First birthday party

Hi little one,
Your FIRST BIRTHDAY! Where did my little baby go, and how did I get this lucky to have such a beautiful, smart TODDLER?? It's incredibly bittersweet to see you growing up so fast, Pemberley. I want to cry when I think about how I cradled you as an almost 9 pound newborn who could barely lift her head, and now I want to bawl when I think about the fact that you're almost 20 pounds and thisclose to walking. I miss the days that I had to hold a bottle for you, and find myself near tears when I watch you pick up and drink from a cup when you're thirsty. People always warned me  that you'd grow up in the blink of an eye and I never knew what they meant until now.

You're such a joy. I can't express how easy you've made being a mommy. You have an infectious smile, nose crinkle, and giggle, and you are the most chill baby I've ever met. Watching you grow, learn new things, and master new skills has really opened my eyes as to what being a parent is all about. I found myself so excited about your littlest victories...watching you hold your head up, sit independently, crawl, pick up and eat your food (or throw it on the ground if you don't like it!). They're all things that I do automatically, and to see you concentrate and try so hard is really the neatest thing, not to mention the big smiles we get when you master one skill and move on to the next!

Here's your first birthday party, in celebration of the past year. I was SO happy with how it turned out! Your daddy and I (and sometimes my students at school, too!) put a lot of hard work and effort into making it special for you. I know you won't remember it, but I hope that when you look back on these pictures, you see how excited we were to celebrate your birthday.

The theme was Pancakes and Pajamas, and I scoured Pinterest for months trying to get ideas. My favorites were the cereal box party favors, the tulle Christmas lights that we strung across the mantle, and the table decorating. They all couldn't have turned out any better! We also did a mimosa bar, a coffee bar with a bunch of different creamers, and a milk and juice bar, all in the kitchen.

As you an see, you had a BLAST!!! It was so fun to watch you ham it up for your grandparents with your cute little nose crinkle, and I know they just loved spoiling you rotten with presents! All of the sleepless nights leading up to your party were well worth it whenever I saw you smile (and shovel pancakes into your mouth!). Now I can't WAIT for your next birthday party!!!
With so much love,