The Party

I loved planning the party. I thought of the theme months ago and spent many a day looking through the party section at every grocery store and dollar store and bargain shop for anything fish, beach and underwater related. My girl was getting a fishy party. Not too baby-ish, not too girly (because there was of course going to be boys at this party), and certainly not hard to find fish related stuff.
We had SO much fun. Maizey didn't notice that Ang and I spent a looonnnggg time the morning of the party cutting fish out of the blue table cloth to lay over the yellow one so it would look like yellow fish on the table shining through the blue water.

She really has no idea that her favorite snack went perfectly with the theme of the party, all she knew was that she got to eat the goldfish crackers by the handful yesterday! She didn't realize that while she napped at the perfect time yesterday her mom and dad were carefully placing close to a hundred little m and m's on a fish shaped chocolate cake with a marshmallow eye and yellow icing (which I OF COURSE didn't get a picture of... so sad). She was just happy to have her friends over.

 Even when it got cold and rainy our guests were troopers....

Eventually it got the best of us and we moved inside for cake...

Missy timidly tasted her cake... but she eventually dove in. She ate two pieces!

Three outfits later, we opened gifts and she got spoiled! She played with her new toys after everyone left and today we put some of her new clothes on her! She looks so grown up in size one clothes! Heh.
It was a great day for us and it was just so wonderful watching her be loved by everyone! We are so lucky to have such a great group of friends with little friends for Missy. She loves playing with them and I love watching it!
So, our first party under our belts! I am already starting to think of a theme for next year! I can't wait to see what happens.... 

On Your First Birthday

Dear Maizey,
Today you are one. You say all kinds of words, you copy things I do, you laugh, you play with your friends, you sleep all night, you try to put your clothes on yourself, you play shy, you be your funny, cute, sometimes trying self every day and we love you very very very much.
I had to do some shopping for your party and as I stood in front of the party supplies I got a little choked up. I could hear other kids in the store saying dada and crying for mama and all I wanted was for you to be there with me. I missed you. I could hardly believe I was shopping for a one year old birthday party. I can hardly believe you are one year old. I can remember your birth day just like it was yesterday. I snuggled you and loved on you and proudly showed you to all our friends and family. Today I snuggled you, I loved on you and I proudly put together a birthday party for all your friends and family to come to. Those things are never going to change... I am always going to snuggle you (not in a weird way) and love you and be proud of you.
When I started this motherhood journey I really had no idea what it would be like. I see now that I am cut out for this. I am made to be your mommy. I am made to teach you things (like go down the stairs... you tried to teach yourself and it didn't end well) and show you the way and love you and to sometimes let you learn things yourself. You are showing me your independence more and more every day and I am having a hard time at letting you be a big girl already... I cant imagine how I am going to be able to handle it when you are older. I am just going to try to teach you all you need to know to be able to go out on your own and find your way. If I can do that, then I have succeeded.
So... what you are doing now....
You walk along anything you can get your hands on, but you are still not trying to walk at all. Oh well, you will get there.
You play patty cake and laugh when we play `round and round the garden' on your hand.
You love the bath and all meal times.
You are starting to need more challenges in your life - like toys that actually do something. The pots and pans are no longer cutting it.
Your vocabulary is getting extensive so I will try to remember all of your words
mama
dada
up
yep
hello
hi
thank you
whats this
shoes
kisses
friends
mmmmm
uh-oh
(shake your head no)
owwww

Your are finally up to 18lbs!! woooo! Still too little to turn your car seat around... but we will continue to shovel the food into you and hope you get to 20lbs before you turn 5. You are getting lots of hair, we are still waiting for a tiny little pony tail.
We gave you a wagon for you birthday present and you love it so much. You sat in it all morning and let daddy pull you all over the house. It was so cute.
I don't have any more words for you. For your perfect little self and how much joy and happiness you bring to us. We love every single day we have with you. Our life could not be more perfect. Just know that on your first birthday there was so much love surrounding you from your family and all your friends. You are so lucky to have so many wonderful people in your life that love you.
Maizey Rae you are one amazing little girl.
We love you baby girl
Love,
Mommy and Daddy

Busy But Good

Our week in review:

 

 Delicious french toast

One shoed mornings

Face down nap time because we are so tired

A visit from my brother Riley. It has been ten months since he last saw Maizey. She was a little leary... she came around (I think) by the end.

 A little pedicure action. Thank You Self.

I canned (with the help of Brians parents) some peaches... 20lbs to be exact! I am so stoked! I am going to do tomatoes also. Its easier than I thought and actually kinda fun! Plus, its a weird sense of accomplishment seeing all those little jars filled with deliciousness just waiting for a cold winter day...

Lastly... I crazy partied with Cartwright and Hummel and their wicked fun friends for the two nights in Kelowna for Cartwrights stagette. It was SO. MUCH. FUN. Its been a long time since I partied like that and anywhere near that classy. Good times ladies, good times.
More to come on almost all those things - but I am tired and slightly hungover and in desperate need of sleep so I can be up at the crack of dawn to do the last minute organizing for the big ONE YEAR OLD (I can hardly choke those words out) birthday party tomorrow. So much excitement coming....