Happy 1st Birthday!

Happy Birthday Little Peanut!  Today was such a special day!  You woke up happy and we had a really great day.

I had in my mind an image of you waking up on your birthday morning to find all your birthday presents awaiting you like Christmas morning.  However, since Grandpa Mike and Grandma Norma are visiting, we've had to shift things around and you are sleeping in Mommy & Daddy's room, and all your presents are stashed in our closet.  As soon as I put you to bed last night I realized my vision was not going to come true.  So, after breakfast Grandma and Grandpa took you to your room and Daddy and I got out all your gifts and arranged them all in the living room.  We didn't open the wrapped gifts until later in the day, but there were enough large, unwrapped items that you got to play all morning with new things anyway.  And you had a great time.

After your nap, we all got in the car and headed to Santa Monica for lunch at Tender Greens.  It was a gorgeous day, sunny and very warm for the season, which meant I lucked out considering the new dress I bought for today was sleeveless.

We walked to the pier and went to the little aquarium there.  It's very small, but was really just what I was looking for.  Just a little something to do, but didn't want to spend the whole day there.  You enjoyed looking at the fish and playing at the activity centers.

When we finished there we rode the carousel before leaving.  It went kind of fast and I was worried you might be scared, but you did great.  I felt a little motion sickness, so I just focused on you and tried not to look around much.

After that we headed back home for cake and presents.  I put up a few decorations, but nothing extravagant.  I am very proud of your cake though, I made it myself and was really excited but nervous about it, but I think it turned out pretty darn good if you ask me.  (You would never know that the wing on the backside fell off, but I had one good side for pictures and that was all I needed.)  You dug right in and loved the frosting and cake.

Afterwards you got to open all your wrapped presents and we Skyped with the Tolivers so they could see you open their present.  And by then, it was time for dinner and off to bed.  The day was kind of low key, no big party or anything, but that's not really our style.  I was really happy with how it went and you were happy and smiling all day so I am pretty sure you were happy with it too.

I think it's now official, my baby girl is a toddler.