Daddy's home again!  He gets giggles...

...and snuggles. =)

It's the birthday girl!

Birthday?

What's a birthday, Momma?

I can do anything I want?  Can I put my thumb right on the camera lens?

Huh!  This birthday thing sounds like fun!

Aaaaaaahhh!!  Daddy's chomping my arm!

I pulled back and took this one just so we could compare it to baby Jaynie in the bed pictures.  She's so big! 

Yeah I'm so big!  I'm a big birthday girl!

Now, where's my presents?

Jaynie requested a trip to the zoo on her birthday.

Who are we to deny her?

Oh!  He gets close for pictures, then steals kisses!  The nerve!

Whoa!  That is one big giraffe!

Wait until I tell Jimmy about this!

A serious moment.

She was really interested in the animals.  Sooo cute.

Formerly  mentioned big giraffe. =)

Mom - why are you taking pics of the animals?  Nobody wants to see anything but ME on the website!

Hmph.  Well - here's a picture of a bald eagle anyway.  Feel free to skip it. 

These goats are ker-raaaazy!

And that, my friends, is one ugly sheep.

Jaynie gloats to the goats (I'm a poet!) over being on the outside of the fence.

Hey!  There's a stupid bow in my hair!

Get it out!  Get it out!

American Gothic. 

Wheeeee!  (A year ago we got excited when she'd open her eyes.  Now she's riding on the playground stuff.)

I take that back.  A year from this moment she wasn't even born yet - still abusing me from the inside.

Now look at her!  (And look at what the static electricity on that slide is doing to her hair!  Ahahahaaahaaa!)

Ducky bib?  Check.

Fancy-schmancy ice cream parlor?  Check.

Time for some birthday sugar!

Mmmmm.

Watching my spoon veeeery carefully.

Aaaaaah!  I'd like some more please!

Ooh!  Too much!  Ice cream headache!

Ok ok - it's passed!  Gimmie another bite!

Aaaaaaah.

Yummmm!

I love this birthday thing!

It's delicious!

In retrospect, I really should've taken a picture while the candle was lit.

I am going to quickly run out of witticisms.

Just know...

..that Jaynie..

...LOVED her cake.

MMmph.

Ummm.

Caaaaaaake.

aHAA!  Cake!

Phhbbtt!

She had a lot of fun smearing it all over herself, too.

She thought Christmas was fun...

...but it had NOTHING on this whole birthday thing!

"Touchdown!" 

(I think at this point she was starting to slip into a sugar-trance.)

Yeah!  I give this cake a round of applause!

Her Dad really cracks her up sometimes.

Here, Dad, need a drink?

I love the face here.  Is she nervous that he's going to try and steal some of her cake?

Me and the Chunk.  Seriously - look at that chubby little boobie she's got plopped up on her tray!  Too much cake, maybe?  =)

Time to hose that kid off!

Pre-chomp.

Chomp.

Ah - the Chomp/Splash manuever!

That is one happy kiddo.

Splash!

Splash splash!

Splash splash splash!  

Ooh - she can't keep up that splashing indefinitely.  She needs a good chomp every now and then. 

Somehow I failed to get a picture of her surrounded by wrapped presents.  Oh well - she got this book, for one.

And she got a bubble machine, too.

Ooooooh. Bubbles.

We did, however, video the entire evening.  Look how happy she is post-cake-and-presents!

Heck yeah I'm happy!  This whole day has been about me me ME!

A friend of mine was telling me how she had to dismantle this same activity table because her baby kept taking off the top and climbing into it.  

Jaynie never got to see this demonstrated, but apparently she was listening to our conversation.

Sigh.

Jaynie is now old enough, that if she falls asleep in the car...

...she'll stay asleep while you carry her in. 

And yet, still enough of a baby to want to nap on her Dad's chest. =)

Whatcha doing, kiddo?

Oh nothing, Mom.

Playing with this ball,

sitting backwards in my chair, 

standing here like a big girl.

Same old, same old. 

Jaynie's Ducky Party!

That is one gooood looking cake, if I do say so myself.

We used her old ducky tub to hold the ice.  The kids loved the quackquackquack.  Waay better than a cooler!

Party favors - everyone left with rubber duckies and duck-shaped cookies. 

