Birthday Cake Monster

Nothing is as fun as frosting!  Well, not to a one-year-old!

We celebrated P's first birthday with a monster-themed bash.  I found most of my ideas for the party on Pinterest.com!  Most of the ideas were "upcycles" of thing around the house or crafts!  And due to my lack of planning, I don't have many photos other than those of P's cake-tastic event!

Penny sure did lover her first cake experience, and just as Mom predicted, dove into it, face first!

 P loves a good party - especially one where she's the center of attention!

 She did quite get why she was corralled at first, but then she caught sight of the birthday cake!  I am so glad we decided to do this outside!  Thanks to Kerrie, we have pretty awesome photos documenting her love of cake, frosting, most likely the sugar!

 

After all my work teaching P how to blow, she was too enamored with the candle to try it out!

  

One thing P is not is shy... just dig in there sweet P!

  

 

Her polite begging gesture!

This is Lincoln, P's partner in crime!  We made some fun Popsicle for the kids as well as the cake!  Thanks Pinterest for all the fun party ideas!

We didn't even get around to opening presents until the next day!  Of course, one of the best presents was the wrapping paper!

ONE!

It's been a while since writing anything on here and well, I think I have a pretty decent excuse: baby, school, baby, BABY, wait, excuse me, ONE-YEAR OLD!!!!  Holy moly- when did I become the owner of a one-year old?!!!  Sometimes I don't even feel old enough to be living on my own and making my own rules let alone making them for someone else!

So let us recap:

HOURS OLD

We couldn't help but fall in love with this little face! This is when we thought she just might be a redhead.

 

ONE MONTH

Taking a trip to NV was complete with a luau with the cousins and grandparents!

TWO MONTHS

Man, we really subjected her to way to many cute things!

THREE MONTHS

We were really excited about all her changes and abilities like rolling over algebra! Just seeing if anyone really reads this! :)

FOUR MONTHS

Her personality was really shinning through! 

FIVE MONTHS

Every age had its pro and cons but this age was a delight as she showed us her happy personality and also stayed in the same spot where we put her!

SIX MONTHS
Penny was much more fashionable when her Dad was home!  Just saying

SEVEN MONTHS

Penny was growing out of her bumbo just in time for a new great looking, poor functioning, wooden high chair.  That thing may have been my biggest flop of a baby purchase!  She loved eating when she started and well, things haven't changed much!  She loves food whether it's in her mouth or flying across the room!

 

EIGHT MONTHS
It was beginning to be a long winter cooped up inside so we finally ventured outside with P's warm snowsuit on and braved the sandy playground - it was a hit!  She was all about the slides, swings, and fresh air oh and the sand tasted phenomenal too!  We were really excited for the summer at this point knowing she loved the playground even though she couldn't really get anywhere!
 

 

NINE MONTHS

She is a master crawler and furniture cruiser.  Her favorite time of the day is bath time by leaps and bounds!

TEN MONTHS

She is growing like a twig - we could barely get one wear out of any of her 9 month clothes.  We started attending fun neighborhood Meet Up events and P met some buddies, Jordan and Lincoln.

 

ELEVEN MONTHS

What a whirlwind she has become. Although isn't walking, she should compete in the Olympic crawling events! What, they don't exist?! Well, if they did - P would beat all those other babies!  Also, her talking/babbling is a language all its own, it's a blast listening to her solo conversations.

TWELVE MONTHS
Amazingly enough I didn't know until it was here that I would survive at times!  She is such a pistol with an exploding personality that just captures every passerby!  She simply stops any and all people with her enthusiastic wave and toothy grin!  How could you not want to wave back to her!? 

Who's ONE?!

BYE!

Holidays

I know - it's February!
Well, I'd still like to tell you about our holidays because we had so much fun this year with Penny and being home for a few weeks. 

P saw all her grandparents and was of course, spoiled rotten as any little one should be on their first Christmas!

Before we made the trip home we had a small Christmas at home with our felt tree and lots of wrapping paper!

Penelope loves jingles bells and got so excited when they were ringing.  She couldn't contain herself.

Some of the gifts this year included matching strawberry hats for P and me, fun stuffed toys, books, and if you look further down you'll see Gorman, a puppet animal that Nolan gave Penny for story time.

I made cookies this year when Nolan and Penny left for NV.  Shortbread snowmen, salt carmels, and my mom's famous espresso logs! Because of school, I stayed behind while Nolan and Penny flew to NV.  I was on my own for a whole 4 days and didn't sit to enjoy it much as I cooked/baked/cleaned my 4 days away.


When I arrived in Nevada, Nolan's family had a fun holiday party to Christen their new home in Sparks.  They'll be so close when we finally make our way home this year.

 Lots of gifts

Packing all the essentials

 I flew into the sunset!

 Penny and Grandpa Terry

 We were lucky enough to spend some time with my brother and his wife, Alicia who just had a little girl in October.  It was a joy to see the two cousins together!

 My Dad's side of the family!

In Las Vegas we visited Nolan's family who had 2 polar bears mounted and a gigantic great dane who LOVED Penny!

 

 

 Finishing the Holidays with some fun sparklers and our new little girls!