One year ago today - our miracle!

I can't describe the gamut of emotions I've had today. I'm sad to see the day nearly passed. I want to hang on to every moment of this, my baby boy's first birthday. It truly is a miracle the way he came to be ours and I admit I often take it for granted (especially after I've said "no-no" for the thousandth time that day.) But today I've really remembered to be thankful for the miracle that he is. I've prayed on and off all through out the day for his birth family.

The year has really flown by. Some of the days were long, but the year as a whole has zoomed past.

Of course C didn't realize what was going on today and I'm sure he wondered why Mommy was singing "Happy Birthday" while we rocked instead of his usual "Dinah, won't you blow."

He is such a precious, funny, happy, beautiful boy.

Happy Birthday my little Cashew!

This is a picture of the first time I got to really hold him. I got to hold him about an hour after he was born for about 1 minute, then I had to wait three more days before I could really hold him.

Here he was today, waiting for his cake! He didn't know what to make of all the people and activity. I don't have many smiley pictures from his party because he was just "taking it all in."

This is when we were singing happy birthday to him. D blew out his candle for him.

I snuck into his room at 3:20 this afternoon, which is the time he was born a year ago, and took his picture. He was sound asleep, I didn't wake him.

He didn't really get into digging into his own little "smash cake" that I made him. He'd already done it twice this past weekend - once at Grandma & Grandpa's and then at Grandaddy and Granny's and he did it up big those two times! Plus he was tired and I think was pretty full. That's ok, it stresses Daddy out to see him dig in the cake!

Some C Cuteness - just because.

I think Grandparents are having withdrawals from seeing C, so here are some day to day pix. He's growing and changing so fast!

I had to pull the pack-n-play into the kitchen so I could get the dishwasher loaded. He is just into everything and he is so strong he can totally lift the bottom rack out of the dishwasher and remove it! He didn't love having to get into the pack-n-play, but he got over it and soon started playing and "reading."
Here he is toddling away after getting his diaper changed (into his racecar diaper that I made!) This was about a week 1/2 ago, he isn't holding his hands up like that anymore. He's zooming now!

C's first time swimming in a big pool. He really liked it and knew how to kick his legs naturally.

I'll have to take some new pictures, I've been falling down on the job lately! I'll try to keep up better.

D's Fun Morning

There are two things D LOVES!

Horses and Dogs. This morning she got to visit 10 new baby puppies and a horse named Pumpkin!

More pictures coming soon

I know, I've been terrible about keeping up with this blog. I've got some pictures coming, I promise.

C started to bark today, I'm so proud! Really! This morning he saw his stuffed dog and made a baby bark, bark sound. Then he went to the glass door and when he saw our dog Sundae, he did it too. It's more like an ug-ug. But now that I know what he's doing, it's precious. Of course he may have been doing it for days and I just figured out what he's doing. He's a talker - Mama, Dada, and Ug Ug. That's my boy!

Am I the only one who loves this song?

I just love the song on the Suave Shampoo Commercials. The one with the mom and she's juggling all the kid stuff, but her hair looks great no matter. Any time it comes on, C and I just dance around and he loves it too. Here's a little link if you want to listen to it.

Stay tuned for a new episode

Hee hee, a new episode of Cooking with D will be ready for air soon. Check your local listings ;O)

A new blog to check out!

You need to check out this fun new blog! It has the cutest girl in the world sharing how to cook.

If you're happy and you know it . . .

More Blurry Walking Pics

Ok, I tried again today and I even fiddled with my camera settings to try and get a less blurry shot. Here's our busy boy (and some of his beautiful sister too).













































This is why I can hardly get any good pictures of him walking, he just wants to see the camera!

Sister takes a break from playing Wii to say cheese.

Edited to answer Debbie's question:

No, D didn't walk till she was nearly 14 months old. She waited till she could do it perfectly before she would take off. She walked on New Year's eve and she turned 14 months old on Jan. 3.