September 19th

It can't possibly be September 19th, again?! I really can't believe Lea is a YEAR old! Seriously???

The very moment we found out I was pregnant the joy spilled into our lives and hasn't stopped overflowing since. While there have been a few (and I really mean a few) hard times, they are just tiny specs in the whole picture.

 My pregnancy was pretty easy. Lea knew exactly when she wanted to make her appearance and was born two days before her due date after a short, drug-free labor. Our beautiful 8 pound, 1 ounce and 21 inch long girl was born on September 19th 2009 and 10:54am.



Lea and Mommy the day after she was born.

From day one, Lea has been a happy, independent, adventurous, attention-loving addition to our family. She makes my heart soar each time she laughs so hard, she actually snorts! I love the way she analyzes the tiniest detail of her surroundings. I smile from ear to ear when she lays her head on my shoulder and gives me a hug. I cherish those swift moments and look forward to the ones to come. Lea seriously is the light of our lives and I have never been this happy in my life.


Playing with tubes of icing!



This weekend was full of birthday fun. Friday Lea helped me bake her birthday cake... a birdhouse, of course! And that night I finished the 40 cupcakes for her party. Saturday morning we ran some last minutes errands, Lea took a nap and after lunch we headed down to my parent's house. The couple of hours before her party, we pretty much ran around like chickens with our heads cut off! There were balloons to tie up, birdhouses to set out and cupcake toppers to put into place.

Then....

the ponies arrived. Yes, two ponies came to Lea's first birthday party! It was awesome. Lea lit up when she saw them come off the trailer... running after them, making her barking noise. I think she thought they were huge dogs! The kids had so much fun taking rides on Rascal and Teddy Bear. Lea had a huge smile on her face during both of her rides.

After the ponies left, we all headed down to the pond for BBQ, beans, corn, sweet potatoes and watermelon. The kids had a blast running around and playing in the water. I loved to watch the kids swimming in the pond because I grew up swimming out there all the time.

Lea sat her in my father's highchair to have her birdhouse cake. (I was so happy with the way it turned out... and quite proud of myself!) She pinched a piece of icing off the cake and tried it right away. After that, she just kept pinching pieces off, one right after the other. But, that wasn't fast enough so she decided to lean in and take a big bite out of the corner of the cake! She loved it.

We opened her gifts... lots of fun books, a ride-on toy, cute clothes and noisy toys. Then, when everyone started to head out and the sun was going down, I let Lea go swimming in the pond. Hey... she had to get all that icing off of her somehow! My dad makes a little beach with a whole bunch of sand, so Lea played in the sand and splashed in the water for awhile.

She fell asleep on the way home and actually stayed asleep when I changed her diaper, put her pajamas on her and got her in bed! Her first birthday party was a huge success and I have to thank my awesome family for all of their help. This will be a day that we all look back on with very fond memories.

Today, we continued the birthday celebrations when we went to Lea's cousin Lilly's 5th birthday party. Lilly and Lea share a birthday! :) Lea had so much fun following all the "big kids" around and I think they enjoyed playing with her, too.

We are all exhausted after this awesome weekend. It could not have gone any better. I know that Lea won't actually remember any of this, but so what?! We had so much fun... and she will look back at the pictures and videos one day. ;)

Happy Birthday, my little Lea!

On the night you were born,

The moon smiled with such wonder

That the stars peeked in to see you

And the night wind whispered,

“Life will never be the same.”

. . .

For never before in story or rhyme

(not even once upon a time)

Has the world ever known a you, my friend,

And it never will, not ever again…

Heaven blew every trumpet

And played every horn

On the wonderful, marvelous

Night you were born.

 

"On the Night You Were Born" by Nancy Tillman

 

 

 

p.s. I promise to have pictures and videos posted soon!