I finally found some time to design the invites – I can’t wait to get them back from the printer!

I haven’t made too much progress on the rest of the planning, though I did find a great random (church?) web page about cowboy games:

http://www.eldrbarry.net/vbs/6/wntdgame.htm

I’ve been wondering if instead of a western backdrop and props for a “photobooth” set up if I can’t convince Jeff to put his amazing artistic skills to use and do one of those cut out things that you stick your faces through? We’ll see!  This is one of those times when I’m so sad that Polaroid is no more, I still have a camera somewhere, but the film is hard to come by.

By underway I mean I’ve done three things:

1) Created a “facebook event” as a save the date, and well, back up incase I don’t get it together to send out invitations in the mail

2) Picked a theme – Cowboy!  For the past few weeks I’ve been asking Jasper if he wants a cowboy, baseball or football party. He kind of changes his mind daily so I decided that because a cowboy party offers cuter design opportunities we’d go with that. Plus, he already has the hat, boots and..

3) Ordered this awesome Kate Quinn organic shirt when  Zulily.com had it on sale a few days ago:

So that just leaves a to-do list about a mile long..I still have to create and send out the invites, figure out what we are serving, do a million things to the yard to prepare, figure out party favors and games, figure out decorations etc etc. Ya know, in all my free time!

I definitely want to keep this one more stress free than the last one, which you may recall gave me mastitis because my stress level was so high I couldn’t produce milk! (thank God I don’t have to worry about THAT this time around :)

What are you all doing for the big TWO? Bonus if you are doing or did a cowboy themed party and can share some great ideas/links :)

Playing ball...I just want poke that tummy!

21 months.. you are 1 and three quarters! I can’t BELIEVE you’ll be two in three months. Not that you aren’t already acting like a terrible two..

A few days ago while I was trying to get ready for work I left you alone for all of 30 seconds and you got into my Mac eyeshadow palette.. the DARK colors naturally. I had to bring you to daycare with dark olive green eyeshadow caked in your ear! The same morning I tried to distract you with your bath rubber duckies, which you happily grabbed and ran off with.  The next night when it was time for bath I couldn’t find them anywhere-  did you become a magician and make them disappear? It was a mystery that I only solved last night when a little lightbulb went off in my head and I held my nose and opened up the diaper champ (which is probably my least favorite thing to do EVER!) and guess what? There they were.  All three baby ducks and the big yellow mommy duck AND the plastic container they were in that I use to rinse your hair. EWWWWW.  Let’s not do that one again K?

Lately you are obsessed with the Brave Cowboy, you carry the book around everywhere and read it to yourself.  I even convinced you to put on the adorable cowboy boots Lola bought you because you wanted to be like the cowboy. I plan on trying that trick on you again next time I want to take pictures of you in your cowboy hat! You also LOVE playing ball, baseball is your favorite and you are quite a good little slugger. You catch and throw well too, though you are a close-thrower – we have to shield ourselves when we play catch to keep from getting a ball in the face.

I’m already starting to think about themes for your second birthday and so far baseball and cowboy/old west are ones that come to mind.  You will be soooo excited when everyone sings happy birthday to you, it’s still your favorite song.  You quite like birthdays, I couldn’t believe you actually said “Happy Birthday Mum Mum” to Mum Mum on her birthday without anyone even telling you to! Tonight we will sing happy birthday to you for your 21st birthday, and mommy will try not to tear up thinking about how fast the months are flying by..

All my love now and forever,

Mommy

Close EnCOWnters

Dear Jasper,

The biggest change I’ve noticed in you this past month is that you are finally coming out of your shy little shell.  Last week at gymboree you actually tapped the airlog during the freeze song!  When I took you to meet cows for the first time I was sure you’d cling to me not wanting to get too close, but you walked right up and even touched one cow’s nose while feeding him some blades of grass.

This past weekend we went to a large baby shower and instead of me having to hold you the whole time, you let all sorts of people hold and watch you.. mommy even got to take some pictures because you were so content socializing with everyone.  In fact, that night we had a bunch of people back to the house and you didn’t want to go to bed even though you skipped your nap.   We were getting ready for bed and you sat up and said “Everybody!” because you wanted to go out to the living room and be part of the party.

You are completely in love with cars, and when I try to put you in your carseat you squirm out of my arms so you can run to the driver’s side door, climb in and sit it the driver’s seat where you love to honk the horn and then demand the keys!   Mommy got you a cozy coupe and the first thing you did was run and sit inside and said “Jasper’s Car!” like you couldn’t believe that it was really yours to keep.

