Camping!

JJ's favorite thing. . . watching videos of himself!

"Helping" put up the tent.

Yes, there was a rock in his mouth!

Mmmm, dirt

Mmmm, more dirt

We went camping this last Sunday through Tuesday with Michael, Krista and Tristan. We were planning to go to Lake Lopez, which is up in the mountains, but with over 100 degree weather we instead decided to head to the the beach. We stayed at Pismo Beach and it was really nice.

It was our first time camping together as a family and was pretty busy with JJ walking all over the campground. JJ decided that he needed to "clean" all the rocks at the camp ground. He put every rock he could find into his mouth. Gross! He didn't seem to be eating them, was just sucking on them, but thankfully he didn't choke on any of them. He also ate LOTS of dirt! We all had a really good time and JJ loved being able to run around outside all day and chase Tristan around. Tristan and JJ got along very well and Tristan always "traded" toys with JJ when he wanted his toy!

Since we were camping, JJ didn't really want to sleep since he just wanted to play all the time. We hung out at the beach on Monday and then headed up to Cambria. On the drive to Cambria, we asked Tristan to be quiet so that JJ could sleep, but instead Tristan took a nap and JJ spent the whole time "talking"!

While I was working on this post, JJ was literally walking around in circles the whole time in the living room. He thinks it's really funny to go back and forth to the same place! He is also working on walking backwards. He'll take a few steps back and then laugh and sit down! I tried to get a video, but of course he stopped when the camera came out. It's really fun to watch him try new things.

Opinions. . .

I want dinner!!!

First time through a drive through car wash!

We didn't really do anything of note this weekend, just ran a bunch of errands, went out to eat a few times, cleaned our bedroom, got a new bookshelf, which JJ enjoyed getting in the way while Brian tried to put it together. One random thing. . . we went to Ihop on Saturday for brunch for the first time in a long time. If you haven't been there in awhile, be prepared for the fact that they now list the calories on the menu! Brian and I decided it is the worst idea ever! Not sure if it's just a California thing, but it definitely changed what we ordered. Also, the manager was walking around handing out Go-Gurt to kids. We let JJ have one and it was like kiddy crack!!! He was screaming when we would take it away and he couldn't get enough! It was the last time he'll be eating that!

JJ has always liked his books. Ever since he was "little" he would just sit and look at them and it is the only thing that will now keep him still for awhile. We really enjoy reading to him at night and used to be able to pick out what we would read. He has now taken over! I know, you're probably thinking I'm becoming one of those over-exaggerating mothers, but I'm not joking! The other night when I was putting him to bed, I decided to read Goodnight Moon. I was about 2 pages into it, when he shoved it aside, squirmed down off my lap, and walked over to the side of the chair where we keep his "nighttime books." He picked up Time for Bed, looked at it, then threw it down on the ground. He then picked up Can you Cuddle like a Koala? looked at it, smiled, then crawled up into my lap where he made me read it to him 3 times! I'm not joking, he really did this! I guess I shouldn't be surprised that he's already becoming opinionated, but I think we have a long road ahead.

Staycation. . .

You can't tell because of the flash, but he was watching a video of himself. He can't get enough!

Notice he's standing on this poor kid's stroller!

Ahhh, that's "real" and "fake" Chuck E. Cheese in the same room! (and that's my friend's daughter in the chair)

Sensory overload equals let's sit and eat some snacks!

This weekend we had 2 kid's birthday parties to go to about an hour north of San Diego, one on Saturday and one on Sunday, so we decided to take a little "staycation" and get a hotel room up there for Saturday night. It turned out to be a nice little get away with lots of fun at the birthday parties!

Saturday, was a circus theme birthday party for a friend's one year old, complete with a bounce house and a clown! JJ spent the whole time just walking around and trying to play with the older kids. He seemed to have a good time and he fell asleep about 2 minutes after we left. After the party and JJ's nap in the car, we went to Old Town Temecula and enjoyed some gelato and wine tasting. JJ liked the gelato a lot more than the wine : )

Today's birthday party was at Chuck E. Cheese. I have decided that parents who throw their children's birthday parties there are either saints or crazy! There were soooo many families and kids running around and so much going on! There are lots of games, a climbing structure, "fake" Chuck E. Cheese and his "band" plus "real" Chuck E. Cheese walking around and greeting all the birthday parties. On top of all of this, there is loud music and Chuck E. Cheese TV on constantly! JJ seemed a little indifferent about it, but I was on complete sensory overload! I guess this is why it's one of the only children's establishments that serves beer! Although it was a nice afternoon and I'm glad we went, we decided that JJ's birthday party will never be there. Please, don't ever let me have his party there!

