Ezra's 1st Birthday Party!

Ezra's birthday was held on September 24, a Saturday.  It was a sunny, perfectly warm, slightly breezy day at Pepper Grove Park (a picnic/park area within Balboa park) -- perfect for a birthday party.  Ezra had a great time.  Really - for the past couple months, he's been super-clingy and super-fussy if he was not being held by me and me alone.  But, on the day of his party, he was amazing.  He wanted to sit & play with his friends, mingle with guests, and be loved on by his fans ;-)  

I'm SO proud of my boy.  He's growing up!

A shot from the sidewalk/road...

A little closer - 

I used all of Ezra's monthly photos to do a flowerpot, Watch Him As He Grows! display.

It's Cowboy Ezra!

 He was SO happy!

 The Three Amigos!  A few of Ez's friends decided to get the party started with the kiddie, animal-croquet.

The cupcake tower!  We got cupcakes from Cupcakes Squared in Point Loma.  They're really good.  Like, really, really good.  We opted for some gluten-free minis in Vanilla, gluten-free regular-sized in Cinnamon, and regular-sized Chocolate.  Mmmmmmmm.

 At first, I wasn't sure he was going to want to eat any.  Then he touched it.  Squished it.  Shoved a little in his face.  It was all over from there.

 Here he is, full-on digging in.

 Ezra likes cupcakes.

 That was the end of it.  One bite of cake and a few "bites" of delicious frosting...and the cutest face you've ever seen :)

Angela & Luna, taking a break from playing photographer to pose with some straw bales...

 Desmond & Claire playing Pin The Spot On The Cow!

 He was proud of his spot placement.

 Pretty little Claire choosing the perfect place for her spot.

 Ez didn't so much want to play...but he did want to have his picture taken.

 Ezra & Daddy!

 My happy little birthday boy!

I've got more pictures, but I've got to split it amongst a couple posts - otherwise nothing will ever load.  Stay tuned!

365 days. 12 months. 1 year.

Wow.

One whole year.

It's been one whole year since my Mini-Man was born.

Really?  Because it seems like it was just a few days ago...maybe a month.  Maybe.

Just the other day, I swear - I woke up with contractions that I knew...I just knew...meant that I was having a baby that day.  They were very different from the contractions I'd been feeling for months.  Even different from the contractions I'd had the evening before.  They were real, strong-but-managable contractions.

That were pushing a baby out.  Holy crap, they meant a baby was a-coming :)

And then he was born.  The most amazing, perfect, beautiful little boy.  Absolutely perfect.

After having the easiest, best pregnancy...he'd given me a very uneventful, smooth birth at home.  It was a great start.  And it continued.

Sure - we had some weight-gain issues that caused around-the-clock-nursing for over 3 months.  But I wouldn't trade that time I spent with him for anything.  I got to know every breath, every movement of this kid.  It made me fall in love with him even more than I thought was possible.

The months flew by.  He watched his first football game at 4 days old.  Took his first walk (to the end of the block!) at just over 1 week old.  Smiled his first, real smile at a couple weeks old.  Went on his first plane ride at 3 months old.  Spent his first Christmas at his Grandpa's house in Maine & met my whole family. Attended his first wedding at 4 months.  Went to Maryland with me at 6 months and got his first tooth while we were there.  Started army-crawling at 8 months.  Began consistently signing "milk" at 11 months.  Became a cruising and crawling machine, also by 11 months.

He melts my heart every single day.

Every day, he learns something new.  Something different will catch his eye...make him smile or laugh...and I become a puddle of goo.  He's absolutely the most amazing person I've ever known.  I tell him every single day.

This past year has been the best, most exciting, exhausting year of my life.  I wouldn't change a second of it.  Ezra has made it amazing.

Here's some pictures of the boy, to mark the special day!  I couldn't choose just a couple...

His birthday party is Saturday.  It's a barnyard-themed party at a local park...with all of his little friends.  I'll post photos of the shindig shortly ;-)

Picture Time!

I've got a few pictures that I haven't shared yet, and because the season finale of Hell's Kitchen is on right now, this is what you're getting ;-)

The kid is obsessed with wheels...

This is definitely an outtake...he looks like an extra in Dazed & Confused.  Or Half Baked...

Who is this little boy and where is my baby?

There's my sweet boy!

