just one look and I fell so hard in love with you

first look (please excuse the petechiae all over me, labor was hard work)

Dear Sloane,

Today is your birthday.  Your first birthday.  You got up and enjoyed (by dancing and smiling) me singing "happy birthday to you".  You ate oatmeal for breakfast and watched Elmo, took your nap, ate macaroni and cheese with butternut squash for lunch and I am making you pumpkin waffles for dinner.  Lots of playing with your new toys you got from your party. You took one step by yourself today from the edge of the couch to grandma.  All of this while wearing your pink cupcake shirt and your  baby pink tutu and  black leggings and mary jane socks (I couldn't resist).

It's hard to believe it's been a year in the way that you still seem like a baby to me, not a "toddler".  It's not hard to believe it's been a year in the way that I have forgotten what I did with myself and all my time before I was a mother. In some ways it's hard to remember how it was without you.   You make everything so different and so vivid.

What a year.

love you,
mama

title courtesy of Linda Ronstadt: just one look

sweeping the clouds away

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I might go into the details a little later.  But here are some shots from Sloane's 1st party.  She was a little doll for it.  So sweet, even though it was at the same time as her afternoon nap (way to go Mama!).  She got some awesome gifts...a little bit of everything (clothes, a pretty lamp for her room, a wagon, Sesame Street toys, crayons, and a baking set).

When it was over with I felt so exhausted and sad that all the planning and everything is over so soon.  Then I remembered:  Christmas is in 2 weeks.  Time to get busy again. 

I was lucky to have Breann there for a million reasons, but one big one is that she took all the pictures for me! Thank goodness because I was busy with a sweet little munchkin. 

title courtesy of the Sesame Street Theme song <3

home sweet home

Pretty Patterned Ornaments Holiday

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Sloane's first Thanksgiving



She heard you don't like Tebow.



Lot's to do before this weekend!  The big party!  My mom is starting the cake today.  It is from a 1984 Wilton Yearbook--it's a Sesame Street treehouse cake, the treehouse stands up and has a little tire swing. 

Mom and I had fun at the candy shoppe picking out eyes for the character cupcakes (black sixlets), chocolate-sprinkled "shingles" for the roof, and sour watermelon oh's for the tire swing.  The treat buckets are almost assembled for the kiddos.  I am going to count out the M&M's for a guessing game tonight (which I am banning my math teacher brother Chance from playing) and work on some more little goodies for the kids. 

I have to paint a sleepy owl (yellow and lavender) on the doll cradle I scored for 2.99 at a thrift store (it is now sanded, primed and painted a beautiful white). I got two black paint markers so that Keenan and I can write her a message on the bottom of the cradle. Then I will unwrap the baby I got for her and place her inside inside of the huge bag.   I can't wait for her to see her very own doll and bed.  She loves playing with the dolls at Grammy's house.

Photos of everything-- including the smash cake, to follow! 

title courtesy of Home for the Holidays (Perry Como's version is my fave)

let your heart be light

Snowflake Stars Christmas

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One thing off the to-do list.  Order 25 cards from Shutterfly (using my free points from buying 9 gazillion Pampers diapers).  Now I just need to do the other thousand things on the list. Including ordering 25 cards from Tiny Prints using a coupon.  I did two separate cards only because of price, but I think it will be kind of fun.  Of course my mom gets one of each.   

Sloane's big birthday party is this weekend. Thank God my bestie Breann (craft vixen and party planning extraordinaire) is coming on Friday to help me prepare.  Last night I attached (via Modg Podg) a bunch of characters that I cut out of a vintage Sesame book (thrift store) to card board and cut them out again and then attached them on the pack with packing tape to some cake dowels that I painted white.  They are going to stick out of the food and peek out of some of the games I have planned. Only 5 kids will be there and they are all different ages so hopefully I can keep everybody entertained for at least a little while.  

title via our wish for you..."Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas"