Orion's First Birthday!!!

Unbelievable, but our little guy just turned 1! Orion just gets happier and cuter and smarter all the time. He's almost walking, almost talking (latest words: juice and fish), and almost everybody's favorite one-year-old!

Following family tradition, we opened his presents first thing in the morning (well, as soon as everyone was awake). Here are two pictures of presents--the carrellino, which he can use already push along quite well, even though he can't yet walk alone. And the wondrous tunnel, a replacement of the cardboard-box one that has provided endless hours of laughter. He also received several classic toys, pop-up box and animals and blocks and even a tent, from doting grandparents, and even a peel trident shirt from a very with-it, rockin' uncle. An important sponsor of the day: IKEA.

We invited the neighborhood kids over for a very brief ice-cream party. Orion was politely silent and a bit mystified when we all sang to him. He's lucky to live on a block with several kids almost his age!

And in another family tradition: Orion's first ice-cream cone. It was Neapolitan (nothing to do with Napoli, I'm sure, but it has the classic three flavors), and he got mostly chocolate. Here's the first taste:
And then he was off, holding it expertly, doing some tactile experimentation, testing its cold, creamy, delectable, etc qualities. Thanks Edy's.


He also used it as a drum-stick at some point. Bang bang bang.

Here's to our wonderful little boy, and to us. We made it through a first year as parents!!