Let us eat cake!

On Tuesday Jasper followed a big birthday dinner — what else would you expect? — with birthday cake. He found it in his heart to share one piece each with his mom and dad, but did his best to make the rest disappear.

Here are a few cake photos.

By the way, if you'd like to see Jasper's 1-year photos, taken by Kelly Kesling who has a studio in the basement of her Altoona home, go online to www.keslingphotography.com. Click the 'Client link'; the password is 'Jasper.'

More ...

... from The Playground.

He's got an odd way of going down the slide, but it works. (Even if it scares Nat a little.)

An indoor playground!!!

We celebrated Jasper's first birthday by spending a couple of hours at The Playground for Kids in Ankeny. It's raining out, so The Playground is a perfect place since it's exactly what it says it is ... only indoors.

It took him a few minutes to figure everything out, and he was easily distracted because of his people watching, but he ended up having a great time.

His favorites: the slides and the doors. Just like at home, he spent much of his time opening and closing the big doors (photo), little doors and flipping the table top up and down inside one of the little plastic play-things.

He hasn't had much experience with slides, but took to them quickly, especially the big yellow one inside one of the bounce houses (photo).

This post and the next are photos from The Playground. Enjoy ... we sure did!

1st birthday gifts

After breakfast — oatmeal with blueberries for J, cereal for us — Jasper opened his birthday gifts. He got a kid-sized soccer ball, some Little People on the farm to go with his farmer/tractor he got for Christmas, and a Little Tikes car.

He had fun getting pushed around the garage (it's raining outside) in his new Cozy Coupe, but he liked pushing it around himself more.

Nat and I are both home all day there will be more posts, I'm sure, as we celebrate J's big day.

BIRTHDAY BOY!!!

Jasper woke up around 8 this morning and quickly had a crib full of balloons to play with.  We gave one to Cozmo, too, which he promptly popped.

We sang 'Happy Birthday' and Nat videotaped J playing in his balloons.

Check the next post for gift photos.

We'll probably post more as his big day continues ...

He's gonna get you!

Every once in a while Jasper gets a look on his face — THE look — and you know he's coming for you. Most of the time it's when we have various items in our hands that he wants — remote, cell phone, camera .. or food! — but sometimes he decides it's just go time.

 I had the camera this time and snapped a pic before he got ahold of the shoulder strap, nearly pulling it to the ground.

I caught it just in time, thank goodness.

364 days old

One day before his first birthday and I was taking random photos of Jasper. He was tired at dinner time and was in bed by about 7:30, but not before playing in — yes, in — Cozmo's kennel.

He should be up bright and early on his big day!