DIY Party Hat Garland

While searching for first birthday party ideas on Pinterest, I came across this and knew that I had to make one for Jackson's party! It was a really fun project!

Supplies:

• several photos of your birthday subject (I picked 12, one from each month of his first year)
• scrapbook paper or cardstock
• ribbon
• rick-rack
• pom poms
• hot glue
• mini clothespins
• Command cable clips

Steps:

1. find several photos of your child (make sure that their face is straight on)
2. use photoshop (or other editing software) to zoom in on the face
3. print pictures, 4X6, in color or black and white
4. carefully cut out faces
5. cut triangles out of scrapbook paper/cardstock (mine measured 3.5" wide by 4.5" tall)
6. glue various ribbon/rick-rack/trimmings to bottom edge of triangles
7. glue pom pom to top of triangle to finish the party hat
8. glue party hat to face

To hang, I stuck three, evenly spaced, cable clips under the edge of our fireplace mantle and then strung rick rack through them. I tied the ends of the rick-rack to the clips to make it more sturdy and able to hold the weight of all the party hats. Then, I used mini clothespins to hang the party hats. It worked perfectly! Finally, I used some leftover ribbon to hang the first birthday cutout in the middle. This turned out so cute that I still have it hanging a week after his party!

The Big 0-1!

Oh, my little sweetie, you are one year old already!! Where did the time go? You have grown from a tiny 5 1/2 pound peanut, to a sweet little 6 month old, to a strong, rambunctious toddler in the blink of an eye...

You weigh 23.5 pounds and are 31 inches long. You love being the center of attention and easily command it. You seem to light up every room you enter. We are pretty certain that you can say 3 words: mama, dada, and gee (for KG). You are a busy, busy boy:

crawling

climbing

and WALKING!!!

On Valentine's Day you mastered walking with your walker toys (as seen above). You probably could have done this sooner, but I never gave you the chance. I always held the walker so it wouldn't get away from you. When daddy saw me doing this he told me that I was smothering you and that you could do it on your own. I didn't believe him, but the second I let go, you took off! (Okay, maybe I am a little overprotective). After practicing this for a couple weeks, you took your first unaided step (on March 1)! You were standing by a bookshelf and I was sitting next to you. I held out my arms and, instead of crawling to me like usual, you took a giant step/leap into my arms! When daddy got home we had you walk a couple steps back and forth between us. I have a feeling you'll be running by next month!

The morning of March 1 was very eventful for you! Your first step occurred early in the morning and just a couple hours later you had your first "official" kiss. We were at our weekly ECFE class and you crawled over to a sweet little girl, sat right in front of her, and leaned in for a kiss. It was adorable! All of the moms went crazy and, since you seemed to like the reaction you got, you gave her a couple more kisses. Then you became a bit more aggressive and stuck your hand in her mouth, so I had to intervene (sorry sweetie). I have a feeling that you're going to be quite the ladies man. Here you are practicing in the mirror:

Speaking of kisses, Valentine's Day marked your last, first holiday. Here is the one and only photo that turned out from our photo shoot. You do not sit still for longer than a second these days, so you are a blur in most pictures I take. Luckily, I do not give up easily...

Earlier this month we had an unexpected first- our first call to poison control (after you decided to have spackle for breakfast). Daddy got up with you on a Saturday morning so that I could sleep in (he's the best). He was doing some spackling in your soon to be new playroom. Well, he must have taken his eyes off of you for a second and you took that opportunity to check out his work. When he turned around you had spackle on your hands and mouth. Of course he panicked and ran upstairs to wake me up. I was deep asleep, so panic didn't set in for me right away. However, the warning on the back of the spackle was enough to snap me out of my daze: IF INGESTED DO NOT INDUCE VOMITING. GET MEDICAL ATTENTION IMMEDIATELY. We called poison control fully expecting that we'd be told to call 911 or bring him to the emergency room. Thankfully, they reassured us that Jax would be fine. (Apparently, it's not a big deal unless you eat the whole jar). Whew! Disaster averted. All you needed was a bath to get all the residue off... Good thing rubber duckies aren't toxic!

Other than spackle, you have been eating more and more finger foods (and I am slowly getting over my fear of you choking). Your favorites are bananas, carrots, peas, couscous,  and barley. You're very good at feeding yourself, but about a week ago you realized how much fun it is to play with your food and smashed a bunch of banana into your hair (of course this was right after I had given you a bath). As talented as you are at getting food into your mouth, I am constantly finding it in odd places (like in diapers, ears, and stuck to the side of your nose).

