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Katie

Yeehaw! Dylan is ONE!

 

For this little buckaroo's first birthday, our family mosied on down to our watering hole for some good grub and company around the campfire! 

 

The menu consisted of BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, chili, baked potatoes with all the fixins, baked beans with bacon, hot dogs, and cole slaw.  For dessert, we had vanilla cake with vanilla and chocolate icing, and s'mores. 

 

Decor, courtesy of Pinterest, lots of cardboard and some kid-free evenings, included Wanted posters of each child guest, cardboard cacti, cowboy hats, bandannas, bales of hay, and some pretty cool saloon doors.  A roaring fire completed the ambiance (thanks Sara, for your fire making expertise!)

 

Layla had been in the cowboy spirit for days leading up to the party, so to catch everyone up, each kid received a goodie bag filled with a glow stick "revolver", harmonica, sherrifs badges, and an awesome cowboy version of Wooly Willy, the magnetic toy where you draw hair on Willy with a magnet pen.  Needless to say, the kids (and adults!) all quickly got in the cowboy spirit.

 

We are so very lucky to be surrounded by so much love! Thanks to everyone that celebrated the first year of this wonderful boy.

Dylan's 1st Birthday!

Dylan's hair has been driving me absolutely nuts, but Monte wanted to hold off on giving him his first haircut until his birthday.  Mind you, he was against the idea of cutting his hair at all, but I was adamant that Dylan not look like a girl.  With his side swept bangs and curling locks at the nape of his neck, that's exactly what he was starting to look like.  I thought it would be nice if Monte gave him his first trim, so when my parents took Layla out on the evening before Dylan's birthday, we took the opportunity to get it done.  For the record, let me just say, I wanted to trim Dylan's hair.  TRIM IT!  However, the clippers were on the wrong setting (ahem, MONTE!) and Dylan's first trim became Dylan's first buzz cut.  Oh well.  At least he has a nicely shaped head!  I have to say, my initial shock and disappointment quickly turned to amusement and happiness! Just look at this adorable boy!

 

I had to tell Layla and my sister and parents about the haircut before they walked in the door so they wouldn't be totally taken off guard.  Layla froze in her tracks and then laughed, "Dylan, you look silly!"  Later, though, she asked if Dylan was going to "sleep with no hair" and asked Daddy to give Dylan his hair back.

 

***

On Dylan's birthday, I made pancakes with sprinkles, bacon, and strawberries for a special birthday breakfast.  Monte had to work, but the Schramms were still staying with us because they were still waiting to have their power restored.  Dylan was happy to share his breakfast and even let Layla blow out his candle. 

 

In the morning, he opened some presents from his grandparents and sister - a train and new wooden cars!  After his nap, I gave him my gift and took the kids for a walk around the neighborhood to test it out.  Both Dylan and Layla had fun pushing and being pushed. 

 

Woodbridge rescheduled Halloween due to the hurricane, and trick or treating happened to fall on Dylan's birthday.  In the late afternoon, the kids put on their costumes and met up with the neighborhood kids.  We made it exactly one block before Layla decided to call it quits.  I think she was scared of some of the older kids' masks.  After the kids' candy appetite was sated, we reconvened at our gracious neighbor Laura's house for a pizza party.  Layla had a blast dancing the night away.  It was so special when everyone sang "Happy Birthday" to Dylan.  We are very thankful to live in such a great community!

 

 

Happy Birthday, Dylan Boy!

 

Layla - 38 months

Sleepover Weekend with cousin Ryan - Applepicking at Melick's Farm

Swingtime

Helping Daddy blow out the candles on his cinnamon birthday cake!

Getting ready for Halloween: Just a typical ballerina firefighting kitty cat!

"Mommy, Dylan is my assistant."



A beautiful Fall Day at William's Nursery



Looking for shapes in the clouds




A special message to Mommy during bathtime

                                                               After school nap with Daddy

Playing Superheroes

Playground at Melick's Farm

Layla the kitty cat, eating dinner on the floor

 

An exhausted Layla

Checking out the turtles at the Trailside Museum

 

Layla's new behavioral incentive system - So far so good!

 

 

This Month:

 

Layla celebrated many birthdays - for Daddy, cousin JJ and friend Gus

 

Naptime has been mostly dry!  Hooray!  We're not quite ready to attempt nighttime potty training though. 

 

Layla thoroughly enjoys going to school and her afterschool sports class, but she doesn't like to share too much about her day.  In fact, she was pretty upset when I attended her Open House because her school is "private."

 

She loves showing off her new "moves" including splits, walking backwards up the stairs and various dance moves. 

 

Layla enjoyed a wonderful afternoon of hayrides and the Harvest Festival at Watchung Reservation with Ami, Poppy and Mimi while Mom and Dad took the afternoon off!

 

Dylan - 11 months

 

 

Highlights of the past month:

 

Dylan hosted the Fisher Price Joys of Learning House Party in our backyard.  Friends Drew, Ryleigh, Calina, Emily and Maddie, along with their mommys, came over to play with some new toys, including the Ballcano, Ballapalooza, Apptivity Monkey and Ride-On Puppy.  They were a hit!  The kids worked up an appetite for bagels, muffins and monkey bread, while the moms tried to finish a cup of coffee while it was still hot!  What a fun time we all had!

 

We spent a beautiful fall morning at Trailside center and the new playground with Ami and Mimi.  The purpose of the trip was to buy tickets for the upcoming annual hayride, but we enjoyed exploring the museum, peeking at the box turtles and swinging on the swings.

 

 

Williams Nursery is a fun place to spend an Autumn afternoon! We navigated their hay maze, took a ride in a wagon, made silly faces in the Halloween cutouts, wandered among the pumpkins and looking at seasonal decorations. 

 

 

Cousin Ryan and Uncle Bob met us as Melick's Farm for a hayride and some apple picking, followed by a sleepover.  After a pizza dinner, Ryan played football outside with some neighborhood boys while Layla and Mom made apple spice cupcakes with brown sugar frosting.  In the morning, we all went to Aunt Trudy's house to see cousins Jill, Rich and baby Riley, who were down from Rhode Island.  Bob and Debbie came down to Cranford to pick up Ryan, so it was a nice opportunity to get the family together. We love having Ryan spend the night and look forward to more sleepovers in the future.

 

 

We celebrated Daddy's 36th birthday, cousin JJ's eleventh birthday, and our friend Gus-o-saurus's 3rd birthday this month.

 

Mom and Dylan have been spending a lot of alone time together while Layla is in school.  On Tuesdays, we sing, dance and play instruments together in the Making Music, Praying Twice music class at St. Helen's Church.  Dylan loves learning new songs, banging on the drums and seeing his new friends.

 

Dylan and Layla enjoyed an afternoon with Ami, Poppy and Mimi at the Union County Harvestfest.

 

Dylan's bottom lateral incisors (teeth #7 & 8) came in just in time for Halloween, giving him a beautiful jack o'lantern grin!

 

The game Don't You Kick Me, which involves kicking mommy while swinging, makes Dylan laugh hysterically.

 

He's developed an aptitude for removing his shoes and pants.

 

No new words this month, but Dylan has gotten very good at imitating, following directions (when he wants to) and pointing and grunting. 

 

In response to the question, "What does a baby say?", Dylan will give a half-hearted, very phony "Wah", sure to put a smile on anybody's face!

 

 

 

 

 I cannot believe we're only a month away from the big ONE! We have decided on a Cowboy/Western theme for Dylan's first birthday. We are having a small family party at our house, but I'm hoping that the weather is nice enough to have the party outdoors.