HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KOLTON! (Well, last week)

**sigh** We had a completely amazing week last week and I couldn't blog any of it because I kept getting kicked out when I would try to publish it! So, finally, it is working again (they assure me) so now I can post about Kolton's 1st birthday! He turned one last Wednesday (Feb 18) and it was kind of a weird day for me. I didn't expect to feel so emotional! Last year when he was born it was a bittersweet day for us. It was so hard to see the trials Kolton's birthmom had to go through and our hearts just ached for her so much while they were also overfilled with excitement and happiness at finally becoming parents. For some reason, all those emotions came flooding back on Wednesday and I just had to have a good cry. (Thanks for being my shoulder to cry on, Wes!). I cannot believe one person can feel so much. I was overwhelmed with gratitude, happiness, sadness, and nostalgia all at the same time. Let it be said that I was SO thankful we decided not to have a family party until Friday when I was much more in a partying mood. However, on Wednesday we still had a blast taking Kolton to the McDonalds play place for the first time (he was too scared to go past the stairs, but it was a start!) and he ate his weight in chicken nuggets. He loved looking at the play place and kept saying 'ooooh!'- here's a video of this cuteness:






And let's not forget the nuggets:


The stairs:

And FINALLY! A picture showing his cute little teeth~


Wes and I had a 'homemade' theme this year and I made Kolton a doggie using the fabric from the first thing Wes and I bought together as a married couple on our wedding day- a pair of flannel pajamas!

Wes made Kolton's day by making him some wooden blocks. I took the liberty of decorating a few (picture to follow- I must have deleted it) - Heaven help me, I just can't stop making stuff!!! I SO need spring to be here! Wes's parents also made Kolton a quilt covered in animals drawn by Eric Carle, whom we adore.

Friday was way more for my benefit than Kolton's, I think! I know he won't remember it, but I got some great pictures for him to look back on. We had a dinosaur theme in honor of Vernal, where he was born, because they have a huge dinosaur museum there. I went a little nuts with gift bags and a pinata, and I even attempted a Stegosaurus cake (thanks for the pattern, Marissa!) but by the time I had baked the cakes, and the sugar cookie spikes, and boiled down my soup for three hours, my kitchen was completely sweltering and the frosting just melted when I tried to put it on- even though I had just taken it out of the fridge! So, lesson learned- decorate the cake the day before or just do it outside! All in all, it was recognizable, but I wasn't a bit sad to cut off the head and give it to Kolton.

These were the table decorations:

...and the cake...

And finally- here is a short video of him eating his cake and some pinata and gift pictures!

It was really a dream come true for me. He is such an incredible little guy and I cannot believe how quickly this first year has gone!

{{LOVE}}

Well, happy Valentine's Day, all! I love this holiday- it really inspires me to be creatively romantic. I remember this time last year. We were expecting Kolton to arrive any day and we really couldn't think of anything to do- we were so preoccupied with everything. Then, Kolton's birthmom wrote us an e-mail and said that we needed to appreciate the time we have alone NOW because we wouldn't have it next year and we would miss it. Well, here we are, one year later! I DO miss alone time out with Wes once in a while- but I gotta tell you, I am SO excited to spend this first Valentine's Day with our little guy. Yesterday he and I made sour cream sugar cookies with cream cheese frosting--YUM! Well, he did more observing than helping since the first thing he did when my back was turned was stick his little hand in the flour and try to eat it.


But he sure thought they were tasty!



Also, my sister, Billye, received the most adorable apron as a gift from one of her preschool student's moms. I begged her to let me borrow it and figure out how to make one of my own, which she kindly did, and here is what I came up with:

I am kind of an apron addict- I just feel so much more domestic when I am wearing one. Now all I need are pearls and high heels and I can get a whole lot of cleaning done! :) It was a fun and creative sort of day yesterday, to say the least. My sisters came over and we did some scrapbooking and then went to see the late showing of 'Twilight'- which was even better the second time around! Tonight I plan on giving my man the best steak dinner of his life and raspberry chocolate cheesecake for dessert. I hope everyone finds oodles of love this Valentine's Day!

HAPPY 18TH BIRTHDAY, KELI!!

It was my little sister's 18th birthday on the 8th and our family all got together at Firehouse Pizza on Saturday night to surprise her. There were about 35 of us all packed into a room that was made to seat 25. Needless to say, the waiters were less than thrilled! It was a rip-roarin' good time (as it always is when my family is involved) and Kolton had a great time trying different kinds of pizza and drinking some of his daddy's root beer.

Aside from the SERIOUS poop-splosion that occured half way through dinner, we had a really great time. :)

Also, I MUST post this picture of Kolton. He was playing with Wes and they were sticking their tongues out at each other so I was trying to catch the perfect picture- and this is what I got:

In the words of 'Po' from Kung Fu Panda, Skadoosh:

Boring days, haircuts and parties

So, I finally have a bit more to add to my recently quite boring blog- *sigh* how I long for warm weather! :)
We held the family Superbowl party at our house last Sunday and it turned out to be quite the event! It gave us a chance to show off our new basement (and also to test the wear of our new carpet- check and double check) There were about 20 people in our house at one time with food upstairs and games and football downstairs. My contribution was some ooey gooey caramel popcorn, while my sister brought pizza chip dip and hot wing dip. My sister-in-law did some great potato bite thingies where she coated sliced potatoes with oil and then spooned barbecue sauce over them with green onions and cheese and baked them. It goes without saying that I wore sweats the next day! Here are some of the highlights:


My brother, Jimmy- not likin' the action on the Steelers side

Kolton, as always, the center of the action

I love this picture of Wes- it shows what a multi-talented daddy he is! He wanted Kolton to watch the whole game with him

We played a fun game of 'Hit the Deck' and I lost miserably- we decided to keep score on one of Kolton's {non-poopy} diapers since it would require going all the way upstairs to get scratch paper :) Here is my nephew, Blake, after winning the game:

And it pains me to say that we had to give Kolton a haircut this week. Anyone who sees him regularly knows that he has this great natural mohawk. Seriously, up to this point it has grown long on top and short on the sides so it was a pretty easy style. However, now he is getting this whole new growth of thicker hair and it was making his hair on top go completely crazy and he had constant 'bed head' hair even when we styled it! So, we decided to cut it all to one length and see how it 'grows'. Here is a few before pictures:




This was our last attempt to keep it how it was- we cut it shorter on the sides, but it just went from bad to worse. Pudding bowl, anyone?- (please excuse the stoned 'oompa loompa' look)

Now he has more of a buzz- which makes me want to cry. I am not a fan of buzz cuts because I think it makes kids look like bullies! So, now I have a bully for a son *sniff* and I am just holding on tight to my lunch money from now on...


Pretty shifty, eh?- But heaven help me I just can't get enough of his sweet little cheeks!

Wishing there were more to blog about! :)

Man, I have really slacked (for me) lately with the blogging. January and February are so hum-drum and we spend most of our time inside trying to find creative things to do. We have actually had some fun, but alas my camera has stayed in the diaper bag. I am determined to take some pictures this week so I will have something a bit more entertaining to post. :) Last Saturday we were able to go see my Grandma Francis which was great. I have been to see her several times since Kolton was born, but have not had the chance to take him yet to meet her because he always seems to be sick or teething when I go. Anyway, she finally got to meet my little guy and I really think it made her day to see him! My sister, Cristi took this picture with her camera phone, so it is not the best quality, but I am so thankful to have it- now I have a picture of Kolton with all 4 great grandmas! I think I hear a scrapbook page calling my name...