Happy 1st Birthday Halli Ann!

I am having mixed feelings about Halli's 1st birthday having come and gone!
I had been planning Halli's birthday party for months and thinking it would never actually get here.
I'm in shock a little.
The party went better than I could've hoped for especially because all day leading up to it Halli was a little stinker. It was like as soon as her little body turned one she became so needy and clingy! We couldn't put her down AT ALL. Tyler ended up taking her for a car ride just so she could finally take a good nap! Miraculously though as soon as the party started she was a doll! She was passed around from person to person with zero worries! What a little angel =) Such a change from her baby blessing almost a year ago.

I have never done so much baking at one time of my life! Never! I don't bake cakes hardly at all let alone small circle ones that need to be perfectly round and pretty! So I was nervous. Thankfully Tyler was a huge help and took over a lot!
I wish wish wish I had gotten a pic of Tyler doing the rosettes on the cake{but he was in his G's}. We watched this video from 52 Kitchen Adventures blog. It isn't too tricky and only took him about 30 mins. It was fun being able to tell everyone that Tyler decorated the cake. His mom thought we had ordered and bought the cake!

 finished product:

Cant't wait to have an excuse to make another one!{okay well maybe not for a little while}

We used the same technique for these babies. Turned out so good! 

We were able to use the clubhouse at our apartment which is super nice and convenient.

This wasn't the final food set up but we had chicken salad sandwiches, fruit and dip, veggies and dip, potato chips, cupcakes, cookies, and mints. 

 cucumber water with chevron/polka dot straws =) It was good lookin, refreshing, delicious and cheap!

Mandy and Andrew, my tallest friends =)

 Doug and Larissa + their little girl Alexa{who is just a few months older than Halli} + another little girlie on the way! They live two floors above us and are great neighbors and even better friends!

 Tyler's brother + his wife Sarah who are expecting a baby after 7 years of trying!! And then Tyler's mama =)

 My mom and Dad with one of my nieces.

 I made her "1" bib =)

Love her two front teefs coming in!

my lil bro, grandpa and mother =)

 I had everyone guess which picture went with what month. Then had symphony bars for the top two =)

   

stuffed camel from Tunisia // frame from Hobby Lobby

 My grandparents with their great granddaughters =)

 Halli got so spoiled!

Tyler's mom got Halli her first dolly.

Overwhelmed by toys! Thank you again to everyone who got Halli a present!

Halli loves digging into a cake! She was all kicks and giggles while we were singing to her =)

Don't know what's going on with Halli in this pic haha but it cracks me up.

 Halli and her oldest girl cousins =)

Halli and her Great-Grandpa

"DESTRUCTION!!"

It was exactly as fun as it looks to clean it all up ;)

 Halli and Dax playing so nicely together.

this new toy from mommy and daddy was a hit =)

My sister Romney, her baby girl and Halli =)
Halli looks so grown up to me in this pic. It's her face that is looking less and less like my little squishy baby faced girl!

Here is the correct order of the pics I chose to represent Halli's first year. It goes newborn to 12 months all the way around the middle photo(which is 12 months).

Although it is hard to watch Halli grow up right before my eyes, I love seeing her learn and become the person she is meant to be. I cherish every stage and second! Some seconds are harder to cherish but only for a second. Then I remind myself how lucky I am to be her mommy =) She is all I have ever dreamed of and more! Tyler tells me every day how much he loves "da goose." He didn't know he could love her this much! I love seeing him with her. It is my favorite thing.

 Daddy can get her to smile without fail every time.

 

Amazing Photos by 

Avi Stoddard. Taken @ The Riverwoods. Cake by Victoria Edwards.