Boys' Birthday Party and Baptism Celebration for Dylan

Despite illness, we did actually enjoy our party for the boys. Gavin's fifth birthday was Feb. 3 and Dylan's first birthday was Feb. 18. and we baptized Dylan on Feb. 22. It was an exciting weekend with visitors, friends, family, etc. The kids played hard on Saturday during the party. Of course it was freezing outside so we had a house full. There are lots of pictures in the folder on Kodak. Lots of kids in attendance and when all was said and done - the mess must be a reflection of the fun had by all.

New book...poor sick baby.

Ya, gotta mean it...

In addition, Dylan's baptism went very smoothly, even with fever, congestion and crankiness. Scott and Lisa North are Dylan's Godparents. He continues to be a blessing and we are excited to bring the North family closer to ours.

Lisa and Scott North, Nicole, Dylan and Pete...

Smile through the Snot...

Pictures: http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=c32umv5.aunxth6h&x=0&y=u3skwd&localeid=en_US

Happy Birthday Dylan Oswald Vitale - You're One!

Happy birthday baby! We love you...smiley.

Dylan, the last days of being a baby...

The one year milestone is looming. He is walk, babbling, trying to catch older siblings, devastated when Daddy leaves the room, fussy when he is hungry, throws things on the floor when he is full, stubborn and sensitive...with all that he has only 2 more days as a baby. Toddler? That is almost a dirty word.

How did this happen? How did my youngest, my last, reach one year old? I don't feel like I saw enough, captured enough, burned enough memories into my mind or onto the pages with photos or print. I struggle with this battle all the time with Gavin and Nora but their growth (other than literally) is more stretched out these days. Sure, they still change quickly but in a matter of days rather than minutes. Dylan is doing something new too often to even count in one day. He discovered the wonderment of unloading the toy box yesterday. He isn't as intent as Nora was at the same age, at least not yet, but there is something funny about taking toys out and putting them on the floor.

Dylan had a great time in the ball pit at Seabase on Saturday. He was never happier. He could climb up and over the curb wall and threw the balls out and laughed. Isn't he too little?

Snuggle time has been reduced exponentially. He is getting into his crib at night sort of sleepy now as opposed to letting you rock him. With walking, he wants to do it himself rather than be carried to the highchair for a meal. He wants to climb up the steps before bath time or after coming home. There is less and less time in Mommy's arms. While my back and Pete's elbow thanks us for not hauling around the 27 lb bundle, my heart does not. It aches a little.

The most recent stranger anxiety/separation anxiety phase has passed allowing for a willingness to go to school to return. Now you are probably thinking - great. Most of me is too but when he is is waving bye-bye and off to search for a toy...Mommy has to let go a little more.

Things we say goodbye to for the last time...So, I say goodbye to Formula (WOOHOO, Hooray!), goodbye to baby food and cereal (woohoo, hooray), goodbye to dirty diapers that aren't too bad because now we eat big people food, goodbye to some bottles - down to four bottles a day and soon to be three, goodbye to shirts that snap (onies), goodbye to most slothes that snap...goodbye to the baby hair brush, goodbye to Puffs (doesn't want them), goodbye to baby chew toys and the Jumperoo because he wants to walk, and countless other things that slip away unnoticed. Some good - good riddins. Others, I dream of as it they occured 100 years ago and never to do again with my child.

I wanted to confess these thoughts in preparation for the big week and milestone on Wednesday, February 18 - Dylan Oswald Vitale will be one year. Only joy and pride for the remainder of the week to enjoy every moment.

Birthday boy will celebrate at home with family on Wednesday, party with family and friends at our house on Saturday and then Dylan will be baptized on Sunday. Big week ahead!

Gavin's friends party

Oh it was a blast. We went to Seabase on Saturday with the kids for a celebration. Gavin invited friends to play, eat pizza and brownie cake and play video games. They played hard. Nora was in tears when we left. Not protesting or mad, just plain tired..."So sleepy". Dylan barely made it out of the parking lot before going to sleep in the car. Gavin enjoyed having friends from school (Dominic, Abigail, Logan, Carly, Connor), friends from the neighborhood (Stephen, Mady) and family friends (Justin, Francesca, Bradley, Alex, Noah, Tess, Annie). They all got along great. In the end the parents had to gang up on them to get them out the door.

[Note: It is exhausting being around 17 kids and in a public place with hundreds of kids that ate nearly no food and all of the icing off their cake. We have to be totally out of minds to go to such a place. Not only were the kids exhausted, but I went to bed at 9:00pm. Holy moly. With said, it was all worth it being that I left it all behind. We came, we made a mess and now we are going home...]

Updated photos for birthday party: Jan&Feb 2009 Photos

Progress

So, Dylan has made big progress. Always happens fast...too fast. He made some major progress with balance over the weekend but now we are working on turning, changing direction, recovering from near falls, surviving passers by (siblings) and the like. He is areally do well. I love the arms up in the air, waddle near straight legged strides he is taking. He is very proud as well.