This past week you got to spend some time with your Great Auntie Diane who came to visit from Scotland.  You love her very much, the first thing you do when we get home is ask for Mum Mum, Pop Pop and “Auntie Diet” as you call her.   I’m sure nobody is happier than you that’s she’s had to extend her trip because of the Volcano in Iceland.. someday you’ll know where that is!

You have gotten more cuddly lately, if I ask you for a hug you come running into my arms with enthusiasm. And our new favorite game is cuddling, this morning we cuddled in bed for almost 10 minutes and you barely squirmed.  You are also learning empathy, if I pretend to cry you look very concerned and will give mommy a big hug so that she feels better.

As with every month, I can’t believe that it’s possible for me to find you more sweet, more entertaining, smarter and more delightful than you were the month before but you continue to surprise me every single day.

Love,

Your Mommy.

Jasper & Mum Mum

Dear Jasper,

Today is your 19 month birthday, which means you are officially closer to two than you are to one!  You have always had an independent streak, but lately you’ve been asserting your opinions so much more, like how you decided that you ABSOLUTELY WILL NOT wear one specific shirt, for no apparent reason other than it doesn’t strike your fancy.   You insists on walking (“balk!”) everywhere by yourself, no longer content to be carried back and forth to the car or to any destination.

You are shy but flirty, making little doe eyes at pretty girls you meet at the playground.  You are still obsessed with happy birthday and shocked your daddy and I when you sat at your little piano and banged out your own rendition, playing and singing along like a seasoned crooner.   You have also become fascinated by cars recently, particularly the cozy coupe ones that have at the indoor playground.  In fact, there is no car too small for you to attempt to sit on, even matchbox sized ones!

You are much more adventurous with food these days, much to my relief. You recently demanded to try the tempeh, kale and kasha that mamma was eating a few nights ago even though they had spice seasonings you were completely unfamiliar with.  But no food can hold a candle to your beloved sour patch gummy bear vitamins for which you literally flap your arms in excitement.

Your love of certain things and places now leads to outright temper tantrums when they are all done or we have to leave – mommy has had to become a master of bribery and distraction when we leave the playground or when after you finish your last gummy bear or bite of cereal bar.

But most of all you are a constant source of laughter and entertainment – like when you strike a yoga pose and say “goga” or “yoda” or this morning when I saw you standing in front of the toilet hands on your pelvis in an adult pee stance – no doubt imitating what you’ve seen daddy do so many times!

Watching you grow up so fast I am constantly reminded to cherish every hug, even the ones that come in the middle of the night because you woke up scared and can only be soothed by rocking in the glider with mommy. Or when you run crying into my arms for comfort because you slammed your little fingers in the cheese drawer.  Or even when you wake up (too early) and I hear you calling “Mommy, Momeeeee…” Those are the moments that I live for, the ones that make me feel like the luckiest person alive simply because I am the one you run to, the one you call for and the one who kisses your boo boos and makes them all better.

I love you monkey moo.

Dear Jasper,

It’s your half birthday! Funny though, every day seems like your birthday because you insist on me singing happy birthday anytime we’re in the car.. or that I pick up my guitar. We sing happy birthday to you, to mum-mum, pop-pop, bear, daddy, paci and pretty much anyone else you know. And your first birthday party video and your first year video are in constant rotation at your request. I knew some day you’d like to watch them, I just had no idea it would be so soon!

This month you transitioned full time into the toddler room in daycare – which is a big change from the infant room, but one that it seems you were ready for.  You are saying so many words now it’s impossible to keep count, but I must admit my favorites are the ones you mispronounce.. like “bootash” for toothbrush!

When we go to the doctor later today I will be very surprised if you haven’t finally climbed the weight percentile a bit because you have recently decided that you like food – a lot.  In fact you have become such a foodie that there pages of certain books I have to be careful to skip over at bedtime like the donuts in the Dr. Seuss book that you think are cheerios, or the “Little miss muffit” page in our nursery rhyme book because you think I am saying “muffin” and then try to run into the kitchen to get a muffin!  Today you enthusiastically ate a huge helping of brocolli and I swear a mother was never so proud of such a mundane accomplishment.

You anticipate EVERYTHING, like when I start brushing my teeth you position yourself near my towel and wait for me to finish washing my face and hold the towel out for me to dry my face with.  But the cutest thing is that you say “thank you” while doing it because I always say thank you to you for getting me the towel!

Your imaginative play has grown so much the past month or two, you now regularly feed and give bear drinks and the other day I even saw you make two of your wooden characters kiss.  Speaking of play, you can build block towers at least 15 blocks high! I LOVE watching you carefully position them, checking their balance before cautiously taking your hand away.

