As a reward for those who happen to check in daily, and are consistently met with the disappointment of a page not yet changed or a posting added...we have added a little daily Calvin and Hobbes comic strip at the bottom of the page. It serves as a constant reminder to us of what we will be dealing with in the near future, while providing you, the blog visitor, with something new to look at everyday (even if there isn't a new posting).
Additionally, we have included a few widgets to your left:
- a countdown to Austin's next birthday (as if we need one)
- a small, miniature slide show of our monthly Picasa Web Album...you can still click on the link at the top of the page to access the album directly, but you can also click on the slide show with the same result as well
- our current weather, so you can see how cold/warm it is here, and compare it to where you may be
- as a bonus for a few weeks...there is an additional slide show featuring pictures taken by Elizabeth of Austin's Birthday Party. A big thank you to Liz for sharing them with us all...many of them are simply adorable!
The Birthday Party
The day after Halloween was Austin's 1st birthday party. Austin was once again fortunate to be surrounded by so many people who love him so much. Grandma and Grandpa Shewciw, Grandma and Grandpa Waldron, Great Grandma and Great Grandpa, Aunt Peggy, Uncle Kevin, Aunt Stephanie, DJ, Uncle Ed, Aunt Angela, and Elizabeth all came to join Mommy and Daddy in celebrating Austin's first year of life...and when we look back at this blog and our photo album, we realize how special a year it has truly been!!!
Austin was showered with a ridiculous number of gifts...thanks so much to everyone for their generosity. On the bright side it provided us with a reason to get into the corner of toys in our family room and "weed through" all of the toys that Austin no longer uses or has outgrown. On the not-so-bright side, it still looks (as Christine likes to say) like Toys R Us threw up in our family room. What was really interesting was to watch how he was captivated by all of the "old-school" toys...you know, the one's that we had as kids like the See and Say, the Fisher Price phone (with a rotary dial!!), pop-beads, and the popcorn popper. Here is a video of him playing with a xylophone...although he may have enjoyed the little drumstick that came with it more than the instrument itself.
And although it is cool to put the pop-beads together, and then pull them apart, that would be boring for Austin. Instead he preferred to pull them apart, insert his finger into the exposed hole, and (if you listen carefully, you will hear him) make a popping sound. We know that we are biased, but he is a pretty cool kid, huh?
While at the birthday party, a cool development came about: Austin learned to say "Hi" on cue when playing with the phone (courtesy of Aunt Peggy). Listen carefully to the clip below and you will hear him with a very high pitched, "Hi".
Now don't get us wrong, as much as he enjoyed the toys of old, he also still loves his toys that make a fair share of noise, and Grandma and Grandpa Waldron delivered, getting Austin the Fisher-Price Go Baby Go! Bounce & Spin Zebra. We decided to put this awesome toy on Austin's Amazon.com wishlist and have been regretting it ever since it started playing the one, short, and only song that it plays...over and over and over and over and over and over...well you get the point. But as annoying as the sound may be, Austin loved it when it was opened at his party, and continues to do so today.
After the gifts were opened, dinner was served, and Austin played with his toys, it was time for everyone to sing an old american standard to the music originally penned by Maggie and Patty Smith Hill in 1893: Happy Birthday to You. As always, Austin enjoyed being the center of attention.
But...as much as he enjoys being the center of attention, he enjoys eating even more. So it wasn't much of a surprise that he really liked eating his cake and (especially) his ice cream. We were a bit surprised that he didn't explore the cake placed before him with a little more fervor, but it was the first time something that large was placed in front of him and he had never had a sweet before that wasn't a fruit (unless breast milk is sweet...but neither of us have tried it, so we are leaning toward saying that it is NOT sweet unless someone presents us with evidence to the contrary)...so...it shouldn't have been such a surprise when he needed to have it "spoon-fed" to him. In the end, we didn't end up with that "Hollywood" moment caught on film where he dives in head first or ends up with cake all over his face...but he had fun and liked it...and that is all that matters.
In the end, Austin had a wonderful day...and we did too!
The Next Weekend...Aunt Katie Visits
It wouldn't surprise me if there were a lot of people looking at the blog a couple of days after the party looking for all of the footage that was just posted above, but we had company the following weekend, which limited Keith's computer time...thus limiting his posting to focus on pre-birthday events. So, as much as it stunk for all those people who went online to see videos that weren't posted...Austin was having a blast with Katie coming to visit from Friday afternoon though late Sunday morning.
