Last weekend we took our first winter hike, snowshoeing, up past Idaho city with our friends and family. It was great fun, beautiful, scenic, freezing cold and Porter hated every second of the actual hike. His screaming didn't bother me because the crunching of the snow beneath my shoes and beauty of the forest was lovely. I don't think Luke got to enjoy it quite as much though.
I wanted to get a picture of Porter in a tizzy, but turning around to snap photos is pretty difficult on a narrow trail in snowshoes. I will say that we enjoyed our nice comfy car picnic with Lucy, while Chelsea and Shaun tried out their new cross country skis, and Anna and Micah trekked into the deep woods and back.
We finished the day with lunch at Trudy's Restaurant in Idaho City. Even though it wasn't the snowshoeing adventure we had planned, it was still a grand time had by all. We plan on trying it again, maybe closer to home and later in the day when it's a little warmer. We will conquer the winters here in Idaho with some sort of outdoor activity, I just know it!
At the beginning of our short hike. Luckily it's easy to walk with the baby backpack and snowshoes.
Lucy got pulled in the Kinder Sled. She wasn't a big fan, but I could definitely be into it.
Trail packed by cross country skiers and snow shoers. I love the forest in winter.
Everything was fine and dandy when we returned to the car and had a picnic.
Getting some QT with auntie Anna and Quila.
Micah, Anna and Porter
Tuckered out.
Speaking of walking around. Today was like spring time here in Boise, so Porter and I spent the afternoon outside in the sun. First we took a stroller walk and then Porter got to walk around the block with the Radio Flier. I loved every moment: the sun, warmth, smiley neighbors, and especially the "big boys" across the street who came and showed Porter their toy airplanes. He was in heaven and it took 25 minutes to walk past that single house.
Sportin' the sweet red Converse kicks from Lucy. They fit PERFECTLY and match the Radio Flier!
The kitties like to walk with us too.
Taking a break to let mommy get in on some Radio Flier action.
I love his stance in this picture.
You can't see it, but under his right hand is a pebble that he insisted on carrying home with us. He wouldn't let me put it in the wagon, he HAD to hold it in his hand. I'm so excited to see what comes home in his pockets when he gets older!
My most favorite part of this day (despite Porter's multiple melt downs from a changing sleep schedule and teething) was when we shared an apple. It was the epitome of tenderness.
Before I get to the photo montage of Porter's first birthday party I want to share these tidbits with you. Porter's hair was starting to get long in the back and my brother nailed it when he said he had a Benjamin Franklin do. That was all fine and dandy, until he gave himself an avocado and cheese pasta hair condition. Sadly, but appropriately, I called and scheduled his first hair cut and it went great. Even though they don't typically do kids cuts, Jen Brown from Tanzanite Salon in Boise did a great job trimming up the back and over the ears.
Before shot. It doesn't look that long, but when lunch is smeared through it, it looks a lot longer.
Post haircut, still cute.
Porter has recently learned that Misty will play with any stringed object he dangles in front of her. He is now kitty tamer.
She acts all sassy, but she loves the attention.
Porter as mountain climber. There's a steep 1' ledge that he climbs out onto while only gripping the boxes for support. Something tells me this is just the beginning.
I also wanted to post these next two videos because they make Luke and I laugh every time. As I showed in a previous post, Luke's mom taught Porter the champagne game at Christmas, and he has proudly brought it home and kept it alive with every swig of his water bottle.
On Saturday Porter had his first birthday party. Honestly, it was more for me and Luke to celebrate the fact that we survived the first year, but Porter had fun too. We invited a few of our close friends, mostly the crew from our Friday Night Feasts. We had cake and ice cream and Porter's favorite part were the 11 mylar balloons that I got from the Dollar Store. It was a perfect first party, intimate, indoors and full of fun. Thanks to everyone who donated to his Zoo Boise fund, we raised enough to get a family pass for the whole year!
I'm also looking forward to his 6th birthday, which Lucy has requested be an outdoor party. Since his birthday is in January, I take this to mean we will be snow tubing up at Bogus Basin 5 years from now (granted there is snow, which we haven't received yet this year, shoot.) That'll be an awesome birthday party.
Party planning is hard work!
Porter's smash cake and the grown up cake that Aunt Anna made.
Candied Orange Cake
"Busy Day Cake" with butter cream frosting and raspberries
Thanks to Olivia for the orginal art and awesome stacking blocks!
He's an old pro at unwrapping gifts now.
Shaun, Ashley, Sarah and Oliva
He started picking off and eating the raspberries right away.
As for the frosting? Not a fan.
He finished off the raspberries and didn't want anything to do with the frosting or cake. So much for the smash cake idea. He did get the rest of the raspberries in the package instead, which made him quite happy.
Porter was so happy to play with Olivia and Lucy. He wanted to be a big kid so bad.
Showing off his skills.
Lucy and Olivia, the big kids.
Balloon!
Then the sugar kicked in and Shaun became the target of a mass balloon beating.
More balloon action ensued.
Porter loves his Aunt Anna, LOVES her!
It was balloon heaven and Aunt Anna was all up in the mix. Have I mentioned that he thinks she's the bees knees? He does.
Today is the first snow of the year here in Boise, and I'm convinced that it's confetti from the heavens for my little boy's first birthday. It's crazy to think that a year ago I popped out an 11 pound dough baby that has become the person I know now as my son Porter. It was surprising to me that it took a couple of weeks to develop a real relationship with the tiny person he was, but everyday my heart swells a little bit more with love for him.
The last year has been the happiest, most tiring, proud, worrisome, exciting, emotional, at times frustrating, fastest and most wonderful time of my life. Even a few months ago this day seemed really really far away. Next thing he'll be going to college! Okay, maybe he'll start walking first, but in hind sight it goes so fast.
He's getting to a really fun age of exploring and experimenting with the world around him and I couldn't be happier to share the future with anyone else. I truly believe that we were given the perfect baby for us and that we were destined to be a family together. I've never wanted something to continue growing and changing, but to also stay the same, as I feel about my baby. If the rest of our years together are as special as this last one then I'm surly the luckiest mom. Happy 1st birthday to my favorite baby in the whole wide world!
