Dustin - BIG one

Tomorrow is the day! Why is it so emotional for me? Do all moms feel this way? I can vouch for my husband in saying, it's just another day for him! 

I did his Cake Smash Session over the weekend & he cried most of the time but I still got a few good photos! My husband is so awesome helping out although I might have bit his head off once or twice... okay maybe three times!

Every month, I also take photos of him in his bouncer....

His two upper teeth has come through but is still making it's way down.

He's been babbling and talking (sounds more like screaming) a lot lately especially when he's excited. He's still not walking yet but he walks on his toy thing that helps him walk. He walks along furniture just fine too. We're still working on getting him to get off the couch and bed safely by going feet first. Whenever I say "feet first" he tries to wiggle backwards but haven't mastered it yet!

I noticed when I did the cake smash session that he was very grumpy but I thought maybe it's because he didn't like the cake. His attitude and behavior changed on Friday and he was increasingly grumpy and fussy and refused to eat after 1-2 bites of rice cereal. He was almost done with his antibiotics for his 2nd ear infection and I thought sure enough, he was getting another one! Sunday night after refusing the rice cereal after a bite, I gave him cheerios which he loves! I watched him and notice that he wasn't eating it normally. He would gum it and then started spitting it out and started choking. He vomited and out came a little star sticker! I think he had that in his throat for 3 days! That explains why the change of behavior and why he refused to eat after a bite or two (irritation?). I gave him a new bowl of rice cereal and he gobbled all of it up! His behavior also changed instantly to being his happy self again! My poor baby!

We camped at Calaveras Big Trees again this past month for daddy's birthday. Dustin loves the creek. 

I took a couple of photos of him in the birthday outfit he received.

His one year baby well check up was sad because he started to get fussy again and it turns out he has another ear infection (3rd one). He just had one last month. He also got 5 shots and was due for blood draw but with all that's already going on, I decided not to do that yet.

He weighed 22 lbs & 3.2 ounces.

He's 31.75 inches long

It's interesting to see the boys side by side:

Dustin's First Birthday Cake Smash

Dustin is turning 1 in just 3 days! I can't believe it was a year ago that it felt like everything was going wrong during my 3rd labor. The emotional wound hasn't healed yet...

I did his cake smash session early because his birthday lands on a Wednesday... I've been preparing for a long time now making things for the backdrop, crocheting his hat & bow tie and learning how to make a giant cupcake. I'm so glad everything worked out good because I was starting to worry! 

I decided to use a tassel background (how I made it) because it was easy and fast to put together. I barely have enough time with the little kiddos around.

I had some paper balls laying around so I just made a few more in the colors I needed.

Less clothing is better with a Cake Smash session because they get pretty dirty... covered in cake & icing! So I decided to crochet a Newsboy Hat & Crochet Bow tie.

I was mostly worried about the giant cupcake. I am not a baker but I love learning new things and was up for the challenge! I borrowed the cupcake pan and actually made one for my son's last day of preschool. I didn't have time to make the chocolate cupcake liner then. I was worried about this more especially since I didn't get to practice. I don't know how to frost cakes either nor have I ever made icing from scratch! I used 2 boxes of cake mix & 2 cans of icing. For the chocolate cupcake liner, I used candy melts. I was really worried about the liner being a disaster because I just can't see myself pulling off melting anything haha.

I baked the cupcake using 2 boxes of yellow cake mix. I used 2 canned frosting that was already blue. I was worried the night I made it because it looked like it was melting and I screwed up parts of it BUT I just made sure this was the side that was on the back! haha 

After it was refrigerated overnight, it looked much better! 

I used the microwave to melt the candy melts. The trick is to do it in multiple sets of 20 seconds on HIGH each time and stirring in between. It was easier than I thought! I used the cake pan as the mold and put it in the refrigerator for at LEAST 40 minutes. I tried to take it out after 15 minutes and cracked a portion of the liner! I googled and people recommended leaving it in the refrigerator for at LEAST 40 minutes. It slid out with no problems at all! I just covered the imperfections with the icing hehe

It's not perfect but I'm happy with it! I made the cake stand using a glass plate and candle holder from the Dollar Tree and spray painted it white. I thought the doily added a nice touch. :)

I used an old DIY Paper Medallion I made for another session. I found free templates for the letters to spell out "ONE".

