Oak's 1st Birthday

(I apologize for taking 3 weeks to get these pictures uploaded...it's been a little busy:)

Mom and Dad threw a big bash with our family and friends to celebrate my 1st Birthday (I am 30" tall and weigh 20 pounds now). I got to play with lots of my buddies, try chocolate cupcakes for the first time, and enjoy being out in the park! Thanks everyone for celebrating with me...I love you all!

Getting my hug-time with GrammyMaxwell and Isabella enjoying some food

Asa playing football with his mommy
Gray giving us all smiles
Darby showing us how to eat our cupcakes correctly for full enjoyment
Uncle Tim, Uncle Shaun, and Mommy
I learned well from Darby what to do with my first cupcake...I am definitely a Carter-Anders
Uncle Shaun and Aunt Mandie gave me this really cool lawnmower...now I follow Daddy around with it while he mows our yard

Granna Carter Up for a Visit

We had a great visit from Granna Carter...playing around the house, in the yard, at the park, and out for a cold, windy day at the beach!

Oak's First Camping Trip

Although Alan and I prefer rustic, backpack trips to campground camping, we had a wonderful time last week on our first camping trip with Oak. We went to a campground only about 45 minutes away on Lake Michigan that is small, has lots of trees, sandy sites, and that I went to many times with my family when I was a kid (and it has an ice cream shop at the end of the park...an added bonus:) We figure until Oak can carry his own pack and/or is not wearing diapers we probably won't do any family rustic camping...Oak seemed to love just being outdoors for three days straight, playing in the dirt, sand, water, hikes with daddy and mommy, and sleeping in a tent with an open view to the trees and stars. We are planning to try another trip over Labor Day weekend a little farther north.

Alan and Oak hitting the water...on our second day, the waves were about 4-5 feet tall and Oak got too scared to go in with us...so Alan and I took turns crashing the waves...in a few years, Oak will know how much fun it is!!Who me? Dirty? Under the table eating dirt? Oak, Mom, and I tending the fireFamily HikeOur sweet, little boy