Jack's Birthday Weekend!

3-20-06

Jack,

It's Monday morning and your first birthday weekend has come to an end. What fun we had!

Friday night, we had Mommy's family over to celebrate your birthday. There was:

Grandma and Poppa Dougherty, Erin and Brett and Calum, Kelly and Bobby, Aunt Suzy, Uncle John, Tricia with Laila and Lola, Anneliese and "GG" Dougherty!

Your cousin Laila helped you open all of your gifts of which you received many and we played with all of your toys and admired all of your clothes. You had so much fun climbing up and down the stairs during your party and playing peek-a-boo with everyone and walking back and forth across the house - but by far your greatest thrill was when everyone came together and we all sang "Happy Birthday to You!". You love music and you just sat very still and looked around at the faces of everyone singing together like that was the best gift you could have imagined. Your little right hand was the only sign that you weren't scared as it moved up and down to the beat of the song as though you were conducting us all.

As it turns out (and I was SO surprised to discover), you don't like cake! I couldn't believe it! You certainly don't get that from me - you must get that from your Daddy. Be glad that is the case because sugar is an indulgence that I wish I didn't enjoy so much. :)

You ended up falling asleep soon after we gave you the cake (which you didn't like). Calum actually outlasted you, but you had SO much fun that you couldn't stay up anymore.

On Sunday, we had a lunch/barbecue birthday with your Daddy's family. There was:

Grandma and Grandpa Rose
Phil, Lisa, Eric, Justin and Brent
Scott, Mary, Nick, Jamie, Lisa, Sarah and Hannah
Steve and Terri
and
Kirk

Your Uncle Nick showed up later that night while you were napping and visited till you woke up and got to see him, too.

Everyone was so generous to you - you were showered with presents which you dove right into playing with. You had such a wonderful time playing with your older cousins that you were obviously fascinated with. You kept crawling up the stairs to see that the older kids were doing in the bedroom where we had setup the Playstation 2 with video games and where they were playing.

You spent a long time playing in your bedroom with potato heads and books with your cousins Brent and Hannah. You LOVED playing with them and I think you could have done that for the rest of the evening and been completely content. When it came time to leave and you saw them walking out the door, you reached out your hand. I think you wanted to say "no, wait. You guys have to stay and play with me some more!" We'll need to invite your cousins by some more so that you can get more time with them. It was so wonderful seeing you bonding with your cousins and watching them so closely - studying how they did everything.

Well, big boy! You've crossed a big marker in your life. The first year of your life is past along with a LOT of big "firsts"- but life only gets better, little one! I am so excited and I can't wait for the years and years ahead with you! I love you, baby (little boy, now, actually)!!

Love,

Mommy