Dec's 1st Birthday

Poor Declan woke up the morning of his birthday with a fever. We could tell right away he was not feeling well. All he wanted to do was lay on Tony - his little sick face was so sad....

We had planned a party at my parents' house for Dec's birthday, so we decided to continue on, knowing full well that there was a chance Declan might sleep through his party.

Declan's 1st birthday cake

Grandma Caswell brought a beautiful fruit display. I had to take a picture of it before people started diving in!

The gang out on the deck grilling

Sisters!




Declan's other 1st birthday cake (this was partially for Tony too!)





Fast asleep on Grandma Caswell




We can't believe Declan is already a year old - we survived!

Declan and Tony taking a little nap....

We tried to see if Declan wanted some cake, but he wasn't very interested.

The poor thing felt so sick....

We took Dec to urgent care on the way home, and it turned out he had an ear infection. By the time we got home and fed him, he started to feel a little better, so Tony and I got to play with him a little before he went to sleep. He loved all of the new toys - thanks everyone!!

Back to Normal....

In true Shannon style, I may have over-reacted in worrying about our security settings last week. I know there were some people who had problems accessing the secured blog, so I have decided to keep it open. However, I ask that friends and family not to forward the blog onto people I do not know. While the internet can be a fabulous communication vehicle, it can also be a scary place. While we do our best to post pictures and content that is secure and safe, I do post with the intention of friends and family viewing. Thank you all for your help, and I hope you continue to enjoy our family updates!

A good reminder....

For those of you who received an invitation to our blog today, it is because I recently changed the security settings. My good friend Sarah posted a very eye-opening message on her blog reminding all of us to be careful about what we choose to post on our blogs, and to keep in mind that anything we post on here can potentially be viewed by anyone.

Although I always knew this, I haven't been keeping it in the back of my mind with each post I put out here, so moving forward, we are just going to be a little more selective on the content/pictures and who we allow to view our blog. Sarah posted an interesting article in case anyone is interested in reading: Blogging smart: How to protect yourself and your family online.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful week! We are gearing up for Dec's big first birthday on Saturday!

Weeeee!

I usually pick Declan up from daycare at night, and by the time Tony gets home from work, Declan is usually finishing up dinner and getting ready for bed. He loves when dad gets home and they get to play for a while. He loved going on Tony's shoulders. It's so funny...he just giggles uncontrollably.

Rich and Angela

We had our very good friends, Rich and Angela over Saturday night to grill out. Angela made a delicious potato salad, and introduced us to grilled bananas for dessert. She always bakes the yummiest recipes! Luca absolutely loves them and wouldn't leave their sides. Literally, all night long....as if she never gets attention from Tony and I at home. Thanks for a great night guys!

The Radio Flyer

Tony and I got Declan a Radio Flyer wagon for his 1st birthday. It was a week early, but because it was so nice out today, we decided to give it to him and try it out in the front yard while Tony cleaned out the garage. Even Luca joined us!

Declan loved is and had so much fun hanging out and playing in the grass. The wagon will be perfect for Tony's softball games this summer.

Discovering rocks for the first time....

Congratulations Linds!

My college roommate is having a baby in June, and today we went to her baby shower. It was so good to see her, and she is the most adorable pregnant girl ever! We had a great time catching up, eating some great food, and of course....playing a baby shower game!

Who can guess how big Lindsey's belly is with a string?

And the winner was....Ali!

Declan came along to the shower and had fun exploring in the front porch.

Hanging out with Finn, Declan's little buddy. They both look EXACTLY like their fathers!



Declan with the guest of honor

Will is Home!

Will is home.....for good! My parents had the clan over last weekend for some grilling. We planned on all bringing the dogs over (Luca, Bristol, and Manny), but because it was rainy out, we decided to keep them home so poor Declan wasn't attacked with kisses all night long. It's pure chaos when all of the dogs are in the house. We did manage to get a picture of everyone before Conor had to drive back up to SJU.

Sick Day

Last night, Declan was awake every hour with a cough and plugged up nose. Then, this morning, we discovered he had a fever, so we had to keep him home from day-care. I had some morning meetings, so Tony stayed home with him in the morning, and I came home at lunch so Tony could go into the office for the afternoon. Although he didn't feel very well, we still had fun hanging out at home.

Feeding Luca....that lil' stinker

Best buddies hanging out at their favorite spot - the window. Just checking out the scene in the neighborhood.

Helping mom with the humidifier

Back at the window.....

Blog Rebrand

I decided it was time to rebrand the blog with a new name, look, and feel. Hope you all enjoy!