Our Shining Stars

Desmond, surprisingly, let Mama put these fun star-shaped sunglasses (a party favor he received from his friend Griffin's 2nd birthday party) on him today, but only for a few seconds though.

Stella got pink sunglasses but of course insisted that the green ones were hers. That's how it is around here these days...Stella taking any and every toy Desmond plays with and the two of them fighting over toys nonstop. Sigh!

Stella wanted pig tails today but didn't have the patience for Mama to do it correctly...that is why the part in her hair is off center =:)

Desmond's 1-Year Checkup

Des had his 1-year checkup today and all is well with the big guy. Here are his stats:

Weight = 20 lbs. 10 oz. - 50th %
Height = 32 inches - 97th %
Head Circumference = 19 cm - 90th %

He got 4 shots today, including the flu shot, so he is worn out.

Desmond @ 12 Months

We wanted to have a post of all of the things Des can do at 12 months since we didn't include it in his original 1st birthday post. The biggest thing is communication. Des is starting to communicate more and more with us verbally. Here are a list of Des's new words:

• ba bittay - belly button
• atha - what's that? He says "atha" pointing at something.
• fowa - flowers
• bamo - Elmo
• they - there... If you ask him something like "where's the fan?", he will point to it and say "they" to say there.
• bubbo - bubbles
• ba bye - bye bye
  

We have been teaching him to sign and/or say "all done", rather than screaming, to let us know when he is done eating. So now, when Des is in his high chair, he reaches straight out with both arms and says "aa da" to let us know that he is done eating!

Other likes, dislikes, skills, and tricks:

• If he sees you by the front door, he will wave and say "ba bye" even if you haven't told him "bye bye" first.
  
• Can say the sounds that a cow, dog, duck, and a snake makes. For duck he says "cayck cayck"...it's soo cute!
  
• Can point to his shoes if you ask him "where's Desmond's shoe?"
  
• Can point to his belly button if you ask him "where's Desmond's belly button?"
• Loves to find Mama's belly button and blow loud raspberries on it.
• Can give kisses on demand but doesn't do it freely...he has to be in the mood. The best is when he plants one on you on his own, out of nowhere.
• Likes to give "jail kisses" where you kiss him through the rails of the safety gates on the stairs.
  
• When he is tired, he will come find Mama or Dada, usually Mama, gesture for us to hold him, and then he will lay his sleepy head on our shoulder, only to lift it up 10 seconds later. That boy does not sit still no matter how tired he is
  
• Points to sippy cup to let us know that he wants that.
  
• Loves it when you blow in his face.
  
• Doesn't like loud noises...it usually scares him.
  
• It seems that he likes thrill rides like being swung and spun around.
  
• Still very ticklish.
  
• Loves to dance. If he hears music, will start moving his body, usually to the beat, whether he is sitting or standing.
• Loves to read books but doesn't have the patience to get through a whole book, but once in awhile he does. He also gives kisses to animals or babies he likes on the pages of his books.
  
• He will find a book and bring it back to Mama and say something in his baby language basically asking Mama to read it to him.

Reading, Reading, Reading!

Stella has finished the first workbook in the Pre-K to 1st grade edition of Hooked on Phonics in its entirety and has successfully read all 14 books that came along with along with numerous other stories that are in the workbook as well.

We are going to be getting her the 2nd set of BOB books (Advanced Beginners) this weekend since she finished the 1st set so long ago!

Stella absolutely loves to read and will try to sound out any and all words she comes across. Even when we read her bedtime stories, she is trying to read the story herself rather than listening to us read it! Last year, numbers were her passion...this year, it's reading. We are so very proud of her!

Desmond's 1st Birthday Party

We celebrated Desmond's first birthday party in NJ today at Amamma & Appachen's house. Good time was had by all. We decorated the house in orange and yellow streamers and balloons and pumpkins to tie in with the Fall season in which Des was born...unfortunately, we didn't take any pictures of the decorations =:(

The Birthday Boy all dressed up and posing with his Dada and Amamma

Stella got all dressed up too, but again, we didn't do a good job of getting a picture of her in her beautiful, purple, velvet dress and tights (her favorite thing these days is to wear tights).

Stella with her Appachen & Great Uncle Toby

Unlike her usual self, Stella was not shy at all when the guests arrived. She played hostess and mingled with all of the guests telling them proudly about her "Guppa's" birthday party, cake, and balloons, and on and on! It was very cute to hear and watch.

After lunch, we sang "Happy Birthday" to Desmond and cut his cake.

Desmond sure loved his cake and was not shy about digging in.

...whereas Stella just preferred to play with the icing on the cake, smearing it all over her plate.


Desmond then enjoyed opening some of his presents

He really liked this helicopter toy that he got which sings songs, counts and says the ABCs


The Birthday Boy capped off the afternoon by giving his Mama a big smooch!

A great big THANK YOU to Amamma & Appachen for throwing this great party for Desmond's 1st birthday!

Trick or Treat!

Happy Halloween! Stella and Desmond got dressed up and went trick or treating today in NJ with Mama, Dada, Aunt Sil, and Amamma while Appachen stayed home to hand out the candy to the trick or treaters.

Stella went as a pumpkin/jack-o-lantern...

...and Desmond went as Ben Roethlisberger (this was the best costume for Des since he doesn't tolerate anything being put on or over his head like the way most baby costumes are designed).

This was Desmond's first Halloween and although he doesn't understand what it's all about, he was happy to be outside (the weather was great...in the mid 50s). He would even wave "hi" and "bye" to people when we would go up to the houses.

Once Stella figured out what trick or treating was all about, she was like "free candy...hey, this is pretty awesome". (Since Des was only a week old, we didn't go trick or treating last year & Stella certainly doesn't remember her trick or treating experiences from the previous years when she was 3 and 15 months old.) She would say "trick or treat" in her tiny little voice and would often get pushed out of the way by a stampede of older kids, but she had fun nonetheless. She was so excited when one house gave out chocolate M&Ms, her favorite candy.

At the end of the night, Stella was very excited about the loot she had collected, while Desmond was more interested in the helium balloon and the ribbon attached to it.

Walking the Walk!

Our little Des man is walking more and more since we have been in NJ. Now when he does fall, he doesn't get discouraged like before, and will just get up and try walking again. He looses his balance and falls when he gets too excited about reaching his destination...like walking over to get a toy or the remote control! I guess he is officially a toddler now and no longer a baby!

We are having lots of fun in NJ. Been here since Sat afternoon. Dada left for his conference in NY at lunchtime yesterday and will be back in the evening tomorrow. Then its Halloween...yay trick or treating! Then Sat is Desmond's 1st birthday party with some family and friends.