Happy Birthday Jory!

Cake and Ice cream. His favorite!

Jory turned 1 on March 5th. We had all the family that was in town come over to celebrate! Jory got lots of fun presents and even more attention. Thanks to everyone who came!

Jory's birthday cake!

Blowing out the candle.

Opening presents. He loved the wrapping paper, of course!

Jory update

Jory just barely turned 1! The week before his birthday he decided that he was a big boy now. He started trying to walk, he insisted on eating the same stuff that we were eating, and he started weening himself from nursing. My baby is growing up so fast! He is 20 lbs 2 oz and 29 1/4 inches long.

Just after his first Big Boy lunch: a banana with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Jory showing off his new skills. He actually prefers to walk than crawl, even if he falls down every few feet! What a trooper.

Evil Snowflakes

So, Renton and I were cutting out snowflakes together, maybe in January? I forget. I was showing him some of the different things that he could try on his while I was experimenting with my own. I really liked this one because I thought it turned out like a rose! But Renton just looked at it and said, "That's an evil snowflake! Gabe would love it because its all spikey!" Well then, there you go.

Talk like Gilbert and Sullivan Day

To acknowledge my dear sister's club of new and increasing stature, I honor you, "of'en" (frequently) this day in song and glory. With cat like tread, my hearts on fire with undaunted men in blue and men who plow the sea searching for a bevy of beautiful maidens. Perhaps we should celebrate this day on leap year, but I am a slave of duty, and will continue with pre-laid plans; Tarantara!
Yet the breeze is but a rover, when he wings away,
brook and poplar mourn a lover, sighing "Well-a-day"

what a fickle breeze

posted by the original pirate king

Impossibilities

Me: Renton, how do you want me to cook your eggs?
Renton: The opposite of Eli.
Me: OK, Eli, how do you want your eggs?
Eli: The same as Renton!

Man Food

So, its been a long standing joke in our family that the only meals that I can get everyone to eat happily is when I make "Man Food", i.e. meat and potatoes, etc. No one is happy about salad and soups except me! So, anyway, My little Jory, not even 1 year yet just joined the team of man food eaters; he ate a whole twice bake potato all by himself, for the second time in his life!

February So Far

Link in front of Hyrule Castle.

Eli likes to build these barricades out of toys to keep Jory away from whatever he is doing. But it usually ends in a lot playing together, so I'm good with it!

February has been an exciting month so far! Eli is all signed up for Kindergarten in the fall, and now that he is past the apprehension he is very excited for it. Jory has picked up more words: it, and something that sounds like "light" and also "book", and yes. Jory also took his very first steps today! But he doesn't have the courage to do more than that. Renton has been learning about George Washington and Valentines day and made several wonderful valentines for the family that he was very proud of. Also, I have rededicated myself to teaching him piano and he is currently learning to read the music to Mary had a Little Lamb.
Valentine's Day is an anniversary for Ryan and I. Its the anniversary of our official first date. On that day, 15 years ago, Ryan and I picked up some subway sandwiches and hiked up to Sacred Falls on Oahu, Hawaii. We picnicked and he did a bit of showing off for me by cliff diving! Then as we hiked back it got dark and we scared the bejezes out of each other as we listened to the wind in the bamboo and couldn't see anything because we didn't have a flashlight with us. The rest is history. So, this year Ryan gave me the best surprise ever! He came home with flowers and then sent me to get a surprise massage, it was a hot rock therapy or whatever its called, and I totally recommend it! After that he had a wonderful candlelit crab dinner waiting for me. It was amazing! It was my Valentine surprise a week and a half early. On Valentine's Day I made everybody's favorite food: roast, chocolate dipped strawberries, shrimp with cheese and crackers (we tried Yancy's jalapeno and habanero cheese, its amazing!) And I guess there is something about reaching a man's heart through his stomach because they all felt loved and happy!