Last weekend my immediate family, minus one sister (sad face), met for a family rendezvous at my parents' house in New Jersey.� We spent some great quality time together, enjoyed watching baby Gus rock out in his doorway jumper, visited the (great) grandparents in PA and had a lot of fun witnessing the two goobers interact (especially in the bath tub).� Emmett had a bit of a cold (which translated to a couple of family members), but other than that, it was a successful trip.� Check out some of the visual highlights below, including a pretty awesome video of Gus gnawing on Emmett (with a surprise ending)...

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9LedX_xpLk&hl=en_US&fs=1&]

[caption id="attachment_1167" align="aligncenter" width="539" caption="Gran-D and the boys"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1168" align="aligncenter" width="539" caption="Rockin' Out"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1169" align="aligncenter" width="539" caption="Happy Gus!"][/caption]

I'm looking forward to the next time Gus and Emmett get together.� Gus will probably be Emmett's current age, and Emmett will be 19 months.

For more pictures from last weekend's visit, check out the "NJ Family Rendezvous" set on Flickr.

Age Timer: 13 months, 1 week

Topics: Weekly Updates, family, video, cousins, visit

Being 1 year old has treated Emmett pretty well so far.� He's a pretty confident walker, and he can now go from sitting to standing without the aid of a third party.

We took Emmett for his first (professional) haircut last weekend.� I'd cut it before myself, but it was the first time we actually took him somewhere to get it done (and he was starting to look like a hippie).� Let's put it this way -- he was not a fan.� Nope ... not one bit.� He was in the chair for less than a minute before he started crying and screaming.� They ended up pulling over a bigger chair so he could sit on my lap, and even then it was a struggle.

[caption id="attachment_1157" align="aligncenter" width="539" caption="teary-eyed, before the major breakdown"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1158" align="aligncenter" width="539" caption="appeased by mom's lap and an animal cracker"][/caption]

The only bright side of the situation was that we went to Snip-its, which is dedicated solely to children's haircuts and was more than prepared for the situation, armed with bubbles, singing hairdressers, animal crackers, lollipops and cartoons to battle less-than-happy customers like Emmett.� It was a little costlier than I would have liked, but I can say with confidence that for kids uncomfortable with getting their hair cut, it's the best way to go (for at least the first few haircuts).� Two thumbs up for Snip-Its!� Below, Emmett shows off his new 'do and reflects on hair first haircut experience ...

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttVbQYnXwtA&hl=en_US&fs=1&]

Age Timer: 12 months, 3 weeks

Topics: Weekly Updates, Milestones, video, Firsts, first haircut, toddler

I'm happy to report that Emmett's first birthday party (Theme: Mod Monkey) was a complete success.� There were very minimal freakouts or snafus, and I think it's safe to say that everyone had a great time.� A huge thanks goes to my parents, Niki and James for helping out and to everyone who attended and sent gifts, cards & Happy Birthday wishes to make his day special.

[caption id="attachment_1147" align="aligncenter" width="539" caption="The Birthday Boy in his Mod Monkey Party Hat"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1150" align="aligncenter" width="549" caption="Balloon Boy"][/caption]

It goes without saying that Emmett made out big time with all his presents.� He received not one -- but two -- ball pits (you jealous?).� However, oddly enough, Emmett's favorite present seemed to be a cupcake-shaped Target gift card from Uncle Shawn, Aunt Sara and cousin Ben.� It must have been that whole give-a-kid-a-present-and-he'd-rather-play-with-the-box mentality.

It took Emmett a little while to master the whole cake-eating concept, but eventually he got the hang of it.� Check out the video (though I'm warning you, it's kind of long)...

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRTbBqAyt80&hl=en_US&fs=1&]

[caption id="attachment_1148" align="aligncenter" width="549" caption="Cake to the Face!"][/caption]

*Fun Fact: Emmett is sitting in the same high chair I sat in on my first birthday.

James took Emmett to his 1 year checkup on Tuesday, and the little man is doing just fine.� He's now 22 lbs. 10.5 oz. (49th percentile) and 32 inches long (96th percentile), and he even got the go-ahead to start substituting whole milk for formula.

I still can't believe it's been a year, but I've enjoyed every single minute of it!

For more photos from Emmett's first birthday party, check out the Birthday set on Flickr.

Age Timer: 1 year, 4 days

Topics: Milestones, video, Firsts, Toys, cake, happy birthday, cupcake, first birthday, birthday party

Ever since Gran Lucy took Emmett to the Boston Children's Museum a few months ago, James and I have wanted to take him back together. Well, we finally got the chance last night, and boy was it a bargain!� Friday evenings from 5 to 9 p.m. the museum offers $1 admission (compared to the normal $12) sponsored by Target, and since admission for children under 1 year is free, we got into the museum for a grand total of $2!� Of course, we had to pay for parking, but it was totally worth it.

[caption id="attachment_1133" align="aligncenter" width="539" caption="playing with the Brio trains in the PlaySpace"][/caption]

There's not a ton for Emmett to do there yet at his age, but if we only have to pay $1 a piece, I think we'll definitely be heading back on future Fridays.� There are a couple of sections of the museum that are specifically geared toward toddlers, like the PlaySpace and Peep's World, where we spent most of our time.� Still, I can't wait until Emmett is old enough to enjoy some of the cooler areas of the museum like the awesome New Balance Climb, a "3-story climbing sculpture made of brightly painted curved platforms."� To be honest, James and I both wished we were a little younger so we could play in it ourselves.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2aoRUubvas&hl=en_US&fs=1&]

The coolest thing about the trip was the opportunity for Emmett to interact with other kids his age, which he rarely gets to do.� James and I had a lot of fun watching him play.� Let's put it this way -- Emmett is definitely not a shy kid, and he definitely doesn't need to know James and I are in proximity to have a good time.� Oh, and yeah -- he's a huge fan of bubbles.

[caption id="attachment_1134" align="aligncenter" width="539" caption="hanging out in Peep's World"][/caption]

Find more highlights from our trip in the Boston Children's Museum set on Flickr.

Age Timer: 11 months, 3 weeks

Topics: Weekly Updates, video, children's museum, boston children's museum