Lunch

Apparently Baby wanted lunch too!

When its cold out...

and there is hurricane remnants around this is how we roll as we watch Haydyn's soccer game.

Pre-Halloween fun

With Isaiah and Lily

Our girls

Adelaide was flat out hugging all over her and Lily could have cared less. Love them and how much they love each other.

Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O

And on that farm we had a party! Old MacDonald's farm was the theme for your 1st birthday party. A couple of months before your birthday I began thinking of what theme to use for your party. The fact that you give us sweet smiles when we sing the Old MacDonald song to you, you love the Old MacDonald hand puppet we have, and you love all animals made it easy.  We stuck with the theme and decorated using red and white as well as cow print balloons (and a barn with animals one for you), hay bales, and a rocking horse.  We had it September 22 from 12-2, the Saturday before your birthday, at a nearby park. It was a joyous time of celebrating your first year with our family and friends.

About to sing.  This was such a sweet moment to me.  Hearing everyone sing to you made my heart smile.

Daddy giving you your smash cake.

Surprise, surprise you went for the graham cracker "door" first.

Not excited at all but atleast you touched it.

Daddy decided to pinch off a little for you to taste.

Well maybe we can say you tried it.

Our little cow in the dress that Aunt Kim made for you.

As I was looking for ideas I came across this cake and I just had to make it for you.  It was a labor of love for your Daddy and I and we are super happy with how it turned out.  The barn was your smash cake and the pig, sheep, and chick cupcakes were cute additions.

The cake and cupcake table.

Ham and turkey sandwiches with lettuce, tomato, mustard, and mayo.

Miss Adelaide's Garden of cucumbers, tomatoes, broccoli, and carrots with red peppers serving as bowls for the ranch dressing.

Chicken feed, a pumpkin patch, hay bales, fresh eggs, tractor wheels, and muddy fence posts made for some yummy treats.

Don't forget the cow patties and tails.

Water and capri suns with a basketfull of apples.

Family and friends...

who love you so much!

We love you, Adelaide.  Happy Birthday!

Giddy up zebra

Your Birthday

So what all did you do on your 1st birthday?  Your Daddy and I spent much of the day remembering what we were doing at specific times of the day last year.  A much less painful day for me I must say!  It was so much fun to get to tell you Happy Birthday all throughout the day.  And don't worry the song was sung several times as well!

You woke up and in I came with the camera... all flashy and stuff.  You didn't seem to mind too much.  You obliged to a few pictures and then let me know that it was time for breakfast.  We did our morning routine of you nursing/eating breakfast and then you playing while I ate.  Good Morning America was on in the background then came Live! with Kelly and Michael... you know, the good stuff.  It wasn't too much later that you went down for your morning nap.  It wasn't the longest nap (~50 mins) but enough for you to be cheery when we went to meet Granny for lunch at Cracker Barrel.  I figured you would want their biscuits... or maybe that was me.  Anyway, after a good lunch we headed to Goodwill before coming back home for your nap.  You went to sleep fine and took a better nap (~1 hr 20 mins).  Yay for good naps!  After a little photo session you played a while and then it was time for dinner.  You ate dinner (an okay dinnertime) and then we hung out until Daddy came home.  Daddy and I ate and offered you bits of what we were eating, but you weren't that interested.  No surprise there!  Afterwards we went on a family stroll around the neighborhood.  We talked again about how crazy it is that you're 1 and then about how it was around that time last year that you were quickly making your way into the world.  We got back inside in time for me to be holding you while we were taking a family picture at 7:07 pm, the time you were born.  Not necessarily planned but awesome that it worked out that way!  You never get to play with the TV remote so I let you play with it for a few minutes and then it was time for bath and bed.  I nursed you again and held onto you a little tighter before I put you down because you are growing up before my very eyes.  I want to cherish these sweet memories of your babyhood. 

A pretty good birthday if you ask me.  Nothing too exciting and out of the ordinary but I figure that you had what you needed, a family that is blessed beyond measure and loves you more than anything.

Birthday breakfast coming right up!

Lunch with Granny... and boy did you give her some good snuggles.

 Cute birthday feet!

Holding the TV remote.  A birthday present of sorts.

Our blessed family (minus Lily who was sitting below us).

Happy Birthday, once again, sweetheart!

