What a Difference a Year Makes

November 24th(ish) 2009

November 24th, 2010

If you've been hanging around here for a while, you know I've been looking forward to this party for quite a while. I would have posted these pictures sooner, but I wore myself out!

For the party, we ate delicious food.

The bell of the ball was loving it!

All of this for me?

We were so lucky to celebrate with many friends. Here are a few of them:

These two were supposed to be born only days apart.
One is obviously more mellow than the other, thankfully.

Kate, Alli, and (I'm 99% sure) Amy

Evie

Some of our good friends and neighbors from our previous apartment complex.

Millie's "Uncle" Regie made it during his lunch break! He works as a Respiratory Therapist in the NICU. It meant so much to us to see him.

Hatsumi and little Jimmy, our current neighbors and friends.

Glen and Jamie (can't wait to meet their little girl soon)

Anna and Caleb, a fellow micro-preemie. We were in the NICU together for most of our stay.
(I think she really wants a bite of that piece of paper)

We played pin the bow on Hello Kitty. Buck was kind enough to go first. Before he made it to the board...

he made it across the entire room, bless his heart.

Many played,

but Millie's grandpa got it closest to "right." Pretty good for someone who thought the bow went under her neck to begin with :)

After the games we dove into the cake.

Millie was slightly stunned by us singing "Happy Birthday."

This girl knows how to work a camera.
Is this what y'all want me to do?

What in the world?

Well, alright...

One more smile, and I think I'm done.

Next we let Millie try to open presents for the first time.
She was more interested in everyone watching her.

She loved all her presents, especially the girly ones.

She was very intrigued by this phone, but a little worn out by the end.

Overall, we had a fabulous party.
I hope Millie crawled away feeling loved.

You probably can tell a huge difference in quality of pictures. I have to thank my friend Ashley Lunt for these pictures. In a round-about way she offered to take some pictures of Millie, and the most convenient way was to have her come to the birthday party. Not having to take pictures on top of all my other hostess duties was wonderful! I would totally recommend talking one of your friends with a nice camera and a good eye for photography into doing this for you, or if you have the means hire one! Not that I think every single birthday party merits a professional photographer, but in Millie's case her first birthday definitely did (to me).

I was a little worried about pulling this all off without the help of my mother, grandmother, and sister, but it worked! The only reason it all worked was because of Buck's parents, and those that showed up early (Romney's, Ostler's and Lunt's).

Whew. The party is over. Now I can start reflecting on the milestones we faced this time last year. You all know her birth story. You also followed me as I experienced all those firsts: eyes opening, holding, bathing, diaper changing, feeding, etc. What a beautiful story Millie has, and I am so thankful I was able to share that with so many.

Happy Birthday, Millie dear!

I have a one year old.