12 months old!

It's hard to believe our little peanut is 1 year old. He continues to make us smile and laugh every day. He is still just as busy as ever. When he is awake, this boy does not sit still! Lately, his new favorite toy is a ball. He loves putting balls into his basketball hoop....as well as other toys, the remote, his sippy cup....basically anything he finds goes in the basketball hoop. It's a very fun game for him! He also enjoys pulling our decorative baskets off the shelves and sitting in them...what a goofball! We are still waiting for him to say his first word. He walks/runs through the house babbling all day long. He will walk up to us and start "talking" and then pause, as if he was waiting for our response to his question or comment....we just smile, nod our heads and say "yes"....then he starts smiling, turns around and takes off walking across the room babbling the whole way! At his 1 year check-up he only weighed 19.5lbs, which put him in the 10th percentile. They measured him at 30.5 inches, which is surprisingly in the 70th percentile. (I think they were a little generous with their measurement!) All in all, the doctor thought he looked great. We have a happy, healthy boy on our hands!

Jack's 1st Birthday Party!

Happy 1st birthday, Jack! We cannot believe its already been a year! We were fortunate to have most of our family and a few close friends help up celebrate Jack's first birthday. The day was complete with cake and ice cream and lots of birthday presents. Jack had a great time playing with all his cousins...and all his new toys! Jack was still getting over being sick from the week before, so he wasn't quite his normal, smiling self....but I think he still had a great time. He also seemed to enjoy his cake a little more than at his 1 year pictures (see previous post). Mommy and Daddy even got in on the cake fun.....thanks Daddy for shoving Jack's cake in Mommy's face! (See the before and after pictures below).

Opening his presents!

Jack had a lot of helpers while opening his birthday presents!

Jack eating tissue paper

(he still puts everything in his mouth!)

Sweet Tyler!

Jack and all his cousins

(we tried so hard to get a picture with all the kids looking at the camera...there is no way that was going to happen!)

Time for cake!
(Joe and Abby were eager to help!)

The "before" family picture

He kept itching his eyes!

This is what he looked like after itching his eyes!

Abby just couldn't resist!
"Here Daddy, try some of my cake!"

"Your turn, Mommy!"

The "after" family picture!

Jack's 1 year pictures

We had Jack's 1 year pictures taken a few days ago. He was not feeling well that day so we had a hard time getting him to smile, which is very unusual for Jack. By the time we let him eat his cake, he wanted nothing to do with it or the camera.....he was done! I took his temperature when we got home that morning and he had a temp of 102.5 degrees....no wonder he was not a happy camper! Surprisingly, we did manage to get a few good pictures.

Happy Easter and Happy Birthday!

It was a special Easter Sunday for the family this year. Not only was it Jack's first Easter, it was also cousin Avree's and Grandpa McCulla's birthdays! The entire family went to church in the morning and then we headed to the Residence Inn in West Des Moines for Avree's birthday party. Its hard to believe she is already 2 years old! It was a fun afternoon filled with birthday presents, birthday cake and an Easter egg hunt. What a great day!

Happy Birthday, Avree!

She just couldn't wait any longer...she wanted to eat her cake!

Uncle Jay helping Avree open her birthday presents

He loves Easter eggs!
Kaiya showing us her eggs

Jack and Mommy

Happy boy!

I think the birthday girl was ready for a nap!

My handsome boys in matching colors!
The three cousins
The Johnson family
The Pringle family

The Melhus family

Great-Grandma and Grandpa McCulla

Grandma and Grandpa Hansch

Grandma and Grandpa McCulla

30 things at 30!

In honor of Jay's upcoming 30th birthday (April 8), I decided to throw him a surprise 30th birthday celebration this past Saturday night. Jay was expecting a quiet evening for just the two of us as I told him he was taking me out to dinner to celebrate my birthday. Instead, he got a fun-filled evening with 10 of his closest friends!

We sent Jay on a scavenger hunt all around Des Moines with a list of 30 things he had to complete. Most of the list contained items that were significant to Jay's life or significant to Des Moines night life. These items ranged from requesting a song at Blue Moon (dueling piano bar) and getting up on stage to help them sing it, to running up and down the steps at the Capitol building. We rented a limo bus for the evening to drive us around to all the locations, and we even had t-shirts made for everyone in the group (thanks Katy!) We ended up running out of time at the end of the night, so Jay was not able to complete all 30 items....but he was a great sport and got as many things done as he could (even the embarrassing ones!) All in all, it was a great night and I think Jay will forever remember his 30th birthday!

#1 - Sit on the Easter Bunny's lap at Valley West Mall

#2 - Take a group photo by the pool at Jay's old house

Jay helping our chef at Taki

#10 - Take a picture in front of the infamous curb behind the old K's Merchandise building (don't ask....its a long story!)

#12 - Get out on the dance floor and dance to one song at Miss Kitty's

#15 - Ride the mechanical bull at Uncle Buck's

#21 - Eat a raw oyster at Waterfront

This was the look on Jay's face after eating the raw oyster!

A random picture from inside the limo bus

#26 - Jump in Saylorville Lake wearing a speedo (must be at least waist deep)

Group photo at the Miller High Life Lounge