But I digress. We’ve decided we like having the membership. Each time we visit, Ian is more and more interested in the animals and I assume that will continue for several years. It’s also nice that we can just decide one morning to go and only spend an hour there without feeling like we’ve wasted money. I don’t need to plan a whole afternoon of lunches, snacks and drinks. We don’t have to skip nap time. We don’t have to stay there with a cranky child just so that we’re getting our money’s worth. We can leave before the child gets cranky, even if that means only staying for 45 minutes. We can spend as long as we want at one exhibit (except when the tiger is close to the fence). We can go every weekend, if we want. As long as we are able to afford it, we’ll renew our membership there. I’m still afraid of the roaming peacocks though.

The party was dinosaur themed and we decorated in blues and greens. We served pizza (though the birthday boy didn’t want any) and a layered cake I made the night before–again, nothing too fancy. Ian did a great job of entertaining everyone — he showed off his favorite game…throw the football, chase the football, scream. He scored in the gift department too. Dump truck, mini-basketball (now his favorite ball), cars, sidewalk chalk, coloring book, craft table, clothes, golf set, bowling set, lawn chair, water table, and a wagon (which can fit one or two friends!) Miles and I got him the little dump truck with shapes he can sort — we went small and were glad we did because of the generosity of the rest of his family! After he got the bowling set, he entertained everyone by knocking over all the pins…over and over! He had fun, but was tuckered out and napped well that afternoon!

The rest of the set can be viewed here.

Compare to these, Ian at 7 months and 12 months.

(Let’s all take a moment and wonder in awe at my grandpa’s hairline remaining the same for 24 years. Is that the same WATCH?! –No, I don’t think so.)

Certainly not identical, but finally there’s some resemblance!

Looking at us together, we don’t look alike, but comparing to the baby photos, we definitely do.

I can also now see the traits he has that aren’t mine — so I’m dying to find a picture of Miles that we can scan and compare.

Mind=blown.

We’ll be having a small birthday get-together today with Ian’s grandparents and some of his aunts. Hopefully we’ll party so hard that cake ends up on the floor.

Ian is “so big.” (Sometimes, he’s too lazy to use both arms. Being so big is hard work.)

Ian’s one-year photos, by Abby Bischoff of Renawgraphy.

It looks like 4 months is about the time his “face” finished changing. After that, he just gets older and bigger.

My baby.