Baby Owen Turns 1

I guess I can't really call him Baby Owen anymore. Although, he still looks like a baby. He's just a little guy and he doesn't have much hair. Here is the little angel eating lunch on his birthday. He looks so sweet. If only he knew he had half a pea stuck to his chin ...

A little clapping action ...

With "Aunt" Ash, eating pizza (he requested it for his birthday dinner, of course) ...

Awwww ...

Mallory and Evan, dying to open presents ...

Bubba has no problem doing it himself ...

Okay, with a little help from Evan ...

And Mallory ...

Finally, his own remote control!

Yea!!!

Rolling on the floor with big brother ...

Getting ready for cake (er, cupcake) ...

YUM!

Surveying the damage ...

I feel bad Owen didn't get quite the hoopla he should have for his first birthday, but we've been a little busy lately. We are frantically trying to get a bunch of stuff done before we leave the kids and take a week-long vacation next week. Here is one of the projects we (semi) completed this weekend ...

It doesn't look like much work, but there were many hours put into this blasted stair staining and finishing project. And, unfortunately, it's not over. We still have the other half to do. But I feel like a wood staining and finishing expert now. Casey suggested we go into business with all our expertise. No thanks.


In honor of our little guy turning 1, here are a few things I love about Owen:

• His laugh (eh-eh-eh-eh-eh ... like he's doing sound effects for a machine gun)
• He's so dang cute (which makes up for things like still waking up twice a night--sorry mom and Kate!)
• He lights up when he sees Evan and Da-da and thinks his big brother is the coolest thing since sliced bread and copies everything he says and does
  
• He's such a happy, content little guy ... for the most part. He just wants to do everything everyone else is doing now.
• He loves chasing the kitties and talking back to them ... "ow, ow" and something that sounds like radio static
• When you try to make him stand by himself or walk, he collapses in laughter
• When he crawls, he barrels toward his goal like a charging bull
• When he gets excited, he makes this tight little circle with his mouth and says "ohhh" and his eyes get all big (you can see a mild version in the pictures above with the "1" candle and where Evan is opening his present)
• His silly faces
• His Alfalfa hair that is starting to curl ever so slightly at the back of his neck
  

A few things about Owen I tolerate:

• I already mentioned waking up twice a night
• The kid will not hold still to get his diaper changed!
• He throws food and his sippy cup with juice all over the floor (and he's started spitting out semi-chewed-up food, as well)
• He is so mischievous ... he has figured out how to step up onto things to reach stuff or climb up onto things
• His tantrums! They're pretty funny, actually. He throws himself back onto the floor and pulls both legs way up into the air and slams them down over and over. I know it will get old, but right now it's kinda cute.
  

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BUBBA! WE LOVE YOU!