My little love is one! I'm torn between saying "I CAN'T BELIEVE IT WHERE DID MY BABY GO OMG" and feeling like "we did it! We navigated through one INSANE year!" I guess I could say both, but I'm leaning towards the latter of the two. Not as though it was this brutal, awful time with a difficult baby that made things extremely trying, or anything. She truly was as easy as babies can go. She slept 10 hours at night at 2 months old, I didn't even know she was teething (at 11 months) until the first tooth popped through. She has a constant smile on her face and only cried when she was hungry or tired. She started sleeping soundly in her crib at 1 week old and has developed into a great napper. We started her on solids and she did incredibly from day one. We switched to cows milk, and were warned by her ped. that we'd probably have to mix it, and wean her from formula, but we gave her a sippy cup of pure milk and she hasn't looked back. And just two nights ago, we started putting her down without her bottle and she barely peeped about it. All the things we were warned about, were just a breeze with this little button. But that doesn't mean being a parent is easy. The difficulties for us were emotional..."am I being a good mom?" "does she know I love her? Really know it?" "do I do enough with her, yet still encourage her independence and intentionally give her time for that?" "do I make her days FUN? When she goes to sleep, is she dreaming about the wonderful day we had or just hoping the tomorrow will be better?" (Probably neither, but thats where my mama mind goes!). And the list goes on, and on, and on.
Of course no 1 year old (or 2, or even 3 probably) will remember their birthday. But it wasn't about that. She had the time of her little life on her birthday, though I'm sure she's forgotten it already. But David and I got to celebrate a whole year of parenting with friends and family. A year of firsts and a year of learning. So much happened you guys! It was an insane year, and we made it through, and are happy, and well rested (amen), and our daughter is so happy, and sweet, and oh my gosh I'm so proud of the little toddler she's becoming. So proud of the little human she is, and her spirit and personality she's growing into. It is so worth celebrating! That being said, we had our family (even her Nanny and Poppy in NC, and her Aunt and Uncle from Charleston!) come to celebrate all of this with us, along with her Godparents, family friends, and some of her little buddies.
Of course no 1 year old (or 2, or even 3 probably) will remember their birthday. But it wasn't about that. She had the time of her little life on her birthday, though I'm sure she's forgotten it already. But David and I got to celebrate a whole year of parenting with friends and family. A year of firsts and a year of learning. So much happened you guys! It was an insane year, and we made it through, and are happy, and well rested (amen), and our daughter is so happy, and sweet, and oh my gosh I'm so proud of the little toddler she's becoming. So proud of the little human she is, and her spirit and personality she's growing into. It is so worth celebrating! That being said, we had our family (even her Nanny and Poppy in NC, and her Aunt and Uncle from Charleston!) come to celebrate all of this with us, along with her Godparents, family friends, and some of her little buddies.
Pinterest saved me with the menu, and everything turned out just as pinterest promised! We made watermelon cupcakes (they were adorable!), fruity pebble rice krispy treats (and nearly everyone agreed they were better than normal rice krispy treats! I definitely agreed.) S'more bites (in the front of this picture, marshmellows, dipped in dark chocolate and then crushed graham crackers...perfect little summer treat!), a lemon basil orzo pasta salad with orange and red cherry tomatoes, fresh fruit cups, popcorn cartons, little ham and cheese sandwhiches, and balled cantaloupe and watermelon.
Penny woke up about 40 minutes before her party started, it was incredible timing! She was happy as a clam the whole time, and truly had fun...But especially with her dad.
Some of Penelope's little friends that were able to make it!
Friends and family.
Flowers from her dad, and some watermelon cupcakes.
A post birthday bash bath.
Happy birthday, my little love. The joy you exude is unmeasurable, and one of the many things I have learned from you. You are incredible, my little Penelope Darling.
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