1st B-Day: Part 2; Iowa: Part 1

Hi again, everyone. Today we celebrated my first birthday with Great Nana, Grandma and Grandpa F in Iowa. The 6 hour trip here was mostly uneventful except for it being 98 degrees outside. That's okay, I stayed in the air-conditioned car the whole time. I was excited to see my grandparents and crawl around in the big living room. Anyway, on to the good stuff. This is a photo of my beautiful cake my Grandma made for me.

Grandma SWEARS she didn't make the cake specifically for the black frosting, she just thought it was cute. Auntie Brandy is to blame, she chose the panda design over a kitty cat design. Hmmm, I think Auntie Brandy had the black frosting mess in mind...good choice, if you ask me!


Grandpa also swears he didn't put the black ear portion of the cake in front of me on purpose, it's just the way he had to hold the cake for the photo-op. Mommy thinks I look like Brutis from Popeye. All I need is a blue cap.

Great Nana and Grandpa sure think something is funny. I wonder if Great Nana told one of her famous jokes. That must be what it is.


That's it! Great Nana DID tell a funny joke. I get it, the chicken crossed to road to get to the other side. An oldie but a goodie.


Bravo, Great Nana--you are quite the comedian!


More cake please. Hey, I'm asking nicely, aren't I?


The aftermath. They insist I need a bath before I open presents. Whatever.


There, much better. I am ready to party. Hi, Grandma, thanks for the tasty cake.


Look what I got from Grandma and Grandpa--a Little People Farm! Is there anything better? I love carrying toys in my mouth, just like my doggie Cassius. I enjoy playing with my Little People, they fit perfectly in my mouth. Thanks for the wonderful birthday celebration!

First Birthday Party: Part One

Hello again to all my loyal subjects. I am King AJ, ruler of Roseville and Birthday Land. Saturday we had my first of three birthday celebrations. Yup, I said three. Apparently the first birthday is a big deal. I just don't get it.


I got this really pretty cake from Byerly's for free, all because I am turning one. Once again, I just don't get it.


Then everyone gathered around the table. Mommy put a candle in the cake and started it on fire, then everyone started singing the Twinkle Twinkle Little Star song but with different lyrics...sounded like 'happy birthday' or something, I don't know, I wasn't listening.


Mommy, Grandma and Auntie Rasa started cutting the cake and dispensing it to everyone. I, of course, got the first piece. Something about it being my birthday--my first birthday, no less. Hmm, what the heck am I supposed to do with this cake-like object? Why is everyone staring at me?



Okay, now I get it. I am supposed to eat it. Everyone else seems to have forks and they are eating like civilized people. I have no fork. I guess I need to draw from my caveman roots and use the best utensils ever--my hands!

Oooooooh, I like frosting. I wonder who I get my sweet tooth from. I think I will just keep going with this eating with the hands thing. Cake sure is fun to squish. I occasionally eat the cake, but making a mess seems to be more interesting. No one is getting upset with me for making a mess, so I should just go with the flow, right?


Alright. Cake eaten (or, in my case, squished). Next on the list? Open presents! I got this really cool pinwheel from my cousins Jakie and Lily. It's shiny.

I really don't understand how to open presents. I just do not quite see the appeal. My cousins Jakie, Julia, Joe and Nate sure LOVE to open presents. I hired them as my present opening crew. They did a top job. I am sure they are available for any of your present opening needs, let me know if you need their contact info.

You know, I think I've had enough of this 'birthday' thing. You guys can keep opening my gifts for me, I think there is a piece of lint for me to eat over here. See ya on the flip side!

Mommy says: Thanks to everyone who turned out for part one of AJ's first birthday bash. Believe it or not, he did have a good time. I am sure he will really understand the presents and the cake next year. Once the presents were all out of their packaging, he really loved playing with them all.

I Almost Forgot to Tell You...

Oh, hi! You startled me. You know, you really shouldn't sneak up on a baby like that. I may get so scared I mess my pants. Okay, I guess I don't need to be scared to mess my pants, it just tends to happen. Well, since I've got you here, I should tell you about my exciting new adventures!

This is a photo of my new jail setup. I like to think of it as a baby-run, much like a dog-run. Why do I need a baby-run? Because, silly, I learned how to crawl like mad.

Hey! How did you get to the other end of the hall? What did I tell you about sneaking up on a baby? Guess I'll just have to CRAWL the length of the loooooooooooong hallway to catch you!

Hmm, interesting. Lint.

There you are! I caught you before you got away. I am very swift. I learned how to crawl about 1 1/2 weeks ago and I keep getting better and better. I now like to pull myself up to me knees and play pat-a-cake. I also like to crouch on all fours, stick my butt up in the air and fall back to my butt. Grandma says it is the 'downward facing dog' pose in yoga. Who knew I was a yoga master? I best be going. I think I have to meditate or something. See you soon!

AJ: He's What's for Dinner?!?!

Doo da doo doo doo. Mmmm, looks as if my toy cow somehow got stuck in this big metal thing. Being the animal rights activist that I am, I best climb in there to save the cow.


This does not bode well.


I smell a rat. Okay, a cat. I knew Miss Kitty had it in for me.


Yikes, I shouldn't have stuck the whoopie cushion in the second level of her kitty condo. Hindsight is ALWAYS 20/20. Right Dr. Graves?


Oooooooh, it all makes sense! DADDY is the one behind this elaborate plot!


But a stew pot? Why a stew pot? And, how did I lose my clothes? Oh yeah that's right, now I remember. Mommy and Daddy thought it was SO darn cute that I fit in the stewpot, they had not one photo session but two (the second being the day of the historical Kitty Riding photo). I have a feeling these photos will come back to haunt me when I am 16. Why did I let them do the second shoot? God Bless this photogenic face!

Enough of my adoring public. I am done. Get me out NOW.