Happy 1st birthday Rowan!

My baby has officially become a toddler! I am SO in love with this little boy and love that I get to be his mom. He makes life more fun and interesting, and I could just stare and his cuteness for hours (although it's getting harder to sit and stare at home now that he's running all over the place!) 

My parents flew in the day after Rowan's birthday here, so we waited until they were here to really celebrate. He was fascinated by the presents before I was ready for him to open them, but when it came time actually open them, he wasn't as enthusiastic. He still have fun pulling things out of bags though!

 At 12 months Rowan is:
-walking all over the place! This month he progressed from taking a couple of steps, to walking everywhere and really not crawling at all anymore. He has the cutest little waddle ever!
-babbles a lot! He points to things that he wants but still doesn't really say anything real. We like to make up things that he's saying when his babbles come out sounding like phrases :)
-loves to eat and is obsessed with silverware even though I hate letting him feed himself because it turns into a complete mess. He is happy just with a fork or a spoon and an empty bowl though :)
-drinking half formula and half cows milk and just stopped nursing all together. I never thought I would want to nurse past 12 months, but I was a little sad to give it up.  We were only nursing before bedtime but it still feels like he's growing up now that he's stopped
-loves drinking out of our water bottles and got his own camel back bottle for his birthday
-weights more than triple his birth weight (don't know the exact amount...his appt is next week)

On Monday (Memorial Day) we threw a small birthday party for him which turned out to be so much fun. It was the perfect size and the weather even cooperated!
(not to mention the fact that I was supposed to work that night but they decided to give me the holiday off so they didn't have to pay me extra for working a holiday on orientation...and I was definitely ok with that :)

 The balloon octopi were my favorite! I thought they turned out so cute :) Thanks so Grant for blowing up and tying them all!

 POOL PARTY! We bought Rowan this pool for his birthday and debuted it for his party. It was a huge hit! He LOVED swimming.

 Happy Birthday Rowan!

Rowan's cute little friends Josue and and Isaac (they aren't as into the photos and hats and Rowan ;)

 Josue and Rowan playing corn hole :)

 Trying to sneak back into the pool

 Setup outside for the cake smash!

 Rowan got so shy when everyone was singing happy birthday to him. I've never seen him act like that. I enjoyed the short lived cuddles from my new little toddler :) It was pretty cute.

 The progression of the cake smash! It was seriously the best one I've seen (and I'm not just saying that because he's my kid :) He started off inquisitive and slow and proceeding to demolish the cake. It was SO much fun to watch!

I can't believe the joy this little guy brings into our lives on a daily basis. He is so happy and adorable, I can't get enough of him. Excited to see what fun this next year of his life brings!

Also so grateful that my parents made the trek across the world to spend his birthday with us!