Someone LOVES playing outside...

The Grandparents Z invited us for a quick cinco de mayo celebration. Casey enjoyed some taquitos, chicken and beef.

Computer is still broken, but I managed to post come pictures. I have some very cute ones from earlier this week & I'll try to post them over the weekend.
Casey had an excellent day at prison. They were outside most of the day, which he LOVED. So, when we got home, I decided we would go play outside before dinner. He quite enjoyed it and only ate a little grass. In other news, Casey has been saying "uh-oh" for about a week. When he drops things (or throws them) we get an uh-oh.

Casey had his 12 month checkup today. He is in the 5th and 10th percentile, respectively, for size (28") and weight (19lbs 12ozs).  Developmentally, he is on or ahead of schedule, except for the walking.  He just won't take those unassisted steps yet.  The doctor did say that we can begin feeding him whole milk immediately as opposed to the fresh stuff from the tap.  He seems to like the milk, which will make the transition easier.  Sadly, he will have to wait another year for lobster.

Happy 1st Birthday, Casey!!

I cannot believe my baby is 1 already! I decided to play hooky & we spent the day together. We played, went to get some shoes, had some lunch, took a nap, and just had fun. Today's weather was beautiful, which is quite different than it was last year...it rained and snowed (which, much to my dismay, Matt didn't get on video). Casey still didn't like cake/icing, but he enjoyed a little birthday ice cream. I cannot believe how FAST he's growing up!

Tomorrow he goes to the doctor for his 12 month checkup.

Pictures from Casey's party.

Uncle Scott surprised us all with a vist from Florida. The look on his face sums up all of our emotion.

Jacob came to wish Casey a Happy Birthday. They got along much better than the first time they met.

Casey's party was swell and a good time was had by all. We'll post pictures later...maybe...

It's been quite a while since our last post, and for good reason. Casey did have an ear infection. We found out through experimentation, recreational of course, that Casey is allergic to penicillin. As if he wasn't whiny enough, he awoke in the wee hours of Saturday morning writhing in discomfort. Under cover of darkness, we suspected that the medicine had upset his stomach, as the doctor had warned it may, and that he had a belly ache. In the daylight, we realized why he was so uncomfortable - his torso was covered in hives. We discontinued the antibiotic and started the benadryl, which by the way, does no make babies nearly as sleepy as it does adults. At least not our baby. As the day wore on, the hives spread to his extremities. We didn't get much sleep Saturday night, but Casey always seems to feel much better during the daytime. After brunch on Sunday, we discovered that Casey had developed thrush, which would explain the diminished appetite. Fortunately, our new doctor is wonderful, and leaves a direct line on the answering machine in the office. She called in a prescription for an anti-fungal mouthwash. It takes two of us to administer at home, usually with one of us holding him down, but at daycare, they swear he likes it. We all stayed home Monday to catch up on sleep.

Casey had an excellent week at daycare, and has definitely gotten his appetite back. Since he can't push the tray off of his high chair, he throws his food on the floor to signal that he is done, which annoys me to no end. He is old enough to know better. His communication skills are definitely improving. He points and grunts, but we can never seem to hand him the right thing, even if it is the only one in view. Everything is 'da', which when said repeatedly, sounds like 'dad'. Now that he says just 'da', we are going to assume it means 'that'. He still hasn't taken the first unassisted step, but is motoring around. He learned that he can belly crawl off just about anything. It's fine on the couch, because he can hit the floor before he lets go of the cushions, but our bed is pretty high and there is potential for injury. The last few days, he has taken to screaming as he crawls toward you, like a kamikaze attack. Very amusing.

Casey's first birthday isn't for another 10 days, but we're having his party this coming Saturday at our house. We have been busy getting things in order, which is a dreaded chore for both of us. We will most certainly have pictures to post after the party.

Casey is sick. Prison called yesterday & said we needed to come get him so he didn't infect the other jailbirds. Matt took him to the doctor...shockingly, he has another ear infection. Today we spent the day home sick...and Casey pretty much laid on me & slept the entire time. Oh, and he wiped his nose all over my shirt. Good times. Hopefully he'll be feeling better tomorrow when Matty gets to stay home with him.

Casey's first postpartum Easter was a smash, despite a runny nose and bloody lip.

The Easter Bunny left a basket at home, and Mr. Bunny's helpers (Grandma and Aunt Berta) had baskets full of books and snacks waiting at dinner, too. Despite a fabulous spread, Casey would only eat ham, which was actually a nice change for him from his favorite chicken nuggets.

For desert, Rice Krispie Treats.

Here's the 11 month/early birthday photos.

This picture is really from February 16th, but I never posted it. Casey was 11 months old today, but I didn't get a chance to post the pictures of his early birthday celebration with Caroline before we left for the night. Perhaps one night this week I'll get to do it. Casey enjoyed the little party Caroline had for him, and really loved playing with her.

We dined on corned beef and cabbage with the Zukowski grandparents, both aunts, and cousin. Casey LOVED playing with Caroline and followed her all over the house. She was fantastic and sweet with him, called him her baby cousin all night, and quite enjoyed his company.
Grandma read both tots Horton Hears a Who?

Apparently, we haven't taken any pictures of Casey lately, at least not with either of our cameras. Since our last posting, I celebrated the 31st anniversary of my birth. Mother Zukowski made delicious Holubtsi, which Casey ate furiously. Alas, no photos. On Saturday, we had a family birthday celebration, of which there no photos of Casey. On Sunday, we enjoyed a lazy day around the house. So lazy in fact, that there are no photos. I have taught Casey to make indian noises (don't get me started on political correctness - if you are offended, read another blog), although he sometimes smacks his cheek rather than his lips, giving the appearance that he may be special, and I don't mean in the adorable way. He has advanced to blowing kisses, which also occasionally originate at his cheek. I also taught him to belly crawl backward down the steps from the kitchen to the family room. Again, no pictures. If he gets distracted while standing, he will let go until he falls. New forms of entertainment include emptying any draw that he can open and reach into, and dancing. I have resisted childproofing thus far, because I find it annoying. Cousin Caroline is coming to visit this weekend, so we will try to remember the camera. In the meantime, here is something from the archive...

Aunt Cristen and Jason got engaged yesterday. Congrats to them.

We decided to go out to breakfast in light of Casey's good behavior at happy hour. Yes, I know, odd that I agreed to it as I am not a breakfast lover. Casey was pretty good, even with the food tossing, but I do not think we will be going out for breakfast again any time soon.

Will work for food...