This afternoon, we (Will, Paul, Grandpa and Nana Wisneskey, and I) enjoyed a lunch at Italian Pie (the little pizza and pasta place a stone’s throw from our front door) and then went the 7 blocks west to Audubon Zoo.
We acquired an annual membership — one that allows Paul and I, our child(ren), and any two guests into the Zoo and Audubon Aquarium of the Americas (downtown) for free. (So, to all visitors — free outtings to the zoo and aquarium with Will!)
The Zoo was a blast. Will loved the animals and spent the whole visit talking away, pointing, cooing, and being just the cutest kid. The highlight was when Will and I fed the giraffe!! I held the biscuit as “Murray” (one of the big males) bent down and licked up my hand for his treat — and Will reached out and touched his head! Murray stayed there awhile and let us pet him and scratch his nose. (No pictures, unfortunately. Paul was outside the exhibit and missed it all!)
We took tons of pictures of Will pointing and talking away and can’t wait to go back!
THEN… we came back home. We thought Will would be tired and ready for a nap. Not so!! He was totally charged up. So, we ordered a pizza and started opening presents. He had wonderful gifts from Grandpa and Nana Wisneskey, Aunt Amy and Uncle Kevin, Uncle Skip and Aunt Emily, and friends Randy and Katherine Musgrove. (Granna and PapPap Scheib sent Will a card and a check for his college fund and have presents to give him at birthday party #2 later this week.)
Randy and Katherine sent a Leap Frog baby tag (so cute — Will is learning to press the buttons!) and music table that he loves to stand up and dance to (1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10! Apparently, he loves this tune…! Paul and I have all the songs and sayings memorized, that tells you how much Will likes them!) Aunt Julie Stanton sent the classic “Elmer the Elephant” story with a stuff Elmer to go with it! Aunt Amy and Uncle Kevin sent a sports ball set (way cool!), a nikey sport suit, and a Leap Frog alphabet pal that does several alphabet and color learning games — really neat! Uncle Skip and Aunt Emily sent magnetic letters, a fun dinosaur book (Dinosaur Roar!), and beach toys and watering can that Emily specially decorated and designed especially for Will! Grandpa and Nana gave Will a beautiful Osh Kosh onesie and jacket (with adorable matching socks), a quack-along duck set, a musical block set that squeeks when you put the sounders in place (hard to describe, but TOTALLY cool) and his first Richard Scary book. This was an especially precious gift, as Paul’s Ga (Ga was young Paul speak for Grandma) gave him his first Richard Scary book for his first birthday. Other family and friends sent birthday greetings as well. All were thoughtful, fun, and so appreciated!!
Of course, Will had a blast with just the ribbon and paper (especially the ribbon)!!
In between presents, we breaked for dinner. Pizza was the menu (Will also had some, along with leftover tofu and a jar of Plums, Banana, and Rice). And then birthday cake!!! We neglected to think about getting a cake until the last minute, so yesterday, I bought a small cake at a bakery across the street from Whole Fodds (Chez Nous). It was the perfect type of cake — white with butter cream frosting, my favorite! But had blue flowers — maybe not the perfect for a boy’s birthday?? Even so, that was our cake! Will had a BLAST eating his piece…. or, rather, feeding it to Daddy, rubbing it all over his head, face, arms, chair, back (really, he got it on his back!), and even some on the floor. It was right into the shower from there!
After a long night of fun, it took two swings on the front porch swing to put him out for the night. (A big deal for a boy who is next to impossible to get to sleep!) What a wonderful first birthday for our little man!
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