Dallin turned one!

This week I celebrated my first birthday.  I survived a whole year!  Hard to believe with the brother and sisters I have.  I'm typically a happy kid, which is why Mom made me a Happy Face Cake.  She tried to represent my bottom two teeth with raisins, but when Sienna said it looked like nose holes in the wrong place she got rid of them.

In honor of the special event I'd like to share a few of my favorite things:

1.  Helping load and unload the dishwasher.  I sometimes get the two tasks mixed up.  OK, most of the time.  Mom thinks its a big help and she's trying to train me to work faster.  She often moves me to the far corner of the house to see how fast I can crawl back to help.  My speed is really improving.  The top rack can be tricky, especially when my feet get stuck on the poky things on the bottom.

2.  Emptying the sandwich baggie drawer.  Mom tried to trick me by moving them up a drawer.  I confess, it had me confused for half a day or so.  But it helped me discover the place mat drawer also.  Now I can really cover some square footage on the kitchen floor!

3.  Toilet water.  The closed lids used to be an obstacle, but not anymore.  I've been working out.  If I was any more manly I'd have hair on my chest already.

4.  Peek-a-boo with the shower curtain.  You'd think Mom would learn to not get me dressed until after she takes a shower.  She always has to change me into dry clothes again. 

5.  Toilet paper rolls.  (Bathrooms are just so much fun!)  Sometimes it takes me a little longer when the rolls are turned backwards, but I figure it out eventually. 

6.  Arts & Crafts.  Mom was so nice to vacuum the floor for me right before this picture.  I like having a lot of work space.

7.  Foam darts.  Dad keeps trying to take them away from me because sometimes the ends come unglued.  Mom has given up.  I just like having one hanging out of my mouth as much as possible.  I'm a chain-darter.

8.  Easter.  Wow!  What a great holiday!

9.  Exploring the upper range of my vocal cords.  I've heard that glass can break when you get up super high.  I'm trying to test the theory.  Dinner time is best.  I just don't like being left out of the conversation.

10.  Going up and down stairs.  Walking (short distances).  Eating and playing in mud.  Chasing balls.  Walking with push toys.  Swinging.  Emptying bookshelves.  Eating.  Sleeping.  Normal one year old stuff.

With all of these wonderful attributes is it any wonder my Mom & Dad love me so much?  Sometimes Mom goes overboard on the kisses and squeezes.  But I don't mind so much.  I love them too.