Owen's Nautical Birthday Party

Saturday after Owen's birthday we held his 1st Birthday Party at our house.  It was a nautical themed party and we invited our friends, co-workers and neighbors, with and without kids. I guess you could say it was also a party to celebrate that we made it through a year.  We had the party at noon and had several nautical themed foods.  For the main food we had fish and chips, sort of, we had Chick-Fil-A Nuggets and potato chips.  We also served birthday shaped pasta (hats, presents, etc.) salad with tuna fish and peas, blue jello with gummy fish floating in it, gummy sharks, and Goldfish crackers. The food was set out on the dining room table and the cake came out when we were ready for it.

For the party favors we gave out kids nautical hats and let the kids color them with fabric markers.  To entertain the kids we took two washing machine boxes, tipped them on their sides, cut the (now) tops off and made them into boats for the kids to play in. They liked them, although, they tipped them back upright and pretended they were houses.  We also hung plastic nautical flags from the pergola.

Thankfully, it was a gorgeous day out so people could be outside as well as inside. People came over, ate, hung out and visited and the kids played. Sadly, I don't have any pictures other than the cake and Owen eating it because of all days, we both got sick the night before the party (thankfully Owen came out clean) and neither of us felt up to much by the time the party rolled around. I had big plans for the including lots of pictures, a more decorated cake, and more decorations but sadly didn't get to them.

Now, for the cake, it was a homemade cake, yellow for the sail and chocolate for the boat.  Owen's cake was chocolate with chocolate frosting.  Because I'm sure you're all wondering, the "J" cake was for Jed's co-worker, Jason, who's birthday was also that week.

He really liked the cake but could only get frosting in his hands so we broke part of it off with a fork, then he really dug in.

After a little while we moved Owen out of the sun and into the shade to work on his cake some more.  Apparently everyone loves a glass of milk with their chocolate cake because after we got him all situated, he signed for milk and when we gave it to him, he chugged it.

Owen all done, just keeping his hand on the cake enjoying how it feels.

 

After Owen was done with his cake the party died out, Owen got a bath and we spent the rest of the afternoon napping and opening and playing with presents.    Despite the illness, the party was a good time and turned out well.  All-in-all it was a great day!

Owen wants to say...

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Pictures with Brandi

On Sunday before Owen's 1-year birthday, our friend Brandi wanted to get out of the house and take some pictures so we offered up Owen as a subject. We met at J. Lee Vause Park right down the road from our house.  We had a good time visiting and letting Owen and her kids play.  Here are a few of the pictures she took.  Thanks Brandi!

Owen's Owie

Poor little Owen had a rough first week of November. On the Monday (the 1st) we were out after work with him in the jogging stroller and he managed to stick his hand out the front and touch the tire as the stroller was moving. The moving tire burned a patch about 3/4-inch long and 1/4-inch wide on the top of his hand below his thumb. On Wednesday morning he started to not feel well, got a fever and got sent home from school. Not being fever free for 24 hours, Owen and Dad stayed home Thursday. While Dad was putting lunch (one of Owen's favorites, chicken nuggets and mini tator tots) in the oven, Owen walked over to investigate, lost his balance and and tried to catch himself by putting his on the hot, open oven door. Jed caught him right was he put his hand down and knocked him backwards but the fraction of a second he touched the door was enough to burn his hand. He had a blister on the palm of his hand a little smaller than a quarter, a tiny blister on each of his finger tips, and a small blister just below his wrist. Friday went better, although Owen was still home recovering from the fever but on Saturday, Owen broke open his burn blister while playing in the dog door. All this just before his 1st birthday. Fortunately, his string of bad luck only lasted about a week

Owen's burns from the oven after they are almost healed.

Happy 1st Birthday Owen

Owen in is "I'm One" hat for his party

Passed out after a bottle, couldn't even make it to bed

Owen is still so much fun, he makes every day more entertaining then the last. He is so smart and always trying to figure out how things work. It only takes him a time or two of watching or listening before he can imitate the action. He loves to stack objects and put them in containers or holes. While recently being watched by a friend of ours at her house, he put an entire cup of Goldfish crackers (one-by-one) into the gap between two slates on her plant stand. He was quiet one day (never a good sign) and I found him in the kitchen diligently working on this...

Owen's project, putting magnetic letters into the popcorn container lid

For Owen's birthday we got him 3-in-1 dump truck that he can push around, ride on or use as a dump truck. He loves it and will often fill the bed with mega blocks and then dump them all out. Lately, he has started pushing them out over the back one handful at a time.

Owen riding on his dump truck

Owen playing with the mega blocks in his dump truck

Owen being his usual ham-self

Owen also loves his cop car. He will get in and out of it over and over again. He knows how to honk the horn, turn the key and open and close the gas cap. He will even get in and close the door behind him. He loves to play in it around the house but really loves to take a ride around the neighborhood in it.

Owen in his cop car

At the Pumpkin Patch in the middle of October (Photo by Terri Smith)

Owen developed into such a big boy the month before his birthday. He started using his pincher fingers to eat finger food, and boy does he LOVE to eat. Owen loves to walk, never crawls anywhere. He even walks backwards pulling a stroller.

Owen crawling into the cupboard to take the place of the mixer

Still a Milk-a-holic

Owen and a neighbor boy of ours, Zander (who is about 2 months older than Owen), hang out frequently on playdates. We will get together ever few weeks at our house or theirs for about an hour. When we first started getting together the boys would just parallel play but lately they have started to play together and they both share great, for the most part. I think Zander and Owen will grow up to be great friends and will be back and forth to each others houses.

Owen and his Zander playing in Owen's car
(I snapped the picture just after Owen got out, they were sitting in the car together)

For Halloween, Owen dressed up as a monkey, fitting since he is our little monkey. We took him out trick-or-treating around the neighborhood and he had a great time. He wasn't too sure what all the candy was about but he sure loved all the attention. He was one cute little monkey.

Owen the monkey before trick-or-treating on Halloween

Owen hanging out on our bed with both of the TV remotes

Owen just how he loves to play, surrounded by toys

We took Owen to the pediatrician the day after his 1st birthday. At the appointment he weighed 26 pounds 8 ounces (90th percentile) and was 30.25 inches long (75th percentile). Owen's head was 45.8 cm (50th percentile). As usual, his doctor answered all of our MANY questions and she said he was doing great!

Owen showing off his teeth (he had 5 on his birthday)

When the dogs go outside, Owen can't stand it and will hang out the dog door watching them

Owen loves to climb on, over, under, around and through anything he can, so as soon as I put the Rubbermaid full of clothes in the living room he was on top of it in a heartbeat. Nothing is safe anymore.

Owen so proud that he climbed on top the Rubbermaid

For Owen's birthday we sent cupcakes to school with him that he shared with his group. Neither of us could make to to school that day to see them but the teachers all told us that all the kids had a great time and the cupcakes got rave reviews.

The Birthday Boy

For his birthday one of Owen's birthday was a toy box. He was getting ready for bed and Jed started putting it together but Owen couldn't possibly go to bed with all the action in the living room, he had to get right in the midst of it and help out.

Owen with his new toy box