The session was not a success. He cried most of the time. He did not like the feel of the icing and he just kept crying. I took some photos before we put the cake down.

At first he couldn't wait to get to the cake... 

And then he touched it.....

We had to clean him up and gave him a break. He was a little happier after I nursed him but he would still cry. He would cry and then stop to taste the cake... and then cry a little... and then stopped to taste the cake. It was so cute....

I was able to get some of him smiling because daddy was making him laugh.

  

Since he didn't go at it, I knocked it over! He wasn't happy about that at first either :(

And just for fun, I love the look on his face in this photo!

Poor baby...

 Then he tries to crawl away...

Logan & Connor's first teeth cleaning

Okay, it's not the first dental visit... they've been to the dentist before but have always been a little scared and would just receive an exam & fluoride. 

Logan's first visit when he was 2 was so horrible. Kids Care Dental has their exam chairs in a large open room with about 4 chairs lined up. Logan was so freaked out, we had to go to the "special" closed room. He wouldn't even let the dentist touch him. He was on my lap and I sat on a chair. We laid him down on the dentist's lap (while still sitting on mine) and there was screaming and kicking and spitting.... It did get better over the years but it was only during the last visit, that he didn't cry. It was the first time his brother had his visit. Maybe this helped with his anxiety.

Connor's first visit wasn't so bad. He let them examine him but he didn't receive a teeth cleaning because we were in the "special" closed room in fear of his older brother making a scene. haha.

During today's visit the boys waited outside on the merry-go-round horse. I don't think Connor even got off it once. The wait was long. I watched all patients come and go. I was wondering if we were being punished for being late, 10 minutes late. I hate being late but with 3 little ones, it's so hard getting my husband out of the door. Did you think I was going to blame my kids? ;)

When we went inside, we were told they would get a teeth cleaning. I freaked out a little but Logan already promised he will be good because he's 5 years old now. When asked who's going first.. Logan volunteered Connor! haha

I was a little nervous since Connor is younger and it's only his 2nd visit. He looked a little nervous but would reach his hand out and I would hold it and reassure it was okay. There were lots of giggles and joking so he was more relaxed and of course, he loves to watch TV. He got to see and feel each tool before they used it. I'm sure the chocolate toothpaste he chose was yummy too! There were a few times that he looked like he was going to cry in the beginning but didn't. I'm so proud of him!

Logan did good too but he was still nervous. I can tell. He wouldn't stay still and I know by how he acts... funny how you pick up on little things your children does when they are nervous. He said the lights were too bright so they gave him some shades. He eventually took it off... He chose the strawberry toothpaste. 

They did so awesome, we headed to Miwok Park and had Happy Meal lunches.

Logan Starts Kindergarten

Wow... I didn't think he would scream and cry since he did so well yesterday at CDI (After school program) but he did. I thought we were over all this. It makes me so sad!

We took some photos before we left the house. He was still happy and excited.

I didn't feed him breakfast because I thought the school had a breakfast even before school. It turns out there was no more than donut holes and juice and we went straight to class first. 

They all lined up outside the classroom.

They all already had an assigned cubby with their names on it.

Once inside, they got to play for less than 5 minutes on the tables.

Then they all sat down for a story. Logan doesn't sit still. I think he was nervous. He started to crawl around.

He started HERE

Then crawled to the other end...

I asked him to go back... there he goes.

It was so overwhelming. There were more parents than students... he cried when I left and they had to hold him back. I was outside eating my "breakfast" (donut hole) and hearing him cry the whole time was heart breaking.

The school has been a little unorganized in my opinion. The notice to when he actually started didn't come until a month before. I ordered uniforms but found out there was no longer a uniform policy. I called and asked to remove that information off their website.

CDI called to confirm that Logan was in kindergarten and not transitional kindergarten (kids who aren't 5 by a certain date. I had to call the school to double check and he was in fact enrolled in TK. They fixed that... *SIGH*

I stood outside the kindergarten gate this morning with a couple of other families only to be told they changed the rule or process and that we had to go around through the front.... 

Logan's Participation in Preschool - June/July

Logan's last day was July 10th. I went through some of the stuff in his folder and found this cute little drawing of our family portrait.

Some of these were not dated so I don't remember when I received them...

It's great to read that he has been focused and behaved!

So sweet of him! Love my little caring man!