Birthday Party (and stats)!

As promised, a few pictures of Mason's first birthday party.  We were in Texas visiting my family.  I had good intentions to have a themed party, and make decorations before we left and carry them on the plane to Texas.  Yeah...that didn't happen.  Too much to do, too little time.

 Thankfully, my youngest sister Lacey had made some pretty incredible decorations for her daughter's first birthday party in November and she agreed to let me use them.  Have I mentioned my sister is incredibly talented and a perfectionist?  Well, she is.  She had used a lot of oranges and yellows which I felt were appropriate for a little boy, although he did have smatterings of pink.  He didn't complain.

 Yummy birthday cupcakes.

 Singing happy birthday...

and having blowing out his candle.

We invited E to join the family picture but she refused.  No surprise there. :)

Cupcake eating.

He honestly wasn't a huge fan of the cupcake, but he did like sticking his fingers in the icing.  E demolished her cupcake on her first birthday so it was funny to see him just pick at his.

"Opening" his present.

He got help a lot with this one.

So excited to see what it might be.

Trucks!

It was a wonderful little birthday celebration and we were thankful we got to be with family.  We were also thankful to build our "boy toys" collection.

I have been thinking lately how life of a second child is so different.  He is always watching Elliott.  She is his entertainment, his instant playmate (for now), his teacher.  She always tells me what he's doing (she's a bit of a tattle tell), and she likes to join in when he's doing something he's not supposed to.  She is his voice...she tells me what (she thinks) he wants.  I was a first child, so I can't relate.  I  know it has to affect his personality as it develops, it's just fascinating to watch.  I always have loved those birth order theories so I feel like I'm getting to see it play out.  Such a nerd, I know.

We did go to the doctor yesterday for Mason's 12 month appointment and here are his stats:

Height 31 1/4 inch (86%)

Weight 23 pounds (68%)

Head 18 1/2 inches (69%)

He seems so small to me (I guess since E's so much bigger and she has always been in the 90ish percentiles) so I'm glad he's growing!