Friday, September 18, 2009

Tian James turns ONE!

9.16.09
Justin and I decided that the boys will get a big birthday party every other year. This year, Trey had a big birthday, so that meant Tian would get a small dinner birthday party. I was feeling a bit saddened for our little guy, only throwing him a small dinner, but I then realized that size really doesn't matter when it comes to birthday parties!

We still had decorations:



(thanks to Sommers AND Abbey for your expertise with the Martha Pom Pom balls!)

This blue sippy cup said, "One Year Old" and lasted about 5 minutes. He dropped it on the concrete and it shattered!


I need to pull out this cute chair from Abbey more often for Trey. Trey just sat in it for the longest time, just watching the scenery of us trying to get everything prepared! Trey really reminded me of my Grandpa, Grandpa G.Pa

We have found within the last week that Tian LOVES corn on the cob. He will actually eat it like a grownup. Amazing what 7 teeth can do!


This was a first for Tian. So sad I know, we have a sand box in our backyard but Tian really just started to show interest in it. He LOVED it! (and it was at about this time in the evening that I realized I dressed my boys as if living in the 80's! Tian's shirt was splatter painted, and Trey's was neon green, LIKE the hypercolor shirts I used to wear. Oh well, they still looked cute!)
Tian shared several moments with Shaydon! We love you Shaydon and are so glad you shared an evening with our little Tian!
In tradition, Trey had a blue cake, so Tian got one as well. I had Albertson's put paw prints on the cake and Tian was so careful with each one. He "picked" them off, one by one and ate them.
After eating each paw print, he then inspected his hands.
( I don't know how this got out of order, but it isn't worth the time putting it back in it's place!)

All clean, before the blue mess! He loved sitting in front of our family and close friends, waiting for the big cake. He almost seems a bit embarrassed, being without a shirt and all! :)





I LLOOOOVVVE this picture. I knew he would like his cake, it was food, and it was probably the sweetest thing he had eaten besides a snow cone from Miss Michelle. Poor guy even had it up his nose.
He then wanted to share his cake with anyone that looked his way. Here he is feeding it to Auntie Sommers! (Sommers isn't really an aunt, but she might as well be the boys auntie! We love her!)

After the cake was polished off, I hosed him down. I think that was the first time I had ever seen him shiver. Thankfully it was quite warm out, so not to worry, he warmed up quickly! (which you can see clearly by the following picture!)

Tian seemed to enjoy all of his presents, although I think his brother enjoyed them just a tad bit more. I had talked with Trey multiple times throughout the week leading up to Tian's birthday. In fact, before "the cousins" arrived, Trey was rattling off his "5 rules" which he made up about Tian's party. Poor Scott, Auntie Sommers had to hear all about the rules. "Rule #1: Only Tian gets to open his gifts. Rule #2. Only Tian gets to play with his presents....." and the list went on and on and on. I finally had to REMIND him of his rules as the presents came and he wanted to play with all of them. I said, "Trey, and WHAT was your Rule #2?" Amazingly, he remembered his rules and what number he assigned them to!
Notice in this picture? Trey is DEFINITELY not obeying his Rule #2.
Chelsea Ann, my dearest and oldest friend (not meaning old in age, but longest known friend! 14 years!)
Tian and Chelsea Ann!
Tian, Me and Auntie Sommers!

"The cousins" along with their parents James and Tina arrived after their soccer practice. They are so dedicated, coming to Tian's birthday dinner after a long day of school and soccer. Thank you for celebrating with us! Tian LOVES his alligator!


Because Tian still had blue frosting in his hair, he received another bath. This time the bath was taken in the comfort of our home with soap and warm water!

After Tian got his NEW pj's on from Grandma and Grandpa Bend, we ended the night with SKYPing with Grandma Bend. She sang him Happy Birthday and found pictures of dogs to show Tian via the computer. She also had two plastic balls that she showed Tian which got Tian WAY too excited. He was trying to grab those ball through the computer screen. Tian stayed awake, amazingly, until 10pm but Trey fell fast asleep, on the floor of the bonus room beneath the computer shortly after talking to Grandma Bend.

Thank you all for making Tian's first birthday so special!

We hope you had a wonderful birthday Tian! You are one special boy who is loved by many, many people!

Birthday Breakfast

9.16.09
Chocolate Chip pancakes were made for Tian's first birthday breakfast. Both boys love pancakes, and I threw in the chocolate chips basically to curb a chocolate craving for me! (I have been without candy since December 31st and was really wanting something sweet!)

After Tian ate about two pancakes, Trey found the birthday candles and insisted on lighting one in a pancake for Tian. Trey is very thoughtful and really wanted to make Tian's birthday ultra special. So, I lit the candle (after talking Trey OUT of trying to light it himself.) and we sang to him. The moment I lit the candle, Tian got VERY excited. I think he is going to be a PYRO when he is a little older. He wanted to touch it so badly!

We got Tian to puff a bit, but the candle was eventually blown out by Trey; TWICE. Yes, we had to light the candle AND sing to Tian twice!




Trey had preschool on Tian's birthday, AND was the VIP (very important person) for the day at Preschool which was extra neat! After picking up Trey from preschool, we were invited to a picnic lunch at a neighborhood park close by. Jessyka, Keaton, Kailey, Alyce, Tyler, and the three of us enjoyed the warm weather and our PB&J.

Birthday Traditions

9.16.09
Little family traditions to make birthdays very special!


A "Happy Birthday" banner made with Miss Michelle's Cricket and with help from Taylor! (when Tian woke up on his birthday morning, he was all grins and giggles looking up at the banner!)
The Birthday Flag is always flown.
Signs are posted around the house. Usually they are in the shape of a heart or a number, although, this year I went all tech-y! (if you can even call it that!) I first took pictures of friends, neighbors, family, and our own dog. I then went into Photoshop and placed text on them. (I was so proud of myself when I figured out how to put text on a picture. PUH-thetic I know, but that was one of my first "goals" when I 'AQUIRED' photoshop. I wanted to put text on a picture) So, I placed these dog pictures at Tian's eye-level. He is standing and trying to walk, so all day, he was panting like a dog trying to pry these pictures off the walls. (btw, this is a picture of our sweet friends dog Mr. Magoo! Isn't he cute?!)
I also hung the pictures from the ceiling. As Tian was eating his breakfast, he was looking up at the ceiling, smiling, and panting!

ANOTHER tradition I 'inherited' from my co-worker Tonya was to hang streamers from the doorway of the birthday child's door. I hung streamers from Tian's door at about 8pm the night before his birthday, thinking he would be down for the night, but he woke up an hour later. I was afraid my little surprise was going to be spoiled, but it didn't seem to phase him a bit. The next morning when he woke up, we walked through his doorway, and he was grinning from ear to ear. He reached up to grab the streamers and squinted his eyes as we walked through the streamers! This little guy is too special for words. He deserves every tradition I have up my sleeve!

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Twelve Months of Tian

9.16.09
Our sweet little Tian is turning one year old today and I am in such awe at the joy and happiness he has brought into our lives and home. With a blink of an eye, it seems as if Tian was just born.

On the eve of his birthday, Tian walked 6 steps, said, "Bye Bye," immitated Cooper by barking at a very high pitched "AHHH," and ate refried beans for dinner. He chased ducks and loved swinging at the park.




I don't know how we are going to bottle up the next many years, but I want to remember every bit of it because Tian, you are worth all of the memories, the laughs, the tears, and the joy!

We love you T.T. and wish you a wonderful first birthday!

Here is our Tian throughout his first year of life.