April showers, brings May.....

So Aislynn's birthday party was on Saturday, 4/11.  We had a blast - great learning experience for a first-time-first-birthday-party-planning-mommy :)  I had fun decorating Papa's house with balloons, paper lanterns and duckies!  We made Aislynn's favorite foods (burgers, chicken, sweet potatoes, squash, fruit...).  I had fun decorating her cupcakes too (vanilla w/ buttercream icing, lots of colors, duckies and flowers) Of course we had a special birthday girl cupcake with extra frosting and an extra big flower!  Aislynn destroyed it - the whole time I'm thinking "omg, that's so much sugar" but baby loved it.  (And, she slept great that night!).  It was great seeing all of Aislynn's little friends and we had little "goody" bags for everyone in the end with playdough, mandarin oranges, pinwheels, duck-bill kazoos, duckie bubbles, and a little rubber ducky.

Here we gooo...

Even after all the partying, Aislynn managed to take one or two free steps after the party (transitioning between pieces of furniture). I wouldn't count it her first steps - but she's close.  I know she can do it, she's just not ready to let go (and I'm fine with waiting).  The following weekend was my birthday (I am seriously losing track of how old I am).  I share it with my nephew, Kyler.  So we had another BBQ at my dad's.  Just a nice relaxing Sunday. 

These last couple weeks in April have flown by!  Last Saturday, we stopped by the Babies R' Us safety check event.  They ensured our carseat was properly installed & talked about general safety (we learned some great things).  We went inside, we registered Aislynn's fingerprints and stocked up on some snacks.  We had lunch afterwards at Cracker Barrell and enjoyed the grilled haddock (so so yummy!)  After a busy morning, and full belly the next best thing to do is nap!  So Aislynn and mommy enjoyed an afternoon snooze (the best naps are when my little bean is curled up next to me).  Feeling refreshed, we did "pudding art" (a great gift from Auntie Cheryl - food coloring, white chocolate pudding, and little canvas boards.)  Aislynn didn't realize at first that the "paint" was edible.. so once she started licking her fingers, she picked up the canvas and started licking her masterpiece.  It was a miracle anything was left on her canvas :)  Sunday was the usual, I ended up washing & putting away the rest of Aislynn's bottles.  She stopped using them a couple months ago, but I finally just put them away to make room for more sippy cups! I enjoyed my weekend. (Ais in her big-girl carseat)

Now we are just 2 weeks away from VACATION!  It will be hard to focus on work this week and next.  So much still to do:  1.  Figure out what I'm going to do w/ my pasty-white skin?  2.  Clean-laundry-organize-laundry-clean   3. Make arrangements for Zeus   4. Pre-pack    5. Search for the best deal on a rental car... can't think of anything else right now.

As April comes to a close - I'm happy to report that as of Wed 4/28 - Aislynn has 3 new teeth popping through. One on the bottom (left of middle) and 2 on the top, I think bi-cuspids? Just little points popping through.  But she's been sooo cranky and wanting to bite everything - our faces, our hands, the play-pen, the coffee table... everything.  Poor little girl.  She battled some fevers and is drooling a lot, spitting and babbling a lot.  She has a lot more teeth to grow - so we need to stock up on the teething tablets and baby orajel.

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT'S ALMOST MAY! I CAN'T!

(Aislynn @ her 1-year check up 4/9)

Happy FIRST Birthday sweet Aislynn-girl

Aislynn's first birthday was Thursday, April 8th.  I can't believe it's been a year! I remember every single detail of that day like it was yesterday... I remember going to Walmart the night before to get "stuff" to prepare for her arrival.  I remember coming home & feeling exhausted and vegging on the couch.  I remember Michael and I agreeing on what her name would be (finally).  I remember waking up feeling 'crampy' at 4:something am and finding out my water broke... thinking "could this really be it?" I remember getting to the hospital at exactly 5:55 am and going into triage - thoughts racing through my mind... knowing that I only had moments left with my little girl all to myself.  I remember feeling contractions thinking "so this is what they feel like, ow ow ow ow ow".  Everything happened so quick after that... I remember them saying "she's here" and then hearing her little cry thinking "is that her? that's really her? she's on the outside!"  I remember saying her name for the first time.  Such a flood of vivid memories - I wish I could record what was in my mind so I could re-watch it over & over again.  When Aislynn was born, it was like my heart would forever live outside my body.  She's been the most joy and love I've ever felt and held in my arms.  There's nothing she could ever do to lose my love.  I'm so grateful and honored that God would give me such a precious gift.  I only pray that she will grow to be an amazing godly young lady, compassionate and a light to others.

I just want her to know how much I deeply love her - I would do anything for her.  And when I think about all these feelings - I am reminded HOW MUCH God loves me, but 10-fold.  It's amazing.
So Thursday, I took the day off - and just spent all day lovin' on my little girl.  We had lunch at Cracker Barrel w/ Nana Betty & Papa. 

