Kyler turns one!

We had so much fun over the past year with our little man, and we still cannot believe that he is already a 1-year-old. We had a great Sunday lunch with family, including Ryan's parents who drove up just for our special guy! Kyler seemed to love the cake (I think the pictures speak for themselves), but he did not enjoy opening presents as much as we had anticipated. KayLynn and Duncan knew what to do, but Kyler just wanted to sit on his gifts and play with them after they were open. But no matter, we are very blessed to have this miracle in our lives and cannot wait for many more years of blessings.

Gotta have the balloons!

Birthday cake, made from scratch--Kyler got the baseball as a "smash cake"

"What are these things? They move when I touch them!"

Not sure how to open gifts...

...but he likes to stand on them!

"Mommy, can I just sit up here?"

Riding his pirate ship--arrrgggh!

Happy family!

Seeing the cake...

...touching the cake...

"This is my cake?"

...tentatively trying the cake...

...smooshing the cake...

...taking a bigger bite...

"Oh, this is good!"

"I love cake, Mommy!"

This is the best!

Oh, wonderful sugar!

Must have water after the sugar rush

Kyler -- Week 52 (11/10/12-11/17/12)

I cannot believe that this is the last week of Kyler's first year. It has been such a joy to have this little man in our lives, and I cannot wait to see what new adventures the coming years will bring. He has grown so much in the past year that I have felt it important to update weekly, but now that his growth has slowed down a bit--and given that my boy  keeps me very busy--I am only going to be updating once a month or with special events.

Kyler had a lot of fun making up his own games this week. We love to push buttons, especially if (like his new nativity set) they play music when pushed. Kyler also has discovered a way to keep himself entertained while waiting to be picked up out of his crib--throwing everything out of the crib. There are many mornings and post-nap times that I come in and see what looks like a battlefield of blankets, stuffed animals, and clothes (yes, sometimes his pants or socks) strewn around his sleeping fortress. If I give him back any of the previously mentioned ammunition, it goes right back onto the ground. Kyler has also discovered the joys of toilet paper. At this point, he simply likes to have us chase him around the house while he carries it. Hopefully, he doesn't learn how to unroll the stuff any time soon, otherwise we'll have a perpetually "TP'd" house.

Kyler has become super smart when it comes to recognizing and bringing us things. He loves to bring us book after book to read to him, and we have noticed that there are several books that he selects more often than others. He also continues to bring us snacks from his unlocked cupboard and seems to stand there waiting to get a snack. I swear, we feed our son, but he seems to be famished at all times. I guess we just have a growing boy. Kyler also really enjoyed his freedom, which makes shopping with him more of a challenge than ever before. He used to be content just sitting in the shopping cart or my arms, watching all the wonders of the outside world. But now he wants to be a part of it. While doing a quick run to Ulta, where shopping carts are nowhere to be found, I had to put him down to pay for my purchase and ended up running after him to keep him from sprinting out the door. At Target, that very same trip, he figured out how to turn 180° in the seat with the strap still buckled. Kyler is now the kid standing up in the actual cart, trying to climb out or empty my purse of its contents. So if you see us, just smile. :)

"What? So I like to snuggle with my bear--is that okay?"

"What is this new toy, Mommy?"

Helping Grandpa with the new basement cabinets

Playing with his nativity set and learning about Christmas

Say, "Cheese!" Or just drool

Reading with one of his favorite books with Papa

Kyler has become very good at drinking out of his cup

Kyler -- Week 51 (11/3/12-11/9/12)

We had a great busy weekend, which included making Kyler's birthday/Christmas list and going to visit Great Grandma Linda and her mother at Red Robin. When we got to the restaurant, Kyler was so excited to explore all the arcade games and watch the ceiling fans with blades that looked like French fries. He had a great time eating in the restaurant, but Ky seemed to have a hard time understanding that Duncan was not there to pick up all the food he dropped on the floor. We even gave him a few fries, which he just sucked on and chewed up--I'm not sure he ever really ate much of it! Daylight saving time provided us all with an early morning, but Kyler soon adjusted and was back sleeping well very soon.

