The other kid's first hair cuts

I guess I was feeling sentimental as Syndee was cutting Nate's hair.  So I went back and looked for the other kid's first haircuts.
Here's Jake...

Bribed with a sucker that ended up really hairy.  I remember he had a big fit about that.



Then I searched through the pictures to find Allie's first haircut.  I was sad to see that I hadn't documented it.  Can you believe that?  I do have an excuse.  It was when I was a few months away from delivering Sam.  So I had a lot on my mind. 

Anyway, Allie hadn't ever had a haircut, but it was growing in pretty even.  Mike hated that it was always in her face and wanted to trim it and cut bangs on her so it would look a little more tidy.  I resisted, but finally caved in.  

So that was Allie's first haircut.  Syndee has trimmed it a few times and really chopped off a lot last year....just no pictures as evidence.  Sorry kid.

Haircut

Nate was overdue for a hair cut.  I agree that he went a little long, but my dad always said it was bad luck to cut a baby's hair before their first birthday and I wanted Nate to have all the luck he can get in this life :)
Anyway, now that he's one, we took this hair to Syndee...

In case you wondered what was keeping him happy through the cut...it was a cucumber.  Isn't he funny?

 Syndee did a great job (even sacrificing a chunk out of her finger because he was so wiggly).  She gave Jake and Allie their first haircuts too.   She's quite popular around our house.
Thanks Syndee!

When we got home, I checked to see if I could still get a few of the cute curls that I love so much...so sad that those had to go.  I wouldn't say he had curly hair before, but he did have a little bit of a wave that was easy to style (if I ever took the time to do it).  Now it's starting to thicken up and lose the "baby" feel.  Why do they have to grow up?
Anyway, I think I said "you are so cute!" about 2 dozen more times than usual today.  I can't get over how cute this boy is to me.

Sleepover

We have a new tradition around here.  Now that Allie and Jake are in separate rooms, it is a treat to get to have a sleepover again.  Allie's room is cool right now, so that's where they've been hanging out.  They drag in every pillow and blanket that they can find and get settled in.  I love that they are still pals.

This is the way they looked in the morning...love these kids!

What is so cool about a dishwasher?

Nate has an inner radar that pings when I am doing dishes.  He scurries over and tries to see what he can do to help.  It is rare that he does help, but he sure thinks it's fun.  I wish Mike were looking at the same radar screen and scurried over to help too...ah well.

Double Decker Swing

These girls own the neighborhood during the day when everyone else is in school.  I love to hear their happy laughter. 
They were so excited to see the snow melt out of the back yard so they could do some of their favorite things again.

 I am a bit embarrassed when I hear stories of things they do in other neighbor's yards. We have great neighbors and they would never say that it bothers them when they find two girls hunting for rusty nails under their deck, or setting up picnics for ceramic garden animals.
We had rules lined out, but I think they were forgotten over the winter.
Allie will come home with a band aid on her arm, or with a half eaten lunch and a drink in a red solo cup.  When I ask her details, she'll say "I was bleeding!  So Sis. Baltzer took care of me".  Or, "we were so hungry because you wouldn't give me any lunch.  So I got this from Sis. Baltzer".  Oh boy.  It's a good thing I prove that I am a good mother in other ways.  I also hope Sis. Baltzer (AKA "Mamma Grizz") knows that I have no control over what my girl will do.  I would like to think that I do, but really, she runs the show.
I do love our neighborhood.  They are helping me raise my children.

And just in case you were wondering if Allie has changed and started wearing clothes that I pick out for her, no need to wonder any longer.  She is still independently dressed.

Snow

On the night of Nate's birthday, I was taking the monthly pictures and it started to snow outside.  They were big fluffy flakes and Nate was mesmerized by them.  Mike opened up the door and he took off.  I know he's seen snow before...he's been out in it a lot, but he's always been bundled up.  I think this was a new experience for him because he hasn't ever really felt snow on his bare skin.  Whatever it was, it was so fun to watch...

I had Allie drag him in, but he was right back out there for another taste.

 When I finally dragged him in for good, he cried the whole time I got him dressed.  Then he went to the window and cried again. 
Ever since this day, he has decided that outside is cool, and snow is even better.  So now, when any door is opened, he is making a mad dash for freedom.  Crazy kid!

More birthday stuff

You might be tired of seeing all the "Nate turns 1" stuff, but come on, you only turn one once right?
I am not a very creative cake maker, but I wanted him to have his own cake to smash.  He isn't a stranger to cake and sweet things, so he dug right in...

 It was a big cake and he basically ate it all.  Can you believe it?

 As for gifts, he is still in love with roaring trucks and cars around, so we got him a little play mat and some dump trucks to zoom around.
I also saw how fascinated he was by bubbles when we were visiting the nursery, so he got a bubble machine.  That has been a hit.

