Emily's First Birthday!

I can't believe my little baby is ONE already! This has been the fastest year of my life! I certainly don't remember Owen's first year going by this fast. She is still on the small side, so maybe that's why I think of her as so much younger. I feel like I just brought her home from the hospital! Yet, she has developed quite the personality in this past year. This is what she is up to these days:
- Watching Owen's every move (scary that she's learning the good AND bad from him).
- Still just has two bottom teeth, though we can see the top two threatening to come through, but haven't yet.
- Loves her baby doll and it is definitely her favorite toy.
- Loves music and bounces up and down to dance.
- Loves Elmo.
- Likes peas, chicken, salmon, veggies, all fruit, but especially loves watermelon. Sometimes she likes banana's, sometimes she doesn't. Not much a fan of baby food and likes to eat what we are eating.
- LOVES dogs.
- Standing on her own, but not quite walking yet.
- Signs "All Done" with her hands. Says Momma, Dadda, Nana, Duh (for dog), and Bah (for ball)
- Still completely a Momma's girl and will only let me, Adam or Nana hold her. I am the only one she will let put her down and night, and soothe her in the middle of the night if she wakes up (which she does at least 3-5 nights a week).
- Makes motor car sounds when holding a toy car, truck or motorcycle. Loves playing cars.
- Loves clothes and pretty things. She lights up when she sees new clothes and tries to put them on over her head. (We are in trouble when she hits those tween years!)
- Will only go down for a nap (once a day usually) with Daddy when he drives her around in the car.
- Favorite time of day: Bath time.
- Gets excited for the beach too.
- Has the most beautiful soft curls I have ever seen (in my modest opinion ;)
So her first Birthday was really mellow, and really perfect. Our Princess slept in (thank you) until after 8 AM. We started breakfast with home made her whole grain waffles topped with sunflower butter. She had a plum (off our yummy tree), an apricot and a banana smoothie. Big breakfast for a little girl! My Mom was gone this morning, and Adam had to work tonight, so we decided to celebrate with presents and cake at lunch time after her nap, when I got home from work. This was a great idea, except Owen was BEYOND excited to have her (him) open her presents from the second he woke up. He was whining about it all day.

Once she woke up and put her pretty dress on (given to her from our friends, The Strongs just before she was born :) we went out to the backyard to open up the presents! She was SO excited and loved all the special attention. She got a new red wagon from Nana that she could share with her big brother. It was a hit and she had a great time being pulled around the back yard by her Daddy.

She also got some new clothes, rubber blocks that squeak and a new baby doll! Her face lit up when she saw that doll! She hugged it and squeezed it for the rest of the day. So cute.

After lunch, we got out the cake I made the night before and let her blow out her candle. It was a yellow cake made the traditional way (nothing healthy this time unfortunately) with butter, flour, sugar and eggs, no wheat germ or chia seeds ; ) I put lemon curd between the two layers and frosted it with a lemon cream cheese frosting. Yum. She was gnawing on a lemon the day before and loved it, so that's why I chose that flavor. Her favorite part was having everyone sing to her. She knew that the whole day was about her (even though Owen tried really hard to make it about him). She was so happy all day. It was a good first birthday.

After Dad went to work, I took the kids for a little neighborhood stroll in their new wheels! They had a blast and got lots of waves and smiles from the neighbors. It will be nice to take them to the beach in this from now on. Thanks Nana!