Happy Birthday Dylan

We celebrated Dylan’s first birthday on Saturday, October 29.  We had a great time celebrating with family and friends. 

We enjoyed grilled chicken, hotdogs, a variety of salads, chips, ice cream sundaes and cake. 

Dylan is one very blessed baby!  It looked like Christmas!   Enjoy the pictures!

Making animal sugar cookies

Dylan’s bear pictures

Dylan’s smash cake

The birthday cake

Each table had a picture of Dylan

The kitchen table with animal balloons

Dylan with his cousins

 

Animal Cookies

The food table

Dylan eating lunch before the party

Family and friends

Time for Cake

Dylan smiling as everyone sang Happy Birthday

Yummy

Claire’s first cake

Blaire enjoying ice cream

Opening gifts

My favorite picture of Dylan.  He loves other kids.

It looks like Santa came….

After a nap!

Dylan’s baptism

Michael and I knew we wanted to have Dylan baptized as an infant.  We discussed it several times after Dylan was born and decided it would be best to wait until he was at least 6 months old.  He had terrible colic the first 3 months of his life, and it was so unpredictable.  We spent a lot of time at home.  Well…summer came and we started discussing which Sunday we would like to have Dylan baptized…and of course..it flew by in the blink of an eye.  So, when I realized his birthday was approaching fast, I started looking at the dates of the upcoming Sundays.  As I flipped the calendar to October a big smile came across my face.  October 23!!  That’s the day I wanted Dylan to be baptized.  October 23 would have been my Nana’s 87th birthday.  She was so a huge part of my life.  I grew up next door to her and spent a lot of time just being with her.  I knew the day would be special for Dylan, but it made it extra special for my entire family. 

Our pastor, Allen Stewart, wasn’t feeling good that day, but he was still able to do the baptism and preach an amazing sermon.  He spoke about “Surrendering Strength.”  He used our Veteran’s and Cancer survivors as examples (both of which touch my family’s hearts).  At the end of the service, there were several people on their knees at the alter.  It truly was a heart-felt service.  I will never forget his final words, “We had a beautiful baptism today and it just doesn’t get much better than that.”  My eyes just filled with tears because to me it was beautiful and I know that my Nana was smiling down on Dylan.

12 months

Wow!  It’s so hard for me to believe that Dylan is a year old!  It seems like just yesterday I was a nervous wreck about labor, excited and curious as to what being a mother would be like, and anxious to meet my precious son.  I have enjoyed ever second of this year and could not have asked for a better baby.  We took Dylan for his 12 month check-up on October 31 (I know…what kind of Mommy schedules that)!!

Weight:  20 lbs. 10 oz.  (11th percentile)

Height:  29 inches (25th percentile)

Head Circumference:  18 1/2 inches (75th percentile)

Motor skills:  Dylan is walking everywhere!  He started “only” walking about a week before he turned one.  He is beginning to throw a ball (or toy), bang with a hammer on an item, and CLIMB!!  He can also clap his hands and reach for items above his head by getting on his tip-toes.  He is into everything and always has a new boo-boo.

Eating:  He is officially off formula!!  (yay to Mommy and Daddy’s wallet)!  He normally eats 2 small pancakes and a yogurt or fruit for breakfast.  He has about 3 ounces of milk with it.  He has a small snack mid-morning, usually consisting of toast and fruit or juice.  He drinks about 4 ounces of milk after this.  For lunch, he has whatever we had the night before or whatever our baby sitter fixes him.  He has water with lunch.  He takes about 4 more ounces of milk before his afternoon nap.  He eats a small afternoon snack when he wakes up.  He usually has crackers or diced fruit.  For supper he has whatever we eat with water or juice.  He takes 6 ounces of milk before bedtime.  We are trying to get off of the bottle, but it is a struggle.  Dylan is attached and it just isn’t worth the fight sometimes.  He uses a sippy cup during meal times and will drink milk from the cup, but doesn’t drink enough to satisfy him.  He then begins crying and is satisfied when he “guzzles” it from the bottle. 

Clothes:  He is in all 12 months clothes with the exception of some 9 months pants.  He wears size 3 1/2 shoe and size 3 diaper.

Words:  He can say “mom-mom,”  “Da,”  dog, car, bye-bye, Elmo, and copy just about any sound we make.

Favorite toy:  He loves socks and any kind of small towel, burp cloth, or wash cloth.  He will carry one around all day.  Right now his favorite toys are anything he can push.  He also likes a hippo ball blower we got him for his birthday. Of course, he loves ELMO! He is beginning to show some interest in books.  I can’t wait until he will be still long enough for me to read to him.

Sleeping:  He still takes a morning and afternoon nap.  He sleeps for about 1 hour-1 1/2 hours in the morning and then about 1 1/2 hours in the afternoon.  He sleeps from 8:00 at night to 7:00 in the morning.  On the weekends, he sleeps a little later.  I’m interested to see what the time change brings.

Concerns:  This month we started whole milk. Dylan has been very gassy and has had to start back on the gas drops.  On Thursday night (our second full day of milk), he woke up an hour after he went to bed screaming.  He screamed for 20 solid minutes.  The only way I could comfort him was to rub his belly.  His breath was very sour.  He refused the water.  Finally after an hour he passed gas and went back to sleep.  I’m sure it will take time for his body to adjust to the new milk.

His eating has decreased with the milk.  He doesn’t eat as much, but is still a very good eater.  For the most part he isn’t very picky.  Some days he will eat something and the next day he doesn’t want it.  I guess he just doesn’t like left-overs!

