A couple of weeks ago we celebrated your first birthday. It was an intimate gathering of family who came to celebrate the miracle of you, the sweetness of your first year. It was a lovely lovely weekend of celebrations and I just still can't believe how quickly your first year went. I read somewhere recently that having a baby is the longest, yet shortest time of a persons life. Oh how true that feels. You are a treasure like none other and we are just so proud and beyond words, beyond love, beyond joy to have you in our lives.
Here are a few photos that capture just a few of the moments of your birthday weekend that I want to be sure to remember.
We made cupcakes for you, and we had great silly fun decorating them though we are certainly no experts as you can tell from the photo. Still, we had the #1 candle, an absolute must.
You've never had a cupcake before let alone sugar of any real quantity (incl chocolate) so we were all wondering what you'd think! It felt like a great mystery. Would you put your face in the cupcake like they show babies doing on America's Funniest Home Videos? Would you throw it on the ground and feed it to Bella dog (you love feeding her). Would you shake your head no like you do when you're not hungry or interested in food? So, as you can see, the family was ready with their iphones to capture the whole moment - your very own personal paparazzi.
You very calmly looked at it, gently touched it with your finger, and looked at us like "what now, peeps?" I broke off a couple pieces for you, took a bite out off my cupcake and then you followed my lead.
And definitely into it.
The family spoiled you with presents including the push bike that auntie liz gave you and the cool handmade wheel board that grandpa made for you (you can see it in the background of the photo above). You are crazy about all things WHEELS so these two gifts delighted you to no end.
Gran Gran gave you a basketball hoop that you'll grow into, but in the meantime you love the small basketball and you're so good at rolling it to others. We just love you so much, True. We pretty much all sat around and adored you, watched you, played with you, and talked about you.
I love this photo of you and your papa, both with your blond hair and similar shirt colors.
Here you are with my parents. They recently moved all the way from Florida to Portland so that they could be close to you and watch you grow up. We are all so lucky for their adventurous spirits and big hearts and major courage to make such a move.
And here you are with John and his family. Boy do they adore you. Your Gran Gran was here for a couple of weeks and the two of you played and played and played. She taught you many tricks during her visit (how to roll your arms and patty cake, how to kick the ball, how to blow kisses, and so much more) and we are sooooo glad she traveled far + wide to be here for your first birthday.
We are so lucky to have you in our lives, baby True. Thank you for changing everything. For helping us see what really matters, for making every morning feel like the best Christmas morning x1000 when we open the door to your room. Thank you for inspiring our hearts to stay wide open even with all the fear that comes with having so much to lose now. Thank you for sleeping 12+ hours every night, for being super social and friendly, for snuggling at nap + bed times, for your sweet babble sounds, motor sounds, animal sounds, for your kisses that you so freely give, and for saying the word "light" over and over and over again. That's what you are True. You are light. Pure, bright, and shiny.
Big love,
Mama K