**(I guess I haven’t been very good at blogging in the last few months.  Here’s a post I started in March and just needed to add pictures to.  Old news, yes, but pictures are always fun. **

Probably the best part of March was when my brother’s kids (and wife) came out for Spring Break – Rush LOVES kids, especially his cousins!  We wore ourselves out by the end of each day, but we had a blast.  I’m so glad they made that long horrendous drive across Arizona and Utah.  We can’t wait to see them when they do it again, two more times over the next few months!  If there were an Olympic gold medal for driving long distances with lots of kids, they would get it.

So here’s what we did with the Bains while they were here:

Story time at the Salt Lake City Library…

Birthday party at McDonald’s for Rushton’s oldest cousin Parker (6 years old!).  Rushton made SUCH A MESS with his chocolate cupcake that the McD’s staff had to come clean up our area with a mop.  That was even AFTER I did the best I could with baby wipes.  Too bad I didn’t get a picture of that…

Lunch at the Gateway food court before another fun day of cousin awesomeness…

The Children’s Discovery Museum.  Rush had a blast even though he was too little to do most of the activities there.  The other kids in the pictures are my brother’s kids and my sister-in-law’s sister’s kids…

We loved hanging out with all of you guys!

Update – Got the photo rotated…

What’s that?, originally uploaded by Jake Spurlock.

Doctor… I am really confused. Where are you putting that?

And he walks!  Just like that.  Our baby went from teeny tiny to teenager in 2.7 seconds.  He does much better than this video shows, but we just haven’t caught the good stuff on video yet.  He’s been walking more and more over the last week and getting braver each day.  He’ll now go about half the length of the family room all by himself!  Where did my baby go??

Here are a few more videos – one of chocolate cake and one of the slide.  And as videos like these goes, please ignore the shaky hand and high pitched squeals in the background.  Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9t3At1ivec

GETTING INTO EVERYTHING.  Apparently the kitchen is his new favorite place in the house.  You better believe that I started installing cabinet locks almost immediately.  However, they’re much harder to install than I anticipated, so I only got them on the important cupboards so far.  Enjoy it while it lasts, kiddo…

Who knew a wooden spoon could be the source of so much happiness?

Just keepin’ it casual…

Using hand gestures in an effort to make sure I understand what he’s telling me…

This kid loves him some goldfish crackers…

Yep, we’re still waiting…

I love this little grin!

Rushton has been pulling himself up on things ever since his birthday, and now he gets into all sorts of trouble.  And my house is almost always a mess because he thinks things look better on the floor than on tables.

These birthday PJ’s came from Great Grandma Spurlock.  So cute!

One year ago today I was holding my brand new little baby, without even the slightest clue of how (and how MUCH) my life would change.  I’m so lucky to be his mother!  I can’t imagine life without Rushton.  He’s such a little person with a big personality to boot.  I love my little buddy!

In one short year, he went from this:

To this:

We had a little party for him with some family and a few friends–it was a blast, probably more fun for us than for him.  I spent about 30 hours on his invitation (curse you, Adobe Illustrator – you definitely showed me who’s boss…) so the rest of the party prep seemed like a piece of cake. (HA! Pun intended.)  I felt like such a grown up – having a birthday party for my kid.  Rush definitely enjoyed his cake, as you can see.  We missed all of the family members who couldn’t make it, but we appreciate the cards and calls and gifts and love they sent!  Thanks to all our peeps for celebrating with us!

On the enthusiasm level, you’re at about 12.  We need you at a 6…

I love Jake for many, many reasons.  And in honor of his birthday last week, I’d like to highlight one of those reasons:  his ability to fall asleep anytime, anywhere.

Love you, babe!  Hope 27 is super awesome.