Zachary is 1!

Happy 1st Birthday Zachary!

Our sweet Zachary turned 1 on August 28. We had family over to celebrate our little monkey's first year. Zachary loved his cake - he laughed at it each time he was shown it. When you asked him where the monkey was he would point at the monkey!

In the beginning... Zachary's personal cake...

He tried the cake, but wasn't interested in eating it at all...

Just slinging it onto the floor!

Oh, this cake is going down!

By the handful!

The final result...

Oh yeah! I'm so proud of myself!

Alicia of course rarely drops a crumb - a cupcake is too precious to her to waste!

Zachary updates: On his birthday Zachary cut his 13th tooth. Now, at 12.5 months, he has all 16. Hopefully his drool will subside soon : ) (He has been drooling constantly since 9 months. I jokingly call him my little slug since he leaves a wet path wherever he goes.) He is getting better at signing at meal times. Although we typically have to tell him what to sign, he knows how to sign all-done, more and please. All-done is the only one he will initiate.

At 12 months his only word was still uh-oh, but he has really started to mimic sounds the past two weeks. He can do a monkey, dog and elephant sound - sometimes he tries a few others. He also has two more words - "amen" and "shoe". He says "amen" after every mealtime blessing, at church after he hears the congregation say it, and anytime he sees someone with a bowed head. Shoes are his obsession. If he sees a shoe, it HAS to be on some one's foot. He is very intent that shoes do not lay around. He brings me my shoe and grunts angrily at me until I put it on : ) And if he sees his shoes, he tries to put them on. He never wants them off! He has a pair of hand-me-down red & black sandals that he adores. He has major meltdowns when they are removed. He has slept several naps in them, and once he slept all night with them on.

Is Zachary growling in the family portrait??

He is officially 23 lb. and 31 inches tall. He does not walk yet, but he "cruises" well and loves to push toys that he can walk behind. Zachary is quite the Daddy's boy still, although he does think he is attached to Mommy when Daddy isn't around. He is a climber and fearless diver. He climbs in and out laundry baskets and tries to go head first off beds, couches and end tables. He stands in Alicia's rocking chair and has attempted to stand on one of the cars he rides. He even dove out of the tub one day - thankfully the toilet stopped him from falling! This is new territory to me as Alicia would still never attempt to stand in a rocking chair or on a riding toy or get out the tub without a hand to hold.

Zachary was fortunate to have 7 grandparents at his party.

We missed Nana T, Papa T and Grandpa Paul.

Zachary got a lot of fun toys for his b-day: cars, trains, tractors, trucks, race car tracks, pounding bench, gears - all the fun boy stuff! Alicia is breaking them in quite well for him ; ) We've never had any little boy toys around the house, so she is discovering a new world. Zachary's favorite playtime activities include banging drums/piano, knocking down blocks, reading books, stuffing balls (or anything else that fits) into toys that have holes, playing with the Little People farm, rolling cars/tractors/trains, bouncing to music... His all time favorite is water - so far I've caught him 3 times playing the toilet... Yuck!

Personality... He is very friendly in public - he initiates waving at people a lot. He isn't shy at blowing kisses either : ) Loves going outside - in fact, he will point to a window and grunt! At home, he wants to be held or played with a lot of the time. The mommy separation anxiety is in full force - it often upsets him when I leave the room! When separation anxiety isn't ruling all, he and Alicia will play. Sharing is becoming more of an issue since Zachary isn't as complacent as he was a few months ago. She wants to give and take toys as she decides - now he protests! Alicia lives in fear that Zachary is going to get something or he will "spit" on it. I find toys stashed behind her closet door where he can't get them!

It has been a wonderful first year with sweet Zachary! Happy Birthday buddy-buddy!