Madam's Big Duck Chair.  Where else would she sit to open presents?

Another shot of that fabulous cake.  Couldn't help myself. 

Duck cookies, duck table-cloth, giant rubber ducks - maybe we went a little overboard. 

And how's THIS for a party hat?  Duck headband!

She wasn't to thrilled about wearing it, but loved it when I did. (Ok ok - so I liked wearing it, too.)

Presents!  And what's so great about presents?  WRAPPING PAPER!!! =)

Moooom.  I thought I made it clear that I didn't want to wear this stupid thing!

I wanna play with my new toooooys!

Ok ok ok.  One picture with the ducks on.  Happy?

Jaynie sporting the latest in long-johns and sunhats.

Here's me trying to get out of the shot.  Not quick enough, apparently.

That's better, Dad. Zoom in right here. 

This one is so stinkin cute - too bad about the red eye.

It's alright, Momma!  I'm adorable no matter what color my eyes are!

Here they are - big and brown and gorgeous.

And here's her foot!  Which she now will show you when asked. 

Gorgeous and smart!  Just like her Momma! =)

She stands!

She leans!

She walks towards me.

She walks away from me.

She does all this while chomping anything she can get her chubby little hands on!

Oh MAN!  Chubby baby alert!

Here's a nice shot of those chompers.  Very impressive!

Hellooooo everybody!

Don't you just love my new hairdo?

I'm so done here, Momma.  DONE!

(For those worried about the bruise on her cheek - learning to walk is not all fun and games.)

Story time in Jaynie's room!

To properly tell a story, one must be willing to wear as many hats as the baby hands you.

Whoa!  Wardrobe malfunction!

Their -that's much better.

Now - on with the story!

WHAT IS THIS!?!?!

It seems to be a baby who has managed to gnaw through a bag of M&M's.

Oh M&M's.  This morning I didn't know you, and now I love you.

Also, I love my Daddy (see shirt).  Without his particular style of "watching the baby", I never would've been able to eat my weight in chocolate. 

Now - enough pictures, thank you.  More candy.

Jaynie loves the swing.

I'm gonna get you, Mom!

Gotcha!  (She really did - a second after this was taken she kicked the camera out of my hand.)

Me trying to get a picture of her as she swings by.

Hey!  This timing thing is harder than it looks!

There's one (kind of) - I wanted to show how relaxed and laid back she was. 

Here come lots of pics of her in the swing.

She was so cute, I couldn't stop taking them.

Look at that tongue!

That sweet little face!

Those big cheeks!

The headband she insisted on wearing over her hat!

That attitude!

She is, seriously, the cutest thing ever.

She loooves the swing!

Words cannot describe the amount of attitude in this picture.  You'll just have to click it and see for yourselves.

Our little 80's workout queen!

Here she is, running her laps.

Doing her calf raises.

Another lap!  Such dedication to fitness!

And she's done.  Time for a nice hamstring stretch, and then she hits the shower!  Or bath.  Whatever. 

And here we meet up with the budding supermodel.

She's modeling the very latest in sundresses and hats. 

Could we be looking at America's Next Top Model?

What, Dad?

Oh!  Oh yeah!  Cheeeeese!

Oh - we've caught her with her kitty!

How sweet - in between photo shoots she snuggles with George. 

Jaynie says - "Heeeeey"  (Think Fonzie)

She demonstrates her new furniture-climbing abilities.

And for you fans out there - here is my foot!

What?  I know my feet have fans!

As does my belly.  Look at it!

A quiet moment between a girl, and her kitty. 

A quiet moment between a girl and her couch.

She still loves to play with her saucer, just from the outside now. =)

Uh oh.  I've been spotted.

What you got in there, Mom?

Here - let me get that for you.

What separates us from the animals?

Our ability to accessorize!

Striped socks and sunhats are a MUST when wearing a diaper!

Hello, I'm adorable. 

Oh, you still here?  (She says around the hair elastic that she pulled out and is eating)

Time to play outside!

I'd like to point out that while I picked out the romper, shoes, and socks...

Jaynie picked out and insisted on the jacket and hat. 

This is Madam's "Big Kid" cup.

It's what she drinks her milk out of.

