Sally Turns One!!

Get ready for a picture overload! Sally's first birthday party was quite an event in our house. I wanted everything just so for it. We invited Johnny's family over, and it was so fun to celebrate our little girl.

The cake took a ridiculously long time to make, and by the time it was out of the oven, Johnny and I were both a bit ornery. And then I remembered that I'd forgotten to buy ice cream to go with the cake. And Johnny said, "It doesn't need ice cream." And I said, "Yes it does. I can't even think about eating cake without ice cream." And he said, "No one will care." And I said, "But I care." Or some sort of nonsense like that. And then Johnny went and took a shower, and then came upstairs and said he and Sally would go to the store and get ice cream while I finished everything else up. Because he loves me. But this day was supposed to be about Sally! you're thinking to yourself. But the truth is that first birthdays are all about the parents because the little one-year-old couldn't care less and is completely oblivious. But someday maybe Sally will care and say, "I'm so glad you documented my first birthday so thoroughly, Mom and Dad!!" 

Now, on to the next question. Was I emotional about my little baby turning one? Yes, a few days before her birthday I felt a moment of overwhelming sadness at how quickly it had all gone. But for the most part, I am just enjoying each new stage. I love the little girl she is becoming so much that it's hard to be sad about the baby she once was, if that makes any sense.

And now, onto some pictures:

Can you find a cuter naked baby? I don't think so. (On her birthday, I'm allowed to publicly gush.)

 Sally wasn't sure what to do with the piece of cake we gave her. But she got pretty comfortable with it before long.

We had to take the plate away since she kept wanting to lift it up and fling it around. She shed a few tears when we took the plate away, partly because everyone was staring from three feet away at her every move. 

Right after cake, it was nap time for Sally. We could have let her stay up and open her gifts, but it would have likely meant a meltdown from her. When it's nap time, it's nap time. So after cake, I took her downstairs and cradled my little girl, sang her a song, and laid her down in her crib.

I can't imagine a day of my life without little Sally in it. The line from a movie I saw soon after Sally was born that says, "I love my baby so much that sometimes I'm afraid I'm going to eat her!" describes my feelings perfectly. When I check on Sally at night before Johnny and I go to bed, I always come into the bedroom whispering, "I'm obsessed!!" in a slightly crazy tone. Sally, I'm obsessed with you. And your dad is, too. When I show him videos of you that I shot while he was at work, he says, "Noooooo!! It's too much!!!" because he honestly can't take the cuteness overload. I hope I can treasure every single day of this next year because it sure goes by fast. Sally, your mom and dad love you so very much!

Christmas Day 2013

I was so excited for Sally's first Christmas morning. Since getting up early is the usual with Sally, Christmas morning was just like any other morning in our house. Sally woke up at around 6:30 or 7:00, and we all headed upstairs. We placed Sally's gifts in front of her, but she wasn't interested in opening them. And so I proceeded to open them for her to see if she liked them. She loved her baby doll, as well as a rabbit my parents gave her. She was pretty indifferent about everything else. Then Johnny and I stuck Sally in her bouncer so we could open our gifts from each other. We each took turns, and then Johnny announced that he needed to go out to the car to get a gift he'd "forgotten." Ten minutes later, he returned with two ginormous boxes! He'd gotten me a digital piano, which he'd had delivered to his work and then kept in our storage room in the parking garage. I was so shocked and so excited. I didn't take a picture of it, but it is glorious. I love it so much.

After opening gifts, we got ready and went to Sarah's (Johnny's sister) house for breakfast with Johnny's family.

Of course, I had to document Johnny and his turtleneck... he puts it on right before handing out his dollar store gifts to everyone. Those are always super normal gifts... or not.

After Sarah's house, we went to the other Sarah's house (my sister). Her kids got a great dane puppy for christmas, and it was too much cute to handle.

It was a fun-filled day with family!