pulled. Hopefully, they will all sleep well tonight!

Pull faster, Colin!
Stopping for a quick drink--no, Ben didn't try Dr. Pepper
Heading to Mammaw's house