12 Month old comparisons

I quit taking the monthly pictures of each of the kids when they were one.  So, this is it for easy comparisons.

I was looking through the pictures of Allie, and even though most people tell me that Nate looks just like Jake, I still thing Allie and Nate are very similar.  I guess they are all just different...but each one of them is cute.

Jake:

18 pounds 13 oz. (1%)

29.5 inches (20%)

 Allie: 
20 pounds (25%)
29.5 inches (50%)

 

Nate:

20 pounds (25%)

30 inches (50%)

Nate dominated them both in size all year.  I wonder how they will all turn out when they are older. 



I was just reading Allie and Jake's journals to get this information and I was shocked at how many words Allie had down.  She was basically speaking, and what she didn't say, she signed.  Nate is about the same level as Jake was at this age.  Is it really true that girls are more verbal than boys early on?  I guess it is the case with our kids.

Anyway, Nate says "book" and will go get a book to read.  When he is being tickled, he says "ticka, ticka". 

At Nate's well baby check up, I told the Dr. that he was really verbal, but only with babble, not really words.  Just then, he was checking Nate's hips and stomach and doing all the pushing and prodding they do in the exam, Nate was cracking up and squirming like mad.  He is really ticklish.  Anyway, he started saying "ticka, ticka" and after we all had a good laugh, the doc told me not to worry.

Allie keeps asking me when Nate will talk, or when he will color, or other random things.  I have always just brushed her off by saying "when he's one".  So, on the morning of his birthday, we went in together to get him out of his bed.  We sang happy birthday and gushed over him.  I changed his diaper and set him on the floor to go play with Allie.  She said "yep!  He sure is taller!" as she measured him against her hip.  Then she went off with him and asked him to start talking.  She kept asking him to say "Allie" or "hungry".  After a few minutes, she came in to tell me that he still wasn't talking.  She was really disappointed that he was the same as he was yesterday. 

"Mom!  He's one now and he still doesn't even know how to talk!"

We had to have a chat about progression and how things don't just happen over night.  She cracks me up.

I am so grateful for each of these kids.  I love looking back at them as babies and remember those days.  I also love each of these new days that come, and each of the stages they are in. 

Sure do love you kids!

ONE!!!

The boy is one!  I can hardly believe we have had one year with our sweet little Nate boy already. 
He has been so fun!

He still loves cubed sweet potatoes...and look at that hair!

New things... one top tooth.  It's pretty funny.  He has been the first to get a normal top tooth first.  The others got the side top teeth first.


You can see how much he loves to show that new tooth off!

 He loves to roam around.  If he has freedom, he takes it without looking back.  I put him in shoes at church last week thinking that it might slow him down a bit.  It didn't.  He got used to the shoes and took off.

He started being a little more picky with food.  He will toss things overboard without a second glance sometimes.  It makes me so mad!  I did discover why some things would get tossed one day and not the next.  I thought it had to do with temperature...if it was hot, he'd toss.  But then he'd toss cold things too.  I think I have it figured out now.  He does toss things that he doesn't like, but he mostly tosses food to let me know that I haven't given him what he wants.  For example.  He loves cucumbers.  We found this out when we were at my mom's house.  He wanted Allie's cucumbers.  So everything else we gave him, he'd throw over without even tasting it.  He knew he wanted nothing but cucumber.  When he got that, he was a happy camper.  So now, it's a daily battle of tossing until he gets the thing he wants.  Makes for a pretty messy floor...

He'll eat an entire cucumber just by gnawing it down.

He is still sleeping like a champ.  The naps are thrown off when he is sick or teething, but he is still a good solid night sleeper, so I can't complain.
He is really busy...he makes a mess and as I am cleaning that mess up, he is busy making another mess.  I know it's the age, but it's still crazy.

He is still the best cure for a sad heart (with any of us).   You can't help but be happy when you have him in your arms.

It's been a great year Nate!

My biggest baby.

1 day old...in the NICU...so sad to see that IV.

 

Coming home from the hospital



Jake's first look




Allie's first time with Nate



1 month old

  

May 2011

July 2011

October 2011

November 2011

December 2011

February 2012


Last night, I held him as he fell asleep.  I love to feel his breath on my neck and his little fingers pinching my neck (he has a thing with necks...his own, and others.  He loves to pinch them).  Most of the time, he is so restless and won't snuggle in.  I love the times when he will. 
After all the kids were asleep, I snuck into his room and took one last picture of him as an 11 month old. 
I love this kid.  I remember looking at him in the hospital room and wondering who he would become.  I thought I was in love with him then...

Happy Birthday Nathan Joe!