It is amazing how fast a year flies from the time a new baby is brought home until the time their first birthday rolls around. Thank goodness I am not the same person I was a year ago - a whopping large whale - but more than that, she's changed me. Thank goodness. Cause me needs lotsa improvements.
I learned patience. Mountains of it.
I'm still learning patience.
I learned the feeling of sweetpainlove feeling whenever I watch this child. I don't know another description for that.
I learned that you can be exhausted and still get up and function.
I learned that beautiful is not what I'm wearing, or me, but it's the reaction of a sweet little face gazing at me and a proud daddy cuddling his girls.
I learned that it's impossible not to talk babyish to a little angel who is learning new things.
I learned that to give thanks at the table or reading my Bible with her in my lap matters even when it seemed so fruitless at the time with scattered thoughts because now she respects it.
I learned that I thought I knew what loving someone was like. I didn't. That feeling consumes me daily.
And I learned that I'm still learning.
And the more I learn, the less I know, the more I'll learn.
Being a mom is the best thing and the hardest thing. And when it's all weighed in the balances, it's the best.
What a privilege!
So happy birthday baby girl. We love you so much we can't even come up with a good verb for it.
 |
| 1 Month |
 |
| 6 Months |
We are lame parents. I know parents who spend weeks planning a first birthday and it is all so picture perfect and cute and everyone says awwww when they see the photos posted the same evening of the party with the perfect decor, perfect cake, perfect smiles with the parents and baby, perfect little outfits, perfect color scheme and perfect theme.
I am not that parent.
For one, I looked at pinterest and found adorable ideas. I posted them. Looked at them repeatedly. And when it came down to it:
She is one years old. She doesn't have a clue what's going on.
When she's 10 and has a half dozen friends over for a slumber/birthday party? Yeah, I'll be paying for this party in 100-fold on that day. So why start it earlier than you have to??
See?
Horrible mom.
Kind of no nonsense, and lots of reality thrown in.
We did plan a prime rib dinner on the night of her birthday with her grandparents and a pink tablecloth with pink, white, dk brown balloons. She loves balloons. Daddy had to work and we didn't want anything too major. Always fun to have a room full and baby has a breakdown because there is so much going on right...?!
I had the meal planned out, everything ready to go, even down to the shrimp appetizer and jalapeno/bacon appetizer. I was going girly with white china and cloth napkins and maybe a plunked down vase of carnations. That decor would have taken 5 minutes on thought, 10 minutes on execution. That's my kind of style. And the food? Well what's easier than prime rib? (well thanksgiving turkey is, but I digress) Just have to keep. eyes. on. it. Not too hard. And a meat thermometer. Always have a reliable meat thermometer. It's as necessary as knives. And chocolate. The appes are quick to do and can be done before hand. Salad done, twice bake potatoes can be done the day before and warmed the last 15 minutes of cooking the prime rib. I made bread a couple days ago and froze the rolls. The hardest part of this meal I can promise is a baby climbing up your leg every 15 seconds pointing at the bananas. Because she could exist solely on bananas and muffins. If I let her.
And what do you know, a sick baby turned into very sick baby. We've been fighting it since Christmas when the flu bug hit us. And now it's a head cold that won't quit. We went to the Dr. We cancelled the party.
We did have a Birthday Breakfast though! I made GF apple/pear muffins which are AWESOME and Zaiya ate 2 1/2 of them and would have stolen my other half if I hadn't hid it.
Birthday Girl
 |
| Still a sleepy girl |
She can recognize the muffin tin. And at this point it was getting a little too long to wait.
What is that thing in my muffin??
She has no fear. She poked the candle out of the way and in the muffin she went.
 |
| Ahh muffins! No smash cake here! Just a very delicate one finger and thumb pick up and insert in mouth. Repeat. |
Not the little birthday we were planning, however smallish it was. But we are okay with that. Small is good and easier. And not having one is okay too. She's one!
And then daddy left for work and mommy and baby made a kitchen stove out of a diaper box and a couple door knobs I had lying around. That was our big pressie :) I made her some outfits but I don't feel like wrangling a sick baby into trying on clothes. That is the least fun I could think of doing for myself or her.
Little skeptic about the nobs because she's been playing with them unassembled for a week.
I love this photo of her flinging the sink! It's such a violent toss and her expression is so bland!!
Then before nap time we played with balloons. She is a sweet little love. And we can't get enough of her little ways and talks. She says mum mum and yeah. What a dolly.
 |
| HappyBirthday! |