When I watch you play like this I can’t help but be in complete awe of all you have learned in such a short time.  18 months to go from helpless to helpful, from screaming to singing, from being entertained to being entertaining.

I can’t even imagine how many more wonders the next 18 months will hold and I can’t wait to find out!

xoxo,

Your mommy.

Stats update: 23lbs 15 oz (still 10-20th percentile) and 32 inches (25-50th percentile – finally some height progress!)

Jasper at 17 months - always a "Rockstar" in my eyes

Dear Jasper, I almost didn’t get around to ever writing this because next month’s birthday is such a big one I wasn’t sure we shouldn’t wait! But as usual, there are so many new things you are doing that I want to remember and record for you should you ever decide to read this blog someday.

First of all, you say EVERYTHING.  It doesn’t matter how big the word, or even if you know what it means, but you will repeat it like a little parrot.  There are some pretty big words that you do know what they mean, like cash register, ravioli, calculator and some really cute sounds like “Cock a doodle doo!”

You are also starting to say people’s names (including your own finally!) and a thrilling new development: You are answering some questions with a Yes now, not just always No like you used to.

You are also transitioning from the infant to the toddler room at daycare – which I think is much harder on me than on you! Yesterday you gave me a kiss, waved bye bye and ran to play with the funnels in the rice table without even glancing back at me.  You are even taking your naps there on a cot instead of a crib!  I don’t know why, but this makes me all weepy -  so bittersweet.

But by far my most favorite new thing you do is you’ve started to hold out your hand and say “hand” and then slowly lead the person whose company you desire to the location you desire them to go to – usually to your playroom where your toys are.  It’s the slow and gentle way you walk with your hand in the adult’s hand that kills me – so cautious and sweet, as if you were to move to0 fast you might leave that person behind.  I hope that care for others is something you never lose my sweet boy.

I love you now and always,

Mommy

Dear Jasper,

At fifteen months you are simply (mostly) delightful. You are so playful, curious and SMART! Nothing gets by you, you understand almost everything being said and new words fly out of your mouth daily.

You are still incredibly attached to your bear but now also to your pacifier, in your mind they go together and if you have bear you walk around looking for your paci saying “pah-ceeee” which sometimes comes out sounding like “puppies.”

You frequently get bored with the things at your level and want to get up to the things like the microwave and the freezer door to play with them, standing at our feet with arms raised saying “up, up, up, up” until we do your bidding. You are so persistent and cute that we have to give in!

Right now you are obsessed with the couch, wanting to sit up there but also to squirm and flop around because it’s soft and you love the feel of the cushions and the velor fabric.  You have also become obsessed with the landing before the staircase, playing on the two steps, hanging off, going down face first and giving your mommy a heart attack daily.

You are so affectionate, you give out frequent kisses to those that you love, and even some inanimate objects! Your favorite new thing to kiss though is your daycare girlfriend Frida. Last month you two fought over the same toys, but almost overnight you started giving toys to each other and now kissing each other is the first thing you do when both of you arrive at daycare in the morning.  Your daddy calls you the kissing bandit.

Most of all you are a joy and bring joy to those around you. My wish for you is that you is that your future will be always be filled with kisses and happy dances:

xoxo,

your mommy.

PS. Big thank you to Ava for the cowboy hat you are wearing in these pictures!

Dear Jasper,

I can’t believe you are 14 months old, in my mind you just turned one – the days have flown by since your party. Fall is in full swing, winter weather even made an appearance last weekend when it snowed briefly. I’m not sure how I am going to keep you warm because this year, unlike last, you refuse to wear a hat and even the sight of your new coat sends you RUNNING across the room making the sign for “all done”, your way of saying you don’t like something (as in I’m all done with this, make it stop!)

Since I wrote your last letter at one year you have already changed so much, perhaps most noticeably your vocabulary has expanded dramatically.   You can now say Mama, Dada, Ball, Door, Up, More, Cheese, Keys, Ice, Eyes, Horse, Dog, Duck, Ohs (as in cheerios), Nana, No, Yes, Hi, Bye Bye and so many more that I can’t think of right now. But the most interesting is how you are refining these words and sounds lately – Dada and Mama have become “Da-dee and Ma-mee” and your “Hi” used to sound like “Ha,” but is now a definite “Hiyee” as you can see in the video from yesterday.

You are getting pretty much all of your teeth at one time now, the two eyeteeth are poking out as well as their bottom counterparts and I see other swollen red bumps in your gums where more are sure to follow.

