Just turned one, shout HOORAY!

Saturday was Solana's first birthday!!! 

Birthday's are really important to us in this family, we make a big deal out of them. If we could have celebrated it all weekend, we would have. But instead we packed her birthday full of fun things to do. 

I can't believe how fast time has gone, and  I am even more surprised that in one year our little baby has grown and changed into this little talking, giggling, and running around the house crazy toddler. It has been the best year so far. Thanks Solana for being the greatest part our lives.

Happy Birthday!

Friday May 21st, 2010. 

I can't believe how much she's grown!

Saturday May 21st, 2011

I'm a big girl now.

So off to the zoo we went.

"I know this is fake guys, I am looking at real elephants right now."

The best Godparents in the whole world. She loves her Heather and Matt

Oh surprise! It's a goat!

Oh maybe I will go pet it.

Aunt Sarah saved the day! It was hot and humid and we were all sweatin'. But Sarah found some shaved ice to cool off the birthday girl, and boy did she suck it down!

We had a 'Little Miss Sunshine" party.

All she wanted to do was play in the yard the whole time.

"Thanks Grandpa Ross for my new pink chair, it's just my size"

It took her awhile to love opening her presents. She was so impatient, (We don't where she got that from, lol) she just wanted to see what was inside after we opened it for her.

"I love my new pal Violet"

Banana split ice cream cake anyone?

I am embarrassed to say, but we actually took her cupcake sampling the week before her birthday, I just wanted to make sure she liked it. Well I am glad we did, cause she had no interest in it. So Adam suggested an ice cream cake because she LOVES cold things (she is always drinking my smoothies) and she ended up loving her ice cream cake, hooray!

This is a face of pure enjoyment

"Get that cake in my mouth!"

"oh a spoon is so much better"

She actually enjoyed feeding us some cake too. 

She loves to share!

"Well that was great!"

"Happy birthday to me!"

Another birthday?

My First mother's day was like having another birthday. I was especially excited for my first one, because I didn't know what to expect. And it ended up being so fun, and full of great surprises. 

Happy Mother's day to all!!

We went to the park and she did lots of new things, like this spinning carousel, and riding a horse. It was pretty hot, so she was over the whole park thing rather quickly.

 For those of you that know your love language, mine is QUALITY TIME! So I was in heaven all weekend getting to spend time with my 2 favorite people in the world. And I cried when I got a book that Adam made for me. It was similar to one of Solana's favorite books, and he wrote it from her perspective. She loves to have it read to her before bed. 

One of Adam's excellent food creations. Five cheese pizza with caramelized onions and balsamic vinaigrette.

I'm getting hungry just looking at these. Mmmm......

The Solana tote. Aunt Sarah sure knows to have fun. We have LOVED having her back for the summer.

Our fabulous weekend came to a sweet end with these treaties. Raspberry frappes!! 

Easter loveliness

Easter is pretty much the ideal holiday for a little baby girl.  (11 months old, she’s still a little baby girl, right?)  Think about it: The mascot (for lack of a better term) of Easter, is a giant fluffy bunny – basically a pink stuffed animal.  The official colors of Easter are light, girly pastels – perfect.  The weather is great for playing outside. You hide bright colorful yummy things around randomly, then go chase them down with great excitement for finding each one.  

Also, Easter is like the perfect “size” holiday for little ones.  It’s not epic, like Christmas, where numerous events and travel are planned for a full day, and after 14 hours packed with family action time your baby looks, and acts, like she just rolled down the stairs.   No, Easter is like the perfect balance of big enough to make it special, but not too big to disrupt the nap schedule.  It’s the perfect size holiday.

Bunnies, pretty colors, Easter-egg hunting – Solana’s first east was perfect.

"Surprise, I got a bunny jack-in-the-box! I love this whole Easter Bunny thing!"

"I was watching daddy hide my eggs, and then my Sammy dog joined me for the hunting party."

"Mama had to hold me back from finding my eggs early."

"Let's go find those eggs!"

"Mmmm.....this dye is so tasty!"

"Daddy helped me find all my eggs. He is so smart cause he knew where they all were!"

"My spoon is ready for some food on it"

"Best Easter ever.....well it's only my first."