THE PROOF IS IN THE PUKE

So if I have anything to say about it, Michael won't be going out of town again for a good long while. The last time he went somewhere was for a week, and because he's so active and involved with our boys, I'm spoiled rotten and have a hard time when he's gone. But that aside, it seems like every time he's gone, at least one of us (me or one of the boys) gets sick BIG time. This last time, we ended up going to the doctor THREE different times, once for each of us. Ridiculous.

And today...you guessed it. Sick again. Jasper up-chucked like nothing I've seen, poor baby. Neither of my boys have EVER thrown up, so I've never known how I would respond or exactly what all an event of this magnitude would entail. Well....now I know, lucky me. Fortunately, I seem to have a rock-solid gag reflex (hope you do, too, if you're reading this).

Of course, Michael wasn't there. His timing for trips and events is perfect. The proof is in the puke, my friends.

I CAN'T STAND IT

I really can't. They're just so stinkin' cute. :)

BIRTHDAY BABY

Happy 1st Birthday to my precious Jasper John!

What joy and blessings our little red-head has brought to our family. I prayed that God would give me a snuggly, cuddly, affectionate baby, and goodness did He answer that prayer. Jasper is my pal, my little shadow, and I love him for all that he is and all that God will help him become as he grows.

Today has been bittersweet for me. For some reason, his first birthday has made me feel like crying, like mourning the loss of my baby as he becomes a little boy, day by day. It's funny, because I distinctly remember being so excited about Bennett turning one, and about celebrating his milestones and being thrilled by each one. When my first-born turned one, it was like I'd accomplished something, like I'd helped make that year pass along as it should. With my second, I've begged time to slow a bit, and I've been scratching my head, trying to figure out how on earth a year has managed to sneak past me, stealing my baby away. I know I'm being dramatic, but Jasper has always seemed more delicate, more babyish, more needy, than Bennett ever did, and I've loved that about him. In part, that has defined our relationship, and I've soaked it in. Obviously all that hasn't changed in one day, and it's possible my little red-head will always be a Mama's boy (which I wouldn't mind at all :) ), but his first birthday marks a rite of passage in my mind. It means that I'm not in control (which is good, because God does a much better job), and that I can't slow something down that I think is moving too fast. Time keeps moving, and my boys keeping stretching and growing and learning (as they should). I'm glad for this, but as I said, it's bittersweet.

Okay, and after reading this little novella about my baby boy, if you're still here, I applaud you. Next up is a short list of milestones he's reached, and then what everyone's here for: birthday party and the pictures of his actual birthday, and as a bonus for sticking around so long, I made a couple of cute videos today of Jasper giggling and being entertained, and my oh-so-talented husband edited them together for your viewing pleasure.

MILESTONES:

**Words -- technically, his first word was "hi," although he rarely says it, and never on command. His second word was "again," and he says this fairly regularly. His third word...MAMA!! YESSSS!! I shouldn't be surprised, but it melts my heart every time, and I was so excited that he started saying it so early, because Bennett didn't say it for a LOOONG time (I don't think he saw the need since I was always at hand anyway). In general, his sounds and communication have really started moving along in the last month or two. I never get tired of hearing his sweet little voice.

**Teeth -- the kid has NINE little chicklet teeth, including one molar. Insane. People get so confused about his age when they see him because he's small for his age, but he has a mouth FULL of little pearly whites :)

**Food -- he's perfectly capable of eating finger foods, but it's touch and go. His favorites are baked potato, ritz crackers, cheerios and cheese on occasion. He's got a definite sweet-tooth. And he's getting better with his sippy cup. When he's truly thirsty, he drinks from it with no problem. He also loves to eat leaves, but that's something I'm trying to talk him out of.

**Motor skills -- He can stand unassisted, but can't get to the position on his own yet. It's going to be two or three more months before walking hits the scene, I'm thinking. He's clapping his hands now and is VERY proud of himself for it. He loves showing off this particular skill. His right hand/arm/side of neck continues to improve and get stronger, and with this, his range of motion and strength continues to improve, although he still prefers his left hand for grabbing, pulling, and manipulating objects.

