Baby Cake Turns One!

Our baby Cake had her first birthday. There was honestly something so emotional about this birthday for me.  I was feeling really sad that my baby was turning one and growing up. I had a lot of emotions thinking back to that fateful night one year ago - being so sick, labor, the specialness of the new baby, etc. And I was so excited to celebrate her. I think because the kids were looking forward to it so much too. I decorated the house in birthday balloons and banners the night before and then I seriously laid awake in bed until about 2am and couldn't sleep. The only thing I can think of for my not sleeping was just being too excited!

I was so sentimental, I even took pictures of the sleeping baby one year from the night she was born. She didn't like the flash in her eyes so much.

We all came down in the morning for a birthday breakfast of pancakes.

This day was especially nice because it was just me and Kate in the morning (never happens) - Brie was at school, Ava at preschool and Zachary at a play date. We played on the floor with her toys together. It was so nice to be with just her on her special day. We didn't get her any presents for her birthday. I just brought up all the toys that were given for one year old birthdays to the other kids from the playroom. Ava's giraffe and Zachary's music table. Perfect. She loved them. 

She got to have a warm, birthday bubble bath all by herself. 

And then a birthday nap. I love that when I put her down to sleep she is so excited to cuddle up in her bed with her blanket and Care Bear. She really does let out a happy squeal and kicks her legs up when she is put in her crib and handed her Care Bear. 

This may seem like cruel and unusual punishment for her, and for me, but on Kate's birthday I took her to have her one year old pictures taken after her nap. She just looked so pretty and I wanted to capture her on that day. All went surprisingly well. She smiled and was happy like she actually enjoyed it.

(These are actually pics on my phone of her and Zach playing in the rocking chairs while we waited.)

 

Birthday dinner was quite a feast. All of Kate's favorites. We invited Evan and Tawna to join us. These are Tawna's favorite foods as well, so that worked out. We had a big pot of Kraft Mac n' Cheese, hot dogs, sliced and peeled pears and a good spinach salad (for the "grown ups").

 After dinner was time for cake! Kate got her very own pink cake to attack. We all had heart shaped red velvet cupcakes. Kate loved digging into her cake. She ate a lot of frosting and left the rest. (I would recommend having Evan around to be a photographer at all upcoming events. He took a picture of every second of this child eating her cake.)

We moved on to the one present of the night. A cute new toy from Grandma and Grandpa Allred. A big thank you to Grandma and Grandpa Buchanan and Grandma Great for remembering her on her birthday also.

And then our little one year old went off to bed. I can't believe she's grown up so much. We loved her from the moment we met her, but that love has grown immensely in the past year. She makes us so happy. We all adore our "Baby Cakers".