It's supposed to be for ages 2 and up, but she doesn't seem to have a problem with it.

And it's fun, so she drinks like 4 times as much milk than with a sippy. 

Being able to walk around has really revolutionized playing outside!

No more being carried around, forced to look at and touch what Mom thinks I should look at and touch!

Now I am in charge of my own destiny!

If I want to play with these rocks, I will!

If I want to examine this moss?  Nobody can stop me!

I am in charge!  HAhahahaaaaa!

Yeah - Jaynie's new favorite thing is to hang out outside.

And my new favorite thing is to take lots of pictures of her outside.

I probably won't be able to think up fun narratives for all of them.

You'll just have to make up your own jokes and stories to go with them.

Milk break.  Playing in the yard is thirsty work! (No - she hasn't grown a Cindy Crawford mole.  Playing in the yard is dirty work, too.)

What's over there?!? 

Have I already said "Adorable!"?

Look Mom!  A grey one!

This is the sign for "Mom".

(Of course, I've never taught her the sign for Mom.  But whatever.  She's obviously both gifted, and crazy about me.)

Look at that fat belly pressing against her romper.  How cute is this kid?

This is my sweet girl kissing a rock before handing it to me.

You'd better save that forever, Momma!  (It's in my nightstand drawer. )

When she was a little baby I'd always hold her up near this bush to play with the leaves.  Now she keeps going right for it. 

Hi Mom!

Back to the rocks.  They're like little Jaynie magnets.

And she's off!  Man - you turn around for ONE SECOND and she makes a break for it!

Btw - thanks again for this cute jacket, Grandpa Guy. =)

You got me a lamb for Easter?

I love him!  I give him kisses!

He's so great!  I LOVE him!

(She knows the sound the sheep makes, and started making it almost immediately after getting him.  Because of that, and thanks to the excellent suggestion by Grandma Sharon, we're now calling this lamb Bob.  Get it?  Baaaaaaa'b)

What is THIS?

It sounds like there's something in there!

Oh my gosh!  Are those...?

Mmmph.  M&M's. 

More please!  (Pay attention, folks!  This is a photo of Jaynie doing sign language!)

Are you gonna give me more?  Or am I gonna have to sic Bob on you?!

Heh heh heh.  M&M's. 

Delish!

Hit me again!

Mmmmph.  I love them.

Melts in your mouth not in your hands?

Ha!  What about melting on your FACE!?!

Look at her shovel them in.  So fun to watch.

HeeheeHEE!  The sugar is starting to kick in!

What's that you say?  Something BETTER than M&M's?

OMG.  You may be right.

This is the greatest thing EVER.

Hey - why does my shadow have 2 giant ears?

I love you, Dad.  I will love you forever for giving me this wonderful rabbit (instead of eating it yourself, like last year. Don't think I don't know about that.)

What we're thinking: Aw. Her rabbit broke.

What she's thinking: Wow! Now I have 2 pieces of chocolate!

What?  You want a bite?

Ok, Dad!  Here you go!  (What a sweetie!)

Did you enjoy that bite?

Good, cause you're not getting any more.

Hahaha!  It's mine!  

MINE!

Yumm. Mmm. Mmph.  Sooo good.

Har HAR!  I found the egg!

Too bad my chocolate-fried brain can't figure out how to open this sucker up.

Maybe if I bang it against this tree...

We decide to move this party out into the front yard and give her a chance to run off some of that sugar.

Hee hee hee.  Hee hee hee.  Hee hee hee!  I don't know why I'm so giddy!

Jaynie stops to smell the flowers.

And touch the flowers.

And basically try to destroy the flowers.

I found an egg!  I found it!  I found it!

It was right here! 

(Alternative caption : Oooh.  That's some nice grass!)

At this point she lost her hat, and didn't even notice.

Here is where she knocked me down in the driveway and sat on me.

This is where she makes a point to her Dad, who was opining that socks were a lousy thing to have in your basket.  She loves socks. =)

Heeeey.  Are these edible, too? 

I was just wondering.  Twitch twitch.

You wanna go back in the backyard now?

I mean, isn't that where we left my chocolate rabbit?

Off she goes.

You really can't beat late afternoon light,

a pink dress,

and a cute girl for great pictures. =)

So that was Easter.  The end.