State Fair

We went to the State Fair tonight.  We took you to the petting zoo and the 4-H/FFA animal exhibits and then went to watch the Chinese acrobats and a hypnotist.  You loved the acrobats and feel asleep during the hypnotist.  I didn't take my camera so these pictures from my cell are not good but give you an idea of how it was.

 

My Thoughts on Our Year Together

For some reason, I've had a really hard time putting into words what I feel.  Perhaps, I feel like I'm supposed to have some great words to share with you now that you are a year old.  But, words just seem so insignificant compared to how I feel.  


As Grandma Colleen said in her letter, you have brought so much joy into everyone's lives.  But it's so much more than that for me.  You have been an amazing teacher as well.  I have learned so much from you about myself, about how to interact with the world, and about life.  


Life is much simpler than we try and make it out to be. Thank you for showing that to me.  Thank you for showing me to slow down, to appreciate the highs and the lows.  Thank you for bringing your joy into my life.  


I realized today as your Grandma Bonnie and I were walking in the Tri-Your-Best triathlon, regardless of what you choose to do with your life, I know that you are meant to continue to bring great joy into the lives of those around you.  Thank you.


And, my great words to you?  I LOVE YOU!

Twelve Month Check-up

I can't believe it was already time for your twelve month check-up...stop growing so quickly!  Your Dad and I rode with you on our bikes to your check-up this morning.  I really enjoy having Kim as your pediatrician.  And, she enjoys having you as her patient.  Your stats are as follows: 24.2 lbs (75th percentile), 31 inches long (75 percentile) and a 47.8 cm head circumference (90th percentile).  The worst part was you had to get five shots.  I hate watching the nurse do this; so much so that your Dad is the one that helps hold you still.  You seemed surprised by the first shot but after the second one you really started screaming.  Luckily, you pretty much stopped as soon as we let you sit up and I walked around with you.  By the time we got out to the bikes, you were doing pretty well.

Birthday Letter from Grandma Colleen

Dear Dylan
Your Mom has asked us to write you a letter for your first birthday. I'm not much of a writer, but here goes.
 

You have brought so much joy and fun to all the lives you have touched this year. I have been honored to get to watch you grow, learn and explore the world. You have explored it so much at our house, I had to put up a few road blocks. Like putting a mattress in front of the food shelves, or putting the shoe basket in the way so you couldn't get stuck behind a chair. Just little things like that. Even put a few fragile things up out of reach.
 

Some of the things we have enjoyed doing together includes rocking, snuggling, trying to roll a ball and banging on things with your very own set of measuring cups and spoons. Kristy gave them to you and me when we found out you were on your way. Soon enough we will be using them to make some sugar cookies. Grandpa Bud really likes them. He especially likes them with frosting on them. Hopefully you will too.
 

This year has gone by so fast, especially compared to last year. Seemed like forever, from the time your mom and dad told us they were expecting you and your arrival. I had been wanting a grandchild for a long time. To know there was one in the works was almost torture. But Honey, you were well worth the wait. You have exceeded any expectations I might have had.
 

We've had a few conversations about some of the things we can do together. I know you aren't talking yet. They were a bit one-sided, but you appeared to enjoy them. Things like baking cookies and decorating them, collecting eggs, picking fruit, making cider, going clamming and fishing. Just to name a few of them.
 

Hope you are looking forward to our time together as much as I am.
 

Lots of Love,
Grandma Colleen

A Birthday Celebration

What a fun weekend!  We had your birthday party yesterday so that your Grandparent's could be here.  Grandma Colleen and Grandpa Bud came up and brought Great-grandma Abbie and Great-grandpa Keith.  They stayed the weekend and went home this morning.  You really seemed to enjoy having them here...I guess a few extra snuggles never hurts.  


For the big party, Grandma Colleen made you a teddy bear cake.  My first birthday cake was a teddy bear cake so I thought it would be fun.  We closed off the alley between our house and Gertrude's   Grandma Bonnie and Grandpa Loren came, as well as Uncle Donald.  John and Mary from across the street, Nancy Murphy, Toby, Danielle and Ivan Primbs, Rebecca, Hans and Destiny Magnusson, and of course Mike and Kathleen. You have such a great circle of people who love you.  And it's even bigger than those who could make it.

You were pretty spoiled in the gifts department as well.

Rebecca and I had been talking about pinatas and birthday parties.  I thought it would be fun to start a tradition of pinatas at your birthday parties, so Rebecca got a pinata and made it fit the teddy bear idea.  She did a beautiful job!

And, then there was cake!  You weren't too terribly excited.  But you had fun smearing your cupcake around on your tray.

I have lots of thoughts about how special it was for you to have all of your grandparent's here and how lucky we are to have you in our lives, but I think I'll save that for another post.  I'm really a bit overwhelmed by it all right now!

Your Birthday Invitation

As you've probably figured out by now, I do a lot of stuff online if I can...your birthday invitation for tonight's party was done online through Evite. 

I thought I'd put a copy here for you to look at when you're older.