Abbie's 1st Birthday: A Week of Celebrating!

I am the mother of a toddler....woah! That is the first time I've actually said that too myself. Are you kidding me? She is still so much baby to me, but at the same time....more of a little girl than she is baby anymore. It's sad, and its amazing all at the same time and I've found myself wondering a little bit about #2 a little bit lately...eek! Did I just openly admit that to all ya'll? I will emphasize the "little bit" of that last statement. Not wanting yet, not trying (for a long while!) but still...for the thought to cross my mind is an accomplishment in and of itself. I didn't even have one of those horribly painful, rip you in 2 type of labors either, nor was my pregnancy that horrible. Although I was nauseous almost the entire nine months it was tolerable....so I am really not sure why my brain didn't turn to instant baby mush like a lot of women's do shortly after their baby isn't a newborn anymore. Anyway....back to focusing on this whole "toddler" thing.....Abbie is a toddler! I can't believe how fast this year has gone by. She is turning into one heck of an amazing little girl! Her birthday was wonderful....everything I thought it would be. How can one really plan the birthday party that their 1 year old child would want when they can't really express what they want yet? So like all parents, you do the best you can....and I did...and it turned out wonderful, and at the end of it all my heart was happy and joyful for this precious life that God blessed us with!

The week started out with a surprise on our back patio 2 days before her birthday. Grandma and Grandpa B had a new playhouse waiting for her when we came home from my parents Anniversary Party! She loves this thing and makes it possible for me to work in my container garden a little bit while she is playing and not putting dirt in her mouth :)

Here she is the morning of her birthday...so sleepy still. It was like 6:30 AM and she was leaving with Dave to go to daycare. Dave brought home this super cute dress the night before her birthday (She so has him wrapped around his finger!). I actually asked him to go to the store to get milk and what's he come home with....this adorable dress, and no milk! Ha!

That night after work we took her to get her 1st real ice cream cone at our favorite local ice cream place. I shared with her of course but she did a really good job. It was all over her, me and our clothes but I don't care....sweet chocolate and vanilla kisses are my favorite :)

Dave made this cookie cake for her to share with her friends at daycare. So cute!

Here is us at her little daycare party. I am lucky enough to work super close and so I get to go and nurse her over my lunch hour. On her birthday though I took a long lunch to get to hang out with these two cuties!

Her little daycare friends :)

The Saturday after her birthday we had her party. Dave and I both wanted to do something super small and my nickname for her for quite awhile now has been "Love Bug" so that is the theme we chose (lots of spring colors- butterflies, caterpillars, dragonflies, bumblebees, and ladybugs.)

The cake table:

Her birthday cake that I made....I practiced with fondant and cut out all the decor by hand....to say it wasn't hard would be a lie. Many times I cursed myself for not just buying the darn thing, but in the end I am glad I stuck it out. She loves bananas so I made it a banana cake with buttercream frosting. It was seriously so good!

Abbie's smash cake:

The banner I made featured in this tutorial:

Most of the party guests (Dave's parents, us, and my parents)

Abbie with her presents:

Blowing out the candle

She didn't do half bad!

Such an amazing day with amazing people. My heart is full and so is my stomach!