Birthday Eve

Tonight I let Jack stay up a little later then usual. I thought if I procastinated at bedtime he would be my little baby for a little longer. Tomorrow when he wakes up it will be his birthday and he will be turning one!

Why am I sad? Because I miss the days of him being so little.

I am blessed to have him in my life. I wish I could go back in time when all he wanted to do is be held all day long. I want to pull him out of bed right now and hold him. I don't want him to grow up. I am not ready. I am not ready for him to be one. I do not know how mothers ever send their children off to college.

I've always been excited daydreaming about his first birthday. Now it is here, and I want time to stop. I want to go back in time and relive that first year.

He has reached so many milestones so quickly.

Here is the first picture I have of Jack walking, he even started to walk a few days before this but I was more concerned for his safety during his first steps then snapping a picture.

He was still only 10 months old! I know I am blessed but its hard sometimes watching him grow up so fast. Nowadays I am chasing him all over to house. You know the game follow the leader? Jack's the leader I'm the follower. Occasionally its the other way around. I can get him to walk to his room when I need to change his diaper which is a plus because he is heavy to carry around!

Maybe the only milestone that Jack was slow to reach was his teeth! He almost has six now. Two on the bottom, two part way in on top, and he is cutting his next two top teeth.

9 months, the last days of his toothless grin:

10 months, first good shot of the first tooth:

At 8 months, he pulled himself up to stand:

He started to crawl a few days before this picture when he was still 7 months:

He started to sit up on his own a few days before this picture when he was still 5 months:

Baby Wade is only 2 1/2 months old!

When Jack was little he would smile all the time and still does but it took me forever to get it on camera! He is 2 months old in this picture:

Now I have regained my composure (I was crying when I started this post)

I am happy to celebrate Jack's first birthday tomorrow!!

FAQs

FAQ: "What should I get Jack for his birthday?"

A: "Ughhhh, I don't know"

*Jack is going to get more then enough for his birthday so no one should feel like they have to buy him anything.*

In effort to give a better answer I've looked at a few websites that have suggestions for toys in age categories. Even though Walmart is not very convenient for us in Northern Virginia, they have good prices and good suggestions for age appropriate gifts.

Here is Walmart's website: for toys ages 12-24 months

Feel free to go to any store and find something similiar to what is on walmart's website and Jack will be a happy boy :)

FAQ: I want to buy Jack this really cool fun toy but its expensive, should I buy it anyways?

A: Multiple people could go in together and buy one gift.

FAQ: What size clothes does Jack wear?

A: I would suggest buying at least size 24 months. Maybe 18 months if its summer clothes, but definitely suggest at least 24 months for fall clothing. He is fast growing boy!

FAQ: I want to buy something practical, what size diapers does Jack wear?

A: He wears size 4 diapers, wipes and pacifiers are always great too!

Asking yourself, "Diapers come in sizes?"

Yes and diapers also come in designer denim:

I don't think I could ever bring myself to buy these bad boys, but if someone happend to buy him some, I would have a real good laugh and promise to take some pictures.

Wednesday is quickly approaching, too quick actually and my big boy will be one!

A year ago today...

I was enjoying my last days of pregnant glow:

Who knew a 9lb 13oz baby was inside

On the left is my twin sister Sarah and who is that pretty blonde on the right? Oh just my long lost friend Colleen! She lives in Atlanta and I have yet to visit her ever, hopefully that will eventually change. She is a busy girl herself and doesn't get to come home often.

Here is a picture of her with Jack on the outside:

While we are at it, lets take a stroll down pregnancy lane...

12 days Before Jack was born, I am with some Finnish relatives at Great Falls National Park:

15 days before he is born:

One month before, at my baby shower:

8 months pregnant at Nationals game with my dad:

And with the soon-to-be Aunt Sarah:

And reunited with Gabe after the game, he had just returned from his solo "vision quest" to New Orleans:

WBcrew! Sarah, Marcia, Ashley & Me, 8 months:

When I got pregnant, Sarah's waredrobe doubled, she is wearing both of my dresses in the pictures so far and my waredrobe repeated itself often.

8 Months, in the doorway of one of my classrooms with some of my students, one of my last days as a DCPS third grade teacher:

I admire anyone who goes through their pregnancy being a teacher.

8 months at my first baby shower, I was lucky enough to have two :)

Sarah, Me and my beautiful mother:

Me with Dina, who was my babysitter from 9 months basically until I went to college, and her daughter Paola who i knew since she was a newborn!

Some of my high school friends, Sarah, Katie, Me, Kelly & Kaitlin:

7 months, at Sarah's graduation from George Mason:

6 months, walking my favorite walking path in my Mom's neighborhood in Vienna, VA:

Easter, 6 months, Sarah, Me and my cousin Ellen

Putting together a lamp=good profile shot:

Teresita & Ben came to visit! (and now you have to return!):

5 months in California:

4 months, soon-to-be Godfather, Gabe, Me, and Sara

4 months, Jessica snuck in and took this picture of me reading Bowen a bedtime story, I was convinced I just looked fat not pregnant:

2 months, Christmas 2008, with the La Monica family, to my right is my sister-in-law Aline, I didn't know it yet but later that night we found out she was pregnant too AND we had the exact same due date (7/27/09)

The end or maybe better known as the beginning.

Happy Birthday Grandpa Jay!

This is last years birthday picture of the Grandpa to be...now he is one year wiser :)

This is Anna, Laura and me at Buca di Peppo, I was pregnant with an at least 9lb baby at the time, Jack was born five days later!

(Does the restuarant look familiar? If you watched the recent MTV show Real World D.C. the cast ate here often.)

And here is the 9lb 13 oz baby with the new grandpa!

Here are the babies that made him a grandpa:

Grandpa Teri is holding my niece Carolynne, her and Jack are almost the exact same age!
Jack's first trip to the beach, 5 weeks old:

Grandpa Jay, Godmother Anna, & Jack together for Jay & Teri's anniversary:

Grandpa making sure Jack knew how to have fun at the mall while Christmas shopping:

Jay holding the little reindeer at my work's Christmas party, Jay volunteers there and is one of the best!

Jay making sure Jack is a Hoya fan:



Another cute outfit grandpa bought Jack:

Grandpa x 2:

Jay has made sure to pass the love of baseball to Gabe and now to Jack:

Congrats to Jay and Teri on having all of their children become successful, the youngest child graduated this spring:

Thanks Jay for everything you do for us and being a big fan of my blog!

Last night we had a bbq at the La Monica's and tonight we are going to the Kampa's house. I've got to run to the store because I'm trying to make some cookies for Jay. He loves my cookies and he loves me like a daughter, I'm lucky to have a father-in-law like him.

We hope you enjoy the baseball tickets we got you too!

We love you Grandpa Jay!