**Favorite things -- he LOVES big brother's cars, and he's crazy about large balls and balloons - we play "roll the ball" a LOT. He also loves to read books (although I don't do it with him nearly as much as I did with Bennett *sigh*), loves to take baths, and with the warmer weather lately we're discovering he is crazy about being outdoors.


And now for the pictures:

THE PUPPY PARTY...

Thanks so much to everyone who came and made Jasper's big day SO special! Jasper was not at all interested in the smash cake, or opening presents, but lucky for him, he has a big brother who doesn't mind helping with those things at all. :) He was a pretty big fan of the cookies and the puppy chow, though, and played with his new presents a lot after the crowd left.

(I HAD to add this picture of me and Randi's boys. Bennett and Cason are best friends, and Jasper and Braden have very similar temperaments as well. I love how the older boys are laughing it up while the younger ones have gotten their little feelings hurt being away from Mama...very accurate picture :).

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

(the saddest face you ever did see)

(birthday hugs)

(checking out his new ride)

(Love. it.)

THEN AND NOW..

"Just for Laughs"

WON'T YOU PLEASE, PLEASE HELP ME? (to the tune of the Beatles)

I am SO bummed. Today I decided to wash Bennett's nap mat, bag, blanket, and backpack (since it's been awhile - yikes), and ended up running into the laundry room when I heard a HORRIBLE racket coming from the washer. Turns out, it totally DESTROYED his backpack. This really stinks for two reasons: 1) It was fairly expensive and I planned on him using it all the way up until Kindergarten. 2) It was SO cute, and even had a little flag patch on it that Nanna gave him when he went through his obsession with flags.

I can take the flag patch off, I can order another backpack identical to this one, but since the instructions say to use a cloth and mild soap, I can't just return/exchange it. I have to actually buy a new one. I still can't figure out what went wrong. I've washed the thing before....oh, well. C'est la vie.

But now that I'm looking for a new backpack, I'm thinking about getting something different. I want it to be cute, I want to be junior-sized (not the teeny-tiny annoying ones you can't even fit a folder in, but one that's more toddler sized than your average pack), I don't want it to cost an arm and a leg, and I want it to last. Anybody have any suggestions on brand, website, etc.?

ALSO, Jasper REFUSES, absolutely will NOT drink from a sippy cup. He's down to three bottles a day, and is still getting plenty of fluids from that and his jar foods, but I'd really like to get the ball rolling on this. I've tried two different cups, one with a rubbery, firmer mouth piece, and another that's softer, like a bottle nipple. No can-do. Is there any way to speed this along that anyone else has found? Or do I just keep trying a few times throughout the day, trusting that eventually my child will decide to drink? I've heard the longer you wait, the more dependent they are on their bottle....so I'm wanting to move forward with this if that's the case. Again, any input or words of wisdom would be appreciated.

SARCASM

The main idea behind this post comes from the same marriage seminar I mentioned before. Along with talking about how nuclear words are, the speaker specifically explored the ins and outs of sarcasm. What struck me hardest was the simplest point he made about it: the definition itself.

*Sarcasm -- the use of irony to mock or convey contempt.

YIKES. I've also heard through various sources (although I'm ignorant as to the origin) that "sarcasm is the lowest form of wit." That quote could be from some low-budget movie, for all I know, but the idea itself makes sense to me. Sarcasm is a pretty easy thing to engage in and become a master of, and I've become a queen of it myself.

The problem I've noticed with sarcasm is, even when you're just using it to be funny in a group and it's not aimed at anyone else, when you get in the habit of using it, it becomes kind of addictive, and an easy tool to turn to in conversation; it has a way of leaking over into other aspects of your life (ahem, like when you and your husband are fighting and you lay it on really thick, and the definition above shamefully applies).

Soooo...all this being said, I'm working to remove sarcasm from my speech. I'll stretch my brain while trying to be funny and entertain without resorting to the easiest route, and I'll save myself and others some heartache and bleeding ears by curbing my tongue when I'm in a particularly nasty mood (who, me?). It doesn't serve any good purpose, and in me, it promotes something ugly that I don't want coming out from the overflow of my heart.