Party Time!

To celebrate Cole's big day, we had a small gathering at a park on Saturday afternoon. Didn't want to overwhelm the little guy! Grandma L was still in town and Grandma/Grandpa Z & Justin arrived the day before - We lucked out on weather and couldn't have asked for a more perfect day. He won't remember it, but we will! Thank you to everyone that made his 1st Birthday so special!

















Elmo!



Not so interested...







Doesn't it look like he just killed and ate a rabbit?
*Note to self... Never use red frosting again!



So happy with his new toys!

Grandma & Cole

Grandma L came to town the week before Cole's birthday party- Tom and I got a weekend away... Cole got 10 days of hugs and kisses!











*He won't walk in shoes!

Wrigley Meyer

Happy New Year! 2011 is off to a great start - A new addition to the family!! Uncle Mike surprised Aunt Sarah with a puppy for Christmas. They got back from Illinois last night, so we clearly had to go over today and meet her. Cole and Wrigley had such a great time - We can't wait to watch them grow up together!

New Years Eve

Wild Animal Park with new friends - Tyler, Wynnie, Rynn and Lyv







Tom and Tyler work/surf together and this was the first time the wives and kids met. We had a great time and hope to do more family outings soon!

p.s. We were in bed by 11:15pm. Who wants to watch the ball drop when your 'alarm' goes off at 6:30am?!

In This Corner...

Weighing in at 20lbs 2oz (12%) and standing tall at 29.75in (49%) with a big 'ole head (93%)... COLE!

Our 12-month appointment was at our new pediatrician (due to insurance). Dr. I-Have-No-Interest-In-My-Practice-Or-My-Patients started the appointment off by saying it was great to see us again. Right... So, he clearly reads his charts... Cole wouldn't go near him so he tried to show him an animal clipped on his stethoscope. I tried to help and said, "Cole, look at the koala!" He turned with, "I don't typically use words like 'koala' with children this age. 'Bear' would suffice." Really? Shouldn't the reprimands be saved for the parents that baby talk and treat their children like idiots? I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt, and asked some questions about whole milk vs. toddler formula and Cole's weight. His responses were "Marketing ploy" and "He's on the curve." No consideration for his digestion issues and how to introduce whole milk or that he only gained 11lbs in 12 months. He ended the appointment with several lectures on nutrition and safety. Strike Three. "Cole, say goodbye to the bad man and the arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia!"

Other 12-month stats:

*Runs everywhere! No more crawling or walking for this kid!
*"Ba" - Balloon, airplanes, or anything up in the air
*"NaNa" - Bottle
*"Hi!" - Only received when you walk into his room after a great nap
*"Bu" - Tom's belly button. He's obsessed with it. When Tom sits on the floor, he'll come over, lift his shirt and point. If Tom puts his shirt down, he'll lift it again. This can go on for 30 minutes... But if Tom tries to lift him when he's not wearing a shirt, Cole freaks out and won't touch his chest.
*"Oog" - Dogs and cats. He LOVES them and points while screaming "Oog!"
*Neighborhood watch - His face is always pressed against the front windows. Clearly has a bit of his dear great-granny Virginia in him! Ambulances... Dogs... He loves it all.
*Stalks girls at the park - He'll follow them, stand about five feet from them and just stare. We're working on trying not to be so creepy.
*Points at most to say hi. Once the moment is over, then he'll wave. Few get the double wave!
*Makes the best sound when he falls - "Ohhhh" in a grainy voice.
*No clapping yet :)
*Loves cars and makes a "vroom" sound when he pushes them on the floor
*Great at playing alone for 20-30 minute intervals. Took down some safety gates so he has his room, the living room and the bonus room to roam to. Allows me to get some work done!
*Whole wheat pasta and grilled cheese are go-to's if we're eating something spicy, otherwise he's eating what we're eating.
*Doesn't realize he can climb - Wohoo!
*Terrified of car alarms.
*Mastered the sippy cup - Wish us luck as we put an end to bottles!

Happy Birthday, Cole!!

Where does the time go?! I feel like I was just announcing we were expecting, and our little guy is ONE! To celebrate the big day, we took him to Rubio's for lunch - He scarfed down an entire chicken taco! After lunch, we made our way to Playtown, an indoor playground for 5 & under kiddos. He had a blast and played nonstop for 2 1/2 hours - A lot for someone that usually fades every 90 minutes! We loved watching him push the shopping carts around, so we stopped at Toys-R-Us for a lawnmower. He's such a great kid and always makes us laugh - And that smile? Can't believe we managed to walk out with only one item!

















Don't let him fool you...



CRAZY!



Patrolling at Playtown, making sure everyone is behaving and playing nice.







He SCORES!