Lily's FirstBirthday Party

I gave in and let Lily Kate turn one.

Despite the fact I said we weren't doing anything big, the decorations kind of got out of hand. We went for a Pixie Hollow look.
Lizzy, in one of the Tinkerbell movies, thought fairies only ate sweets so we had plenty to go around (guests were invited to make their own mix to take home as a 'thank you').
Having just ONE cake wouldn't do. All of the fairies made an appearance. (Seriously, these came from Walmart and tasted amazing.)

We got an extra Tinkerbell for Lily Kate's smash cake.

I think I could have just blown up a few balloons and Lily would have been just as delighted.

I remember enjoying the time Ace ate his first birthday cake. Lily's first birthday cake was so entertaining. She almost went through the whole thing before any of us took it away because we had such fun watching her.

She got a bath mid-party after the state she was in.

Beautiful birthday girl with Gabby and Pops.

Thank you everyone who came, helped and celebrated the sweetest, messiest birthday girl in our lives.

P.S. Credits also must go to my amazingly talented husband. Jonathan made fajitas, bacon-wrapped mango shrimp and some pretty darn good guacamole.

I will never tell anyone that we are "planning a small party" again.

Happy Birthday Lily Kate!

Lily Kate is one today!

That means we've had one year of her priceless smiles...
...and one year of more happiness than we knew before...

...and one year of irreplaceable memories.

Oh how I love this little muffin top! She is the cherry on top of my days.

I am thrilled to celebrate her all day and weekend long.

Bottle Baby

Lily Kate made the switch to whole milk just a week shy of her first birthday. She LOVES her bottle. If we walk by a bottle or I take an empty one downstairs without giving it to her, she gets very cranky.

We've been working on her holding it by herself. Every once in a while, Ace gets in on the action but he really only succeeds in smushing it on her face.
This is new for me because once Ace was finished nursing we didn't go on to the bottle. I'm grateful that she'll sit still in my lap to take it (the only snuggling I get from her).

Swim Lessons

We finally jumped in!

Ok, for whoever doesn't know, I am crazy with the kids around water. I don't know what happens to me. I just get overcome with anxiety and am VERY strict about nobody taking the kids to a pool except for Jonathan or me. (I've never known anyone whose drown or had a terrifying experience in the water. I don't know why I am this way.) Thank goodness Jonathan was a lifeguard or I may not even let HIM take the kids to the pool.
So, it is a lot for me to stay out of the pool and let someone else be in it with one of the most precious people in my life.
Enter...Ms. Halle.
Blowing Bubbles.

Starfish Floating.

He is constantly telling her what they should do next and what he doesn't want to do. He has been called "bossy britches" a lot lately.

Time for the kickboard.

This is Ace persuading Ms. Halle that it's time for playing and not a swimming lesson. He just jab, jab, jabs in the pool. I think she'll be teaching him to hold his breath just to get him to be quiet.

A happy spectator.

And if you haven't heard the story already...

After saying "hello" the second thing Ace said to Ms. Halle was, "Why are you brown?" After she said, "I don't know" and I said, "God made her that way" he followed up with, "I wanted you to be peach." I don't know WHERE this came from! His BEST friend at Mother's Day Out this past year was "brown" as Ace says it. We have talked so much in the past about how God makes you one way or another, including our color. I...wanted...to...die. She kind of laughed it off. Hopefully Ace will redeem himself.

Thank the LORD when we went to our second swim lesson last night he didn't bring it up again.

Not much going on

We don't have much going on around here lately.

Here is Lily's adventure with donuts this past weekend.

Mmmmmm.

Stink face. I'm still not tired of getting her to do this.

Delight.
We were protected by Optimus/ Batman/ Cowboy with his arms of brick.

Naked time under the play table with crayons.

Doesn't get better than this!

Yup. Not much going on. I love these lazy summer days.

Fun but no Fireworks

How could you NOT have fun over a long weekend with these two?

Lily Kate was in a great mood all weekend. She was getting all of the attention she loves so much.
This one was mischevous, as always. Jonathan and I took him to see Transformers 3. It was fun just to focus on him for a little bit.

This is her "up-to-no-good" face. Don't worry, after a few knocks, she knows how to get down.

I worked on the kids' photo albums all weekend (trying to catch up on 2010 still) and Ace was content to lay in my office like this. He is just so sweet. He just wants to be close to somebody.