Happy Belated Birthday, Logan

Logan turned 1 about 2 months ago and we celebrated with 2 parties. We wanted to host his birthday at home, so decided to split up our friends and family.

On Friday night, March 8th - Logan's actual birthday - we had our family over for cake and pizza (Logan and I ate chili).

After dinner, Logan got his big birthday present - a Hape Wonder Walker. He immediately took off running down the halls with his new wagon. (Sidebar - this is his favorite push toy by far. He can climb into the bed and it holds his weight. He also loves to put stuff in the flatbed and push it around.)

Next it was time for cake. We have a tradition in my family to let the birthday boy or girl attack their own cake, while stripped down because this part can get messy. I made him a smash cake for the occasion. I used Cherrybrook Kitchen cake mix which is dairy, soy and egg free. I used Duncan Hines Classic icing because it is also dairy, soy and egg free. Thank god for allergy alternatives!

After singing to him, we allowed him to dig in.

Except that he wanted no part in this cake. Maybe it was the large amount of people crowded around him, maybe it was being naked, who knows, but he didn't want any part of it. Cory finally helped him figure it out. 

The next time, it was time to reboot and do the party again. This time during lunchtime with Logan's friends. We set up a ball pit in the basement - a huge hit with the 1 year old set.

We also set up every pushing/walking/riding toy we could think of for the older kids. They had a blast!

We decided to give Logan a cupcake this time. We thought he might not be so intimidated by the cupcake....but he was horrified when it was time to sing. My nephews photo bombed our family picture making it the best shot of the party!

After we calmed him down, we fed him cake and took the obligatory family photos.

We also got a shot of all Logan's Hall Mercer friends. He has known these kiddos since he was 6 weeks old! Wouldn't it be great if they were all at each other's weddings one day? Am I the only one who thinks like that?

Allergies

Logan and I got another blow today - a positive skin test for egg allergies. I had just started to feel comfortable with the Dairy and Soy free diet for him and me, when this one hit.

It's partially my fault I guess. I was talking to my former pediatrician when Logan did his 9 month check up (at the same time he had croup and was getting a nebulizer treatment) about solid foods and how Logan was going to be trying the high risk allergy foods before his first birthday. She told me that it was not recommended by the AAP (a false statement actually) and that I better have an epipen and benadryl next to me and that if I wanted advise on how to introduce foods, I better talk to someone else because use was against it.

She was rude and misinformed, but it was enough to scare me out of trying new things when my baby was struggling for breath in my arms as it was.

So when we went for Logan's 11 month allergist appointment and told the story to our allergist, she agreed that we should do the skin test, not because he was at an elevated risk, but because the pediatrician had put a seed of doubt in my head that would have made me feel awful should he have a reaction after all.

The good news is that he tested negative of for elevated risk of peanuts, tree nuts, fish and shrimp. I'll feel more comfortable feeding him those foods, but have gone into overdrive thinking about the egg allergy.

The hardest part is knowing there is 40% chance that he doesn't actually have the allergy because thats how many people have a false positive. He is too little to do a food challenge, so we will test him again in 6 months. In the meantime, we will be extra cautious for him.

Now any suggestions on a dairy free, soy free, egg free birthday cake?

Gettin' Sticky With It

This past weekend was really busy, like I mentioned earlier, but Cory and I did manage to do a family activity with Logan - a contact paper wall.

It was super easy to make, a little contact paper, some painters tape and some foam shapes from Michaels. I probably spent $6 on the whole thing. Here is is in the setting up stages:

Logan picked up on what to do immediately. He kept sticking and unsticking his fingers and he loved to pull the sports balls down too. About 3 minutes into playing he learned to stick the shapes up as well.

I decided to tuck it behind the door in his room so we could play with it for the week. It has held up surprisingly well actually! Since his room is sports themed, it doesn't bother me at all that it is always out and it gives him something to do while I put away his laundry.

I'll probably take it down soon and put it away for another rainy day (or maybe a snow day if we ever get one!) I think I might add some feathers and fabric into the mix next time too. Who knows...maybe I'll even add it to the activity list for his birthday, which we are hosting at home.

It was a really fun activity for the whole family and it was just awesome to see Logan explore something new. I get to do activities like this all the time for Logan but Cory really got into it too. I think we might do some artwork this weekend as a family since the weather forecast is bitter cold!

Back to our Regularly Scheduled Programing

I know, I know, I totally slacked this MLK weekend. But here is the thing- ALOT happened this weekend. We learned to play poker with friends, had a breakfast date with our nephews, had a playmate with our nephews, went to gymboree - twice, had a guest over from Florida (which meant spending 2 hours frantically shoving everything in drawers and closets so our home appeared neat!) had a shiva to attend, hung the 25+ items on the wall for the secret project, made a cool new toy for Logan, received our citrus lane box, tried a new diaper brand... and then this happened:

That walking pretty much took the icing on the cake of a pretty awesome family focused weekend - and since Logan loved to walk and we loved watching him, we made him do it over, and over, and over again. So yeah. Not a lot of time for the blog.

 On the other hand, I do have a lot of fun things to update you all on! In the meantime...take another peek at  little man's skills!