Tomorrow, Sunday, we'll celebrate her first year of life with a little bbq party after church.  In fact, today - I have a ton of stuff to finish for the party.  Ais is napping right now, so I wanted to update the blog before I got back to work.
For the big one-year bday, we splurged and got Aislynn's pictures taken by Jeremy (Adamo Photography).  He also did our wedding.  We were sooo happy with the pics and I think he really captured Aislynn and her little spirit.  We got some great family shots as well.  Here are some of our favorites (out of hundreds).

Phew, sorry - I know that was a lot... there are really just too many we love.  So a quick run-down on the things Aislynn is doing at 12 months:

• She isn't quite walking, but furniture walks fast and changes from 'thing-to-thing' quickly... she still stands freely while holding a toy or something.
• Her 4th tooth popped through on Wed, 4/7, on the bottom.
• She claps more often, waves bye-bye when you ask her, and says "dog" and "hado" (trying to figure out what that one means.  When you play patty-cake, she sometimes plays back.
• She has a couple tiny moles showing up on her legs
• She is definitely learning how to express herself through tantrums and has learned a very pathetic "whimper" cry to show us when she's really upset.  She gets mad sometimes when you try to take things away from her. (and we are teaching her how to share).
• She still hasn't done any "signs" but we still sign to her
• Still in 12m, hanging onto a few 9m onesies... in size 3 shoes
• At her 1-year appt, she weighed 19lbs, 8oz, Head was 18", and she was 30.25 inches long! We have been looking for the next sized car seat & can't wait to make that transition (infant carrier not easy).
• She still takes a morning and late afternoon nap, but has sometimes skipped the morning nap.
• She still talks a bunch and sings :)

I look forward to what this next year brings.  One thing I'm looking forward to, is the fact that she won't grow quite as quickly as those first 12 months :)  It definitely goes by too fast, but I'm still grateful for every second with my family.

2 more days...

Till my precious tiny baby turns ONE YEAR OLD!  Everyone has said "it goes by too fast" and I always agreed with them, but I remember this time last year so vividly.  It almost doesn't seem like 12 months have passed by.  March and April have been busy for us!  Since my last post, Aislynn's 2nd top tooth popped through.  Both are now "even" and are 1/2 way down.  Still, just one little lone bottom tooth still making it's way up.  She totally looks like a pumpkin.
Aislynn also attended her first "birthday party". Miss Emma Grace (#1 of 5 of the preggo posse) turned one 3/28. We had such a fun time at the "fairy" party where all the girls got wings (and Mr. Pman got a bandana). Aislynn also tried her first bday cake and loved it.   (Getting ready for the party)

Parker & Aislynn (boy meets girl)

Fairy Wings

Ais & mama (this is where she's starting to get tired)

traded the wings for a party hat

4 of 5 of the preggo posse.  Aislynn wanted to see what Parker was fussing about

Partied till she passed out :)

We've been in full "brithday party planning" mode. My mom has helped a bunch and made some table runners, table clothes and the most adorable party favor bags. I made the invites and got those out, and have been picking up little things here & there over the last 2 weeks. I love this kind of stuff and love it even more that it's for my daughter!

Our church celebrated it's 6 year anniversary.  I love our church - it really is like a big family.  I'm just so grateful God brought us there and has allowed me to serve in a place that is making an impact on people's lives.  They had a petting zoo set up and we got to pet bunnies and chicks, and fed an Alpaca.

(front of invite almost finished)

I've been bad about getting professional pictures of Aislynn done.  We've just taken so many on our own throughout the year.  We decided to splurge and get some really nice one-year pictures done of her (and of our family).  We called up Jeremy @ Adamo Photography (he did our wedding pics).  We had an indoor/outdoor photo shoot on Saturday 4/3, and the weather was perfect.  I could not be MORE happy with the way the pics turned out.  Michael and I were amazed and so glad we chose Jeremy.  I can't wait to get them back so I can share them! To check out his work, visit: http://www.adamophotography.com/  He's truly amazing and talented.

Then there's Easter (Aislynn's 2nd Easter since last year it fell on the 12th, she was 5 days old).  We had fun "looking" for eggs (even though mommy had to pretty much hand them to her), but she had fun in her dress and chasing the dogs around and shaking the eggs with jelly beans inside.  Church was awesome, so grateful for the miracle God performed - all b/c he loves us so!

(Can you see my one bottom tooth?)

Today is a GREAT day for several reasons.  1.  it's my Dad's birthday.  I can't thank God enough for giving me such a great dad.  He's wise, loving, supportive, funny and I love him so much.  Happy bday dadd!  2.  It's LOST night - I seriously look forward to this show every week and will be so sad when the series ends.  3.  It's Small Group night - it's nice to do something 'social' and meet with our group once a week, talk, hang out...  So that's what makes today great in my opinion.  I will definitely post the one-year pics when we get them back. 

2 more days - and I get to celebrate the first year of life of my prreeeeccciiiouuuss sweet beautiful awesome funny energetic baby girl.  The most amazing gift God could ever give me.          -K