 Up to no good, I tell ya.

Here he is, riding his Radio Flyer Fire Truck.  He pitched a major fit that night because he wanted to keep playing with it...after an entire hour of riding it between the kitchen and living room :)

Outtakes from Grammy's Visit

I've got some photos that wouldn't normally have made the cut...but they're just too cute not to share...

We spent the day shopping at Fashion Valley...Ezra scored some pretty awesome new trucks and some other various toys.  But even with his new swag, he still refused to smile at the camera at the same time as his Grammy.  I guess it's a positive that he's smiling at all, right?!

Here's one of Ezra and his Grammy Becky.  You can kind of make out Ez in the fly-face on the right.  He's mostly just laughing at my Mom, I think.  

Honestly, the kid wouldn't stick his adorable little face through the damn hole.  

 And this would be another outtake.  Ezra was intrigued by the goats and sheep in the petting zoo...so much that he couldn't take his eyes off of them...even for a quick photo ;-)

Finally.

I've been told that I need to update more.

I know.  I do.

It's just that this kid requires absolutely every ounce of my energy...and then some.  He's quite a handful these days :)  Right now, it's a little after 1:15am.  Ez is asleep next to me.  Jordan is snoring away.  And I'm up...with my laptop glaring it's bright light into my eyes and an episode of Grey's Anatomy from last season (I'm trying to catch up!) on in the background.

You're welcome.
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We've been pretty busy for the past month and a half.  First, my mom was in town for a week, then we had Jordan's younger brother...and now we're gearing up for Mini-Man's first birthday bash.

Oh, man.  Busy, busy, busy.

Here's E-Z playing with his 5-sided barnyard toy.  He LOVES this thing.  The doors, the animals, the spinning pieces, the beads...he's just in love!  Oh, and he also loves being naked.

Here's a shot of Jordan, Chad and Ezra at the zoo.

And here's a cute one of Chad with his new best friend.

Silly Ezra To the Rescue!

I've been really, really, really, really bad at updating lately.

So here's a quick video of Ez from a few nights ago to tide you over until I can muster up the energy to actually post more than a video :)

A Little Catching Up

I'd just like to point out that I'm typing this out while Ezra is sleeping.  While I should be sleeping.  

But if I was smart and crawled into bed when he fell asleep, you'd never get to see all the goings-on of Ezra.  This kid, man...he's stuck on me like glue these days.  

I know, I know.  It's just a phase.  I'm only whining a little...because my back and arms hurt from carrying him around at the zoo.  And at home.  And everywhere we go.

I adore this kid.  I love that he loves his Mommy.  I really do.  I love that only I can make it all better.  

I'm just a little sore and tired, that's all ;-)  And I hate that his molars are bothering him so much.

So, I've got some pictures from the past week that I've gotta get on here...

This would be Ez with his Grammy, in Hillcrest.  Can you see how happy she is to be holding him?!  I'm not even sure happy is a good enough word to describe it.

Here's a shot of Ez from his friend Desmond's birthday party.

Ezra with the birthday boy, on his new toy  This would be post-cake-massacre...which might explain the odd, yet completely awesome attire he has on ;-)

   n

 Jordan with both boys...it's hard to believe that they're only 1 month & a few days apart in age!

Ezra's Last Swim Lesson!

Last Thursday, Ez had his final swim lesson with Ms. Jamey.  It was a 2 week long, Monday through Thursday schedule, 30 minutes a day.  Ezra got to take his lessons with his friend Claire and another new friend named Lucy.  He seemed to really like being in the water, playing, kicking & paddling...everything that didn't include me passing him off to Jamey.  Turns out, he's just in a super-clingy phase and will scream & cry real baby tears if I pass him off to someone :(  

Either way, the final day, Jamey went easy on our little E-Man & let me do everything with him.  Guess what?  

He did awesome!  He didn't fuss or cry or even seem pissed off at all when I put him underwater over and over again :)  

Here's a shot of me and Little Man.

Here's Nancy and The Little Mermaid, Claire.  That girl...she's so unbelievably cute.  And easy-going.  Super cool kid.

And here's me and Ezra.  Disregard my funny-underwater-face.

And finally, here's a short clip of Ez going from the edge of the pool, to underwater.  You can see him suck in and hold his breath.  SO cute.