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 12 MONTHS OF SWEET CHEEK GOODNESS. 

I LOVE YOU, 

MAMA

Birthday month kickoff.

Feeling a little nostalgia for my sweet boy with sweet cheeks who will be turning ONE later this month. Impossible, yet here we are. I love you #littlejohnisaac.

Outside. Also...mulch.

This boy finally got to explore a little around the yard. Did I mention it was almost 60°? In the middle of January. Also, did I mention Isaac loves mulch…to put in his mouth. Mulch is a delicacy in northwest Kansas. If you come visit, I'll make you mulch pie, mulch cookies, mulch covered strawberries, mulch dipped in chocolate, mulch cake…mulch, mulch, mulch. 

Dad regulating. Because…mulch.

How cousins do Christmas.

And let me tell you: it's very silly and full of E.N.E.R.G.Y. Isaac had so much fun trying to keep up with his three older cousins. They were sweetly tolerant of baby cousin wanting in on the action; and were so cute to help him open presents, offer a finger for walking and doling out toys to be played with chewed on.

You wouldn't know it from the pics above but we actually managed to get a couple of shots with all kids looking and smiling-ish. 

Isaac wanted nothing more than Josh's new, prized remote control car. Thankfully, Joshua's driving skillz were enough to elude our ornery son. 

It's hard to imagine Isaac's first Christmas has come and gone and his 1st birthday is just around the corner... #gasp #sayitaintso #inconceivable #fastestandslowestyearofmylife

Blogging is hard.

A belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Years to you. And may I be able to average more than one blog post a month for 2015. Anyone?

cheeeeeeeeese.

CHEEEEEEEEESE! So we don't forget your wrinkled nose and squinted eyes and wide smile. You are the sweetest.

Isaac in front of a Christmas tree.

Because if you don't blog about it, it never happened. At least that's what my friend Rachel tells me. And I believe everything she says because I'm afraid of her I love her.

I was surprised to discover that Isaac doesn't care too much for the tree...unless he catches you re-hanging the ornaments; then he's super interested. I think his love language is ornament displacement. He's very helpful like that. The tree is sparse this year with just a few Isaac-proof ornaments that he can grab, chew, lick and love to his heart's content. The one I put on and shouldn't have was his "Baby's 1st Christmas" block ornament. Isaac's little chompers scraped away a bit of the paint. At first I was quite sad and a little irritated to find it blemished. But then my wise, reasonable and might I add, beautiful, mother simply stated that one day I will cherish those marks left by my son and I knew she was right. Sometimes I'm dumb. I suspect presents will be met with the same excitement as the Christmas tree. But I'm excited, nevertheless, to see Isaac rip open approximately 0.46 presents before he's distracted and enamored with a box, paper, bow or my hair. He loves hair. 

It was with great anticipation we were awaiting Isaac's arrival last year. And now it is with a renewed perspective that I anticipate and await the celebration of the birth of our Savior. Merry Christmas.