PARTY!!!!!!

We had Madeline's first birthday party Friday night. It turned out super cute. I had been planning a ladybug theme for about 6 months and then my sister mailed Madeline the cutest birthday outfit and I changed everything. I also had some pretty cute ideas for games with the ladybug theme and think it will be much more fun next year when she may be able to do some of them. Anyway, she had a blast and we had a pretty good turnout especially considering it was the week after Christmas.

This was the sweets table...we didn't go crazy with the food but we had a fruit tray,  cookie dough dip, animal cookies, and my mom made some really cute hot pink cookies with zebra hershey kisses. We served quesadillas and chip as the main dish. I printed pictures of Madeline from months 1-12 and my mom mounted them on scrapbook paper and put them on the wall. We thought about hanging them from the fireplace mantle with ribbon but quickly decided they would most likely get ripped down...probably by Madeline! My super talented friend Haley made the birthday banner! It turned out really cute!

The cake

Zebra cookies

I was kind of at a loss as to what to do in December for a one year old's birthday party and my friend Stephanie had a great idea to buy a bunch of bouncy balls and just let them go crazy. So we did! I also threw in a couple of inflatable zebras I found online and we gave the balls out as party favors too. It worked out really well!

We sent these home as favors as with the balls. I had them made at our local bakery and they were delicious!!!

I stole this idea from pinterest and loved it. Everyone wrote down a sweet wish for Madeline. I think I'll do it every birthday!

The Birthday girl in her outfit that inspired the party! 

This should probably be first but this is Madeline "helping" decorate. She was very "helpful" on the day of her party! 

More helping!

The workers...My dad doing dishes, Terry making quesadillas, and Haley doing something...I couldn't have done her party without all of their help. My mom was probably taking this picture. 

The Guests

Not sure who is more VIP...Nana and Papaw

Or Justin Bieber!

Smash Cake 

Madeline wasn't quite sure what to think when we started singing and I handed her  a cake!

Still a little unsure

It took her a second but she eventually picked her whole cake up and hugged it! 

Clean up crew! 

Naturally, she had to have a bath after the cake! 

The Gifts

I couldn't have asked for a better day for her party. It was 75 and sunny so we were able to set up tables outside. Her party turned out great and we are so thankful to have such wonderful family and friends who love our sweet girl! 

Anxiety...

I signed up for my TEAS V test which means it is real that I am getting ready to submit my application for nursing school. I am terrified. I am constantly wondering if this is the right decision. It's a lot of money, I won't be able to work full time, and Madeline will have to go to daycare for me to do it. Thinking about leaving her is the worst aspect of all of this. I realize thousands, probably even millions of moms leave their children every day to go to work but I haven't yet and I'm petrified. But the bottom line is for at least the next 12 years we will need dual income, and the situation we're in now just isn't working. I also have crazy dreams of taking a week or two each year and going on mission trips to help children in third world countries who need medical care once I am through with school. Maybe it will happen.

I also have an abscessed tooth that my dentist wants to pull. I have a hate/hate relationship with going to the dentist. I hate the way it smells, the way my mouth feels during a cleaning, the awful noises that come from the tools they use, and just the overall process of going. So naturally, I put it off until, well, this time until I had to go because I could barely open my mouth. I thought it had to do with TMJ which I do have but after the 5th day of not being able to open my mouth all the way, I figured I better call the dentist. I have a nasty infection and he put me on antibiotics 4 times a day and told me if I start to swell to go to the ER for IV antibiotics. Well, it is hard for me to remember to take anything once a day much less four times a day but I am trying. It is painful and they can't pull it until I am done with the antibiotics.  So on 1/12 I will be going to get it pulled...yuck!

Thankfully, I have this (and hopefully a little laughing gas) backing me up...

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 

First Birthday

My Sweet Madeline, 

YOU ARE ONE!!! That means Daddy and I survived our first 365 days of raising you!!!

You are 21lbs and I am not sure how tall you are...we'll find out at your next doctor's appointment. You wear size 4 shoe, size 3 diaper, and moving into size 18 months clothes. Your 12 month jeans are high waters now so I just bought 18month jeans yesterday. You are SO big now! 

