Cape Cod!

We just got back from a wonderful week in Eastham on the Cape! Matthew loved the beach and spending time with his family and friends from Syracuse! We made it to the beach every single day and one thing is for sure: Matthew could be a beach bum! I have no doubt he would be happy to be playing in the sand and swimming in the ocean every single day! We even talked about moving to an island for the next four years until it was time for school - he was just so damn happy!!

We spent most of our time on our private beach on Shurtleff Road. We also went to Nauset Light Beach on the National Seashore a few times. And between beaching it, we squeezed in a little shopping, a lot of eating, and maybe a tad too much drinking. It was wonderful!

Here are a few of our favorites pictures from the week. Ok, maybe more than a few, but it was really hard to choose because we took over three hundred pictures! And yes, as you will see, we did all have matching shirts. This was not my idea, however I do have to say it made for a great picture of all of us. "Cape Cod 2008 - Cole Collier Jachowicz Blanchard" Can't wait for next year!!!!!!!!!

Swan Boats

Matt had his first trip to the Boston Public Garden for a ride in the Swan Boats and a visit with the duckling statues from "Make Way for Ducklings." He loved the boat ride and just reclined to enjoy the ride. He checked out all the ducks, and of course all the people along the shore. He even got to see one of the swans swimming in the pond.

Then we strolled over to the ducklings and he thought those were very cool! At first he had them all to himself, but only wanted to hang out with one duck. For some reason, he just liked that second small duck the best and kept climbing on and off of him! Then more kids came to check out the ducks too, and Matt couldn't decide if it was more fun to watch the kids or sit on the duck. Before heading home, we cooled off in the shade, and Matt helped mommy with her vanilla ice cream and daddy with his watermelon slushie!

Children's Museum

Matt had a great time at his first visit to the Boston Children's Museum!!

He loved the bubble room...

And the ball room...

And the construction zone...

He also had a great time in the water room too! And after all the excitement, he was one tuckered out little boy...

...but that did not stop him from enjoying the one man band at the Barking Crab!

Swingset!

Somehow, we turned all of this..............

Into this................

And Matthew loves it! Thanks to his Nanny and Grampy for this wonderful birthday present - not to mention all the help building it!

Our little carpenter!

Matt was practicing with his hammer the other day. Practicing for his future in carpentry perhaps?? Maybe some day he'll build us our dream home to retire in!

We're still trying to figure out if he's righty or lefty, and I've read that sometimes you won't know for the first couple of years. But he usually throws (and as you can see, hammers) righty so I'm guessing on that at this point.

Ready for a ride!

One of Matt's great birthday presents, from his Nana and Grampa, was a bike seat for the back of my bike. It's called the CoPilot Limo, and boy is this thing really like a limo! It has padding everywhere and looks so comfy - I wish I could ride around in one! So we tried out the helmet for a little bit the other morning, and after a moment of complaint, Matt walked around not caring one little bit about the big thing on his head! I can't wait for our first ride!

One Year Old!

Matt had a wonderful birthday and was so happy to be surrounded by lots of friends and family on his special day! He had the two most important things any birthday boy should have...cake and beer!

Yes, Matt did his first keg stand! We'll be pulling those pictures out in about 17 years when he's heading off to college - just to remind him that he should be an old pro then! (And no, the tap is not really in his mouth!)

But on a more serious note, we can't believe our baby boy is one year old already! Where does the time go!?! It's amazing to think of all the things he's learned in the past year and it's even more exciting to think about the next year ahead of us!

Matthew is a very lucky boy to have such wonderful friends and family! Thank you to everyone who helped him celebrate (early on Tuesday night and also on Saturday - two parties!) and to those that sent birthday wishes!

The birthday boy had a great time with his slice of birthday cake and here are a couple snippets: