The First Birthday

September 15, 2011

My thoughts about Karis and her first birthday (I'm a few weeks delayed in posting this, because I can't stand how long it takes for all the pictures to upload)!
But until she wakes from her nap I will take a few moments to reflect on our daughter a bit.

Our little Talker
Over the past month her vocabulary has increased. We're often surprised that she's talking...but then Steve and I smile at each other and say, "well, she does have us as parents and we both like to talk a lot (me probably more than him but he still takes credit for part of this-not to mention both Karis' grammy and grandma are quite the talkers as well-she's pretty much going to have that as part of her personality I think!)
Other than the normal babbles and words she was saying before like MAMA, DADA, MORE and GO, She is saying:
BABY - which really sounds like bob bob-of course making us laugh because that's her grandpa's name
AGAIN - which mostly comes out sounding like 'gain, she says this when you do something she likes and wants you to repeat it
YES (or YEA) - I told Steve she was going to be like him, our little people pleaser-who knew she would learn this word before NO, but she still shows no sign of saying no...I'm happy about that!
MA-which means MILK (ironic)
SNACK-which mostly sounds like sak
HI (or HEY)-This is probably my favorite one because she learned it the week before she turned one and said HI to everyone who came to her party. She also says it anytime I come into the room, open her car door, to daddy in the morning when she walks into where he's getting ready...it's so cute because she says it in a very high pitch tone and it makes me smile everytime!
ALL DONE-she does the sign and says this when she's done eating
She is also signing the word EAT, but hasn't said it yet.

She is now a walker...I rarely see her crawl anymore. She has the bruises on her forhead to prove it too! I try to keep up with her, but sometimes she's just too darn fast (Jeannine said Steven was like that as a baby)

Her first birthday was a very special week of celebration. My mom (grandma) came into town the Wednesday before her birthday which worked out great because Steve had a work trip out of town and left that same day. My mom and I enjoyed time with Karis, taking her to the splash park, picking up last minute items for the party, going out to eat, and of course lots of talking and playing. It was a special few days with my mom here and I'm glad she flew down for the party. We worked around the house mostly on Friday-cleaning and preparing for the party on Saturday. Steve came home on Friday evening, just in time to eat dinner and see Karis before she went to bed. We decided to let her open presents & cards that had arrived in the mail before she went to sleep. She enjoyed opening all the fun new things before bed. Off to bed she went and Steve and I ran to the store while mom stayed home so we could pick out Karis' birthday gift.

enjoying the splash park

she had fun with grandma in town

she LOVES water

notice her tongue sticking out ;)

opening her magazine from grammy and grandpa

just before bed on the eve of her birthday

Saturday-August 20th
Our daughter turned ONE! I can't say it's hard to believe, because I feel like I've done a good job at enjoying each moment with her over the past year and we're thankful that she has been in our lives for a year and look forward to many more! We started the day with Steve and I going into her room when she woke up and sang her HAPPY BIRTHDAY. Then she got to open her present from mommy and daddy before breakfast. We made sausage balls, scrambled eggs and fruit-she really enjoyed it all and is beginning to eat like a horse!

excited to be ONE!

morning snuggles

opening gift from mommy and daddy

mmm...sausage balls

While finishing up breakfast we skyped with Grammy and Grandpa so she got to see them on her birthday. Down for a nap she went and mom and I got last minute things set up for the party while Steve went to pick up cupcakes. Karis was happy to wake up to several friends in her living room to play with as her party began at 10:00am. We had cupcakes and candy for our guests and sang HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Karis before blowing out her candle. She wasn't too sure about everyone singing to her and really wasn't sure about the whole cupcake thing...probably because mommy doesn't give her sugar! After the party ended around noon, we attempted to put her down for a nap, but I think she was too wound up from all the activity that she did not want to sleep. So we got her up, let her play with her new toys and took some pictures of her in her cute little outfit. By late afternoon we headed off to dinner, making a few stops along the way Karis fell asleep in the car (which was great so we didn't have a super crabby baby later at dinner).

seeing all the people when she came out from nap

Yummy!

family shot of the two Valentine families

party guests eating cupcakes

smiling big with daddy

uncle Rob and cousin Eloise

why are all these people staring and singing?!

attempt of a picture of the three Valentine cousins!

her aww face when she opened gifts was adorable

grandma, Karis and mommy

she loved her balloons

family picture

We ate at Olive Garden and she enjoyed mac n cheese, chicken strips, bread sticks and grapes. After coming home, she was off to a bath and Steve even let her take her balloons into the tub because it was her birthday. He had said all day long, she can do whatever she wants, it's her birthday!