You wear your hair in a little ponytail or pig tails on top of your head now. Its in this weird mullet phase and I'm kinda lost as to what to do with it so you go around like Pebbles for now. Daddy calls you pineapple head, sprout, unicorn, etc. You don't seem to mind! 

You have quite a vocabulary. You say "uh-oh", "mama", "Dada", "stop", "don't", and "girl" on a regular basis. I have heard "ball" and "bye-bye" but not consistently. Your grandparents swear they heard you say "shut-up" while they were here but I'm not sure. Guess I need to watch my language with the pups around you! hah I know for a fact that's how you picked up "stop" and "don't". We call you "girl" all the time so it figures you picked that up. We love hearing you talk! You also clap, wave, high five, and are running and climbing on anything you can get onto now! 

You are very into playing with any ball you can get your hands on right now! You love them! You throw them and then chase them! It is so cute! 

You are borderline obsessed with playing outside. You throw a fit when we come in -- not exaggerating. You cry and are inconsolable for about five minutes. Sometimes you just can't get over it and we have to put you in your bed to calm down! 

Your eating habits are the same still. You love fruit but are a little more picky with veggies. You also LOVE chicken. You are still on the bottle, about 3 a day or so but do well with your sippy cup too. You are only drinking cow's milk now and occasionally you get a tiny bit of juice. You got a donut for breakfast on your birthday!

You love people. You will go to anyone pretty much any time. While Nana and Papaw were here you would run to them, throw your arms in the air, and wait for them to pick you up! They loved every second of it! 

You had your very first Christmas this month! Your favorite present was this chair and you are always sitting in it reading your books! 

This is common place for you now. Running in the other direction from me. You are pretty independent and just want to run in stores and restaurants. I can keep you in a high chair or shopping cart but you have a limit now! 

This is your favorite place to be. You like to dump out anything you can get your hands on and eat it off the floor. You also make cereal for the dogs by mixing their food with their water. You also throw their food in the air like its confetti. It is super annoying cute. 

You love to read books. Its the only time you will be still and its my favorite bedtime routine.

We had a small celebration on your birthday at Chili's and got you a cookie cake. 

We had them sing Happy Birthday to you and you were a little unsure about it at first but when they started clapping, you did too! 

No shocker here but you loved your cake and had it all over you! I started crying as we were cutting your cake thinking about how big you are! 

I have been trying to write this post for days. Something about you turning one makes me feel like I need to say something spectacular to you. I guess if I told you one thing, I would want you to know how much joy you brought to Daddy and me. You changed our lives in a marvelous way. You are a testament to God's goodness and faithfulness.  The verse that I hope to instill in you is Psalm 37:3-5

 ³Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
 ⁴Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.


 ⁵Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.


I am so thankful to be your mommy. I can't wait for the journey ahead of us, sweet girl. I love you with all my heart. 

Madeline's First Christmas

Madeline got way too much for Christmas. Terry and I are classic first time parents and just went nuts for her for Christmas. She had a lot of fun opening her gifts, but got bored a little over  halfway through so we opened the rest of her presents. And if I am being completely honest, we gave her some of her big gifts a little before Christmas...as in the day they came in the mail, Terry put them together and gave them to her. I had nothing to do with it. ;)

We got this cat for Madeline because she LOVES cats. We can't have a cat due to allergies  but she seemed pretty satisfied with this one. I have to admit it creeps me out a little...it's motion sensored and just randomly meows. Weird.

Madeline really loved the bows on her presents! 

This tent is a work in progress...Madeline hasn't figured out how to go through the door so she climbs through the window every time she gets in it. The tent will temporarily collapse but then it pops back up. Makes us laugh! 

Madeline's absolute favorite present is this chair. She loves to sit in it and read! 

Christmas Part 1

Terry and I opened gifts a few days early because we are out of control like that. We opened at Stephanie's house because there was really no other way to keep both of our gifts hidden from each other. I got a couple of pairs of new boots and an outfit, and Terry got a Dan Marino jersey that he really wanted. I am in love with my new boots!  

Madeline did open her gifts on Christmas...well, some of them. That''ll be Christmas Part 2!