"Smash the Cake" - First Birthday

I have been meaning to post these for a while now, but it seems the more active Kearington becomes, the less time I have to blog.  She is growing and changing every day and is started to look more like a toddler than a baby now. I am not a fan!  I want my little baby back...but she is a lot of fun at this age right now so we are enjoying every moment.  

The wonderful Kaelee from Kaelee Denise Photography came to our house for K's Smash the Cake session.  K wasn't really in the mood for pictures, so she wasn't her usual smiley self, but we had fun watching her love on her "DD" and make a mess with her cake.  Here are a "few" pictures from our session with Kaelee:

My Letter to Kearington on Her First Birthday

I have thought about this letter so many times over the last couple of weeks.  I wasn’t really sure about everything that I wanted to say or even if I wanted to say it.  I think I felt like by writing this letter, I was admitting that you were already a year old, and I didn’t like that!  I want to keep you a baby forever, but unfortunately that isn’t how this life works.  So here it goes…

What an amazing year it has been!  There were times when I thought I would never get to experience all of the things that come with being a mother.  There were times when it all seemed like a dream that would never become my reality.  There were times when I thought I would only be able to watch other mothers with their children and never have one of my own.  But all of the times I dreamed of what it would be like was nothing like this past year has been.

I remember the moment I found out I was pregnant with you.  Oh how excited and worried I was!  Was this really it?!  Would you finally be mine to keep?  I remember going in for our anatomy ultrasound knowing for sure you would be a boy.  All of the signs were pointing towards we were having a boy.  When the ultrasound tech finally showed us that we were in fact having a girl, I was excited and a little scared.  I’m not super girly, so how could I raise a little girl?  I can barely do my own hair, so how was I going to fix my own daughter’s hair?  Along with a little worry was a lot of excitement about getting my very own mini-me (little did I know you would be just like your father).

I remember the first time I felt you move.  I wasn’t sure that I really liked the feeling at first, but I was thankful to know that you were okay.  I remember the first time your daddy felt you move.  Oh the look and smile and on his face was priceless!  I remember talking to your daddy about what we thought you would be like…who you would be more like…who you would look like…would you have hair…would you be a good sleeper…all of the things that we wanted to know about you.  All we wanted was for you to get here, so we could know everything about you. 

When the doctor told me it was time, I wasn’t sure I was quite ready for you.  I mean I wanted to meet you but was I really ready to take care of a tiny human being.  I will never forget the first moment we met.  My mom had told me about the love she had for me as her daughter, but I never really understood that love until the moment I laid my eyes on you.  Oh that moment that I got to hold you for the first time was hands down the best moment of my life!  Everything I had hoped, dreamed and prayed for had finally come true in your tiny 7 lbs 8 oz body.  You were the most perfect baby I had ever seen!  I could just stare at you all day (I can still do that now).

When it was time to take you home, I was excited and so nervous.  Could we really take care of this tiny human all by ourselves?  Did we really know what we were doing?  I knew that you depended solely on us being able to take care of you.  The first couple of weeks of getting to know each other were hard but a lot of fun.  You looked and acted so much like your daddy, which made you even more lovable!  My world was all of a sudden better because you were a part of it.  God had chosen me to be your mom, which is the most precious gift I will ever receive. 

This first year of your life has been the best one of ours.  Getting to watch you grow has been incredible.  Watching you smile for the first time…sit up by yourself for the first time…crawl for the first time…so many milestones in just a very short period of time.  You are the sweetest human being on this planet.  I really can’t imagine my world without you in it.   I pray every day that God will keep you healthy and happy.  I can’t wait to see what you are going to learn and be like during the next year of your life. 

Thank you for making me a better person.  Thank you for making me less selfish.  Thank you for making me smile and laugh daily.  Thank you for making me more patient.  Thank you for bringing so much love and joy to our family.  Thank you for making my parents finally grandparents.  Most of all, thank you for making me a mother. 

Kearington, there are not enough words in the dictionary to describe the amount of love we have for you.  We love you to the moon and back and then some!  You are the light of our life, and we can’t wait to see what this next year has to bring. 

I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always.  As long as I’m living, my baby you’ll be!  (Robert Munsch)

Happy Birthday Baby K!!

Love, Mommy

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Party

This past weekend we got to celebrate Kearington's first birthday with our family and friends.  My favorite children's book is The Very Hungry Caterpillar, so we decided to use that as our theme.  One of my best friends who is crazy talented was nice enough to design her invitation for me.  Obviously there isn't a gray box on the actual invitation, I just didn't think my two readers...I mean the world needed to know where I lived.  :)

I decided to brave it and make Kearington's cake/cupcakes myself.  The night before was very stressful, but I think overall they turned out okay.  I am no Martha Stewart, but I think K was happy and that's all that matters!

