baby's first birthday cake!

Remember the inspiration image of the birthday cake I wanted to make you from Cookie Magazine....well, here's what it turned out like:
and it was delicious. Although contrary to popular tradition, you did not get to have any.

instant memories

Kate took a bunch of polaroids at the party, and this is my favorite one. Polaroid will stop manufacturing instant film soon, so this picture, and the others, will have a special place in our home.

what fun!

These are just a few of the many awesome pictures we took yesterday at your super-fun birthday party. You are so exhausted from your party you are taking a super-long nap right now.

birthday shout-out

Well, look who got a birthday salutation from Ohdeedoh! (scroll down if you don't see it right away).

invite

Here is your invite from your first ever birthday party. Daddy and I collaborated on this one - I did the colorful banners and chose the fonts, and Jon did the giant 1 and everything else that made it look way better than the way it was originally.

happy birthday, baby!

One year ago today, you came into our lives and changed it forever. Hands-down, this has been the best year of my life. Sometimes the hardest. Sometimes the funniest. Sometimes the saddest. But definitely the most exciting, most fulfilling, most eye-opening, and most rewarding.

Your birth was hard. You were born by emergency C-section after 27 hours in labor. The weather outside makes me think of standing outside of our building, waiting for a car to take us to the hospital. That was Thursday, May 24. You were born on Friday, May 25, around 7 pm.

When we put you in the car to take you home, I sat in the back with you. Jon drove so carefully on the FDR drive. I was nervous just sitting next to you.

Since then, everyday we continue to be amazed at your expressions, your laughs, your smiles, and your cries. It's amazing to see your new actions, responses, and your continued exploration and curiosity fascinates us.

When we first brought you home, we would sit and stare at you in your bassinet. I can't believe it's been a year, and I still sit here and stare at you. I just smile thinking about it. You make me smile everyday.

Tomorrow we are going to celebrate your birthday with so many people who love you. The joy and love you have brought into everyone's lives fills my heart.

Happy Birthday, Baby Jackson. I love you so much.






Here are two pictures from when you arrived May 25th last year.

stone park cafe

Last night we went out for a delicious burger at Stone Park Cafe, where you enjoyed your first ever french fry.

getting ready

Preparations are in full swing for your birthday party on Monday, and I'm planning on making an awesome cake for you. This is my inspiration, from Cookie Magazine. I don't think it will look exactly like that, but we'll see. Also, Mom, you'll be aghast to know I am planning on using a Betty Crocker mix. For shame!

only three more days til somebody turns 1!

As an early birthday present, I got you this book today. I Live in Brooklyn, by Mari Takabayashi, is about a little girl growing up in Carrol Gardens, which is the neighborhood just to the south of us.

mimi's garden

Mimi's garden is bursting with bright, beautiful flowers. I hope you inherited her green thumb. What's a green thumb, you ask?

According to James Underwood Crockett, it comes from the fact that algae growing on the outside of earthenware pots will stain a person's thumb (and fingers) if he or she handles enough pots. Hence, a person who is always working with flowerpots has a green thumb. Another theory is that it originated during the reign of King Edward I of England. He was fond of green peas and kept half a dozen serfs shelling them during the season. The serf who had the greenest thumb won a prize.

From The Old Farmer's Almanac.

happy birthday, Gael!

Happy Birthday Gael. As I said in an email to Brett today, we love your deep dark eyes, your funny one-legged schooch, and your smile that lights up a room. We're so glad Jackson's got a best buddy like you.

happy belated birthday, aunt abigail!

Your Aunt Abigail is a talented artist who also happens to be an amazing knitter, and who loves you so much she created the cutest outfit of all time, which you are showcased in for your halloween picture:


Abigail and Steven are both amazing artists, and here's a picture of them together:

I thought I had a picture of them with you, from their visit last year, but I can't find one! Maybe Abigail has some that she can contribute to your blog?!

Happy Belated Birthday AbIgAiL!

visiting mimi and papa

We're in Connecticut now visiting Mimi and Papa. The flowers are blooming and the sun is shining. We're having a great time.

it's museum week

We followed up our visit to the Brooklyn Museum last weekend with a jaunt into the city to visit Diana at the MoMA. What I really wanted to see was the Color show, but go figure, it came down on the 12th. We were able to see the floor in the entry way done by Jim Lamble (Jim Lambie. ZOBOP. 2006. Vinyl tape, dimensions variable. Fund for the Twenty-First Century. © 2007 Jim Lambie). Here's a picture of you enjoying it, and your blankie:



What we did get to see was the cool work of Olafur Eliasson: Take Your Time.

