Japanese Garden Bliss

Is there any place in St. Louis that is more beautiful in early April than the Japanese Garden area of the Missouri Botanical Garden?  Absolutely not.

I am a bit biased, because I adore the Japanese Garden and think it's gorgeous year round.  But there is something really special about this time of year.  Jonathan and I spent a lovely morning taking pictures and walking around.  For quite a while we practically had the place to ourselves!  Eventually some preschool groups arrived and the solace was a bit disturbed, but it was still perfectly lovely.  I highly, highly recommend a trip to the Garden very soon!!

Jonathan would like to point out that he had the most comfortable way to tour the Garden and still stay warm on a chilly spring morning.

All pics below are specifically from the Japanese Garden area of the Garden.

First Birthday

I know this is terribly cliche, but I truly cannot believe that an entire year has gone by.  My baby boy is a year old!!!  Wow.  I am blessed, and doubly so because I've been able to spend so much time with him this first year.  As I have recently started searching for a job, I'm reminded more and more how amazing it has been to see him so much and to be his primary caretaker for this first year.  So many memories.  So much joy and love.

I told the hubster earlier that it was a happy anniversary for us, too, since this is our first anniversary of being parents.  I am excited to see what the years ahead bring, but I know that I will always treasure this first year. The first couple of months were admittedly a bit rough, but overall the year has been fantastic.  Jonathan is sweet, happy, loving, easy-going, adventurous, and playful.  In a word:  perfect.

We had a very small gathering of my immediate local family members to celebrate his birthday today.  I was derelict in my photography duties, and failed to either take a picture of the unopened pile of presents, or of the table laid out with food.  Oops!

Instead of a birthday cake, we decided to have birthday pie.  I ordered tart-sized pies from Pie Oh My for each of the guests, including Jonathan.  He was not even a tiny bit upset over not having a cake!  :)  He ate everything but a few pieces of crust.

Here is a comparison shot of the same kind of pie that Jonathan had, next to the crust that Jonathan didn't eat.  For a little guy, I think he did pretty good!

Happy happy birthday, sweet little man.