1st Birthday Parties

I LOVED planning Lainey's first birthday parties, but I am so worn out and thankful I don't have to do another for a year. :)  I cannot believe out sweet girly is ONE! We celebrated with friends on Friday and family on Saturday because there was no way that I could have fit everyone plus daddies that didn't come on Friday in our house. I have been doing little things for her party for months, but this week I worked through naps and in the evenings to make sure all of the cute details were in place. My amazing mom made Lainey's cake for her Friday party and smash cakes. She did SUCH a good job! She didn't go to bed until 2:45 am on Friday, but we got everything done. She is such a wonderful grandma to our sweet girl and a great mama to me!!

Here are a few of my favorite shots to help me remember such a special day! Thank you to everyone that helped us celebrate we are so blessed to have you all in our life.

The cute invites and Thank Yous for party favors!

Lainey loved touching the lights!

Our little pumpkin's first birthday!!

I attempted to make a pumpkin wreath!

Favors included homemade edible playdough that looked like pumpkins, a pumpkin notepad, an orange sucker and a coupon for a free treat at McDonalds.

Taffy Skewer Pumpkin

Orange dipped marshmellows

Carrots in the shape of pumpkins in hummus

mini cupcakes

The food table set up

The beautiful cake made by Joyz!!

The mantle with bunting I made as well as a photo banner. I made the labels in paint and included a picture from each month. The pictures were all taken by Jessica Coleman with Frugal Fotography. The wreath I found at a garage sale and modified to fit the party colors. :)

I couldn't imagine loving a little girl more!

Love my little family!

Homemade ball pit

Smash cake made by my mom and the high chair skirt was made with fabric scraps. 

I made this as a cling for the back door.

:)

The craft table for kids to decorate pumpkins on.

Sea World

Last weekend we went to Sea World for the second time this year with our friends Ryan, Jess, Kinley and Jax. Lainey did amazing. We broke the rules and turned her car seat forward facing a week early and she sat in between Kinley and I on the ride up. She had so much fun sitting by Kinley and kept laughing because of silly faces Kinley was making.

This trip was also a little different because Lainey was walking this time. We took our umbrella stroller and she loved riding when she wasn't walking around. She walked all over Aquatica and Bay of Play, but she rode the rest of the time. Lainey loved the show AZUL and the Sesame Street show the best. She also loved riding the carousel and ferris wheel at Bay of Play.

We all decided that October was the most perfect time of year to go. There were no lines at all, the water park was still open, the weather was perfect, we literally got to stay on rides and ride over and over again, the shows weren't crowded and there were tons of Halloween festivities. Lainey even got to trick or treat. It was a ball!! I hope to go back one more time this year, but if we don't get to, we will look forward to next year. We love it!!

Feeding Sea Lions! This was SO cool!!

Riding the ferris wheel! She loved it!

Lions, Tigers and Peacocks! Oh My!

This week has been packed full of fun! We went to the zoo on Monday and Lainey LOVED it! She went when she was about 5 months old and was just too tired. This time, she had a ball! She loved the birds, the leopards, and the ducks the best.  I am so excited to go more on days that it is nice and cool out.

We also went to Old MacDonalds Farm and pumpkin patch this week. It was fun. They had pony rides, train rides, tons of animals, a huge sand hill, a pumpkin patch, peacocks and lots of different playgrounds. Lainey loved it, but didn't want tons to do with the animals. She growled at them from a distance, but never wanted to get very close. It was pretty funny. 

Tomorrow we head to Sea World with our good buddies for a couple of days and then next week is Lainey's first birthday party! 

Lainey has started taking one nap a day. I did not push that at all, she just started skipping her morning nap and taking a good two hour nap in the afternoon. She has done this three days in a row. I feel like it is kind of early for one nap, but I've learned that I can't make her sleep so I better be thankful for what I get. 

Trouble! She is already trying to climb everything!

Her new silly look!

Sweet Ms. Kay trying to convince Lainey to get closer to the goats!

Old MacDonald's farm was so much fun! 

The Dawsons were out of town all week and Lainey was super excited to see Julia! I don't think she has gone a week without seeing her ever.

Moo

Riding the train.

I just love this! Special friends!

Lainey was so happy to get to walk with Kinley! She adores her!

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Trying to decide which pumpkin she wanted. She LOVES pumpkins, but was so sleepy at this point in the day.

Checking every side to make sure that was the one she wanted.

Such a fun day at the farm!

One Year Photos

It is so hard to believe how quickly this year has flown by. It has been the most amazing year of my life. I love being a mommy and adore our sweet girl!

I got a little emotional after our photo session with Jess because after the cake smash Lainey was filthy.I rinsed all of the cake off of her and then put her in her car seat in just a diaper for the ride home. (she was not in a get me dressed mood at that point.) Once we got home she was asleep so I put her in her crib with just a swaddle blanket wrapped over her. As I looked at her sweet profile I couldn't help but see my precious gift from God as a newborn in the same position in that same swaddle blanket. I could feel the tears in my eyes, not because I'm sad that my baby has turned into a toddler, but because her life is flying by at such a rapid speed. I am so thankful that I get to be home with her and soak up every minute of wonderful, difficult, fun! She is such a blessing and I am so thankful that God granted my wish to be her mother.

Her pictures turned out so cute despite her being super tired and fussy. Here are a few of my favorites of her at this precious stage of life. 

And a one year photo shoot wouldn't be complete without a couple of out takes. :) Lainey had a five minute spell of screaming at Jess and I. She was not crying, just yelling loudly and letting us know she was sick of having her pictures taken! She was a trooper, but along with the good we have these. So thankful to have some silly memories too. 

This makes me laugh every time I glance at it! 

Ok y'all, we can go home now!

Sleepy girl was ready for her picture time to be over, but I absolutely love the pout! So glad she was a trooper!

Jessica Coleman with Frugal Fotography does such amazing work! I truly appreciate the work and love she puts into each session we have. 

Pumpkin Fun

I am so behind! I haven't even done an 11 month post because things have been so busy! We have been having lots of fun and loving this weather though. On Sunday we went to Market Street for a Family Fun day with some of our friends. Lainey was so tired after church and lunch, but did pretty well. We loved the train ride and had so much fun playing in the "pumpkin patch". I cannot believe our little pumpkin is almost one! Thanks Jess for the great pictures of our fun day!

"Smile Lainey! "