Happy Birthday Toby!

Today is a special day for our family...Toby turns ONE! I have done a lot of remembering of this day last year. It was a day that changed my life forever, in the most wonderful way imaginable. What a year it's been. I don't' have time to write much more...we have a party to get ready for! stay tuned...more pictures, video and thought to come.

Happy 30th!

I would like to formally welcome my baby brother to the 30's! It's taken him awhile to get here, but FINALLY, he has arrived! Happy Birthday, Nick! Enjoy your day and your family. Love you.

He is such a great brother, friend, husband and an amazing dad. Just look at how he loves and cares for his girls. (I took these a while ago for their birth announcement, so they are a little dated, but not bad)

merry christmas eve!

We are having a great time with our family this christmas and have done some fun things. Toby has done his best to sabotage all connect four games that Cami and Megan try to play (they are a good sport about it.)

Last night we went to Tillis park and road a horse drawn carriage through the "winter wonderland" of lights. It was chilly, but we had a great time. While we were waiting for our carriage to arrive we stayed warm in the car...and taught Toby to drive! Lord help us when he's a teenager.

My dad made us homemade hot chocolate to keep us warm on the ride. here are some pictures from the night...it was a ton of fun!

no good excuse

I am sorry that it has been so long since I have updated the blog. I don't have a good excuse other than preparing for Christmas and a first birthday party.

New developments with my favorite little bald boy...mornings have become our favorite time! He wakes up between 6:30 and 7:30 (I much prefer those 7:30 mornings). when we go get him he is hanging on tightly to "froggie," snuggles in when you pick him up...as if to give you a hug and then immediately points in the direction he would like for us to walk because we have, all of a sudden, become his chariot and he is babbling the entire time.

Then he starts his desperate plea for a sippy cup of warm milk (or formula), and he isn't happy until he is laying back on a mound of pillows between Joe and I guzzling the formula. When the milk is gone we have family time on our bed...Max comes up to greet us all and Toby gives his wonderful open mouth kisses all the way around...Max's kisses are very special--Toby comes at him with his mouth open and Max, being a dog, licks him--it is totally disgusting!

This morning Toby wanted to try out Max's new bed...it's a Bark Lounger!--get it?! and new today...when I pulled out the camera, Toby POSED!

'tis the season

This weekend we introduced Toby to one of our favorite family Christmas traditions...cutting down our Christmas tree. It was really COLD, kind of rainy and the selection of trees wasn't very good. As we were walking back and forth through a wet field, I found myself thinking...is this one of those traditions that is more fun in my mind than it is in real life? and I could hear Toby in a few years saying..."my friends just go up the street to get their tree."

Anyway, it is a Wilmot family tradition and we WILL enjoy it. Merry Christmas to all!

lesson learned...

Some of my fellow blogging friends will periodically post a "note to self," "life lessons" or "observations of a new mom" entry. Well, no matter what you call it, I have one...

DON'T FEED YOUR TODDLER SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS WHILE THEY ARE WEARING A WHITE SHIRT!

Toby is doing the one handed "How big is Toby?...SOOOOOOOOO BIG"
in these next 2 pictures he is letting me know that he is all done by using sign language. what a smart kid!

it just got interesting...

it's official...we have unassisted steps! My cousin, Anna, a grad student at Northeastern, majoring in speech pathology, says "they" look for...one word, one step, one year. we are on our way!

Thanksgiving weekend

We spent Thanksgiving in NH with Joe's family and had a wonderful time as always. We ate great food, relaxed and reconnected with family that we don't see very often. Toby became much more confident in walking behind a push toy and he babbled from the minute we arrived until we left.

We celebrated Cathi's birthday (Joe's mom) at "T-Bones" restaurant. My brother often refers to Toby as "T-Bone" so we had to get a picture of the sign. Betsy, Ela, Toby and my cousin Anna outside of T-Bones. Anna is going to grad school in Boston and wasn't able to make it to STL for Thanksgiving, so she spend it with us in NH. It was great to spend time with her and see her AWESOME apartment in Boston!

Baci and her "little darlins"Toby and Ela playing in a baby doll crib. don't they are looking alike!
We went to breakfast...not sure what face this is. believe it or not he did enjoy it.
Ela at breakfast showing Toby how to smile

We had so much stuff to bring back that we had to borrow an old suitcase from Cathi and Rob. It was in the living room after we unpacked it and watch how much fun Toby has with it.

a full but fun weekend

This weekend we went to Little Rock for our annual Razorback's game with Bridget and Paul. (Bridget and I became friends when I lived in AR.) It was so fun to get together with our families and it is a blessing to have a friendship that lasts through many phases of life. And the Razorback's won in style! here are a few pictures of the kids! They loved being together.

Marlee was stealing the show here...

they took a bath together (this will only be allowed for a couple more years) and notice how wet Toby's head is...and the full cup of water in Marlee's hand...get ready for another shower, Toby.

Toby also loved interacting with JP...when they are older I am sure they will be fast friends!

Marlee knows how to handle him already...I think I've seen this picture somewhere else, but they are missing the pitchfork...

Before we left town we had to stop by and see Lance, Heather, Caleb and little Luke. (our friends who moved to LR from STL.) It was great to reconnect with them quickly and it was fun to meet 4 week old Luke! We miss them and wish they still lived here. couldn't these two break some hearts!?

poor little Luke needing some attention too...

Toby to the rescue...