Happy Birthday Little Man...

Hard to believe it has only been one year, since the day we welcomed you into our family! You arrived quickly at home on a Sunday morning after waiting only one day past when they thought you were due. You were the biggest little guy yet at 9lbs 6oz. with all that dark hair just like your brothers. And you got Daddy and Mommy all to yourself for 4 days while your 4 siblings spent time with Aunt Susie at Grampa and Gramma's house.

 When you were 1 month old Aunt Susie got married to Uncle Hans and moved to Illinois.

 

( Photo credit to Abigail Buchanan)

You took a "binky" for the first few months but then it wasn't around when you needed it

  you started doing this.

And you still do. :)

Your Daddy is one of your favorite people, and his shoulder is a great place to snuggle! :)

When you were three months old we moved, just across town.

Life was busy and you spent a lot of time in your carseat. :)

 About that time you were sitting up with a little help.

We loved your smiles and coos.

And your laughs

Around four months you tasted your first cereal and loved it.

And you've loved food ever since! :)

Your first teeth came in at 5-6 months.

You love to be out of doors

On walks in the stroller

Or any other reason.

Hiking!

You still make a brake for it as fast as you can if we leave the door open. :)

Your first experience with sand at about 5 months.

You are a great sleeper and still take two good naps a day even at one year.

You learned to drive at 6 months. ;)

You love computers, still, all the buttons fascinate you and you love to bang them if we don't stop you. :}

This is how you went blueberry picking.

At 6 months we went to the beach again,

Where you met Grandpa Allen and Gramma Dee for the first time.

Uncle Hans and Aunt Susie came back for their first visit too.

You started pulling up on things at about 10 months, and felt like such big stuff. :)

 Big brother Phi loves to help you with things.

And you, mostly, like to spend time with him too.

 Some times those other two brothers get a little too helpful tho'.

 But Dad is still your favorite guy to chill with.

:)

 You don't mind animals, and like to watch the birds out our window. And listen to Ivan the dog bark.

 At 11 months you got your first airplane ride across the country. 

( You  also love to "draw" right now)

To meet your newest cousin!!

 You also met some real tractors for the first time!

2 days before your first birthday you got to experience snow, in the amount of almost 18 inches. Something very rare at our house.

 You are a little rascal these days who finds great joy in splashing in the toilet when the door is accidentally left open, flushing it every time it fills up, until you're discovered. You love water. You also love crumbs, and every thing goes in your mouth. If there's not enough under the table you go raid the garbage can. Uugg, don't know why your not sick more, but you have not had anything more than coughs and colds. You don't walk yet, crawling is your favorite way to get around, and you're currently 23 lbs of chubba. And that pretty well sums up this first year, so Happy Birthday to you, our chunka little man, who we love so much. 

... The Lord is gracious and full of compassion. Psalm 111:4

It a winter wonderland.... :)

We spent today enjoying our snow. Once we had dug ourselves out.

 The sun came out for most the morning and it was beautiful!

 The wind that had been around for the last two days was gone, so it was enjoyable, though still chilly.

Jul's is sitting down in this one but in some places it was well past her knees.

 St. Helen's

 and Adams made an appearance though I think Mt. Hood was in the clouds.

Mr. Tech dug out the van and used it to pack down the driveway,

by driving back and forth.

Saw these guys go by, (the station is just down from our house) I'm sure they've had a busy last few 

 days.

 We also watched the snowplow make a pass.

 

But when we went out for some groceries mid morning the back roads still looked like this.

I 5 was mostly clear, though I guess it had been shut down yesterday near our exit for some bad accidents. The reader board signs said Oregon was requiring trucks to chain up so there was a whole right lane full of truckers doing just that the 205 interchange.

 We went on an explore to see how the creek was doing.

 Snow laden trees.

 A holly bush

The house from the bottom of the ravine.

 We tried a sled run on the back hill but the snow is soo cold and fluffy that it is hard to do anything with. No snowmen yet, maybe after it warms up a bit so the snow will pack.

 Ivan was more then happy to be in on things. He galloped around stuffing his noise in the snow every few feet and

proceeded to chase the kids down the hill when we did finally get the sled run working this evening.

 And Phi and Aaron managed a snow igloo this evening as well.

 Last thing before dark we tried out the really big hill on the side road and did 2 runs that were much more exciting than our hill. May have to try a bit more of that tomorrow!

Verse for today:

He satisfieth the longing soul and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. Psalms 107:9