SOCKS

Most small children have a favorite blanket, toy, pillow, or pacifier.  Dylan is obsessed with socks.  He loves having one in his hand all the time.  It’s so cute.  However, when we are trying to keep his little toes warm; it can be very difficult.  If Dylan doesn’t have on shoes, he will remove his socks.  He just holds them in his hands.   Oh, and please do not attempt to take the sock away.  You will witness my sweet, smiling, happy baby becoming very upset in a matter of seconds. 
Tonight, while I was cleaning up the living room, kitchen, and Dylan’s room from the day, I found 6 different socks.  I guess his baby sitter caters to his sock fetish.
I have taken pictures over the last few weeks of Dylan with his socks.  Enjoy!!
Socks at the pumpkin patch


Socks at the aquarium.

Socks in the bathtub.

Socks during playtime.

Socks during snack time.

And socks during clean-up time.

11 months

I am a little behind posting.  Dylan turned 11 months September 26.  I believe he has really changed the most this month.
Weight:  Around 20 lbs.
Height:  Not sure
Clothing:  Wearing some 9 months (if we have it), but mostly 12 months stuff.  I bought all 12 months for fall.  The shirts fit perfect, but the pants are a little big and very long.  He is in a size 3 1/2 shoe.
Eating:  He is taking about 4 bottles a day and as of last week he is no longer on baby food. 
He eats yogurt and cherrios for breakfast followed by a 4 ounce bottle.
Mid-morning he has a snack.  He usually has a nutrigrain bar or some kind of fruit.
Before his morning nap (if he takes one) he has 4-6 ounces of a bottle.
For lunch he has whatever we had for dinner the night before or some combination of a veggie and meat.
He takes a 4 ounce bottle sometime in the afternoon.
He eats fruit or crackers for an afternoon snack.
For supper he eats whatever we are having and has done very well.  He isn’t a huge fan of spaghetti but will eat it.  He LOVES green beans!!
Before bed he takes a 7 ounce bottle.  Sometimes he doesn’t drink the entire bottle.  We are really trying to cut back on bottles and offer more food.
Sleep:  Dylan usually goes to bed around 8 and wakes up about 7:30.  On the weekends he stays up a little later and sleeps until a little after 8. 
He is still taking a short morning nap unless he sleeps past 8.  His afternoon nap usually lasts for about 2 hours.  If he doesn’t take a morning nap he will sleep 3 hours in the afternoon.
Development:  He took his first step at 9 1/2 months and then kindof slowed down with his walking.  This month has been totally different.  He will walk about 5-10 steps and then sit. His balance is terrible and it’s so funny to watch him walk.  I think he wants to RUN.
Language:  He is saying “Mom Mom” and “Daaaadee” and knows what they mean.  He also says bye-bye, car, good, and “bahbah.”  He will try to repeat sounds that we make.
Teeth:  He has 8 teeth now, 4 on top and 4 on the bottom.

Dylan is 10 months old!!!

10 months old

1 month old

He is:

Measurements:  Weight, height, and head circumference unknown.  We think he weighs 19 lbs. 

Eating:  He is taking four or five 7 ounce bottles a day.  He eats toast, cereal, and fruit for breakfast or a stage 3 cereal/fruit mixture.   For lunch, he has 1/2 –1 jar of veggie/meat.  For supper, he has 1/2-1 jar of veggie/meat and some of whatever we are having.  During the day he has crackers, puffs, or fruit.  We give him juice mixed with water with his meals.  He doesn’t drink a whole lot though. 

He loves:  green beans, sweet potatoes, bread, any thing sweet, cheetos, english peas, black eyed peas, mashed potatoes, spaghetti' o’s, and baked beans.  He has tried ravioli and liked it the first time, but didn’t after that.

Sleep:  He is sleeping from 7:30 to 7:00.  He has waken up a few times in the middle of the night this month.  He is easily comforted and put back to sleep.  A few times, the thunder scared him and a few times it was his teeth.  The whole teething thing is rough!

He takes 2 naps a day.  His morning nap is around 9:30 or 10:00 and last a little longer than an hour.  His afternoon nap is around 1:30 and usually last 2 hours.

Teeth:  He has 6 teeth now!!  He has 2 on top and 4 on the bottom.  I think he is getting another one on top!

Motor skills:  Dylan crawls faster than I can walk!   He is still pulling up on everything and cruising everywhere.  He stands alone a lot and has even taken a few steps.  I’m sure it won’t be long and we will be running after him.

He does a great job feeding his self finger foods and wants to as much as possible.  He is really into textures in books right now.  He wants to touch everything.

He can play peek-a-boo!

Language:  He still says “dada.”  He will say “bye-bye” on command now and even tries waving his hand with it.

He babbles all the time and puts his personality into his “words.”  It’s so funny when he gets mad at something, it sounds like he is fussing.

Favorite Toy:

He loves a v-tech piano his Grammy got him.  He still enjoys Mickey Mouse, small soft cars, books, and his exersaucer.

Bath time:  He loves getting a bath and even cries when bath time is over.  He is more aware of what is going on and is beginning to play with a few toys during bath time.

Clothing:

He wears mostly 9 months tops.  He can still wear 6 months shorts.  9 month shorts fit but are big on him.  He got his first real pair of shoes today from stride-rite!  They are a size 3 1/2!!!  His carter’s sandals are size 2, they must run big! 

He is in size 3 diapers.