When does a baby become a "big boy"?

Around here that time isn't marked by crawling or walking or talking or by birthdays but by something that forever changes the appearance from baby to little boy.

The very first haircut.

 I took Erik in to "Lil Whipper Snippers" the same place I had taken James for his first haircut.

We popped him in the chair and away she went.

He truly was not sad here but didn't like the combing of his hair.

 Nor was he sad here the hair in his eyes was annoying.

The FIRST snip!

See he doesn't mind at all.

Look how long it was! I have friends with two year olds who don't have this much hair!

He was well entertained throughout the entire haircut, he had a TV, a book and two combs that he had snitched from the stylist.

Theres my sweet little man he looks like a new person.

FIVE!

For more birthday pics you'll have to check out facebook birthday pics

they are again loading sideways - anyone else have this issue? HELP!

Every so often this last month or so James has randomly just flashed me 5 fingers just letting me know he's growing up I suppose so we had to do a cool pic of a "handful"

whats better for a birthday breakfast than pancakes? well snake and dinosaur pancakes of course! I think he thinks I'm nuts and I may be but he liked it.

tuckered out but still camping in the living room. He starts in his room and most nights makes his way here.... not sure why but it sure looks like he partied it up doesn't it?

Party all day!

After two botched attempts at cakes one by burning and the other by frosting disaster

(I tried to make dinosaur cakes using cookie cutters but once frosted they just looked like big green turds - a fact that I have been assured Erik will think is wonderful in a few years.)

James got a goodie bag for being the best brother/helper

this picture frame craft was in it so during Eriks nap we put it together.

Eriks favorites for dinner! Meatballs, squash and mashed potatoes.

Erik LOVES IT!! He cleaned his plate twice AND still had room for cake!

"Daddy? do I really get the whole cake?"

YUM!!!

We each snitched a piece before Erik demolished it. He didn't get too messy as most food goes straight to his kisser! He got his second bath of the day and then it was off to bed after a full day of birthday partying!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ERIK!

I'm not sure how the past year has flown by so quickly and I truly find it hard to believe that our baby has been with us for a year already it seems like just yesterday we found out we were expecting and started sharing the news with our families.

Here he is just minutes old.

And here is our birthday boy!

James decided Erik should open his presents before lunch, before cake and maybe even before breakfast. We vetoed that last one so we could all shower and put on some real clothes.

Erik does not open fast enough for James. He opened a board book first and was ready to call it quits. It took a lot of work from James and Daddy to get Erik to open the next one. It was an imaginext dinosaur. When Erik realized what it was he softly said "rarrr!"

Auntie stopped up just as we were getting ready to open presents so she joined in the festivities

When Erik opened the jammies and shirts James said "okay Erik thats boring open this one now."

Erik and James both thought it was silly that the new sippy cups were empty like what good is this? and I think Erik liked his new hat and mittens set at least he didn't try to rip them off.

Dirty boys!

Bomba and Boppa are building what Bomba is calling "a girl shop" a 16x16 building where we (yes I am inviting myself) will can, make sausage, brew beer, process our own pigs, chicken and maybe a cow if we get really brave! How does this relate to these pictures? Well when building a shop you need a sand base before you pour your concrete slab. Boppa and James set out to find a nice sandy pit dug the sod off with the tractor and then......well James and Erik discovered that Boppa has the best sandbox two boys could ask for!

Erik and I walked out to the pit just to visit but pretty soon Erik was making it clear he wanted to play with James so I handed him to James and James plopped him in the deepest part and they continued to play and dig and explore together.

By the time they were done Erik had a facefull of sand and kept trying to brush it off which just ended with him getting a tongueful of sand he wasn't mad about it more inquisitive and kept trying to brush it off and of course getting more.

James is in heaven getting dirty playing with Boppa and searching for dinosaur bones!

Boppa takes a break with Winston and watches the boys play. 

Both boys ended up with a bath before we headed for home

here and there this fall

Wow who knew we could be so busy and still feel like I accomplish nothing?

All our days are spent running here and there and getting ready for the next thing hoping it slows down a bit here now with soccer having finished up for the year. We will still have preschool three days a week and dance class and music class all three of which James absolutely loves.

Here are a few pictures and a little commentary from the last few weeks.

 pppppppppppppppppppppppllllllllllllllllllllllllllll!

Erik thinks he's an acrobat climbing all over things now and up onto things if he can get one chubby leg up you better watch out!

good game good game!

Last game of the year played on Oct 3rd. James is already talking about next year and wondering what color shirt he'll get and which team he'll be on.

 Erik and I joined James' class at the pumpkin patch.

It was a gorgeous sunny day and perfect for a field trip!

 13 kids in his class! One kiddo was home sick so missed out :(

The little boy in the cow is Mitchell, he and James are buddies and want to have a playdate. I gave them markers and a picture find book on the way to the pumpkin patch and when we got out of the car I had two little boys covered in green. Luckily Mitchells mom wasn't upset about her little boy tuned Marvin the Martian. You can kind of see his green nose here in the pic.

 

We also got to go on a wagon ride and James loved it Erik thought it was a little bouncy but he was busy making eyes at the cute litle girl across from us. 

The boys sporting their Packer gear waiting for Sundays game to start

rollin' rollin' rollin'

James has decided he is ready to brave the open road with me. He hounded John for two days to take my bike down and air up the tires and get the trailer ready for Erik to ride in. He wanted to ride yesterday but some days James takes a VERY long time and many reminders to get dressed and pretty soon its time for Erik's nap and then we take Daddy dessert (hot apple pie and ice cream) at work and then its 82 degrees and too hot for this mom so we must wait for the next day.

Well my little elephant memoried boy remembers all and as soon as we were all up he of course asked to go for a ride.

We ate a tasty breakfast with Daddy and then headed down to the garage and loaded up.

Erik has no idea what is going on but he's ready!

James is ready!

Mommy's ready!

aaaaaaaaaaand we're OFF!

James says he can go like a rocket.....but then he gets to looking around like his Dad when he drives and into the grass he crashes ~James not John. ;)

James crashed about 5 times with only a few tears, probably a bruise later, but NO BLOOD! 

Each time he got back up, climbed back on and took off.

We stopped and played at the park for 15 minutes or so and then headed for home.

I'm thinking all told we probably biked 1 1/2-2 miles. James was ready for a rest when we got home and Erik didn't quite make it before crashing out on us.

We're thinking next year Daddy is going to have to get a bike too.