Later in the week, Kyler was starting to act really snuggly and was crying all the time. He was feeling really warm most mornings and, on Wednesday, we took his temperature to discover that he had a fever of 103.3°F--poor little guy! We gave him a lot of liquids and Tylenol, but he did not sleep well all day and wanted to be in my arms non-stop (which, if he had been feeling better, would not have bothered me in the slightest). At first, the pediatrician thought that he had roseola, but after looking in his mouth and seeing blisters in the back of his throat, she decided that it was more likely herpangina, which would clear up after a week or so. She suggested that we not have him in contact with kids for a week, and since it was a virus, there was nothing we could give him but love and liquids.

Thankfully, Kyler began to act himself as the rest of the week went on. We noticed that he was itching his head a lot and waking up a lot at night, but thankfully the fever was reducing. On Friday, he woke up with a horrible rash all over his body, which seemed to be roseola. So we are not sure if Kyler was lucky enough to have both viruses at the same time or if he was misdiagnosed. Either way, he loved snuggling with his giant bear and Mommy during his recovery

Playing with his new toy: the oxygen mask from his surgery

I just pretend that he is learning to be a doctor--specifically an anesthesiologist (wink, wink)

Trying to figure out this yogurt thing!

"Oh, Mommy, but this works so much better!"

"Hi, Mr. Bear! You sure are tall!"

Time to pat his nose...how cute

What a goofy boy!

Not feeling the best, but lounging around and enjoying some television

A shot of his poor rash! Boo...

Kyler -- Week 50 (10/27/12-11/2/12)

Our little guy is getting so close to being a year old already! I can hardly believe how fast time has gone, but there are so many things that remind me of how much older he has gotten. Lately, when you ask Kyler to bring you something, he can go and get that specific item. Later in the week, I asked him to bring me a book. Now, his favorite activity seems to be emptying out his library on our living room floor and bringing us a book to read. This a trend that I hope he continues. Kyler has also been exploring where things go when he "puts" them into things. His favorite place to "put" things is the tub, which often has an assortment of things thrown into it while he stands there and looks at them. I think part of this fascination with the tub stems from the fact that he has been missing his time in the water. Even when others are in the tub--including me--he comes in and likes to splash the water.

We had a lot of fun trying pineapple and turnips this week. He liked both of them, and it baffles me that my son would rather eat turnips than pumpkin! Kyler had a lot of fun getting dressed up like a raccoon for Halloween. He tolerated the hood very well and looked adorable walking around with his little tail swishing back and forth. Since he was still getting over a cold, we only visited Grandpa and Grandma's house, but there we got to see cousin KayLynn in her U of M cheerleader outfit. They had fun playing the piano together, and KayLynn really liked Kyler's tail.

Unfortunately, sleeping was not too great this week. On Tuesday, Kyler was really upset and super fussy, refusing to nap and easily tearful--not like him at all. We went into the pediatrician's office and were informed that Kyler had developed a sinus infection and that his molars were coming in. On top of the surgery recovery and the cold, I just felt so sorry for the little guy. Without all the sleep, there was a lot of snuggling on the couch and plenty of cuddle time. It's amazing how much you do not care if you sleep, as long as you are with your little guy, and he is happy in your arms.

Already looking for cash

Our new favorite toy to play with together--chopsticks, here we come!

We love Grandpa!

Helping Mommy unwrap her birthday presents

Ryan with his boys...er, um, animals...

"I am a fierce raccoon!" Fiercely cute!

The cousins hanging out at Grandpa and Grandma's

KayLynn really liked Kyler's tail

Cute little ones sitting by the piano

I think KayLynn is pretty much carrying the tune

Out of all the laundry I was folding, Kyler decided that my sports bra was the best...uh-oh...

Kyler -- Week 49 (10/20/12-10/26/12)

Kyler is starting to be a very curious and busy little guy. We continue to get into cupboards, unroll toilet paper, steal magazines, tamper with the diaper sprayer, play with the curtains, and chase the dog. But we love how happy and fun he is. Ryan ended up coming home on an earlier flight on Sunday, so we were really excited to pick him up before lunch. Daddy brought home a stuffed woolly mammoth for Kyler--I mean, what was he supposed to get from a paleontology conference, right? Kyler thought it was pretty fun and giggled when Daddy gave it to him. He has also started to throw things into the tub. Most of the time there is no water in the tub, but we still must try to keep the electronic toys away from the bathroom.