Happy Birthday Gavin Tucker Vitale

Well, he's five...5...five.

Gavin has been very excited to turn five. His closest friends are all fall birthdays and February is an eternity from November for a 4, now 5 year old. There is also prestige with age for these little people. He was happy to join the crowd so to say. His birthday celebrations are threefold:

1. At home with his family for pizza dinner (per his request) followed by ice cream and brownies for dessert. Presents and playtime to follow. He requested a movie night per as well. We'll see if he makes it that long.

Note: He didn't make it...no movie although normal evening...slept until 7:30 - normal 6:00 kid...

2. On February 14, he is hosting a friends party at Seabase. It is an indoor playground of sorts with a video arcade and pizza party, etc. Very exciting...

3. On February 21, family birthday party - this is combination party and celebration for Gavin's birthday as well as Dylan's first birthday and baptism (more on that later of course).

Some memories that I am thinking about today...

...baby Gavin...Binky almost always...marathon nurser...lullabies...

...first smile...tears for Gammie...

...first rollover...ever quest from the remote control...first steps before Christmas in his gray sweats...

...Florida with Gammie and Aunt Jen...bad milk...Dinner with his ladies...a good hard French roll...rolling under the table...

...Cabo...Floatie...sun hat...naps at the pool...dinner in Marina...

...taking two days to open all the Christmas presents...

...first Birthday...cake and icing in his nose and ears...it was red...

..."more neogot" = more yogurt...

...waking Mommy on the couch on a Thursday morning during cartoons as she sleeps - "Mama, want to play?" (Gavin went through a phase getting up at 4:30 am - I was in my first trimester with Nora)...

...4th of July red, white, and blue Speedo...beach time, ocean...

...meeting Nora at 20 months..."baby hair"...pretty, smack...

...Second Christmas, opened EVERYONE's gifts...

...Second birthday...first Monster Jam with Daddy and Papa...

...super fast on a push firetruck in the driveway...trucks...Monster trucks...tractors...bubbles too!...

...cabo in the fall...jumping into Uncle Jarrett's arms in the "deep water"...

..."Hello, baby "rora" - Aurora (Forte)...singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star...tears in my eyes...tears in Aunt Jen's eyes...

..."Mama, I'm free" = I'm three...

...first real snow sled riding...faster!

...riding a tricycle, running in the yard...doing the big blue sliding board at the park...hitting a t-ball...

...Telling Gavin he would be a big brother...excitement, fulfilling his wish for a little brother because he already has a little sister...

...Hershey Park...Bessie...waterpark magic...swings..rides until you drop...literally at 6:00pm...willingness to ride in stroller second day...

...Zoo time...Pittsburgh...Akron...Detriot...lions/Simba... tigers/Raja...bears/Rocky...

...Sitting on the arm of the big chair for books in his room since their was no room on my lap (Dylan belly)...

...I'm the big brother...Dylan can't come before my birthday...I need to be 4...

...Dylan, maybe I can give him a Hot Wheel...I can't believe he's here...Twinkle Twinkle worked the last time I met a baby...more silent sliding tears of joy for a new baby but for pride for my first...

...Tolerance and teaching a little sister how to manage being the older sibling....

...Amusement parks, festivals, county fair...first roller coaster...mastering the water park...

...Water park skills put to use at Kalahari for his sister's third birthday...

...joy, smiles, ticklish, funny, sincere, sensitive, near by, loving, schmoozer...

...Countdown to Christmas...an ornament a day...Santa - He rocks although lots of questions...toys that parents don't understand...

...still needing a Bunny...a lovey and a comfortable pillow..."Will you sit with me?"

...Desperate to be five, Mommy holding on to the above desperately to remember, enjoy, cherish...

I could walk 500 hundred miles...

Oh, my baby is walking. Dylan has been take a step or two here and there but all and all he has been content to crawl (because it is faster to try and catch the big kids) or he has been the king of cruise (walking along the length of the couch, etc.). Last Thursday (1/29/09) he was standing at his piano playing away and I clapped when he was done. He turned around, smiled and walked five steps right over to me. I was shocked. So was Daddy standing behind him. So, ever since he has been mastering his steps, along with his courage. On Saturday, he was hanging out with Papa and Daddy and they were working him hard. He has taken off since. Brave little man. He pulls up on an object, turns around, leans and then lifts his arms high in the air and toddles off into the middle of the room or towards his destination of choice. Awesome. I'd say he is doing 8-10 steps regularly and up to 15 max. He either falls straight down onto his bum or leans over too far and suppermans onto his belly. He has leaned way over and ended up on his hands and feet but can't boost himself back up yet. Won't be long...