Lola's Cake Smash

We got the pictures back from our family holiday shoot and Lola's first birthday cake smash. It was hard to "style" her birthday photos since she was still not mobile, pulling up to stand, baring weight on her legs. I had a vision in mind over the summer that included a vintage high chair, and thankfully I spent an afternoon driving out to Massachusetts to pick the chair up this summer.

We barely pulled this shoot off. It was 46 degrees outside and I was running around like a mad woman trying to find dairy free icing and cake mix, having balloons blown up and setting up the shoot for our holiday pictures. Even I was impressed by how much we were able to pull together that afternoon.

Lola was such a trooper, sitting in nothing but a diaper cover and actually being happy. Genuinely happy. She is seriously such a gift. The child doesn't know how to have a bad day.

About a week after our pictures were taken her hair finally grew long enough that it lies down now. No more Don King baby. It would be depressing if her darn face wasn't so stinking adorable. Every once in a while I use Reese's detangling spray to spike her hair up again, it doesn't stay all day, but it makes me smile while it lasts.

Lola Turns One

We had a party again Thursday night -- our fourth cake in two weeks between me, Joe and Lola -- this one was with just our immediate family, her godmother and her husband, and my mother in law, who is still in town helping out for the week.



I managed to undercook a roast chicken delaying dinner by almost 90 minutes. Oh well, life happens. It gave us more time to visit with good friends. After dinner was finally made and consumed we had cupcakes. Ryan is obsessed with cupcakes and cake in general now, so I am sure he'll be so defeated when we don't have another birthday to celebrate for the rest of the year.

 { love the serious look on her face }

{ this kid is a pro with cupcakes }

{ crossed at the ankle. I die. }

Lauren, I always knew I wanted to have three kids. I wanted you before I was old enough to even have a family. I dreamed of you long before you were ever conceived. From the moment I laid eyes on you during your anatomy scan -- when I saw you sprawled out in my belly kicking your tiny feet and sucking on your little thumb -- you changed my life forever. I remember looking at your daddy and crying. I kept saying, "look at how beautiful she is, look how beautiful". And you are beautiful peanut, inside and out. You are the happiest baby ever conceived. Every day I am thankful for your presence. You have taught me grace, gratitude and have reminded me to take time each day to laugh. I love you to pieces little lovebug. Happy first birthday.

{ I'm one! }

Party People Outside the House

Lola Bean officially turned one yesterday. I can't believe it. She really is the sweetest thing that has ever happened to my life. We celebrated her birthday with friends and family last Sunday.

{ three of the loveliest ladies I have ever known }

{ the 36" balloons were a hit with the toddler crowd }

{ my kids have some seriously cool (and well-dressed) friends }

We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day to celebrate. I mean, seriously. These aren't edited pictures -- it was that gorgeous out! The sky was crystal clear and the temperature was perfect. 

{ that hair }

{ I love that Ryan is literally grabbing a fistful of cake }

Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate our bitty baby.

Sweet for Certain

My baby is turning one in fifteen days. Fifteen days. Unbelievable. Her first year of life has been one of my craziest and I think had it not been for her sweet, smiling face and nighttime snuggles I would not have survived. She needed me at a time when I needed to be needed. She is an absolute joy sent from heaven.



Invites for her big soiree went out in September and I am so excited to share them with you. I've been working around the clock to get stuff ready for her party and the details are darling. It's so fun to be able to throw a non-gender neutral party and go over the top with girly colors and ideas.

Lola's party is an ice cream theme, and let me tell ya -- I ran with it. Complete with wooden ice cream spoons and sprinkles in the invite boxes. 

A big shout and huge thank you to my dear friend Rebecca at The Pink Orange for bringing my idea to life and for generally putting up with me. If it wasn't for your help and your friendship, these invites would have never happened.

{ Lola is turning 1, come and join us as we celebrate what a sweet year it's been! }

A full year has gone by in the blink of an eye. My mom used to tell me, "no matter how big you get, you'll always be my little baby". I hope I never forget the way her little hand holds mine while she's nursing, the way her breath feels on my neck when we cuddle at night, or her infectious giggle when you tickle her neck or squeeze her chubby little thighs. Please God, don't let me forget.  

Life is short, but sweet for certain.

Party Details

The party chairs for our guests of honor. Their bunting says "let me eat cake" :) 

Party hats! I mentioned before that we were reading Karen Katz's Where is Baby's Birthday Cake? every night before bed. Every time I say party hats it reminds me of the part of the book where the baby looks behind the presents -- "No! These are my party hats." I need to get out more...

I put together a sweets table with snowballs (popcorn balls), chocolate dipped pretzels, barber poles, cupcakes, munchkin snowmen, rock candy, candy dipped marshmallows, lollipops and, of course, birthday cake.

{ hot chocoloate cake with homemade marshmallows }

{ munchkin snowmen for our smaller guests }

I kept all of the food in the dining room and just put balloons throughout the house. This way we had enough space for people to mingle and EAT! Across from the dessert table I put together a hot chocolate bar with the kids 52 week pictures above it. The hot chocolate was a huge hit and so fun (and easy!) to put together. 

{ hot chocolate...fun for kids and adults! }

It may be hard to see because the clothespins are so small, but they were each decorated in red and turquoise. A whole year of our life on a tiny little wall. What a paradox.

For our favors I had tags made that read "no two are alike" and I made snowflake cookies and stuffed two in each favor bag. My husband really busted my chops over this one because I made every cookie and decorated every cookie so that there really were no two that were the same. Proving once again, there really are no limits to my insanity.

My aunt kept teasing me that I wasted all of this energy on kids that had no idea what was going on. I know they're young and oblivious, but doing this for them made me so happy. And their first birthday was a celebration of so many things -- their arrival into our lives, the fact that we are finally parents, the fact that we survived our first year with twins and we're still (mostly) in tact. So, so many things worth celebrating. It was the best year of my life. I hope our party was just a small reflection of all of the love and joy these children have given us. 

Winter Wonderland First Birthday Party!

The kids' birthday party was on Saturday and I have to say it was fantastic. Everything came out great, the food was great, the company was EXCELLENT and everyone had a great time. The babies were so entertained by their party friends, who graciously fed them and played with them. I think it was the first break their daddy and I have had in a long, looooong time!

{ apparently one year old girls stick their tongues out at their mommies! }

{ dessert table }

{ Reese in her party hat }

{ Ryan in his party hat }

{ the straws kept them from crying! }

We sang to Ryan first, since he was Baby A. While we were singing to him, he pinched out his candle. I wasn't expecting that at all. It scared the crap out of him and he ended up crying. Poor bugger.

Then we sang to Reese, who looked mostly confused by all the people singing and taking pictures. 

After three celebrations involving some sort of cake and frosting, it has become apparent to me that my daughter is not much into sweets. She picks through desserts like a little bird.

Ryan on the other hand LOVES frosting. He dives right in. On his birthday he decided to be a big boy and feed himself with a spoon.

Everyone hung out for a bit after the cake cutting and eating, which was wonderful. It was so nice to catch up with so many friends and family. After everyone left the kids opened their presents. They are pros now. Reese knows exactly how to unroll tissue paper and Ryan is quite adept and finding a corner of a package to rip.

{ boy in a bag }

{ a very happy boy and a girl standing ON HER OWN! }

The kids were pooped by bedtime and so were the parents. Our family graciously stayed and helped us pick up and put everything away. The grandparents came over on Sunday for a pancake breakfast and to help us put together all of the kids' toys. We so wish that our parents lived closer, it's bittersweet when they leave. But we had a wonderful weekend and my new "toddlers" are giving me a run for my money these days. I blame the number one.