with Nana and Pop

the rest of our week with Dustin's parents

a collaboration of pictures from all our phones

Clara and I wimped out on sightseeing on a cold and windy day... 

and took our first solo el ride to get home

a tour of where Dustin works

biking along Lake Michigan and Wrigley

The Bean, Millennium Park, and Michigan Ave.

her party

Clara's 1st birthday party!

 

invitation designed by Sydney Barfuss

there wasn't a specific theme beyond a spring birthday brunch
in mint and gold and pink

the menu:

strawberry cupcakes with strawberry cream cheese frosting

cinnamon rolls

lemon crinkle cookies

curried chicken salad croissants

mini frittatas

smoked gouda cherry salad

fruit, yogurt, and granola

pink lemonade and old-fashioned root beer

 

my mom made the burlap banner as well as the fabric pennant banner

 

she was not supposed to touch that candle

but she stuck her finger in it when we were posing for a picture

I freaked out more than she did

and we caught this awesome candid shot...

and this time she ate her cake!!

 

we invited friends from our ward as well as Dustin's co-residents

gifts were a group effort

happy birthday, baby girl!

May 1st

Clara's birthday...

(Dustin's parents flew in the night before to spend the week with us... this was their first visit to Chicago!)

we started off with our favorite breakfast-lunch at Over Easy
(don't worry I didn't let her touch it- and so she cried)

an afternoon at Navy Pier (the ferris wheel is one of my favorite ways to see the city)

a pile of presents (thank you, grandparents)

and her first cake (strawberry with strawberry cream cheese frosting!)
(first dessert ever, actually... or so I thought until Dustin confessed to slipping her bits of cookie)

she cried for a second time when we wouldn't let her touch the flame*
and then took a lick or two of frosting before tossing the whole thing on the floor
I'm sure it won't last long that she likes veggies more than cake

followed by a bath that she didn't really need because cake smashing wasn't happening

*during her party (next post!!) she stuck her finger in the candle when we weren't looking and didn't cry one bit. 

one

a birthday!
my baby is one.

sometimes I look at her and think, how did you get so grown up so fast?
and then some days (usually after long sleepless nights) this feels like the longest year ever.
but my (our) best year yet.

Clara,
you're beautiful
and silly
and sweet.

thank you for your patience (we're still getting the hang of this- probably always will be)
your cuddles and smiles (someday you'll learn kisses...)
and for bringing so much love into our lives.

several attempts at a family photo... (sitting still was so last month!)

@ 1

she crawls!!

but wants to walk everywhere (with assistance)

throws little fits when you change her diaper

or don't let her chew on the keys or your phone

has 5 new teeth!

(they all popped in over the last few weeks, poor thing)

says bye-bye, mama, dada, nana, grandma/pa, hi, pop, and many other things we can't understand

still takes 2 naps around 9 am and 1pm

goes to bed around 7pm and wakes up at 6am

eats pretty much everything
feeds herself with a spoon now!
and still loves breastfeeding (4-5 x a day)

fits 6-12 month bottoms
12-18 month tops (big buddha belly)
and 3-6/6-12 month shoes (itty bitty feet)

loves to be outside

and around other children

stats:

height: 30.5 inches (90th %)

weight: 20 lbs. 2 oz. (58th %)

head circumference: 18.2 in (85th %)