First Trip to the Zoo

The day after Easter, Mommy had the day off and Uncle Tim and Aunt Jackie were still visiting, so we decided to take a little trip to the...



None of us had ever been there, and we thought it would be a great way to enjoy the gorgeous weather and take Liam somewhere new. It was so much fun! Here's Liam (doing some people-watching) with Aunt Jackie and Uncle Tim at the entrance:



One of our early stops was to the Reptile and Amphibian House, which Liam really liked (mostly because you couldn't bring in a stroller, so he got to do some major toddling!):



"Hey you! Check out that huge turtle!"



Some pics by the big elephant (and although there are many cool animals at the zoo, this was unfortunately the closest thing to a real elephant they have these days...).

After a fun day, Liam helped walk Aunt Jackie and Uncle Tim back to the car:

Back at home, Liam reunited with his little buddy Lilly ("Finally! An animal I'm allowed to play with!"):

We got to dog-sit Lilly for a couple of days this week while Uncle Tim and Aunt Jackie were in NYC. Liam had lots of fun with her (as long as she wasn't nipping at his fingers or feet!) and has been looking for her around the house ever since she left. We had a great visit and hope to get to see them again before Uncle Tim deploys this summer!

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter, everybody! Liam was excited for the Easter Bunny to come to our house this year, and to have Nana, Grandpa, GG, Uncle Tim, and Aunt Jackie join in as well. Here's Liam in his Easter duds heading out for mass in the morning (many thanks to Aunt Ellen and Uncle Jim for this adorable outfit!!):



After church, Liam got to meet his new "cousin" Lilly! Lilly is Uncle Tim and Aunt Jackie's Yorkiepoo puppy, and we all instantly fell in love:



We also celebrated Grandpa's birthday on Sunday. Here's Nana and the birthday boy with his cool present:



GG, Aunt Jackie, and Uncle Tim:



Liam loves, loves, loves his popper push toy from Nana and Grandpa! He laughs out loud every time he hears it go *pop*.



Look what the Easter Bunny (and GG) brought me!



Liam opened each of his eggs one-by-one and carefully dumped the contents (cheerios!) onto the carpet. He then kindly shared the empty egg with Aunt Jackie:



Taking a little walk (but more interested in Lilly than Mommy's camera...):



Silly time with Nana:



Liam is slowly learning the "nice" way to play with Lilly... and even though he doesn't quite have the hang of it yet, he at least knows how to give her a kiss!

Our Little Helper

Liam turned 13 months old last weekend, and we've realized what a great little helper he's become. He helps with the laundry...



...and the plumbing!



He helps Mom pick out something to wear to work...



..."organize" the cupboards (pants apparently optional)...



... and even brush his teeth!



"Excuse me, Mom, I'm brushing my teeth here!"



"Love that baby with the minty-fresh breath! Mwah!"



Finally caught a little more toddling on film. If you can imagine a bunch of his blocks scattered all over the floor, as they usually are, you will understand how he has earned the nickname Godzilla. What a swagger!

Spring is Here!

After what has felt like the longest (and definitely snowiest) winter ever, we could not wait to welcome the first day of Spring. So off we went to Liam's very favorite place: OUTSIDE. Seriously, this kid does not care where he is, as long as he is outdoors. First stop- the park!



Look at that cute tushie :)



Being silly with Dad:





Trying to catch bubbles on our deck:

Apparently Spring is not the only thing in the air... Liam and I have both been under the weather this week with matching coughs and raspy voices. Hoping we can rest it off this weekend!

Mommy's Birthday Surprise

To celebrate my birthday last weekend, Anthony planned a surprise getaway trip for just the two of us! This was my first time spending the night away from Liam in... well... ever, and I was both nervous and totally excited. Nana and Grandpa came and stayed with Liam for the weekend (which definitely calmed any nerves I had!), and before I left, Liam decided to give me a birthday present: he walked! Now, he had been taking a step or two on his own for the last couple of weeks, but this was the first time he all-out walked halfway across the room. I was too stunned to grab a camera, but I caught a very mini repeat a few minutes later:



As full-time working parents, we'd always hoped we wouldn't miss any firsts, so it meant a lot to us to be there for this!

So after getting over the excitement, we finally headed out for our little trip. Can you tell we're happy to be getting out?!



So where was the mystery destination? Check it out! (Major points for Anthony-- he's the best and the trip was amazing!!)

Liam's 1st (Real) Haircut

Scraggley hair, be gone! As much as I love Liam's locks, it was time to head to a salon and get that mop cleaned up. Here is the "before" pic (sparing you a shot of the mullet-y back):



We decided to go post-nap to a new place at the KoP Mall, Rollercoaster Cuts, as this was the only place in the area we could find that specialized in haircuts for kids. It's run by Six Flags, and there were plenty of distractions for Liam. Except for some mild squirming towards the end, he did great! (And it helped that it was super-fast.) Getting started:



Eyes glued to the flat-screen television showing a silly kid's show:



All done! He wasn't sure what to think... and Mommy and Daddy are definitely still getting used to it. He looks like a totally different kid!



A better "after" shot, while playing on the Mickey Plane:



Liam showing off his new haircut and a mouthful of chompers this morning:

In the mid-50s today... can't wait to get out and enjoy the sunshine!

One Year Old

Happy Birthday, Liam!! Liam turned 1 last Monday, and I just can't believe how short of a time it was that our baby was, well, a baby. This was most definitely the most incredible year for all of us, so there was much to celebrate!

On Saturday, Liam had a few friends over for a little birthday party. Decked out in his b-day hat (but not sure what to make of all the commotion):



Liam's first birthday "cake", which I made him with inspiration from his very favorite book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar; backdrop compliments of little Brigid Sullivan!



Bring on the cake!



Taking every ounce of willpower to not grab that cupcake...



A little video of the destruction that ensued... (that thing was GONE after about a minute!)



Liam opening a present from Aunt Jen:



Since Liam's actual birthday was a Monday and Mommy and Daddy both had to work, Liam got to open some presents first thing in the morning (thanks Grandma and Papa! I think he liked it!!):



Liam posing in his festive t-shirt (pay no attention to the bump on his forehead-- he's got his Mommy's sense of balance):



The birthday celebration continued! Liam opening his present from Aunt Vicki and Uncle Dick:



Liam had his 12-month check-up on Wednesday, and other than his ongoing skin issues, he is a healthy and growing boy! At a little over 26 lbs and 31 inches, he's in 90th percentile (back on the charts!) in both weight and height. We got the green light for cow's milk and all food except nuts... only to discover the hard way that Liam has an allergy to eggs...

PS- ANOTHER snow storm last Friday. Will this winter ever end?! Snowiest winter on record for this area!