Dreaming of: DIY Play Kitchens

I really, really, really want to build Logan a kitchen for Chanukah. I know...I am a year early in my planning and I haven't even purchased his birthday present yet, but I really want to do this. Problem is, I'm not so good with power tools. I don't own any or know how to use them....and I am the crafter one in this house when it comes to this (I bet my husband doesn't even know what a wet saw is.) You need a surround sound system wired? I'm your girl. You need Ikea furniture build? I can do it...but actually making my own piece of furniture makes me want to hid in the bathtub.

Seriously.

Here is the thing though, I have vocalized my desire to do this to quite a few people now. My husband, my mom, my sister-in-law, my handy man (because I am not capable of wall mounting a TV or regrouting the outside stone work.) - they all look at me like I am crazy. My mother-in-law actually yelled at me and told me I take on too many projects, while my husband nervously nodded his head in agreement after I had earlier asked a relative if they owned a miter saw.

Now you would think that with all signs pointing to NO, I would get this idea out of my head. Except that when people tell me NO...I just want to do it even more. While I continue to hem and haul over if I should buy him this lovely KidKraft Kitchen that would look great in my basement or this Hape Kitchen which is charmingly made of wood...I still drift back to the following images and dream that I too can be as handy as these fine DIYers.

1. Small and Friendly

Seriously - it has a backsplash!!!

2. The Crafting Chicks

I like a spacious kitchen, it gives Logan more room to play. Love the lines on it too - minus the dress skirt - he is a boy!

3. Young House Love

Simple + Pretty + Young House Love = Perfection.

4. N/A

I'm pretty sure this kitchen is nicer than my kitchen. It freaking has a working light!

5. Pilar Valtierra Photography

That is a marble countertop. MARBLE. For a child. Ridiculous - and beautiful.

So after those images I really want to do this for Logan. But then again...

Help!! Should I or Shouldn't I? Decisions, decisions...

Arachnophobic Baby

I've decided that Cory, Logan and I need to embark on more fun, new family activities - like the adventure we had at the aquarium. I'm shooting for once  a week or so going forward. Nothing big, just some good family time since most weekends Cory and I take turns watching Logan while the other person takes a break or does errands.

We decided to start off by going to a character brunch with my nephews so Logan could meet Spiderman, Mickey Mouse, Belle, Snow White and a Power Ranger. 

 I love this photo of Logan giving me hugs, he didn't want to pose for the camera, but I love it anyway. Ok, now onto the characters.

Tyler met Snow White and was totally enamored, in fact, he was the first person in line to meet her - beating out all the girls!

Logan loved Mickey Mouse, he was totally obsessed with holding his hand or watching him from across the room.

Tyler was equally in love with Mickey - look at that grin!

Ethan was a little too cool for posing for photos with the character, but he did a great spiderman pose for me! He was clearly very into his character. What a stance!

You know who wasn't so into spiderman?

Logan reacted to everyone but Mickey in the same manner - clearly he is saying "What the $@*&#$?!?!?" That face cracks me up every time!

Can't wait to figure out our weekend activity - perhaps if the weather holds we can do something outdoors.

10 Months

Logan is 10 months old already. WOW. This month in particular flew by, probably because of our 10 day vacation - which always makes time fly by doesn't it?

We are still recovering from said vacation, Logan continues to wake up at 5:30 a.m. and nap for only 20 minutes. He has held up well so far, but yesterday got very cranky. We've decided go back to some sleep training techniques we used when he was 5 months old and refusing to nap at all. Fingers crossed, he'll be back to his great sleeper self by week's end.

5:30 a.m. smiles

Now lets cover some of the milestones of the month shall we?

Logan now says "baa," "puffs," "Dog," and sort of "maa" (like a goat.) He also mimics really well now. I'll sing Ahh, why, or Ooo and he will copy me quite nicely.

He plays hide and seek with me now. (I do the hiding, he does the seeking.)

His favorite game is to chase me around and around and around the square ottoman in his play room.

He stands up on everything and has even walked a foot or two on his activity walker!

He is constantly moving.

He likes to exercise his opinions. He picks a book, allows us to read one page, then shuts the book and chooses another one. It works the same way for his toys and the objects he stands on. 

He smiles when I say "No" or when I sneeze. 

He learned to give kisses, by putting his forehead to yours. Melts my heart every time. He even kisses daddy on my iPhone during FaceTime.

So there you have it. 10 months old in a nutshell...and here is the money shot, kinda blurry but what a happy boy:

Florida Highlights

We just got back from Florida and it was definitely a trip of firsts! There were almost too many to count, but here are our favorite firsts.

First time in the sand - not a fan.

First time in the pool - he's a water baby!

First time at Loggerhead Marine Life Center - a childhood favorite of mine I loved sharing with him.

First time on a train - not so excited.

First Christmas!

First time at Nana and Poppi's house.

 First Carousel Ride. This was my favorite little moment with our family. It was lovely to experience one of the most iconic childhood rides for the first time with a new understanding. He loves it as much as I did.

2012: A Year in Review

I'd like to take the time to celebrate the highlights of the best year of my life. Here are my favorite shots of 2012!

Wishing you all the best in 2013!