Connors 1 year photo shoot

I was so glad my new flash finally came in! I have been taking pictures of him for the past week, some outside when the weather would allow and some inside.. these are the favorites:

What a stud! :-) Can't believe how much he's starting to look like a toddler!

He's starting to thin out a little, but there are definately still a few baby rolls :-) and his cheeks are still very squeezable!~

He loves trucks, tractors, anything with wheels that goes vvrooomm! He got the big CAT for Valentines Day, the little one for his Birthday and his Auntie Suzanne gt him the outfit to tie it all together :-) LOVE it!! He stil doesn't keep hats on, so this was one I captured just as he was taking it off..

It was terribly windy the day I took these, but at least it wasn't snowing, raining etc. and it added a cool effect to the balloon :-)

This pictures just captures Connor so well!

He thought the rocks were pretty cool, but was pretty much done taking pictures by this point....

1 year old!! It went so fast

I did another cake specificly for photographic purposes.. He destroyed the tie for good, but he had so much fun. By the end of the shoot, he was stomping the cake (what was left) with his foot, he was determined to get rid of it completely It was a mess.. but so much fun :-) I got some fun pictures out of it too!

Boise after a Birthday

After Connors birthday party, I rode home with Mom, Dad and Brian to Boise to spend a week. We drove home after meeting and the birthday potluck Sunday (Connor's actual birthday). Had a nice time in Boise as usual and it was so nice to not have to do the 8 hr drive by myself. I flew into Wenatchee a week later and Nancy got me back to Omak... All worked out very well :-)

The cake I made for the Birthday folks.. and to celebrate Allison (a new baby in our field) being born :-)

Before we sang...

Connor was more interested in the cake the blowing out the candle :-)... not a surprise!

Nothing like introducing sugar all at once :-) cake 2 days in a row!!

By this time... he knew what to do!.. (I have to add a note: about 2 days later, Connors BM was a crazy neon green.... freaked us all out a little at first, until we remembered the color of his birthday cakes.. sorry if that was TMI... but I don't want to forget what food color does to babies!)

Connor and I after he enjoyed his second birthay cake :-) we were headed to the bathroom for a bath to clean him up before we made the long drive to Boise..

We stopped at a McDonalds for dinner.. and so Connor could play.. He of course LOVED the wheel!! He was fascinated with the fact that it was making the "wings" behind it spin too.. such a mini engineer! :-)

He also enjoyed riding the slide.. he did it all by himself :-)

Later in the week Connor, me and GG (his Great Grandma) went to a park and played for a while. It was so nice to have some sunshine. Connors favorite parts were the slides, steering wheel, and swings...

swinging at the park..

We had gone to the funeral of Nany (Dora Rogers) the mother of my moms long time friend Lori.. and all of the sisters who have "adopted" us all into the family.. The sisters who had to fly home came through Boise, and we all went out to dinner at Ono's (a Hawaiian resturant in town). This is the crazy bunch of us :-) My mom will be celebrating her 50th on the 20th of March, so the cake was for her, but she shared with Connor since his was so recent :-)

Grandpa keeping Connor entertained at dinner

After dinner... always so nice to get together with "Family"

Connor examining Uncle Brians wheels :-) mostly just an excuse for us to be outside where there was some sunshine :-)

Brian and Connor kicking his truck around, He thought it was hilarous :-)

Playing in the rocks, he was filing the truck up then moving them to the sidwalk, int he meantime trying to sneak one into his mouth :-) But I was quicker than him...

