Oh Happy Happy Birthday To You

Happy, happiest birthday to my boy.

Zeke, circa newborn,

4 months,

8 months,

a year,

a year and a half,

two,

and two and a half.

The time, it just flies. And I need to do a photoshoot with Zeke. With just Zeke. Because looking thru pictures for this collection I realized that I don't have any nice ones of just him after a while. Always there is Malachi by his side.

There are reasons, of course. Zeke's inherent shyness and Mal's love of the camera combined at the forefront of them.

Then of course there is that Zeke just adores his brother. All day at his party he just wanted to "play with baby". All day a bit overwhelmed and shy, even though he knows all these kids and it's his own back yard. But he wanted a party and planned it to a t- the balloon color, the snacks served, every detail. It was all very Zeke.

And now he is 3 now. With a big boy bike to prove it.

Happy First Birthday Malachi!

Today Malachi turns one.
It's a bit hard to believe, honestly.
I know it's the cliche but, where did the time go?
Was it honestly only a year ago today that I lay exhausted, on this very couch, and watched Zeke solemnly give his hour-old brother knuckles?
It must be true, because here is this toddler, oh so suddenly.

Malachi at one can walk 3 or 4 halting yet sturdy steps, much to his mother's chagrin and his father's delight. We had a bet on if he would walk before his birthday and Josh won by 5 days. He eats anything, and often everything. He has 5 teeth. He doesn't say a darned word. Not a single one. He plays his cards close to the chest, this one.
He adores his brother. He will not abide being left out. He loves splashing in the bathtub, can toss a ball with the best of them, and will push a toy car around the house for hours, he especially delights in ramps. He is 100% boy. He gives the best bear hugs I have ever experienced in my life.He is full of determination. I wont say stubbornness, because I don't see it, not yet. He is not stuck in his ways, but he is very very determined. He laughs. At everything. Great rolling belly laughs and oh boy does he have the belly for it. He is happy 95% of the time and stark raving MAD the other 5%. I call him my angel, Malachi meaning angel. But I'll admit to calling him Malachi the destroyer as well. There is that other %5...

We threw him a very small party last weekend. Poor second children never get quite the hoopla do they? But there were balloons and presents and cake and what more can a one year old ask for? He seemed pretty happy.
We love you Mal.

Happy Birthday Zeke

When told this morning that it was his special day and he got to do whatever he wanted, Zeke got a big smile on his face. I was afraid he wouldn't get it, but boy oh boy he did.

First he wanted to make waffles. He loves working the waffle maker, and usually its just a weekend kind of thing. Then after breakfast he ran straight into our room and promptly spent the rest of the morning lounging on our bed, again not usually allowed. Even better, because our house is half moved around at the moment our TV is actually in our bedroom. I think the idea of laying in bed all day (his favorite thing to do) AND watching blues clues (his second favorite thing to do) at the same time was almost too good to be true.

So we spent the first 5 hours of the day in pajamas in bed. We watched cartoons, we built a few block towers, we read some books, we jumped, and we had a lunch of icecream...all on daddy's pillow.

After a very very short nap (which is why we dont lay about all morning) we went to the children's museum, where Zeke spent almost the entire 2 hours we were there playing with the trains. He is TOTALLY in a train obsession at the moment. Then we went to the toy store to spend his birthday money, he bought a medium sized bouncy ball as his choice and I chose a magnetic alphabet set for him ;) Then perhaps best of all, we talked daddy into leaving work an hour early.

Then we had a dinner of Zeke-loved foods, yogurt, mashed potatoes, peaches, and fish.

All in all, I'm thinking it turned out to be a pretty decent birthday.

I love you my baby boy.

*sorry, pics wont load*

Birthday Pictures

I'm supposed to be in Seattle right now. At the zoo. Having fun. Instead I am home in a filthy dirty house with a sick baby. Because first Preston, and then Zeke came down with an awful flu. And while Preston got sick in time for us to change our reservations at the hotel, Zeke did NOT get sick late enough for me to clean our house after the party.

Oh well. It's just a fever. Nothing really else worth mentioning. And its been going around town pretty heavy the last few weeks and isn't bacterial in nature so there's no need for antibiotics. And Zeke is always such a good boy when he's sick. Barely crying, he just wants to cuddle on the couch all day while he drifts in and out of sleep. When he's awake we read books and sing songs, when he's asleep I catch up on my own reading since he absolutely refuses to be left alone. It could be worse.

Saturday went really well, however. One of the few first birthday's I've ever attended where the birthday child didnt cry even once, lol. And here are some pics for your enjoyment. Of course I didnt even think of pictures until the important stuff happened so all I've got is presents and cake and none at all of kiddo's playing in pools or having a blast popping balloons, but oh well. I was enjoying myself.

We decorated the deck a bit.

And Zeke even showed some interest in unwrapping gifts.The cake turned out great.
Even if Zeke refused to feed it to himself and make a mess everywhere as is tradition. Brian was more than happy to feed it to him in the wagon that Mommy and Daddy bought him.

He's 1!!!

I had blogger all set up to auto post a WFDW yesterday and a birthday post today at 10:36 when Zeke was born last year. I wrote them both on Tuesday knowing how busy I'd be on Wednesday and Thursday. But alas neither posted.

So I'll just save the WFDW for next week (I will be in Seattle and NOT cooking) and go ahead and post the birthday post now, even though Zeke has been one year old for a good 2 hours already.

The best layed plans...

oh and PS I guess since I'm here I'll go ahead and let everyone know that Blueberry and I's first appointment with our midwife went well. I'm measuring 9 weeks but we still figure I am probably 10 already. My tipped uterus may be hiding a small amount of baby. Cathy was unsure if she'd be able to pick up a heartbeat already so I went ahead and told her I'd just let her look next month. I think looking and not finding would be nerve-wracking, and she says if I get nervous she can stop by around 12 weeks and come listen to it.

Anyways, back to your previously scheduled post...
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Yep, it was 1 year ago that Zeke was born...1 year ago to the minute of this posting in fact. I cant believe it, and I can truly say it was love at first sight.

newborn
1 month
2 months
3 months
4 months
5 months
6 Months
7 months
8 months
9 months
10 months
11 months
What a year!