The Birthday Boy

Well, my baby boy is officially one year old!!  I had to start out with a cake picture because, well, he clearly enjoyed it.  However, I am about to go in chronological order because I'll get thrown off if I don't...

On Thursday afternoon we went to the park to take pictures of one of Mason's friends.  I took the opportunity to dress Mason up in one of my brother's old outfits just in case I had a chance to get some shots of him.  Thankfully he cooperated even though he didn't get much of a nap... as long as I let him hold on to his lovey.  I felt that was better than no picture at all....

Then came Friday, the big day!  Mason slept late this day and when he woke up I came in his room singing happy birthday.  I pretty much let him have his way all day.  We met Daddy for lunch at Old El Paso Chili Company (random) and then headed to the zoo!  Once at the zoo, Mason did a lot of pointing. 

He really enjoys seeing all of the animals and I was so glad that Ben got to go with us this time to watch Mason enjoy it!

Saturday was party time!!  We only invited the immediate family and as it turned out, I was so relieved that we didn't do a huge shebang.  I was stressed out enough as it was and I think Mason would not have had a clue if I had turned my whole house into a Johnny Rockets complete with singing waiters.

Ben did all the grilling... hamburgers, hot dogs, and some Canecuh (sp?) sausage (of course).

 Mason had a big time playing with all of his cousins.  Here he is with Bentley.  

He has recently learned how to make funny faces and this is one of them.  It is accompanied by a funny noise.

Then it was time to open presents!! He was very attentive, even to the cards.

 Mason got a lot of great gifts from musical toys to airplanes to puzzles and clothes.  Mimi and Pop gave him a soccer ball, Grandma and Grandpa gave him a small bouncy ball, Ben and I gave him a ball, and his Aunt Sissy gave him a giant blue ball.  He loves them all!! He is always saying, "Ba" and pointing to anything that resembles a ball such as cantaloup at the farmer's market and the giant red concrete pillars in front of Target. "Ba!" "Ba!" 

Here is his little smash cake that didn't last long.  He ate about half of it. Or, half of the cake was gone.  I don't think it all ended up in his belly... a lot of it was on his belly.

He was totally baffled by everyone gathered around singing to him and us presenting him with something on fire.

It only took a little taste to get him going....

Sadly my dad got a kidney stone and has been in a great deal of pain complete with nausea and vomiting so he was unable to come.  He and Matt stayed at the house and mom surprised me by showing up with Cara an hour before the party started. I was thrilled since I didn't think she was going to get to come either and I was so disappointed that all of them were going to have to miss the party.  We wanted Matt and Dad to get in on some of the fun so thanks to "face time" they were able to watch the cake get demolished.

Mason sat with his feet crossed the whole time.  It cracks me up the way he always crosses them.

In all the craziness, this is the best we got in terms of a family photo.  Looking back now I really dropped the ball on getting group photos.  On a side note, Mason spit up in my hair that morning so that is why it looks so awesome.

Yum!

Ok, I think I have had enough. 

Saying "bye bye" to Papa and Uncle Matt

The big people cake: thankfully my mother in law thought to get a picture before it got demolished.  I was bathing Mason and didn't even think about it.

I was so thankful for the beautiful weather!  The weather people had originally predicted a good chance of rain all day but we were all able to enjoy playing outside and it was just perfect!  Here are Cole and Adalyn playing with Mason's Uncle Neal.

Sweet little Neely

After our guests left, we brought out Mason's Cozy Truck from Ben and me and the water table that my parents gave him and started to put them all together.  The box was fun too!

I was definitely an asset to the assembly.

Mason just couldn't wait to start playing in his truck.

Mason also got to taste watermelon for the first time at his party!  He didn't like the first taste, but then he changed his mind and decided that he loved it!  He cried when my mom threw away the rhine of his first piece.  I would've been confused if my child did not like watermelon because I craved it when I was pregnant with him in the middle of winter and Ben would buy me super expensive packages of pre-sliced watermelon.  And if you know Ben, that says a lot!

Here he is with his Aunt Sissy waiting for more watermelon.

At last his Cozy Truck is ready for a ride!! Can you tell he is beside himself?

 He even turns the steering wheel like he is driving.  When Ben stopped pushing, he opened the door so Mason could get out, but Mason just closed the door back.  He is waiting on Daddy to come back and keep pushing.

At this point we all were ready for a nap!