Alfalfa

ONE

So the little man is one. I guess we're parents of a toddler now. (What does this mean??)

On his big day the three of us got up together and he opened his present from Ma and Pa. His hair is all crazy in this shot, and he looks disgruntled. (He has a pretty substantial mullet these days.)

Soon after that Uncle Tyler and Grandma G showed up and we all went out for breakfast together at Real Food Cafe. Yum.

His party was the next day. In streamed grandparents, great-grandparents, two uncles, and one honorary great-aunt-and-uncle (they've been caring for Jude one day a week since he was born, and he loves them).

We had soup. And cheese. And pumpkin cake. And cider. We mildly spiked our coffee with Irish Cream, and it was very festive. Jude had carrot cake with cream-cheese frosting. I didn't do anything fancy with it. It was still in the pan and I kind of messed up the frosting recipe. But it had a giant red "1" on it, and he thought it was awesome. We had to take the customary frosting-smeared face shots, so deal with it :)

Here's the evidence:

*Sigh*. It's been a whole year since all this happened. Wow.

Couch Everest

Jude has gotten the hang of pulling up on a couch cushion we put on the floor for him. We entice him by stacking wooden blocks or cups into towers on top of it. Quick, excited breathing ensues, with an army crawl dash to the base of the cushion. Once he's up on the cushion he uses it to get up unto the cushionless half of the couch and then... the final step to the summit: the cushioned half. Tada!

Here he is basking in his own glory; advancing on Grandpa G who got a few minutes alone with him while Jono cooked dinner and Mom and I ran an errand.

(!)

See him pleased as punch with himself in Figure 2? I should hope that cheeks were promptly nibbled after these were taken.

Oh Ye of the Flowing Mane...

Jude went trick-or-treating for the first time this year, since he wasn't around this time last year. I barely remember those days.

We had two costumes to choose from, but the scary lion was the one he went public with. He is "rarring" in the second lion shot, can you tell? (Sorry these are blurry - there was a lot of movement going on and I dislike flash photography.)

The funniest part of the evening was the part where Jude was going door to door in his costume with six un-costumed adults in tow. (Two grandparents, two parents, an uncle and an uncle's girlfriend). Dorky? Obsessed? Yes.

This is the one he didn't go out in. Tough call.

I might add more action shots later once I can get them from my mom. Thanks to Jan K for the costumes :)