The big event this week was Kyler's circumcision surgery on Wednesday. He was a real trooper and had a great time exploring the hospital while we waited to go into the pre-op area. The nurses there were all wonderful, bringing out some bubbles to make getting his vital signs easier. One thing that Kyler really liked was the red light on his pulse-ox machine. They gave him some medicine before the surgery to start to relax him, but he promptly spit most of that out. It wasn't because he doesn't take medicine though--it was because the medicine was grape-flavored. When they took him to the OR, the anesthesiologist let me go back with him and hold him while they gave him the gas and kiss him before I had to go to the waiting room. We loved Kyler's surgeon and knew that he was in very capable hands, but we were still wrecks in the waiting room.

When we finally got to go back and see him, he was already crying for Mommy and feeling hungry--after all, he hadn't eaten since about 5am. After a full bottle and some snuggling, he took a nice long nap in my arms before we headed back home. The rest of the day was really rough, as Kyler's pain medicine wore off and he refused to take the Tylenol with codeine. Grandma came by with a fun tractor, which Kyler has loved, and Grandpa came by later when Kyler was at his worst, screaming and crying incessantly. It was a long night of constant cuddling and medicine, but by morning, he seemed to be a little more himself. Unfortunately, we came down with a cold in the next couple of days, so we kept his little busy body snuggled in our arms on the couch for much of the rest of the week.

Getting into his food at Grandma's house

"Watch out, or you will get sprayed!"

"I love my mammoth, Daddy!"

Happy to be back together again

"Let me see how this tag tastes..."

"Mmmm, yummy!"

Helping Mommy finish off her apple

Pre-surgery in his huge hospital gown

Sleepy, but smiling, before surgery

Snuggling afterwards with his lovey

Cuddles all around for this little guy

Starting to feel better and playing with the new tractor!

Down for the count with a cold

Working on eating some blocks

Kyler -- Week 48 (10/13/12-10/19/12)

Another week, and we are getting closer to Kyler's first birthday! I cannot believe that he has already gotten so old. It seems like only yesterday that I was holding him and feeling so terrified with the large responsibility he was (and still is). This week he continued to become better and better at walking, even able to bend down, pick something up, and continue on his merry way. Kyler has also been very loud! He loves to talk and be heard, even if we are in the middle of a store. So anytime you are out in west Michigan and hear a loud happy baby, you might be within a square mile of Kyler. The best new thing this week has to be Kyler sticking out his tongue and making funny faces! I wish I was able to get it on camera, but I will keep trying. We also tried two new foods this week: papaya and pumpkin. Pumpkin was not a favorite, but I think that once he gets to try it in pie form, it might win him over.

Part of the reason I might be feeling so nostalgic about Kyler's birth is that we were able to meet two new beautiful girls this week. Katie was born to our friends Brent and Jen (plus older sister Emma). We were blessed that they let us come and visit on Sunday, the day they got home from the hospital. Kyler was too busy exploring and pushing Emma's toys that he barely noticed Katie--if only he could remain oblivious to girls for the next 30 years! Later in the week, Kyler and I were able to visit his cousin Josie Mae, Andrew and Sarah's lovely little girl. Kyler had never really been in a hospital room that he could remember, and he had fun playing with the bed controls and trying to push an IV pole. Thankfully, Grandpa was there to help me wrangle him into somewhat of a controlled state. Kyler was more interested in baby Josie, and tried so hard to touch her abundant hair.

Ryan left this week to present at a conference in North Carolina, so we spent a lot of time visiting with Grandpa and Grandma in the evenings. Kyler loved to be outside crawling in the leaves and even walked all over the yard with Grandpa touching all types of plants and trees. Later he pushed tractors all over their house, including one of Uncle Matt's old toys. It is so nice to have family around to keep our little guy happy and busy. Later in the week, we had Grandpa, Grandma, and Great Grandma over for dinner. Kyler even got to eat a WHOLE pumpkin donut. He loved every bite of it!

Working on walking around with some new shoes...and he loves Mommy's keys!

"Check out my new kicks--aren't they great?"

Eating a fresh pumpkin donut with Grandpa

I guess ele-lovey wanted to come out and play after nap time too!

We had a nice lazy morning in our jammies...and ele-lovey is right there too!

Snuggling with the bear...so cute!