The Do.

No 1st birthday party is complete without a rocking hair-do. Pretty stylish, Birthday Boy. 

Goofy Toothy

This picture is a little fuzzy... but I just can't get over Peter's goofy, toothy smile! This face makes our hearts feel like they're about to burst because we just can't stand the cuteness! This was Peter's first bubble bath the night before his birthday, and he loved it! The only thing he loves more than tubs (and the only thing that gets him out of the tub willingly) is his new big boy toothbrush for his six big boy teeth!

Peter is transitioning in to big boy one-dom quite well. He wanted to ride his bike ALL day today, go down the big slide over and over at our park, play with our neighbors in their fun yard, use some baby signs with us at dinner to ask for "more," and eat more of my butternut squash ravioli than I wanted to share. He loves his new birthday blocks and the mysterious creatures Aunt Kirsten made him. Our end table is his new walker, and our ipad his most coveted item (Grandpa Dave, DO NOT go out and get him one. Do you hear me?!).

Pictures For Daddy

We've been missing Scott a lot lately, and he's been missing Peter! The two of them are best buds and want to spend all the time they can together! Scott has texted me and called me several times from work asking me to post these pictures so he can see them at work. I think it's the first time he's checked my blog in months... and he was checking it several times a day. It's late, so these pictures are being posted with little commentary, but here they are for daddy (the guy who is so excited to watch Thor on the ipad now that Peter's asleep that he's holding the speaker up to his ear so he doesn't wake him). This was day five of Peter's bug, but he was happy as can be and so much fun. We followed each other around the house and made all kinds of discoveries. We had to get really creative, having been cooped up in the same small space for so long. This pictures crack me up because they capture his latest face. He scrunches his nose, shows all his teeth, and just giggles. He is a busy, goofy, adorable, and pleasant little guy. We don't want him to get any bigger! It's all happening too fast!

Scott is trying to attribute some merit to his movie and just informed me that Thor is a story about adoption. He says he's not sure if it's an adoption success story or not. To be honest, I stopped listening the instant he said, "ice giant."

Thank You Uncle Ollie and Auntie M!

Margy, it's been a week since we talked on the phone and I told you I'd post these cute pictures! Peter was so excited to get your special package on his birthday! I wish he'd spit the binkie out so you could see that cute smile behind it! He loved tearing the paper off the package, only to find more paper beneath it! (I'm kind of cheap and used you cute polka-dot paper to wrap his gift from us later that day!) 

I read Peter a very condensed version of the book and tried to keep him from eating the pages. It is such a cute story with a great message that will probably be very applicable to our family and will always remind us of you and Oliver! Thank you for remembering our special day and reaching out so lovingly! I'm sorry I wasn't on the ball with skype!

Now for a general mini-update (which usually means I'm announcing the need for an update, but I'm postponing until I have more time). I have some fun pictures from Peter's 1st birthday party and spending time around the house that I will post when I have a chance (Scott and I share a computer these days). We have spent a lot of time at home since his birthday... practically every day, actually. It's a shame with the beautiful weather outside, but we've had a sick little boy. I don't know if it was his shots, whole milk, or just a bug, but we had a rough week. Peter's a champ, though, and has been so cheerful even when his tummy hurt.

This rough week for Peter coincided with one of the busiest weeks Scott has ever had at work and school. We've hardly seen him at all this week, which has been rough, but I know it won't be like this forever. My car broke down this week, and Scott has been taking his to work so he doesn't have to ride his bike home in the dark... so we've been housebound and relying on my mom for Pedialyte and extra-sensitive wipes (Thank you, mom!). I have been pretty tired getting up with little man at night and putting in a lot of extra effort during the day for my sick little guy, but taking care of little man is the best part of the job, so I'm doing alright (I'm reverting to newborn rules and trying to nap when he naps... why shower when we're not really going anywhere, right?) I know life will slow down at some point, and then I'm going to wish that it didn't, so I'm doing my best to enjoy the every day moments.

It's fun to have a one year-old. I'm figuring out his language while he's trying to learn ours. I love spending all my time with Peter. I'm so grateful, especially this week, for a loving husband who provides the opportunity for me to be home to care for Peter. When he's sick, I want to be the one to help him feel better, and no job I've ever had is so involved or rewarding.

