Friday Firsts - Birthday Girl!!!

Well, somehow it happened...a year has passed since our lives were completely and irrevocably changed and Little Miss Cassandra Lynn entered our world. We went from being parents of a newborn to parents of a toddler in the blink of an eye. And besides wanting time to slow down a little, we wouldn't change a moment of it for anything.

Cassie's birthday this year was celebrated not only by us but also by mother nature with a wonderfully white slow moving snow storm. It was the perfect kind of storm that left a nice white fluffy blanket over a couple of days, but slowly enough where the road crews were able to keep up with it and keep the roads nice and clean.

We started off the morning with a nice cold cup of milk and presents for the birthday girl. She loved the milk but really wasn't all that interested in opening up the presents...playing with them once they were open on the other hand was a completely different story.

Since we went with blocks for her Christmas present we decided to get her "musical" (maybe percussive would be a better word here?) instruments for her birthday. Ones just like the ones she loves to use in Kindermusik class. And they were a hit! We also got her her first dolly and stroller, but those couldn't hold a candle next to the drum and claves :) maybe in a few months she will be more interested...although she does LOVE putting things in her stroller and wheeling it all across the room.

After presents (and after daddy and grandpa got the snowblower running) we headed out. We went to Bella Napoli to pick up her cupcakes (no I did not make them this year, we bought them since I had no idea where we would be holding her shindig) and to Build-a-Bear to make her first Birthday Bear! She ended up with a birthday bunny this year since it had nice long ears so that she could drag it all over the place :).

We didn't end up getting to go out and play in the snow, but that's okay I think she had a pretty good day anyway. I am so so glad that circumstances happened to keep me from planning her birthday party on the actual day of her birth, it was nice to keep the day for just us. And it was nice to not have to worry about the snow all day and people traveling in it!

Sunday we had her party which went swimmingly well. Family came from all over to help celebrate, it was great to see how loved our little girl is.

The following pictures were all taken by my talented friend Miss Carlene Godfrey she was a life saver! I wanted to actually be in some pictures instead of being behind the camera for this special once in a life time event of my baby girl and so Carlene was able to help out and I couldn't be happier with the results! Thanks so much Carlene!

And while I am giving shout outs, I would like to thank my cousin-in-law Mrs. Brooke Perrigo for coming and helping me set up and decorate, I don't know how anything would have gotten done with out you dear!

Back to the party... with my Christmas money I purchased a Cricut machine so that I could make the banner (and a ton of other decorations for holidays/events to come) and I LOVE the thing! It made quick and easy work of the banners once I figured out how to use it. I actually have plans now to use it to make decor for Cassie's room and our Master bedroom, can't wait to see how that turns out...

This banner didn't actually end up getting hung up, but I believe I am going to string it up above Cassie's crib so it doesn't go to waste, quick and easy decor!

I just love this pic of the two of us!

And this one too of the 3 (.5) of us :)

Gosh I thought Matt had gone a little overboard on the Pizzas, but turns out he figured just right, we had hardly any left overs. It was good stuff!

Cupcakes turned out excellent as well. I couldn't just put out plain cupcakes without some sort of handmade touch so I made some chocolate pics to add to them I think they turned out rather great if I do say so myself.

Awww don't think this girl could get much more adorable, of course I am proved wrong every single time I think that...

This chair is Cassie's chair, everyone remember that. By proclamation of the princess ~ No toy, no doll, no animal shall sit in this chair except for the princess.

One day I think Miss Cassie is going to turn into a Strawberry. Good thing she has her daddy's preference for non-sugar coated, non-chocolate coated fruits...

Oh can't you just feel the love here?

And a store bought cake for her to "dig" into, hey at least the sprinkles matched!

Notice the Cake Plate? Turned out pretty awesome didn't it? going to have to find a nice safe place for it so we can pull it out every year!

One of the great things of having a professional photographer do the pictures? yea she can finagle the picture and move everyone around so that EVERYONE is seen in the group photos, no hiding allowed! Going to get one of the group pics blown up and printed so I can hang it in Cassie's room.

Little birthday girl was so excited when she saw the candle lit and everyone started singing to her.

Maybe next year we will practice blowing out the candle so she can make her wish :)

Oye, don't know how a little girl can be so ruff and tumble like she is most of the time and yet be so entirely prissy when it comes to having anything sticky or goopy on her her hands...well at least she wont be making mud pies anytime soon :)

And once she has a spoon she digs right in...I love this little girl more than words can even express...

After cake we opened presents (which again she still wasn't that into, next year for sure!) but she loved playing with each and every one once they were opened.

And that as they say is that. It was over in the blink of an eye and all of a sudden she was 1 year 2,3,4... days old, no longer weeks or even months old but 1 year... It really is going all too quickly I am very glad we have all these pictures and this blog to help memorialize it. And I am bound and determined to keep it up, especially when Miss Ali arrives on the scene.