Last Thursday, JJ had his one year check-up with the doctor. He is still growing like a weed and still very healthy. He was deemed a "well child" for the first time since growing out of being a "well baby." He sure is grown up now : )

Current stats -

Weight - 24 pounds, 66th percentile

Height - 2' 8", 96th percentile

Head - 48 cm, 89th percentile

Survey says. . . he's still a tall skinny bobble-head!!!

P.S. - Apparently he had too good of a weekend since he's been crying/screaming for the last 10 minutes while Brian has been trying to put him down, with about 10 minutes of comforting from me and now Brian's back up there : (

Birthday Weekend. . .

Forward facing car seat! Such a big boy!

We had a great three day weekend and JJ is now soundly sleeping and Brian also wants to already go to sleep! Saturday was JJ's big First Birthday Party. He decided that morning that he is no longer a crawler and will only be walking. He figured out how to get up on his own from anywhere without having to pull himself up onto something first. It's been really fun watching him learn how to walk and he's been getting more confident and faster every day.

His party was fun and we had lots of good friends and family there. JJ was walking all over the park and had to be "wrangled" the whole time, but he seemed to enjoy himself. He did take one pretty serious face plant and came up with some grass in his teeth, but he recovered pretty quickly and it didn't seem to slow him down at all.

Yesterday we went to another park with Michael, Krista, and Tristan and met our friends Erin and Andy there with their 11 month old daughter, Avery. The older "boys" played bocce ball while Erin and Krista chatted and watched Avery and I ran all over the park chasing JJ around and trying to keep him out of the way of the flying bocce balls! I've always thought those moms who say they're in shape just because they chase their kids around are lying, but I think I might be able to lose a couple more pounds now that JJ is walking! He really does hate to stay in one place and is already getting so fast! The only time I can get him to really sit and be calm is while reading books or eating. He loves his books and will sit and relax for awhile if you read to him, or feed him : )

We are officially now the proud/exhausted parents of a toddler! He is definitely going to keep us moving and on our toes : )

1 YEAR OLD!!!

In case no one looked at their calendar, today JJ turned 1 and it was a very big day for him! He had a nice big breakfast (8 oz bottle, 1 banana, and of a 1/2 yogurt), then took 2 naps today with the babysitter, both over 1 hour, then had lots of lunch and snacks throughout the day. He got to open some presents tonight (some fun new blocks and books) and had a nice big dinner (cheese, 1/2 avocado, another banana, lots of ham, and a yogurt). After dinner, he got to have his first taste of "real/fake" sugar! We let him have a piece of cake! At first he was poking at it and not too sure, but then he shoved the whole thing in his mouth and cried when we finally took what was left, which was nothing, away! He's definitely an opinionated child! After dinner we gave him his regular evening bottle, but this time used real milk instead of formula. We were prepared to mix in some formula if he didn't like it, but he didn't even seem to notice and ate 8 oz of real milk. Yay for not having to buy formula anymore!

In the last two days, he went from taking a few steps, to taking a few more, to now walking all over the house! Today when I picked him up, he just walked out the door and into the hallway as if it was normal that he walks now! It's such a fun new development, but I can understand why people keep saying that we shouldn't "let" him walk before he was one. He really is already testing more limits than he was before, reaching to new heights, climbing up onto new stuff, and sneaking up on the cats!

It's hard to remember our lives one year ago today, before JJ. The nights we just went out without packing a dinner for him and stayed out past 7 pm, the weekends we went to LA without thinking twice, the sleep we got! Our lives are much different now, but we're so happy he's with us and even though it's disgustingly cliche, the time really does fly by. Sorry Krista, but I had to add at least one paragraph of "mush"!