Happy First Birthday Briana Catherine!!!!

Well it's official, we have a 1 year old!!  What an amazing weekend we spent celebrating Briana's 1st Birthday!  On her official birthday, Friday August 3rd, we spent a little time in the morning as a family and opened gifts at home and then took the kids to Toys R Us and the Spray Park.  Briana slept through the Spray Park but was wide awake for Toys R Us.  Both of our kids are in the birthday club there so they get a balloon and crown on their birthday.  We went and had lunch with Aunt Melissa, Uncle Brett, Julia, Maggie and Papa Mike.  In the afternoon I took Briana to get her toe nails done for the first time as every little girls needs their toe nails done for their birthday! That evening we did a family party at our house.  We ordered Grinder's for dinner (since I was busy making everything for the big party Sunday) and had cake and ice cream and of course presents!  Aunt Kimberly and Uncle Craig arrived in town that evening too.  It was great to get to celebrate such a special day with our families.  Briana got so many nice gifts, she is such a lucky little girl!  We are so thankful to Papa Mike, Aunt Kimberly and Uncle Craig for making the trip to celebrate with us!

As for cake, our daughter is NOT a fan!!  Her brother was not either at his first birthday but she is really not a fan at all!  I did two cakes, one for Friday and one for Sunday.  She ended up wearing the one on Friday night but did not get one piece got into her mouth.  On Sunday she wanted nothing to do with it, but I think that was a combination of being so tired after our busy weekend, a very busy day and just not being interested.  She liked opening her gifts but was more interested with the paper and boxes than what was inside.  On Friday night she tried real spaghetti for the first time and seemed to really like it.  I have been gradually introducing new foods and she seems to like everything so far.  She is a big fan of mini pancakes and french toast sticks. She also likes cheese, just like her brother and Dad.

Sunday turned out to be a beautiful day for our party, not too hot which was nice.  We had a swimming party and I set up a variety of play areas for the kids with water tables, baby pools, bubbles, chalk, outside toys, etc. I also did an ice cream bar which the kids loved! We had a great turn out and again Briana got so many nice things.  We are very lucky to have such wonderful friends and family, that's for sure!

So a year has gone by and while it is a little sad in a way, Tim and I both really love the stage that Briana is at and now that we are past the newborn stage we are really able to start doing things with the kids and not worrying so much and also Briana is really starting to enjoy doing things too.  It has been such an exciting 3 years for our family and we know that the best is yet to come which is crazy to think since we love how things are now.

Briana is on the milestone fast track and seems to literally be developing at the speed of light.  She is pulling up on everything, and I mean everything and is cruising like there is no tomorrow.  She is standing on her own and is super close to walking but if it takes her a few more weeks I won't complain.  She is waving "Hello" and "Bye Bye"  which is super cute.  She is very much a "Momma Baby" and "Dada Baby" and really only likes to be held by us, which Brody was not like at all.  Don't get me wrong he is a Momma's boy, but he would never complain about others wanting to hold him.

We would like to thank everyone that helped us celebrate our baby girl's first birthday.  We are so truly blessed to have such wonderful people in our lives.  Thanks again!  And Happy Birthday to my beautiful daughter, I love you more than you will ever know!