K didn't sleep well the night before her party, so I was worried that it would end up being a horrible day.  She did great though!  She was a trooper with all of the people that wanted to hold and play with her.  I think she had a good time at her first birthday party.  Here are a few more pictures from that day:

A good friend of mine from high school has a cookie business now, so I had her make some VHC cookies for the party too.  They were amazing!!  Follow @theroyalcookiecompany on Instagram to see all of her amazing cookies.

I am very OCD about keeping things clean when K eats, so it was all I had in me to not try to immediately wipe her off when she stuck her hands in the cake.  I will say that she is a clean eater at least, which is nice.  Also, I know you are all jealous of the awesome wallpaper in my house.  If you would like some for your own walls, I have a few extra rolls!  HA! 

We had a great day and appreciate all of our family and friends that came and spent it with us!

Easter 2014

*Thank you for our dress and shoes Aunt Deborah!! 

Kearington - Month 11

I meant to post these a couple of weeks ago, but life has been a little busy lately.  I can't believe that the next post will be her 1 year birthday post!  It makes me a little sad that this year has gone by so quickly.  It has been a lot of fun watching Kearington grow, especially the last couple of months.  It seems like she learns something new every day.  She is also at a really fun stage where she loves playing and interacting a lot.  She is also at the stage where it is very difficult to get her to sit still for pictures.  It makes this monthly picture session a little frustrating, but we try to have fun with it.  K is still kind of small for her age and is actually wearing a 3-6 month outfit in these pictures.  HA!  

Refusing to look at the camera

I'm how old?!

*17+ lbs

*Wearing mostly 6-9 month clothes

*You still love D D more than anyone and he is starting to let you pet him

*You love to wave and smile at people

*Five teeth

*You are starting to love toys that make noise as well as the ones you can pull up on

*You love to read but sometimes won't sit still long enough

*Sleeping 10-12 hours at night

*Loves pretty much any food especially when you can feed yourself

*Crawling around and getting into everything

*Pulling up on everything and starting to "walk" holding onto things

*You definitely know what the word "No" means and you don't like it

*Loves when your BFF comes over to play even though she is a bully sometimes :)

Kearington - I can't believe you are almost one.  You have brought so much joy into our lives over the last 11 months and will continue to do so for the rest of my life.  You are such a blessing, and I thank God every day that we get to be your parents.  You bring us a lot of smiles and laughs each day.  We can't imagine our life without you in it.  We love you so much!

Dear Hadley,

*A guest post by Kearington

I can't believe that today you are one year old!  I remember when my parents found out they were having a little girl and were so excited because they knew we would be best friends.  They told me all about you the day you were born - like how beautiful you were, how much hair you had and how lucky you were to have parents that loved you so much.

Even though it was a long six weeks, I will never forget the day we finally met.  Yes, I remember meeting you for the first time even though I slept the entire time you were there.  

Who knew all of the adventures we would have together during our first year.  I can't imagine a better friend to get to experience a lot of firsts with.  These are a few of my favorite moments together during the last year:

Sky Top Orchard - this was the first time I had ever gone to an apple orchard.  Our parents were acting all kinds of crazy trying to get us to smile and laugh for that strange black thing they had pointed in our faces.  I was fascinated with your feet, after all yours were only the second set I had ever noticed before.

The first time my mommy left me with your mommy - you held my hand the entire time and let me know it would all be okay.  Thanks for being right beside me until my mom came back.

My first tooth - you checked it out and let me know it was all okay.  You told me about your experience with teething, which helped me know it would only hurt for a short time.

Five Guys - because who doesn't like eating a burger and fries with your bestie?

Our morning talks - I love catching up on the previous day with you.  You always have the best gossip to tell over a warm cup of coffee!

Our First Halloween - I can't believe our parents made us dress up in these silly outfits and didn't even give us candy.  How rude!

Our First Christmas - I'm sure this is only the beginning of matching Christmas pajamas.  One day we will be able to tell our parents how weird they are.  I loved how we didn't sit still to get back at them for making us match.  We sure were cute though!

Our First Vacation together - my mom is kind of moody in the morning before her coffee, so I'm just glad we made it a week without any fights or arguments.  I did enjoying sharing my car with you, but it might not quite go down like this fifteen years from now...just sayin.

Our First Hot Air Balloon Ride - oh wait...

I just want you to know, even though we might throw some punches

Or choke each other

You will always be my best friend in the whole world and my partner in crime.  I can't wait to spend more time together and experience more firsts in the years to come.  I and my parents love you to the moon and back!  

Love always,

Kearington

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HADLEY!!