Healthy, Happy Birthday Boy

Our second attempt at Jackson's first birthday party was a success!  After a week of the antibiotics (which we picked up on a second trip to A&E on Sunday), Jackson's impetigo rash is almost all gone and he is acting like his old self again.  He's had a tough week of crying through the night from the itchiness and sores that spread all over his body, taking the poisonous-smelling antibiotics, and having to stay away from his friends and teachers at nursery until Thursday.  By Wednesday, he was really happy again and we had a good feeling that we would be able to have his birthday party today.

We didn't count our chickens before they hatched though and we waited until this morning to buy the food for the party and to set-up the toys and games for the babies.  (All of the other decorations were still up from last week.)  Luckily, all of the people we invited could make it to the party today and everyone had a great time.

His best pals Penny, Ethan, Ralph, and Thomas came to celebrate and they had a lot of fun playing with Jackson's new toys.  After his friend birthday party, Lee's family came over for the second-part of his party.  In between the parties, Jackson had to take a nap to rejuvenate and came back with lots of energy and excitement to play with his cousins.

After last weekend, we're very thankful for a 'normal' day where Jackson is healthy again.  Lots of planning, time, and effort goes into a birthday party, but looking back on the day, it's the best way to commemorate the past year and kids deserve to have a day that is devoted to them every year.

Opening his presents with a little help from Mommy and Daddy to rip the paper

The party room

The sweets and treats table adorned with a fully decorated cake and flowers this week

Daddy and Jackson in the Party Photo Booth

Jackson wasn't sure about the Photo Booth

Ethan and Jackson at the sand table

Ralph stopped by for some sand time while Jackson explained the rules of the sand table

Thomas had a great time playing in the climbing frame

Jackson loved every second of "Happy Birthday" so we sang it twice

We tried to get a group photo with all of the babies...and this is it

Developmental updates:  Jackson climbed up the stairs for the first time this week and then that quickly became his favourite thing to do--over and over again.  Somehow, he developed the perfect method of left knee, right knee, left foot, right foot for going up the stairs so he must have had the stair idea in his head for awhile.  On Wednesday, he started clapping!  We've been waiting months for this milestone and it's finally come!  Jackson may have been celebrating the fact that his impetigo was clearing up and he was ready to go back to nursery the next day.  When he finally did return to nursery, his teachers told me that he went to everyone to give them a hug and gave all of the teachers cuddles, too.  He had two great days at nursery and is back to eating full meals and drinking all of his milk.  As we were singing nursery rhymes to him this week, he seemed to join in and 'sang' along until the song was finished.  He has also started dancing along to music and keeps the beat by hitting objects that are near or slapping his little baby thighs.

If you see Sammie Miles Davis, Jr. and Bella, give them my love.