12 months

OK, it's that time.  How in the world am I writing your 12 month post?  It's been a year of many things... happiness, frustration, joy, anxiety, love, fear, appreciation, exhaustion, but I couldn't be more glad to experience all these things because of you, Adelaide.  I remember saying early on that your first month or so was a whirlwind of emotion.  I can say that your first year has been that as well as a whirlwind of time.  What happened to my little baby?  When I think about how you've changed in just one quick year it blows my mind.  Gone are the days of our endless cuddling because you didn't have any other choice.  Hello to the days ahead when you actually come to us to cuddle and while doing so, melting our hearts.  I sniff you a little more, squeeze you a little tighter, and love you a little deeper with each cuddle because you're my baby girl... and I know it won't last forever.  It hit me while making dinner the night before your birthday that when I put you down you will be a "baby" and when I get you out of the crib the next morning you will be a "toddler"... that's crazy talk.  Now I know that you don't magically change overnight but it's symbolic in it's own way.  There are many things I wish I could tell you right now but my brain can't get them all out and all you would do is smile at me anyway, only leaving me with more things that I'm unable to get out.  So, know this, that we love you with all we have and that will never, ever change.  You are the answer to so many prayers that your Daddy and I prayed and we see you nothing less than a blessing directly from God.

Alright, I felt like that had to be said so years from now you will know what you mean to us after knowing you for only one year.

On now to what you've been up to in your 12th month.  We had a fun month and took the time to soak in the last few weeks of your "babyness". 

Your teeth are still hiding as of now.  Surely they are coming soon, right?

Eating hasn't changed much, you still aren't fond of food.  Bread, Cheerios, and yogurt bites are pretty much the only things you will pick up and eat yourself.  We are working on getting you more excited about eating.

You understand a few more words that we say to you.  We can tell you to get your baby, dolly, ball, book, among others and you will grab them. 

When Daddy comes home you get super excited.  Lily and I do too, but you started clapping, smiling big, and squealing.  It's super sweet and I think it makes your Daddy's day.

It took you about 2 weeks to fully embrace walking and since then you have been non-stop.  You quickly figured out how to get up while sitting instead of crawling over to something to pull yourself up.  It was kinda crazy to watch you take off.  Even though we knew you were so close for quite some time we were still in a little bit of shock.  You were a busy girl this month, literally.

Your birthday party was a blast.  I will post on it separately but let's just say that Old MacDonald had quite the farm that day!

Your 12 month appointment to the doctor was the 27th.  You got your finger pricked and several shots.  Daddy held your hands again while I kissed/rubbed your head and told you that it was going to be okay.  You quit crying when I picked you up and that made me feel better.  Your stats showed what I was halfway expecting but afraid of.  Your eating has affected your growth curve and you're not growing like they want you to.  You were 16 lbs. 9 oz. (1%), 27 in. (4%), and head circumference was 16.5 in. (1%).  Yikes!  To say that I'm worried is an understatement.  We will try over the next month to get you eating better by offering 5-6 smaller meals a day which should be fun since you don't like the couple of meals you eat now.  We will try juice/whole milk and other calorie rich foods to help as well.  In 1 month we will go back and if you're not eating better they will probably send you to a feeding specialist.  Please, oh please, love eating soon!  Until then we will keep trying and praying hard for you to overcome this.  God is good always.

Cute pose

My 3 loves... one of which is playing with a paci.  Keyword being "playing".  You're something else.

Cute smile while playing with Daddy.  Nevermind that mean ole bruise above your lip.

You love to pull your books off the shelves... over and over and over.

One cool girl, and probably tired too.

Daddy gets you ready for bed each night.  You pick up the vitamin drops bottle and box every single night to play with them.  Creature of habit and I love it.

You took a liking to stuffed animals this month.  This dog is one of your favorites!

You enjoyed your first storytime at the library.  We went to the one for walkers up to 3 years so you were one of the youngest there.  I sat in a chair and at first you wouldn't leave from your standing spot between my legs.  After a while you ventured out and walked around a little, always looking back at me to be sure I was still there.  I think you enjoyed it and I look forward to taking you back.

Playing with the singing dog.

Big sippy cup and serious face.  You still prefer your smaller one.

Ransom came over to play.  Your stance here cracks me up and makes you look all growny and stuff.

Some sweet Haydyn-loving time after you woke up from a nap.

Cheerios, the breakfast of champions.

Simply adorable.

You're loving the vitamin bottle and I'm loving your crazy post-bath hair!

Good morning birthday girl!

We do occasionally get our picture together.

You're a walking machine.

Your Birthday!!

Enjoying a book... love Sandra Boynton.

And the last monthly installment with Miss Sock Monkey... sniff, sniff.

Happy 12 month old!  We love you, Adelaide.