Noah's One-Year Birthday!

Just when you all thought I forgot about blogging, I go and post some pictures from Noah's One-Year Birthday Party.

These pictures are from my MIL.  I'm so glad she gave them to me, because she captured a lot of the details that I did not.

 This must have been getting ready to go to the party...I think I was already there.  Noah's always ready to smile for the camera.  If he's not too busy, that is.

We chose the "Very Hungry Caterpillar" theme because (a) I thought it was super cute, (b) Noah loves the book, and (c) my work life centers around early childhood pre-literacy, so what would be more appropriate that having a literary theme?  Ha.  Sorry, researcher humor.

We borrowed a room at the OP Soccer Complex, and our families came up from Oklahoma and Arkansas, and some friends from our church here came to help us celebrate Noah!

The balloons were supposed to be a caterpillar also, but I don't know that anyone caught that.  

He loved his little chair from Nana and his aunt.  It was like his little throne while he was opening his presents.  Noah loved the balloons on the back, too.  We had bright colors everywhere, just like the dots in the front cover of the book.  I love bright colors!

We had cupcakes, and hopefully you can tell these look like a caterpillar.  I'm not sure what happened to the antenna.  Maybe we didn't end up getting those.  Anywho, then Noah had his own little smash cake with a butterfly.  I figured it would be less messy than the red icing.  Red icing tastes nasty anyhow.

And let the present-opening begin!!

Aunt Amanda and Uncle Brian got Noah some Very Hungry Caterpillar stuff!!  He got a washcloth, a bath toy holder, faucet cover, and a little bath caterpillar.  So cute and he loves it of course!!

Noah got some really fun books from his grandpa (my dad) and he loves to read them...especially this dragon book!

Some friends from church gave Noah this Angry Birds hat.  This is the only hat he would willingly keep on his head for any length of time and so many people made comments about it!  It was so cute, and it was handmade by our friend!!  How fun!

 I love this picture, because it looks more like it was Adam's birthday.  And since Adam has been wanting a basketball goal since we got married, I loved this picture even more.  :-)  Needless to say, there is now a basketball goal in our living room, thanks to Grandma and Grandpa McElhattan!  And now that he's taller and walking, Noah can get the ball in all by himself and loves it when we cheer for him!!

Mmmmmm and now the part we've all been waiting for.....the CAKE!  I really though he would just dig in since he'd never really been given a lot of sugar, but he was fairly tame.  

Trying it with one finger...................

A couple of fingers........

 Getting some close-ups.

 And this is about as far as he got before he was finished.  Purple everywhere!  He had fun and it wasn't too bad cleaning up, either.  I was kinda hoping he would completely dig in to the cake, but he never really got past the icing!

We had such a fun day.  It turned out just wonderful and (I think) everyone had a good time!  I know I loved it and we made a lot of really great memories.

And on Sunday, here were my sweater vest men ready for church--aren't they so handsome?

Whoops, Noah was a little blurry.

At one year, Noah was pulling up on everything, cruising, and loved to walk holding someone's hand.  He was also pointing at EVERYTHING.  It was so funny!  He still loved books and music the most, still taking breastmilk (but I was counting down the days til I was planning to stop!), and starting to eat lots more table food than pureed.  He starting growing like crazy (again) after he started eating a lot more food.  It was hard to keep him full!  He made lots of jabbering noises and was still crazy curious and social and getting even more so!

I went through a really sentimental time about now and really wanted another one!  But we're not ready yet, and I'm over that major emotion (for now).

I kept thinking, 'Oh a year ago, we were doing such and such right now!"  It was so much fun re-living those memories.  Noah has totally changed our lives, and I don't remember what in the world I did with my time before him.  He keeps us on our toes and we just feel incredibly blessed to be his mommy and daddy.  He is a blast to be around and I love watching the joy that he brings to other people's lives as well.

Happy birthday to my baby toddler baby!!!!