Pictures of E's Birthday

Opening presents with Mom

Playing on his new castle slide

He figured out how the slide worked pretty fast and practically started throwing himself down with no one to catch him

"I don't know why I'm getting all these presents, but I LIKE it!"

We spent the day at COSI for Emerson's birthday and he especially liked the water exhibit

Playing with his Busy Ball Popper

His little birthday cake...he's not sure what's going on...

He decides he should maybe touch it...

He decides he REALLY likes it

Guzzling his milk after devouring his cake

Smiling through the chocolate mess with contentment

E's bulging belly

Emerson's birthday was a ton of fun. He was happy when he woke up and got to have his favorite thing for breakfast: yogurt. What a way to start the day! Then we decided to have him open his presents in the morning because he's generally happier in the morning. He was absolutely showered with gifts! He got a climb and slide castle, a set of animals, a mini soccer ball and a busy ball popper from mom and dad. Grandma and Grandpa J gave him some cute books, clothes, and a Fisher Price Little People Barn. Grandpa and Grandma Christensen gave him some cool Dash light-up shoes.

After presents, we had lunch and headed to COSI. Emerson was good the whole day and especially liked the water exhibit. He had a great time playing in the water and rubbing it around on his hands. We had to stop as soon as he started slurping it off his hands though.

After COSI we went to the Spaghetti Warehouse for dinner. (For those of you familiar with Spaghetti Factory in Utah, it was similar, so we're not sure who copied who.) It was so good. Emerson enjoyed sharing Mom's fettuccine alfredo.

After dinner we came back to the house for Emerson to play with his new toys and of course for his birthday cake. In my family it's a tradition to make the baby their own mini cake for their first birthday and watch them eat it. I didn't even realize that a lot of people don't do this until like a few months ago. Really. I was clueless. We just always did it and loved it. And I know it's great to use natural sweeteners and stuff for their first cake and try to make it healthy, but come on...it's their birthday. If ever there was a time for them to deserve chocolate, it's on their birthday. And plus the mess shows up much better on film if it's chocolate. So I made Emerson his own little cake and I made a fudge ribbon cake for the rest of us. (Thanks Jamie for the recipe! It was so delicious for Jon's birthday we had to have it again. :) ) Emerson was a little shy about his cake for a minute or so but then he decided to go after it and he couldn't stop shoveling it in. There was even a point when he picked up the whole cake off the plate. He made it almost through the entire thing. We were amazed. He absolutely guzzled his milk down when we gave it to him. He was so dang cute.

We got laughing so hard at his big belly after he finished his cake. We had to undress him because he was such a mess and he had cake crumbs down to his belly button. He was toddling around the kitchen acting wired and showing off his belly. We thought it would be funny to see if he would go after more cake if we showed it to him and he stopped and looked down at his belly as if deciding whether or not it could hold more and decided that it could and he reached for the cake. (Don't worry, we didn't let him have any more. He had PLENTY. :) )