You have free reign of the downstairs of the house now, rarely if ever entering your enclosed play area to play with actual TOYS, preferring instead to literally run around in circles from forbidden item to forbidden task – your favorites being opening the accordion door to the pantry, opening the trash can, pulling paper out of the recycling bin, sticking your hands in the toilet if one of us forgets to close the bathroom door and any number of other icky or dangerous things. If you aren’t running around getting into trouble, you are lifting your hands above your head at our feet and demanding “UP” a hundred times a day. Not so you can cuddle, but so you can direct us to bring you closer to the things that you can’t reach on your own, things like the microwave door, the light switches, the freezer door and the stereo.  You are quite insistent about your “up” to the point where you physically pull me away from a counter and turn me towards you!

You have a soft spot in  your heart for stuffed animals – even the ones in books – which you “pet” and say “niiice” to. But your true devotion is reserved for your bedtime teddy bear which you call “bear bear” (sounds like “beer beer” when you say it!) He used to just be your bedtime buddy, but now you won’t let him go when I take you out of your crib in the morning or after a nap, carrying him with you downstairs and even insisting he come in the car with us on the way to daycare in the morning.

You have the mind of a scientist – you are determined and quite successful at figuring out how things work. NOTHING gets by you – you have the ability to understand and zone in on the function of even the tiniest button or switch. You can look at something and find the “on/off” button in 2 seconds flat, including the sign-in computer in your daycare hallway!

Speaking of daycare, yesterday you amazed us all by grabbing the door handle, pushing it down and casually swinging it open as if you’d been opening doors all your life. Your curiosity and determination never cease to amaze and make me proud, even though each new “discovery” usually means another round of intensified baby proofing!

A few weeks ago you said the word “hug” and wrapped your little arms around me and buried your little soft head into my neck. That may have been the best moment yet, the kind I live for. Happy 14 months sweet baby boy..

Love,

Your Mommy.

But then as I read her email over and over I realized I couldn’t refuse. The fact that Alaina & Gabby were even conceived is thanks to the miracle of IUI, but the fact that they were born at just 27 weeks and are now happy and healthy celebrating their first year – it was just too joyful of an occasion for me not to want to be part of.

And even better, I got to meet P. and A., other members of the SAIF board who have their own little IVF miracles Ginny and Mason that I couldn’t WAIT to point my lens at!

Ginny, BEFORE she fell and bumped her nose and forehead on the concrete rooftop :(

Ginny after, beautiful with boo boo and all

mason - born just a few days after Jasper and is just as mischevious!

The other reason I was hesitant about shooting the party is because event photography is extremely technically challenging – the light is constantly changing and you can’t exactly stop the party and ask everyone to position themselves optimally towards the sun for pictures! Plus, most events take place indoors mandating a flash – which has a whole other slew of challenges. I was incredibly relieved to realize when I arrived that the party was outdoors on the rooftop!

And, what a rooftop it was.. it was furnished in that Miami hotel outdoors swank white couch sort of way, complete with outdoor gas fireplace and amazing views of the city:

And then there were the decorations..if you think I went all out for Jasper’s first birthday party, well, let’s just say Danielle one upped me pretty much all around! Check out this cake:

and these cupcakes!

(see those little cupcake toppers with the girls’ pictures on them? Priceless!)

And party favors like these fun bubbles:

and goodie bags:

and party favor pails:

that contained fun things like these glasses:

and let’s not forget the adorable banner!

and these marshmallow sparklers (?) that they made themselves:

Ok, so enough about the gorgeous details, here are the gorgeous twins themselves, totally enjoying their birthday cake:

I have SOOOO many pictures (570!!!) that I may just be editing them forever.  I have a bunch more including some nice portraits of other party guests over at my brand new photography site/blog!!!  The images are much bigger and more fun to look at that way I think.

As far as technical photo information goes (for those of you interested) I shot the whole thing with my Tamron AF 28-75mm f/2.8 Lens.  I used mostly AV mode (aperture priority) because the sun was coming in and out and I’d be playing with my settings the whole time instead of snapping pictures otherwise!

I did take some in manual mode when I wanted a wider depth of field like for the cupcake and cake pictures and also for certain portraits when I wanted to spot meter to make sure I didn’t get my subjects too dark against the bright sky. It seemed to have worked pretty well, though like all digital images they needed some tweaking in lightroom and photoshop.

Thanks for looking!

PS, I know some of you might ask so I’ll say that I know most of the party decorations Danielle got from Etsy. If anyone wants to know any of the particularly details I’d be happy to ask Danielle and post back :)