Peter's Labor Day

My baby is one. I can't figure out how that happened. I know everybody says that, and everybody means it. For me it is especially surreal. One year ago. One year ago I experienced my most undeniable blessings and miracles alongside my greatest trials. I fought with my loved ones to keep our family together. I fought hard to be here every day for my boys and do all the ordinary things I always took for granted. It has solidified my testimony and trust in my Savior. It has increased my appreciation and gratitude for all that he gives me. It has sharpened my perspective on what really deserves value and attention. It has cheered me, calmed me, oriented me, and saved me. 

 I get tired... all the time. I have to take it slow and watch my lungs and heart. I get anxious. I still have bad dreams sometimes. I can't carry laundry up the stairs. I only sit through feel-good movies so my heart doesn't beat too quickly. I go to bed at nine. If these are my biggest scars, I am the most blessed. No scar stands out among my blessings.

I am so grateful for what we went through...every painful part of it. I am so grateful to remember so I can re-learn the lessons, re-appreciate my loved ones, re-marvel at my baby, and re-feel the confidence I have in my faith. I felt the love and instruction of the Lord through it all. I have felt it ever since.

Labor Day will always be a new January. It will always be a time we look back and look near and see how far we've come. But September 4th will always be a day we celebrate Peter for the calm and determined spirit that he is (thank you for that description, Margy) and always has been. He came straight from our Father's arms with the strength and knowledge to teach us all about the bigger picture. He continues to help me stay my faith in the plan. 

Peter had a fantastic first birthday filled with the love of so many. We received loving notes from friends. Uncle Ollie and Auntie M sent him a fun package in the mail. Uncle Doug called to talk to Peter from New York. Uncle Johnny and Peter's NEW Aunt Alyssa called from their new apartment in Provo. Andrew, Ben, and SJ left him a happy birthday message that makes Peter smile when I play it back. Great-Grandma Joan and Great-Grandpa George sent Peter their love. We are having his birthday party at their house tomorrow! Grandma Teri and Grandpa Dave helped us purchase a new big boy car seat and took us to dinner. Peter sat on Grandpa's lap the whole time. I think they're mutually obsessed with each other, and I love it!

 Peter, you are loved and treasured. You are affectionately known in our extended family as "The Million Dollar Baby," "The Miracle Boy," "Angel" and are constantly called "amazing!" Anyone who knows you takes every opportunity to be near you as much as they can. You are our greatest example and light. 

You love your dad; he still gets your biggest smiles and giggles. You love your mom; the two of you spend all day, every day, making up games and finding tickle spots (you make my job so easy!) You love your grandparents, uncles, and aunts, especially Grandpa Dave. You will whine and whimper the instant you see him until you're settled in his arms. You love your cousins and follow them everywhere; you think you're just as big as they are. You are in the 97% for height and the 1% for weight. Yes... 1%. It's a perfect storm of a busy, active boy and really skinny genes (not skinny jeans... gross). You eat like crazy, though... especially black beans, blueberries, string cheese, and wheat noodles with red sauce. You dance with us by wiggling when you hear music and shaking your head back and forth. It cracks us up, especially when paired with your "Lindsey face," as your dad calls it (when you scrunch up your tiny nose and smile with ALL your teeth). You have six awesome teeth! You love the tub; it's a battle getting you out each night. You are the best. You take three naps a day and sleep through the night! You rode your bike ALL THE WAY around the block! You WOULD NOT turn around and go back, no matter how sneakily we tried to turn you around. We had no choice but to make the full journey! You love to be buried in all the goods from our garden. You got your first haircut which about killed your mom... but we made it through. You love hide-and-seek, the Tupperware drawer, the big magnets on the fridge, and garbage trucks. You love to be outside. On you birthday you climbed on top of our big bed so you could look out the window. That scared the bajeebies out of your mom. What was up with that?

And how does one spell "bajeebies?"

Happy birthday big guy! Thank you for EVERY. SINGLE. SECOND and for helping us feel a love so strong that could only come straight from Heaven.

(Pictures from our trip to the Beach House)