Had a nice time in Boise! We're planning to go back in May for a womens show, the parade of homes and to see my family from Colorado who I've not seen in a while, so i'm looking forward to May. Until then we don't have any plans to be out of town, other than a possible trip to Seattle to help my brother move. I should have Connors 1 year photos up soon :-)

Connors 1st Birthday Party

I would have posted this sooner, but sorting through the over 400 phots to narrow them down to a "blog-able" amount has been a challenge :-) But I think I've picked the best ones that show what the weekend was all about :-)

We celebrated the big milestone with both sides of the family (Connors Grandparents and Uncles) and his honorary Auntie Suzanne and her family. There was swinging (bundled up of course) ipad playing, dancing (Connor and Kalia, and the parents who were encouraging it), vrooomm vrooommming with cars, trucks, tractors etc. and of course the birthday festivities... cake, food, gifts :-) It was a great weekend spent with lots of great folks (someone gave me a hard time for saying "folks" the other day.. said I sounded old and country...o well :-)

Here are some of the pictures from the weekend and before the actual "party":

Connor took 4 steps the night before his birthday party, we didn't get it on video.. and actually haven't yet :-/ (I better get on that) but this is a picture we took the next day of him taking a few more..

 

Connor and Kalia hanging out... "sharing" toys.. We got a kick out of this scene: Kalia driving, Connor kept trying to touch her, or take the toy either way... she'd push his hand away and glare at him.. this back and forth went on for quite some time :-)

Connor was in a great mood pretty much the whole day.. This is an awesome photo of him showing his good mood :-) It also shows the crazy fauxhawk I gave him... He needs a haircut.. but his hair is just so thin as it is.. I am hesitating :-/

Connor and Kalia both enjoyed getting to be outside in the swing.. it was a little chilly, but that didn't stop them from having a GREAT time :-) I think the ones pushing them had as much fun as the kids did!

Connor was having a hard time going down for his morning nap with all of the activities and stimulation, so I asked my mom if she'd try to get him to sleep... They sat and read some books, this one being on of his favorites.... and within just a few short minutes this happened ... ...

He was out! Way to go Grandma :-)

Connor with his daddy and uncles....

It was incredible watching Connor with Grandpa's Ipad... he literally knew how to use it after just a few minutes... And he really liked it!! This is him and Brian drawing pictures...

I couldn't help myself.. his little buns in these Wranglers are just adorable :-)

Connor with Jeremy and I just before cake...

Yagues side of the family

Draggoo side of the family

The guests waiting for cake...

More guests..

Having lunch before experiencing his first ever sugar high... We had sloppy Joes.. and Sloppy they were :)

For lunch we had sloppy joes, brocoli salad, potato salad, watermelon, chips, punch, rootbeer, popcorn.. A very "tailgatish" meal :-)

Another photo of the yummy food :-)

I may have gone a little overboard with the decorations.. but they were just so adorable and appropriate if I must say:( #1 )... :-)

Connors special birthday spot.. this is his new Ikea high chair... normally we don't use the tray and he just sits up to the table with us, but I wanted him to be the center of attention for the cake :-)

Connors mini football field and the big one for all of us to enjoy :-)

Looking at the candle.. He didn't blow it out but he was very intrigued :-)

Let the fun begin... :-) As we guessed... he didn't hesitate to dig right in

Mmmmm yumm.. took a little while to get past he frosting

Getting into the cake now!!

Love this one! He isn't afraid to get messy!

Mr. Blue Eyes looking around to see why everyone was watching him... didn't phase him though.. he just kept going.. He eventually got tired of it and said "a done" We cleaned him up and headed for some presents :-)

I'd say he is a little spoiled!

Starting in opening all of the gifts.. it took a little while for him to get excited about it, but eventually he did.

His newesst member of the "truck collection" he loved this one! it makes the racecar vrroomm sound

Getting ready to open Grandma Nancy's present..

He loved this card.. it made Elmo laughing sounds and opened like a book :-)

Connor received sooo much great things for his birthday from numerous outfits and PJ's, to lots of cool new books and puzzles as well as a few cars/trucks, a bathtub paint set, a photo album, a toilet seat that is a truck (makes dump truck sounds...) as well as money for his savings account. Thank you to everyone who made this the greatest Birthday Connor has had yet! :-) We appreciate all of our family and friends and for all of the support this past year! Here's to many more :-)