One Spoiled Little Girl!

Well, after trying to go through the 500 gazillion photos taken of Lila's birthday, I am hoping to actually post some today. First of all, I can't say a big enough THANK YOU to everyone who came out to celebrate Lila's birthday!!! We are so blessed to have such wonderful friends and family who genuinely love Lila and care for us. The amount of toys and clothing this little girl received is quite unbelievable, but she has been having a great time playing, which is very helpful to mommy! Although it was ridiculously hot outside, I think everyone still had a great time! Thanks to the Morgans for their use of the jumphouse...it was a hit, as well as all the swimming pools to cool off in. I could not have pulled this party together without the help of my husband and wonderful family. My poor sisters and mom worked from the time they walked in the door till the time they left.... making cakes, fruit skewers, decorating, cleaning up, etc. It was non-stop, but it sure turned out super cute! This will be a long post, so I will try to keep the wording to a minimum and just let the pictures speak for themselves. Happy Birthday Sweet Girl! I hope you had a GREAT 1st BIRTHDAY PARTY!!!

Let's start with opening presents. She was so funny and loved everything she opened...especially the cards!

Where is the cake?!?!?

Fun with Friends and Family!

Ok, I think I am overloading blogger. More later!

She's 1!!!

Ok, so, seriously?!? Am I the only woman in the world who doesn't know how to ice a cake? It can't really be that hard, can it? I decided just to make a good ole plain strawberry cake with icing from the can for Lila's "official" first birthday. This thing was absolutley hideous! First of all, one of my layers stuck to the pan, so I just decided not even do any icing in between the layers. Yes, I know...yummy. Then came the icing part. It shouldn't be that hard, but here is what I ended up with. I just started piling blobs on at a time hoping it would come out somewhat decent. Poor Lila...I am sorry honey! I made cakes growing up and my mother is an excellent cook, but I just don't seem to be talented in the cake icing department. Not that it is an excuse, but it didn't help that it was midnight as I was trying to do this. I really really don't like not being good at something. I know it is just making a cake, but still. How am I suppose to teach my children if I can't even do it? Oh well, maybe next year.

I should probably be more concerned about the fact that I let my child grab the candle on her cake while I was reaching for my camera! Needless to say, she will not be having a candle on her cake at her party. We tried later to stick the candle in her individual piece of cake and even in her mashed potatoes, but as soon as she saw it she went into hysterics. That girl is just too smart! We had a great time though for her birthday. She opened some presents from mommy and daddy, including her swing. She did not want to get out! She loved it. We also did her cake at 4:51 pm....the time of her arrival into this big scary world. Michael pulled in the driveway at 4:42 just in time! I think I guilted him into it on Sunday when I burst into tears as I asked him if he could be home on Tuesday by 4:30 so we could do her birthday cake at the exact time of her "birth." He thought I was a little crazy, but he made it home. I will say that the weeks leading up to her birthday I was having a very difficult time. It just didn't seem real that she is already a year old. When the day arrived I was actually very calm and together. I felt as though I had come to grips with it. Now, just don't ask me how old she is. I don't like answering that question yet!

Look at this face. I had just tried putting the candle back in her own piece of cake. Obvioulsy, it didn't work.

She soon forgot about the candle, and started digging in. (More pictures of cake eating from her party coming soon.)

I have never seen a one year old get so excited over clothes. Here she is oohing and aahing over everything she opened!

As I mentioned before, Lila LOVES her swing. She pitched a fit when we took her out.

Wee!!! Telling Daddy All about it!

Be forewarned: Another long posts of pictures from the PARTAY to come!

Time Flies...

My baby is not suppose to be a year old yet. Technically I still have 30 hours and 51 minutes before she turns one. This has been such a hard week. I know I should be so excited and proud that my baby girl is growing up. And I am. At the same time, I just honestly cannot believe it has been a year. Every day this week I keep thinking back to what I was doing on these days leading up to her birth.

Last Wednesday was my due date. May 30th. I am SO glad she did not come that day. Her baby furniture had just arrived and we had to go pick it up and unload it at the house. Here I am on my due date helping move in her furniture! I wasn't in a huge hurry for her to come because I felt great. I just did not want to be induced, which they were going to do the next Tuesday. Therefore, I wanted her to come before then. The day after my due date I was doing all the old wives tales... Eating Mac and Cheese with A1 sauce, Eggplant Parmesean, walking, walking, walking. I DID not try the castrol oil...YUCK! But before I knew it, a few days later, she was here! Labor was not as I expected. Although going au naturale is what I had planned, I did not know that back labor existed and never imagined it would be that painful. With the good Lord's help and Michael by my side, we made it through it without that epi. Not to mention my amazing nurse who rubbed my back and legs and my Dr. who fanned me for 45 minutes! Those 18 hours flew by! (I don't think I thought that during the time though.)

I remember a nurse handing her to me and Lila's hand went immediately to my face. Oh, how I loved her! They say you can't imagine the feeling of holding your newborn baby in your arms, but you just really can't. There are no words.

Peek-a Boo

Zoo Fun!

We went to the PKU annual day at the zoo/fundraiser today! It was lots of fun and I give a big shout out to my friend Kellye who made it all possible. She has done an amazing job with starting the Tennessee chapter just a year ago and has raised lots of moolah for PKU. Although this was Lila's first "official" trip to the zoo, Michael likes to say that she has technically been to the San Diego Zoo with us when I was about 6 weeks away from giving birth. It was a very hot day, but I think Lila really enjoyed it. She would get just excited about the trees and water as she would the animals. She did like the goats, and as with any animal or person she gets very excited, but then when it is time to get close or touch them, she pulls back as she is doing below.

I love her! Concentrating...

Excited about the meercats...

Out of the Dog House

I must admit, Michael made up for my lack of mother's day gift with our anniversary gift. I have to cut him some slack because he has actually been planning on this for a while and was debating on what occasion he should give it to me (mother's day, anniversary, or new baby being born day). For our very first Christmas together (dating only 2 months) he gave me a diamond necklace. I loved this necklace. It is what I wore the day we got married and was the first time I had ever received jewelry (nice jewelry anyway) from my beau. Well, you can only guess what happened. Yes, I lost it. Oh it makes me sick just thinking of it. I still go to look for it in my jewelry box like I still have it. Well, Michael decided to get me an upgraded version this year for our 5 year anniversary! I love it! The only thing that makes me nervous is I have 6 pieces of jewelry to keep up with. AAHH! My engagement and wedding ring, my diamond necklace, my pearl earrings that he got me last year for our anniversary(I am counting each one because I always end up losing 1 from every set I own), and the pearl necklace he gave me for giving birth to Lila! He's so good to me!

(For Real) It's A.....

BOY!! AAAHH!! We are excited, but what to do I do with a BOY? Michael says we put them in the dirt and let them play. Lila will be a great big sister, I just know it.

It is kind of blurry here, but you get the idea of what we saw! It was awesome. I didn't know that anyone would be snapping pictures of us, but here we are after finding out. Thank you T.D. for snapping this. I promise I had already looked and talked to Michael at this point. He was still in shock! (He was convinced it was another girl.)