1st birthday parties!

4-6-14 Birthday party #1!  Daddy and I made a nice lasagna dinner and we packed up your decorations and food and headed over to your Grandma and Grandpa Hergotts to celebrate with your Daddy's side of the family!

 You anxiously awaited the arrival of your guests, and, like a good guest of honor you greeted them all at the door!

"Thanks for playing with me Aunt Darcie!  I had so much fun with you!"

 What music themed birthday party would be complete without a xylophone cake for the bday girl!  We went with a music theme because you LOVE music Madelyn; all types of music, but especially country (maybe your mama has something to do with that).  You love to dance when any music comes on and often dance in your high chair while you are eating!  

 You made sure to check on everyone and make sure they were enjoying their food and getting enough to eat. 

Cousin Kenny was happy to pose for a pic with the birthday girl! 

Should we call this the birthday throne?  

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Madelyn....happy birthday to you!!!  You loved your cake, you dove right in and even shared a few bites with Daddy!

 Can't get enough of this sweet girl, baby and mama selfie!

Madelyn, one of your favorite things to do is pull this tray off the ottoman and sit in it.  I pulled you around in it once and now you always sit in it and wait patiently for your tray ride!

"I make this diaper look good!"  Madelyn, I have to admit, sometimes I wait a little while to dress you because you are just SO cute in your diaper!  Your little feet, legs, belly, arms, everything about you is just so little and cute!  You love your belly and back to be tickled lightly.

 You got to meet your out of state, skyping buddy Calvin!  Aunt Monica came over and introduced him to us and you had fun trying to rock his chair! I'm sure you will be the best of friends and exchange letters and emails one day!

this is NOT how we eat off of our plate....but we have been practicing your eating skills by giving you bowls and plates and sometimes you like to bring the food right up to your mouth while on the plate.

 Party #2, all set to get our party on at Grandma and Grandpa Ellis' house!!  

Guest of honor, check, party tutu, check, denim jacket, check, whole lot of cuteness....check.

Gotta tell you Madelyn, mama had a lot of fun making decorations for your party!

 Tray ride for the party girl! (like I said earlier, if there is a tray, she will find it, sit in it, and expect a ride).

 Our beautiful family

"Is it time to open up gifts yet mom???"

 "Oh yea, I remember this...come to Madelyn...yum yum yum."

 Aunt Katie was great enough to capture some great pictures at your birthday party!! I especially love the action shots with the cake.  At first you sat and looked at it for a minute...and then you dove in 3 or 4 times.  You didn't want to get your hands dirty so you went right at it with your mouth!!!

 "Thank you everyone for my wonderful gifts!"

From reading with Aunt Jane, to snuggling up to Uncle Danny you enjoyed every moment of your party and were a very well behaved birthday girl.   

Phew, the parties are over and you are such a lucky girl that so many loving members of your family came to celebrate with you, sent you cards and gifts, and called to wish you a happy birthday!!!  You're now walking very well, you can go about 8 to 10 feet, and when you plop down you usually hop right back up to take a few more steps!!!  You like to squat down while holding your fish bowl toy which is pretty heavy so you must have strong legs!!

Happy Birthday Sweet Girl!

 4/4/14 We put you to sleep our beautiful, sweet 11 month old.....

 4/5/14 ...and when you woke you were our beautiful, sweet 1 year old!!! 

Happy birthday Madelyn!!! You enjoyed your favorite, pancakes, for breakfast on your birthday!  You also tried cows milk for the first time, you took sips and let it run out of your mouth all over your face but you kept trying!

You are a pro now at your chalkboard photos in your signature pink onesie

One year old and beautiful as can be, love your dimples and your smile, not to mention your beautiful big eyes and perfect hair....yep, I can say it, you are as perfect as they come.

"I'M ONE IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!!!!!"

Dear Madelyn,

You are 1 year old!!  Where do we even begin to describe or sum up the past year of our lives...at 5:15pm exactly 1 year ago our lives were forever changed when you came into the world.  Since that day your contagious smile, bubbly laugh, and loving hugs and cuddles have filled our days and nights.

Every month that passes is different than the last.  We are always asked if we are sad about you getting older.  Our response is, we are all getting older, it's bound to happen, we just happen to be lucky enough to experience it with you.  We are getting to see the world now through your eyes, the excitement of little things and new experiences.

When you were tiny and new snuggling was fun, and just holding you in our arms was the best feeling in the world. Then you started to sit, then crawl which allowed us to interact with you more; then one day you wanted to play roll the ball, and you wanted to read books with us, eat with us at the table and give us big hugs!  Now at 1 year we have so much fun playing with you!  You like to pass toys back and fourth and sit in the tray we keep in the family room and wait for one of us to pull you around for a tray ride.  One minute I'm folding laundry, the next I'm chasing you because you've decided to push the laundry basket away!  You look so cute when you take a few steps on your own, you teeter back and fourth a few feet then plop down on your butt all the while smiling so big and you are so proud of yourself!

Madelyn, every second with you is a gift.  We are so blessed to have you in our lives, you have made us a family; we will always laugh with you and be your play mates when you want to be silly, hold you and hug you when you are sad, calm you down when you are scared and above all we will love you with all of our hearts.  This has been the best year of our lives and we look forward to what the future brings for all of us!

We love you xox - Mommy and Daddy

Now I'll leave you with some of your gorgeous 1 year pictures.  You are absolutely beautiful sweetheart. 

You were having a bit of a rough day for your birthday pics, we asked the photographer for this particular background with the ducks; we never were much into nicknames but your dad and I called you our little ducky when you were first born, and you're still our little ducky :) What are the odds that these ducky shots are our favorites? :)

Oh sweet pea, here you are looking so cute with your little cupcake.  However, we have no photos to capture how much you hated the cake on your hands or in your face...but I promise you learned to enjoy the taste of cake by your birthday!