I love this kid, a year ago and today too...Remembering Will's first birthday party

Exhausted from the long day yesterday, I sit here and type out my remembrance of his day. His first birthday party. I wanted to soak it all in but instead all I could think of was if there was enough food, if everyone was enjoying themselves or if I was doing things too quickly or too slowly. Then there was the other thoughts, was my house clean enough, why didn't so and so come?

And then I think of all the good. The out of town sister-in-law that would've given her right arm to help in any way, the little man's face lighting up when he saw all of the people coming in, the best friends that DID come, Daddy in his pilgrim hat, lots of food and fun and good times with friends.

The party started at 2:00pm Saturday, the 20th of November, but the preparation started weeks before. The invitations were all handmade. Turkeys, Candy Corns, and Pilgrim Hats. A label with all of the party information was attached to the side of each invite with Raffia. The Cake was a giant cupcake! I saw this great giant cupcake pan at my mom's house when I went to visit her in October. I told her that it would be perfect for his party and she said she'd be happy to let me borrow it.

The Cupcakes were carrot cupcakes, regular size and minis with homemade white icing and topped with leaf paper punches in yellow, orange and brown.

The Treats were the cutest little Turkey Cookies that I snagged from Betty Crocker online! They'd be perfect for a Thanksgiving Day activity with older kids. My Mother-In-Law and I whipped up 39 of them in 3 hours two days before the party.

The Guests ages ranged from 2 1/2 weeks to 7 years. They played a game where they had to find "the turkey, potato and corn" (squeaky toys from Target) and they got the prize that was with it when they found it! (an Odessey cd or a Punch Balloon - who doesn't love a good punch balloon?)

All in all I think everyone had a good time. Maybe too good. Poor Will has been "getting" teeth for about 3 weeks now and it seems to have finally gotten to the worst. He hasn't slept a whole night through in 4 days. The last two nights, he has woken up 4 times! He's getting a little on the snotty side because of it and can't breathe when he lays down at night. So he drops his paci to breathe out of his mouth and then cries because he doesn't have his paci. It's. been. miserable. He woke this morning at 12am, back to sleep until 2:30, then asleep until 4am, went back to sleep and then woke up for good at 6:25am. He cried all morning and Tyler came in and said, "if you guys need to stay home from Church today it's ok."

Despite the permission to stay, we got up and started getting ready, only after 4 meltdowns and a total screamfest, we decided to forego church this morning. I tried.

We sat down in the living room and nursed him, he fell asleep. I couldn't quit looking at my little boy. My baby. My sweet little man with his red curls, all asleep in my arms. I love this kid, a year ago and today too.

Silly little egg

He's cracking me up and breaking my heart at the same time.  

 (Please ignore the fact that he is in his diaper)

He's everywhere in no time. This morning I sat him down on his little playmat and went to check my mail, when I came back, he was standing on the opposite side of the coffee table trying to touch the couch on the other side.

His little tongue is doing funny things too.

And my favorite? He says "more, more, more" when he's eating now. No, he won't say "Dadda" on a consistent basis, but he'll say "more, more, more". Silly little egg.

I love this kid. He really is a hoot. But he's growing up so quick. I cannot stop thinking about him as a newborn lately, it must be the change of seasons. It's getting closer and closer. His birthday. At this time last year I was getting "large and in charge" but still working at the daycare. When I got home in the evening I just dropped, I was so tired.

It will be Thanksgiving before we know it, and then the memories of a long night/morning in our bathroom and hospital will haunt my thoughts. Christmas will come and I'll try to remember what last year was like. Such a blur...no sleep and a needy newborn crowded out my brain's ability to function during the holidays.

This year will be different. We'll make our own memories and hopefully, create some brand new Tyler, Tori and Will traditions.

This photo taken in front of my tree last year by my amazing, photographer friend, Elisabeth Carol. Will was a tiny, three weeks old.

Last night was just for fun

So, I had the opportunity to just have fun and let some pre-teen girls soak in thier gorgeousness. Ha ha ha *wink. A friend of mine from church, Brenda, has a cutesie red-mopped daughter, Lexi, turning 13 this week! So she planned for the girls at the party to get a little make-over and then get pics done. Granted, by the time the make-up was done it was 7:50pm. And anyone who knows anything about natural light photography will tell you it's almost impossible to get anything under ISO of 800 after 7:50pm. So what did we do? We just shot at a high ISO and yes...even used a little bit o' flash *GASP, I know. I wouldn't have but, you should've seen thier sad faces when I said it was getting too dark.

So here they are...please don't judge my everyday performance on this. Like I said..."Last night was just for fun".

She is so stinkin cute! Happy Birthday Lex!

Check out her sweet friends!

from left: Lexi, Andrea, Tatum, Mariah, Abi, and Emily

I love her laugh! She's such a happy kid :)

She's in love with her tenni's.

Her mom made this gorgeous, scrum-diddly-umpsious cake!!!

Lexi is a natural in front of the camera. I told her mom that I was sorry we didn't get too many good ones, because of lack of light. But that I would love to do a shoot with just her! As a birthday present :) She agreed, so hopefully I'll be going out again soon...just for fun.