The highlight of the month, by far, was your first birthday party (on March 4). It was a perfect celebration! Nearly 40 family and friends came over to help you celebrate the big day!! Our house was VERY crowded, but we felt blessed to know that everyone came because they love you. You are one lucky little guy... The theme was "One Year Old in a Flash." I set up a photo booth and put together some silly props for everyone to take pictures to put in your guest book. My cousin Becca was kind enough to take the pictures; she also took some of you before the party. I can't wait to see how they turned out! I think your favorite part of the party was the cake. You were a little cautious with the first couple bites, but once you got a taste for the sweet frosting you started taking larger and larger handfuls. It was pretty hilarious! I had to be the bad guy and took it away before you ate too much (hey, it was for your own good).

As your birthday gift, Dad and I re-purposed our junk room into a much more functional playroom. Your friend Christopher's dad re-built the cabinets and we re-painted it from a very pretty lilac to calming aloe (at least it's a little more masculine)... We also got you a ball pool (dad and I are both jealous). Here you are swimming in the ball pool and posing with a few of your other presents:

You were a little off your rocker for a couple days after your party- maybe it was all of that frosting... Yesterday afternoon brought the biggest tantrum I have ever seen out of you (all because I closed the gate so you couldn't climb up the stairs). You turned bright red and kicked and screamed for what felt like hours. Nothing I did could calm you down.

You finally got so tired that you allowed me to pick you up. I got your cozy blanket and boppy and we nestled into the massive recliner in the basement. You slept in my arms for two blissful hours. And I watched you- took in your pouty lips, your round little cheeks, and your long eyelashes. I couldn't help but think that you will outgrow this before I know it. It breaks my heart... Then I drifted off to sleep (apparently your tantrum took a lot out of me, too). Daddy was "nice" enough to snap a pic of this moment...

Today, you actually slept until 6am, which was a big improvement from the typical 4:30-5am wake up time most of this month. You even took an hour-and-a-half long nap this morning!! (Let's hope this is the start of a new trend). This afternoon we went to Sealife Aquarium with your friend Chris to celebrate your big day. Look, you guys are holding hands!

Motherhood is hard, but you have made this past year the most amazing experience of my life, thus far. Although I have only been a mom for 12 months, I can't imagine my life without you. You are the light of my life. I am sad that your baby days are behind us, but am thoroughly enjoying your emerging personality and watching as you learn new things and experience life. I cannot wait to see you continue to grow, but what do you say we try to slow things down just a little bit... Deal?

Happy first birthday, peanut!!
Love, Mom

11 Months!

How is it possible that we will be celebrating your first birthday a month from now?! Everyone has been commenting about how big you are getting and how much older you look. In fact, you had quite a growth spurt this month. You were 22.8 pounds when they weighed you at the doctor last week!! That's almost 3 pounds more than last month! You've also grown about an inch- you're around 31 inches (it's very hard to accurately measure a squirmy baby). Please, slow down my sweet little man!

It has been a quiet month- partly from that mid-winter, post-holiday limbo and partly because you've been sick practically all month. A cold, turned into a nasty cough, which lead to a high fever, and double ear infection.

After several calls to the nurse line and a couple trips to the doctor, you were put on your first round of antibiotics. Unfortunately, the antibiotics caused you to get an "upset tummy" which caused your first diaper rash. Your firsts this month weren't as fun as your firsts last month... You just had your final dose of medicine last night and I think you're almost back to your old self!

Despite not feeling your best this month, you continued to refine your crawling and cruising skills. You're not yet walking on your own, but can get around very effectively with the aid of various pieces of furniture and the walls. You also figured out how to climb up the basement stairs! It's amazing how quickly you can get up them. You are constantly busy exploring your surroundings, so daddy and I have been busy baby-proofing. However, along the way, we have learned that "baby-proof" doesn't necessarily mean "Jax-proof." For example, in anticipation of you getting your helmet off, I decided to put some corner cushions on the sharp edges of our coffee table. I knew that if you saw me put them on, you would immediately try to get them off so I waited until you were napping (aren't I sneaky?). After your nap we went downstairs to play and, as soon as you pulled yourself up on the table, you noticed the new addition. (They are clear and don't stand out very much at all, so I was shocked!) You picked and prodded at it until you figured out how to get it off. Then, you proceeded to walk around the table pulling each one off along the way. I guess you get the last laugh...

Other new skills include:

waving

sticking out your tongue (Grandma White taught you that...)

and drinking from a straw.

I thought that your teething had slowed down this month, but then I noticed a little white peak sticking out on the lower right, in the back. It looks like you already have a molar coming in! Lord help us! Maybe that explains why you started chewing on your crib rails like a little beaver! At least the rail guards I installed have proven to be Jax-proof (so far).

KG continues to be your greatest source of amusement. You are constantly pulling his hair, poking him in various places, tackling him, and taking his toys away. His patience with you has amazed us! Maybe it's because you also play fetch with him and feed him your treats...

Other highlights from the past month include:

A trip to the MN Zoo with Grandma White and Aunt Nicole.

Another reunion with our friends from "New Mamas."