New York was frantic and hectic, and although it was great to go to the museum, made me thankful to live in Brooklyn.

no laughing matter!

the grass is always greener

Phew. For a minute there we were really worried we had a total city baby on our hands. Case in point, a few weeks ago when we put you down on the grass you had a fit (picture 1). You didn't want any contact whatsoever with the stuff. But today at the park, I could put aside my fears (picture 2). You were crawling around the grass like a champ, like you had never thought it was the nastiest stuff on earth.

list, things I love about you

1. your smile when you are in your carseat & I open the back door & you first see me
2. the way you curl your toes when you crawl
3. your monkey hug when you first wake up and I pick you up
4. your big blue eyes and long eyelashes
5. the way you fake laugh when you are tired or cracking yourself up
6. your old-man-underbite-where-are-my-dentures face
7. when you talk to yourself after we put you to bed
8. when I think you're not looking at me then I turn back and you are just staring up at me and smiling, that's the best
9. your little beer-belly
10. when you give me unsolicited smooches, now that's the best!

baby's first visit to Brooklyn Museum to see Takashi Murakami

Yesterday we went to the Brooklyn Museum to see the Murakami exhibition with Papa and Uncle Michael. You loved the bright colors and big googly eyes. Here's a picture of you and Daddy checking out the art.

Today you are teething so you are not quite so happy.

happy first mother's day!

Being a mother is the most amazing thing ever, in ways I couldn't have imagined. There is just nothing like it, nothing to compare it to, and no way I can really articulate it.

For Mother's Day this year, my first, your dad let me sleep til 9:00 both Saturday and Sunday morning! Saturday he got up and gave you a bottle at 6:00 then played with you, fed you breakfast, and stretched with you. This morning, he got you at 5:45 so I could feed you, then took you out of the bedroom, and you guys went for a jog together in your new jogging stroller. I didn't even hear you leave and come back. Then you got back in bed with me and served me breakfast in bed - spit up butternut squash and yo-gruel (a mixture of yogurt and baby cereal that you love). Thank you!

There are many mothers in my life that give me inspiration. Mom, you are always a phone call away, ready to come help me if I ask at moment's notice. Carole, your sense of humor and positive spirit inspires me so much. Grammy, for raising five great kids - and having twins after the first three! Nikki, your strength during everything you've been through with Sammy is amazing. Brett, your patience and sense of calm shows me that everything will be OK. All my aunts, cousins and other friends that exemplify what a good mother is, I love you all so much. Happy Mother's Day to you all.





(letterpress card from etsy).

happy first GRANDmother's day, Mom!

To Mimi, for being a wonderful, amazing, loving mother, with endless unconditional love, patience, fortitude, concern, support and encouragement.

best wedding present ever

I know I've said it before but I'm saying it again. This was one of the best wedding gifts we received, and now not only has it dedicatedly cleaned our apartment for the past five years, but now, now it keeps you busy for hours! You love it! You've been pushing it around the apartment all morning! Thank you again to Uncle Donnie and Aunt Barbara!

little things

One of the most amazing things about being a parent it watching you discover simple concepts. Yesterday, instead of picking up your car and shaking it in the air, you started to roll it across the floor, and driving it across the surface of the coffee table. It might seem silly, but it is incredible to see you grow and grasp new ideas.

why reading bedtime stories to you is hard

happy birthday, yesterday, Auntie Kate!

Yesterday was Kate's birthday. Kate is the one who taught you to stick out your tongue. She also taught you how to pick up your playspot flooring and throw the pieces like a frisbee. We love you, Kate.

This picture is from February. Look, you still have your dark curly hair. What a mop!

need to have a girl next, if only for these posters!

I'm loving all these posters I've seen on etsy, but unfortunately I can only envision them in a girl's room.

Posters: Keep Calm, Love, Alphabet, Let Them Eat Cake, all from etsy.

oh!

Remember a few weekends ago when we went to visit Sam's cabin upstate? Jon got an email today from Sam:

On May 6, 2008, at 2:22 PM, Sam Ketay wrote:

got back to the cabin yesterday. i found the outgoing answering machine message to be jackson pressing different buttons, chiara saying 'whoa buddy' a few times, and me and jon in the background in a deep conversation about our grandparents. guess jackson found the record button. glad he also found the 'answer off' button too.

Sorry, Sam. Guess we should've been keeping a better eye on you!

happy birthday, Uncle John!

Yesterday we had a great time belatedly celebrating John's birthday. Here's a picture of John's birthday cake:

and here's a picture of you celebrating:

You look like you might be having a little too much fun.