Bridgelandia

While we were back in the Midwest visiting family, we decided to throw Augie's birthday party so more people who loved him could be there. It was great for Augie to have so many special people who loved him there: mama and dada, Gram, Grandma Janet and Grandpa Alan, Great Grandma Bridgeland, Aunt Hannah, Meghan, Matt, Everett, and Ainsley; Annie, Keith, Audrey and Margot. There were a lot of people who were with us "in spirit" as New Years Day is a tough time to make it to a party, but Augie had a lot of fun with the people there and felt very loved.

The only thing we had to have was balloons. This kid LOVES balloons. When we go to the grocery store, the floral section has a lot of balloons, and they also have balloons sporadically throughout the store. You wouldn't believe how excited he gets with balloons. I can even get my phone out, make a list, check things off it...as long as a balloon is in sight that's all he cares about and he doesn't think twice about the phone. He kind of calls them "baaaaa" but only sometimes.

A huge thanks to Meghan for taking pictures at the party.

Ok, he also likes toys.

And bows.

We had some helpers with unwrapping presents!

Musical instruments were a big hit with Augie, books were a big hit with mommy and daddy

But really, just the balloons are fine.

Two babies who love their dadas

Gram made his cake, I made the icing, and dada decorated it. Team effort. We also had a nice brunch with dishes from Grandma Janet, gram, and me. But who gets pictures of that sort of thing when there's a baby around?

He started clapping when he heard "dear Augie" in the birthday song. I can't make this cuteness up.

Not so much a smasher as a pick-up-and-eater. He ate the entire piece.

I dare you to try to take this piece of cake!

This sequence of photos with gram was hilarious, but basically it involved a lot of blurry baby. I think this is the best one.

And then we tried to get a photo of all the kids on the couch. Mad props to Audrey and Everett for wrangling the children. We sang a song to get them to all look at us, and Ainsley was so excited and danced for most of it, which is why she's often blurry.

It was a great day for everyone, but I imagine he'll find his second birthday party to be even more fun and exciting. Only one way to find out!

Odd as it may seem, Augie's first word seems to be light, although it sounds more like "Tss" when he says it. This originally stemmed from his obsession with the pendant light above his high chair in our dining room. But now he correctly applies it to lights in all the rooms, at daycare, streetlights and now Christmas lights....

Clearly the Louisville lighted parade was going to be the best thing ever. He was speechless and entranced during the parade. Then as we were walking away on a quiet street, he pointed at a streetlight and said "Tss."