Dinner at Rice Paper (you had the Soupe Tonkinoise- Vietnamese chicken noodle soup).

 

Amazingly, it has even been warm enough to squeeze in a few walks around Lake of the Isles!

I have also been busy planning the details of your first birthday party and cannot wait to celebrate that milestone with you!

Happy eleven months, peanut!

Love, Mom

10 months!

Happy New Year my love! We have had a crazy busy, but fun-filled month. (I think that just about sums up every year around the holidays, though). Either I was a bit off on your measurements last month, or you've shrunk. At your doctor appointment last week you were 20 pounds and 30 inches long. Still, right around the 50th percentile for weight and the 88th percentile for height. Your nurse predicted that you would be taller than her by your fourth birthday. We were happy to confirm that you are perfectly healthy and doing well developmentally. Woo hoo!

We did have one disappointment this month. You didn't get your helmet off, as expected... When we went to (what I thought was going to be) your last orthotist appointment, your measurements weren't quite where they want them to be. They also determined that you still have a tiny bit of growing room left in your helmet. So, six more weeks it is (well now it's only another 4 weeks). I've actually been pretty thankful for the helmet due to all your new mobility. It has definitely saved you from some bumps and bruises!

You have made some big strides this month! One day after your 9-month birthday, you started crawling-crawling (as opposed to army-crawling). Right around this time you also started to pull yourself up on EVERYTHING.

You are now practicing walking along the furniture and often try to go from one piece of furniture to the next (which usually ends in you falling). You don't let this deter you, though, and are back up and at it the next second. I don't know why, but you love to pull yourself up on something and then fall back onto your bottom. It cracks you up every time, which of course makes us laugh. You make us laugh a lot, actually! You are developing a very silly little personality.

In other development news, you are working on teeth 6, 7, and 8 (two more on top and one more on bottom). They haven't quite poked through yet, but it should happen any day now (judging from all of your drooling). Your eating and sleeping routine hasn't changed much since last month, however we have been offering you more finger foods. I even made a baby meatloaf recipe with ground turkey, apple sauce, wheat bran, and carrots. I was very proud of it! That was until you had your first taste and made this face:

It is the first thing you've ever disliked (go figure). And you didn't just dislike it, you flat out refused to eat it! I was determined to get you to like it, but to no avail. You would swat the spoon away and make the above face, accompanied by gagging sounds, when I managed to get some in your mouth. I guess I don't need to feel guilty about not making more homemade food. It seems as though you much prefer the store bought stuff...

Much to KG's delight, you have figured out how to throw his ball (albeit only a few inches)! You think this is the best game ever and giggle when KG brings the ball back to you. He has finally met his match! He actually tires of this game before you do. You constantly hold balls out for him in an offer to play. It's adorable!

The first big event of the month was your baptism. On December 11, you were baptized surrounded by your grandparents, great-grandmas, aunt Nicole (your godmother), and uncle Sam (your godfather). Even your great-aunt Nancy and Alex came. It was a very special day!

The Christmas season was just as wonderful as I'd hoped. It was such a joy to experience Christmas through your eyes, pass on family traditions, and start new traditions. We celebrated with the extended Hacker family in mid-December. On Christmas Eve, we went to church in the afternoon. We didn't bring you to the nursery and you made it through the service surprisingly well. You sang along to all the Christmas carols and made friends with a little girl in the pew in front of us! That evening we went to the Thompson's for dinner. You opened your stocking and all of the presents Santa brought you on Christmas morning and then we went to grandma Hacker's for a delicious brunch. That afternoon we went to grandma and grandpa White's for an amazing dinner. And I, of course, took hundreds of pictures along the way to document your first Christmas. Here are some of the highlights:

   

Being the only baby on both sides of the family, you were spoiled rotten! You have so many new toys that you can hardly decide which one to play with- you jump from one to the next and the next...

Daddy was off the week between Christmas and New Year's (so mommy got a little time off, too)! I had a list of projects (such as making a playroom to house all of your new toys) that I wanted to get done with all of the extra time I thought we'd have, but not much got accomplished. I didn't even take our tree down until today! Instead, we just kind-of bummed around and enjoyed some low-key family time, as well as your first zoo experience. We received memberships to the Minnesota Zoo and Sea Life Aquarium and were very excited to take advantage of them. You loved looking at the animals and fish! I think your favorites were the otters because they stood up and barked at you- you barked right back! I'm not sure what you were talking about... You also really liked the penguins and monkeys.

New Years Eve was, not surprisingly, extremely low-key. In fact, I am the only one who even made it up until midnight.

Looking back on the year, I am astonished by how much we've accomplished as a family. I couldn't be more proud of 2011 and am even a little sad to see it go. It was the most life altering year for me, thus far- the year that I gave birth to my beautiful, baby boy and became a mother. The year I experienced a deeper love than I knew was even possible...

Happy ten months, peanut!
Love, Mom