We would love to share with you the videos of Austin and Katie playing on the floor with the stacking blocks, or playing catch...but Katie specifically asked Keith not to post those videos, or any pictures for that matter. Apparently she was very self-conscious about her hair not being done and something about being unhappy with her bra selection on Sunday morning (when most of the video footage was taken)...so...we can only post a few pictures of the two of them together. As you can see, we have cropped the pictures to hide Katie's hair and breasts. We hope that this arrangement is suitable for her.
By arriving on Friday, Katie had an opportunity to attend Austin's swim class that evening. She was kind enough to take some video footage of Austin in the pool for us to post here for you to see and share in how much he enjoys the water.
He absolutely loves the water!
The One Year Check-up
Austin had his one-year check up with the pediatrician and got brutally stabbed 2 times in each leg with inoculations. He got boosters for some things that he already had, as well as the first MMR shot and the chicken pox vaccine as well. He took the first 2 in his left thigh like a champ, only crying a little bit when he was pricked only, but calming quickly. Then came the MMR vaccine...which had him crying for a few minutes. Apparently, as much as the pricking of the needle may hurt, there is a resilient and lingering burning sensation that persists for up to 5 minutes after getting the shot...and he seemed to feel it for every bit of that 5 minutes.
One the bright side, however, he received a clean bill of health from his doctor and is cleared to ween from nursing and transition to whole milk with an unrestricted diet (with the exception of peanuts). He continues to track at the higher end of the growth chart as well: 90th percentile for head circumference and 75th percentile for both height and weight. All and all, a strong, big, healthy little boy.
Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow
We know that for some people "snow" is a dirty word, but for us it is already a reality...a 12-inch high reality that Keith had to shovel off of the driveway and sidewalk over the last 24 hours. Granted, we had gotten a dusting a little before Halloween, but it wasn't anything significant. Well, it was significant on Tuesday, and really significant today. Last night, the winds shifted to the North-West, and we were hit with this season's first dose of Lake Effect Snow.
Scooting around on Tuesday, 11/18/08
For those of you not in the know, "Lake-effect snow is produced in the winter when cold, Arctic winds move across long expanses of warmer lake water, providing energy and picking up water vapor which freezes and is deposited on the lee shores...The effect is enhanced when the moving air mass is uplifted by the orographic effect of higher elevations on the downwind shores. This uplifting can produce narrow, but very intense bands of precipitation, which deposit at a rate of many inches of snow each hour and often bringing copious snowfall totals. The areas affected by lake-effect snow are called snowbelts. This effect occurs in many locations throughout the world, but is best known in the populated areas of the Great Lakes of North America." (wikipedia).
Ready....Set...
...GO!!!!
Again, with Austin around, we are provided with an opportunity to see things a little differently...through his eyes. Last year, when it was snowing, he was too little to notice. This year, he is excited to be out in the white stuff. Today, he had Daddy pulling him down the small hill at the side of the house, carrying him back up to the top, pulling him down, carrying him back up to the top, pulling him down, carrying him back up to the top, pulling him down, carrying him back up to the top, pulling him down...again, you get the idea. Sure it was cold and breezy (windchills near 10 degrees) and it was tiring moving Austin up and down the hill (even if it was only a 15-20 foot walk one way)...but he had such an amazing time. He kept laughing and laughing, and kept bringing his hands together to signal that he wanted to do it "more". It was really cool...and almost helps us look forward to the next opportunity to take him out...although it wouldn't hurt if somehow the snow landed when it was 32 degrees with no wind and it somehow managed to avoid landing on the driveway. What are the odds?
In Summary...
It has been a very busy and eventful few weeks (that also included the neighborhood children coming over to eat Austin's left-over cake the day after his party, Keith traveling to Rochester for 3 days, Christine hosting a local Mom's Group, and Uncle Carey coming over to visit and have dinner), and we are sorry that it took us so long to share our experiences with you...but we are happy that people continue to check in every few days, patiently waiting for the times when we have an opportunity to put up some videos and pictures while sharing with you the stories of our days gone by.
Red-Cheeked after Sledding
Thanks again for caring enough (or being curious enough) to continue to visit, even after a full year, and 136 posts. We appreciate all of your love and support...it goes neither unnoticed or unappreciated.
Until next time.....
No comments:
Post a Comment