First Birthday Party!!

Today we celebrated Cameron's first birthday party! His actual birthday is on the 30th. However, Lynn & Donny were going to be in town so we planned it so they could attend. Cameron loved playing with all the kids. He was so intrigued with all the presents that he was trying to rip into them right away.




I love this little scrunched up face he makes!




After we ate, everyone sang Happy Birthday! Cameron loved it. He had a little grin on his face the entire time...and stared right at Katya. She definitely got the best pictures.






Cameron got his own little cake. I set it down in front of him and he didn't know what to do with it (the video is great). He was afraid to touch it. Once we got him going though he ate some of it.

When it came time to open presents, Cameron wasn't as interested. He started off in my lap...then became more interested in a water bottle and laid in the background playing with that. He did get more involved toward the end, but he still would not rip the paper or open anything.

Apparently cars are a chick magnet...

The balloons were a hit too.

And then some kisses for the big teddy bear.



Overall, the party was a success. Cameron had a great time! He got lots of fun presents (that we now have to pull out of the packaging) to play with. He was exhausted tonight, as were we, and crashed hard at bed time. Always a good thing.

Our Little Monster...

My little man is turning into a master manipulator! He will literally bump (more like rub) his head on something and just start wailing. Mostly to get attention. He ususally does it when he's tired...we have watched him do it. He will get up to someting really close and bump his head a couple of times. Then lean back, get this scrunched up face, and start bawling. Such a faker! I tell David he gets if from him.

He also never used to care about a pacifier. Now it is one of his favorite toys. He mostly just chews on it and carries it around. If it has a handle on it that moves it's even better because he can flick it around and it makes noise.



Lately we've also been dealing with a little biter (and he still hits)!! We've each been bitten several times. He of course thinks it's hilarious. What I want to know is, when can I start biting back? :-) You have to be careful because you never know if he's coming in to give you a kiss or bite down...it's scary.



He has also discovered the stairs! He never used to care about them. We have a gate at the top of the stairs, but when we are downstairs we are ususally at the back of the house so he never ventured far enough to find them...now he LOVES them. He's mastered the up part...it's the coming down he can't do yet. If you're not watching he will right up those stairs in an instant. He loves to sit on the landing.



We are still working on walking. The last few days he has been standing on his own for 15-20 seconds...then falls down. He thinks it's funny. We haven't been able to get him to walk with us just holding one hand...has to be both. And he won't even think about taking a step on his own. So we just keep practicing his balance for now. Won't be long though I'm sure.



He's also just getting over his first cold...not bad making it to 11 months before getting sick! The first night was miserable. None of us had any sleep that night. Every time he would pass out from exhaustion he would wake up screaming because he couldn't breathe. Poor little guy, I felt so bad for him. After that night though he was fine...always in great spirits like he wasn't even sick. The last few days he's had the worst cough and chest congestion. The doctor tells us he's at the end of the cold...I sure hope so because we are working on 2.5 weeks!

He has been doing this for a while, just haven't caught it on video. He puts a book under one hand (or sometimes one under each hand) and crawls while his hands glide on the books.

Cameron's first birthday party is next weekend! Aunt Lynn & Uncle Donny are coming into town, too. Should be fun!

PA Trip - 11 Months

Cameron traveled really well this trip!! Even when we got delayed in Atlanta...and then got into Akron 10 minutes after the car rental place closed and we had to wait over an hour for someone to take pity on us and decide to rent us a car (even though they were all sold out). It was a rough trip there, but he was a trooper.

The first couple of days were my class reunion, relaxing, and just visiting with everyone. Cameron was so enthralled with Liv & Ava.

We went to the Crawford County Fair. This was the first time Cameron was actually interested in the animals. We saw horses, cows, goats, sheep, pigs, and rabbits. I think he would have really loved a petting zoo...I was afraid to let him reach his hands into many of the cages.

My Uncle Craig was in town with his daughter Melissa so they were with us. She & Liv had a great time on the rides, which were probably the same rides we rode on as kids (pretty scary). When they were getting off the first ride, the safety latch fell right off and hit the ground as the woman was letting them off the ride. Great for business I'm sure! We had a good time though and got to eat lots of carnival food (Ava especially liked eating her tartar sauce off a knife).

We took Cameron up to Erie to go to Presque Isle State Park. It was his first time at the beach. We weren't prepared to swim though (the water was freezing) so we played in the sand for a little while. Of course it went right in the mouth and he tried to eat it. We buried his legs, which he got a kick out of.

We walked down the bike path by the water and came across a boat launch. Cameron and I waded in the water. He cried when we started to leave so I stripped him down to his diaper and let him play. He wasn't happy until he was sitting in the water splashing around. We stuck it out until he was about frozen. He loved the little waves and grabbing handfuls of sand to throw around.

I gave him my old Barbie's to play with. Thought David would love that. The funny thing was, he picked them both up, got a nasty look on his face, and threw them. He LOVES to throw things, so I didn't take offense...I'm sure it wasn't because they were girl toys. :-)

He loved mom's windows because they were just his size.

Cameron got his first haircut from Aunt Jamey! He did so good. Sat up in the chair like a big boy with his little cape on. No fussing or anything. He was more interested in everyone else talking. We had to do a little spiky haircut because there is no hiding that hairline! We got a before & after shot.

Cameron had his first ride on the 4-wheeler. He loved it! I half expected him to cry when it started up, but he was perfectly content. He also jumped on the trampoline for the first time (I think he was more interested in Jack).

Cameron got to meet Gramp for the first time (his Great-Grandfather).

And he ate his first piece of corn on the cob. He loved it. We gave him half of one...he plowed through it and Uncle Donny gave him the other half...which he plowed through again.

He loved Grandma Beth's pajamas...

The last morning in town was the big Oil 150 parade. Cameron's first parade (lots of firsts on this trip). He wasn't overly interested. Slept through a lot of it. The fire truck sirens didn't even bother him.



I swear Cameron is going to be a little drummer. He pounds on everything! We were laughing at him because he would tap really lightly with one hand a couple of times. Then let loose and pound with both hands.

We had to kill some time in Atlanta before our connecting flight back to Vegas. Cameron LOVES this game! We call it "yucky baby kisses". I ask him for baby kisses, which he provides (usually open mouth and sometimes with tongue...LOL). Then I wipe them off and make a big deal about it. He giggles and leans in for more.