The real birthday

On Chloe's actual birthday we opened presents, let her have a cupcake, and did a few things with just our family to make sure our Cupcake felt celebrated on her actual birthday. Here are a few pictures of our little celebration.


Also, since I left it out before, here are some of Chloe's updates for her 12 month mark:
She is 17 pounds 4 ounces and in the 2 %. PEANUT! She has finally started signing (sign language) back to us. We've been signing to her for a couple of months and then in the last month she just started signing back. It is soooo awesome to know when she wants to eat, when she wants milk, when she needs a diaper change, when she wants to go outside, when she is finished with something, and when she sees something she wants me to see too. We're working on some more signs now. She is walking all over the place which will hopefully also be the end of my last few pesky baby pounds. She loves saying bye to Dada each morning when he leaves for work and loves even more saying hi when he comes home. She loves being outside. She likes to push her little car around the back yard. She will bang one side of the fence then push the car to the other side of the yard and bang that fence! She loves to swing in her swing. She's eating lots of finger foods but especially likes bananas, peas, cheese, strawberries, macaroni & cheese, and crackers. She likes Mommy to help her do forwards rolls and climb up the stairs. She needs her Great-Uncle Bruce (wow...makes him sound old) to teach her how to get back down them. She likes throwing food which is our first real conflict. She throws, we say no. She throws again, we say no again. 20 or 30 times later someone digs their heels in. If we win it's because we've raised our voice or taken the food away. If she wins it's because she's grabbed the last of the food any really flung it...or admittedly sometimes she gets this really cute look on her face as if to say sorry and then throws more food so we just take her out while trying not to laugh. I'm sure the conflicts will increase as will the frustration but since this is the first one in 12 months we'll take it in stride for now. She also makes a really cute "O" face when something surprising or awe inspiring happens. It is adorable! Probably my favorite face yet!

We can't believe we have a 1 year old! Where does the time go? Off to chase our little monkey....

Cupcake Party

I've dreamed about it.

I've pictured it.
I designed it.
I created it.
I cooked it.

Finally, last Saturday the Cupcake Party came to life...

The details:
Cupcakes for our friends and family, in cupcake wrappers.



Cupcake wall of all of our Cupcake's "Firsts."


Cupcake sugar cookie party favors with cupcake tags.


Of course, the cupcake cake! (Thanks Kristin and Chuck for letting us borrow your pan)


I can't forget the cupcake surprise...Gigi made a cupcake party dress for the birthday girl.


I think we had the cupcake theme covered. Chloe was surrounded by sweet friends. The weather was PERFECT. We ate lunch, sang songs with shakers we made for Chloe's friends, we ate cake, and opened presents. Chloe did great. She never cried and never resisted what we wanted her to do: eat lunch, sing songs, open presents, eat cake, take pictures, etc. She was a birthday princess!


We had such a fun afternoon and it all went soooo fast. Before we could even digest it all the yard was picked up, extra food packed in the fridge, and Chloe as well as a few other un-named though not un-pictured persons took a nap. Let the record state that Uncle Brudder was also sawing some logs but he was in a dark room so the only way to snap his picture would have been to shock him with a bright flash in a dark room. The record should also state that his wife thought I should do it anyway. I decided to be a nice sister. Let this be one step towards making up for all the times in our childhood when I didn't choose the nice option. (Cool, brudder?)


We couldn't have done it without the help of the Grandparents, Uncle Brudder, and Aunt Amazing. This included late night trips to the grocery, watering flowers, icing cakes, hanging pictures on the mantle, icing down the drinks, buying bubbles, filling balloons with helium, and more! We also really appreciate our friends who share! Kristi and James, Liza and Brian, Kristin and Chuck, and Eric saved us from buying several things we didn't need beyond the party. Thank you! Finally thank you for all the thoughtful gifts from Chloe's friends! Official thank yous will hopefully go out before she turns two! However, I couldn't end this blog without mentioning Uncle Brudder and Aunt Amazing's gift....it was so thoughtful and perfect. They hired a photographer for the party so that we could just enjoy! The above pictures (with the exception of 2) are from her. She did a great job and it was soooooo nice to just enjoy our party. Thank you guys so much for the thoughtful gift!

Happy St. Patty's Day

I know. I know. Some of you are stalking the blog for birthday party pictures. Rather than attacking that beast today I wanted to send some Irish wishes to those (in my family) who celebrate our heritage and this holiday. I'll get to the beast some day before she's two. I promise.

Our little Four Leaf Clover this time last year:


Our little Four Leaf Clover this year:


And a family shot. My shirt says Green...in green. No pinching. I even got Chris to wear green! Happy St. Patrick's Day.


Birthday review coming soon....

Happy Birthday Chloe!

She's ONE!!!

We can't really believe how fast it all went. More pictures and stories and milestones to come as the dust settles but for now, her photo line up:

A year ago today.

I remember it clearly.
Coffee with Sarah in the morning. Asked how I would "know" I was in labor.
Pre-natal yoga.
Jealous of a few more stretching friends who were out of the class and holding their babies.
Lunch with Sam, Nicola, Ola, and Jen.
My 36 week appointment.
Blood pressure was high. Let's double check when the Dr. comes in.
Dr. Mills came in.
The words echo loudly in my head - it's time for baby. You aren't going home again without her in your arms.
Tears. Panic. Excitement.
It began....


Since tomorrow will rightfully be all about our cupcake, I wanted to take a minute today to reflect on my own side of the story. It's been an amazing year. Motherhood has surprised me, shaken me, changed me for the better, and redefined what I knew of love. I've had less sleep, smelled more poop, been spit up on, had fewer showers, and left the house looking more dreadful then I ever could have imagined. Yet my heart is full, my life is rich, and I wouldn't trade this last year for ANYTHING. Chloe Jane is the Lord's perfect gift for us. He knew better than us what she should be like and created her to fill that role perfectly. We are amazed at how precious she is everyday. I am reminded of God's beauty, creativity, and grace as I meditate on knowing she is created in HIS image. I vacillate between looking forward to the little girl then woman she will become and holding onto the tiny baby she is and was. A year ago today, if you had told me how it all would happen, what she would be like, and how this first year would go, I don't think I could have imagined it all. But today, 364 days later I can't imagine my life without her and I can't imagine it any other way.

I'm off to lunch with Sam, Nicola, Ola, Jen, Sierra (Jen's baby), and Chloe. Appropriate, don't you think?

The Tongue

I've been a bad blogger this week. We're in full birthday prep mode while simultaneously being in denial that our baby girl will actually be one in just under a week. Needless to say blogging, showering, and eating have all been optional...

Just a week ago snow covered our back yards and we were bundled from head to toe to brave the sugar dusting. One of the unnerving but also sometimes beneficial things about Austin is the weather can change almost by the hour. In this case it was one week later that we were suddenly in the mid-70's and sunny. So the cupcake and I put on our bathing suits short sleeves and headed outside to enjoy the spring weather.

We have a little push toy that one of the neighbors passed down to us that Chloe loves to drive around the yard, at paces that make me nervous, to bang our fences that are about to fall down as it is, and all of this....with her tongue out. A girl after her Uncle Brudder's heart. Enjoy...