I know I've had some long posts in the past, but I think they all will pale in comparison to this monster post. Just FYI.
Because Joanna's birthday was on a Friday, we had two straight days of partying! Here are some "just because" shots of our ONE year old:
Joanna got many birthday greetings and presents.
Her first "Happy Birthday" phone call from Aunt Laura:
A BIG package from Nana and Popo
A new giraffe!
Joanna's very first E-card from our friends the Lewtons; she loved listening to the music!
A birthday present from Mamma and Pop. On the outside was a sweet little baby doll. If you look at Joanna's hands, they look like they're holding and patting a little baby. I don't know where she picked this up, but so cute!! She's gone to bed with that baby since then.
And a Birthday Bear from Build-A-Bear! It's paw has a birthday sound greeting for Joanna.
Now reading a card from Mommy and Daddy:
Joanna and Mamma and Pop
The next dozen (not kidding) pictures are the progression from mix to cake for the giraffe cake I made.
Ooooohhhh, looks beautiful!
Uh oh, not enough cooking spray on the bottom:
Good thing I bought an extra just in case. Perfect!
Here's the diagram for the cake I found in a book:
It's huge! The only place for it was the counter.
One coat of icing:
And another.
Some blue spots.
With all the leftover cake, my mom made a baby giraffe:
Joanna's first bite of cake (the baby giraffe). We took video too, which I will have to upload later. The child wouldn't take her fingers out of her mouth for quite some time. The look on her face was pure bliss the whole time!
After the party on Saturday -- only the head was left. Poor little yummy giraffe!
I did not make this cake. But it was chocolate and really good.
We had a Sesame Street 1st Birthday Party. Here's some of the decorations and food:
My little party princess. Before the party, I know Joanna knew something was going on. She was acting pretty silly. I just love this pink party dress!
Headband? or Toy?
Joanna's friend Anna was soooo sweet with Joanna. We think she thinks Joanna is a little doll for her to play with. They were so sweet together.
All the kiddos were sooooo good at the party! I was very very impressed. They played and shared (some, anyway) and ate and went home and took nice long naps (hopefully!). Here are a few of Joanna's friends and family at the party. I'm sure I didn't get pictures of everyone. Aunt Mindy took a bunch, too, and I'll post some when they come our way!
Joanna got many birthday greetings and presents.Her first "Happy Birthday" phone call from Aunt Laura:
A BIG package from Nana and Popo
A new giraffe!
Joanna's very first E-card from our friends the Lewtons; she loved listening to the music!
A birthday present from Mamma and Pop. On the outside was a sweet little baby doll. If you look at Joanna's hands, they look like they're holding and patting a little baby. I don't know where she picked this up, but so cute!! She's gone to bed with that baby since then.
And a Birthday Bear from Build-A-Bear! It's paw has a birthday sound greeting for Joanna.
Now reading a card from Mommy and Daddy:Joanna and Mamma and PopThe next dozen (not kidding) pictures are the progression from mix to cake for the giraffe cake I made.
Ooooohhhh, looks beautiful!
Uh oh, not enough cooking spray on the bottom:
Good thing I bought an extra just in case. Perfect!
Here's the diagram for the cake I found in a book:
It's huge! The only place for it was the counter.
One coat of icing:
And another.
Some blue spots.
With all the leftover cake, my mom made a baby giraffe:
Joanna's first bite of cake (the baby giraffe). We took video too, which I will have to upload later. The child wouldn't take her fingers out of her mouth for quite some time. The look on her face was pure bliss the whole time!
After the party on Saturday -- only the head was left. Poor little yummy giraffe!
I did not make this cake. But it was chocolate and really good.
We had a Sesame Street 1st Birthday Party. Here's some of the decorations and food:
My little party princess. Before the party, I know Joanna knew something was going on. She was acting pretty silly. I just love this pink party dress!
Headband? or Toy?
Joanna's friend Anna was soooo sweet with Joanna. We think she thinks Joanna is a little doll for her to play with. They were so sweet together.
All the kiddos were sooooo good at the party! I was very very impressed. They played and shared (some, anyway) and ate and went home and took nice long naps (hopefully!). Here are a few of Joanna's friends and family at the party. I'm sure I didn't get pictures of everyone. Aunt Mindy took a bunch, too, and I'll post some when they come our way!Abby and her daddy:
Anna and her daddy:
Jacob getting some chow. (Oh, and Jacob, you left your cup at our house.)
Aidan and his mommy:
Caleb and his daddy:
Lisa; Bella and her daddy:
Kurt, Aunt Mindy and Uncle Steve, Uncle Mark:
Great Grandma, Joanna and her daddy:
I could not have wished for a more precious, well-behaved birthday girl on Saturday. She hung out in her high chair and munched on sandwiches and fruit while everybody else ate. She ate chocolate cake (yum!), but didn't fuss when it was time to stop. She helped me open all her presents (whoa, did she get a good haul!). And she really played very happily with all her friends. There was one tiny incident of someone in shoes stepping on her fingers, but she forgot about it pretty fast :)
Anna and her daddy:
Jacob getting some chow. (Oh, and Jacob, you left your cup at our house.)
Aidan and his mommy:
Caleb and his daddy:
Lisa; Bella and her daddy:
Kurt, Aunt Mindy and Uncle Steve, Uncle Mark:
Great Grandma, Joanna and her daddy:
I could not have wished for a more precious, well-behaved birthday girl on Saturday. She hung out in her high chair and munched on sandwiches and fruit while everybody else ate. She ate chocolate cake (yum!), but didn't fuss when it was time to stop. She helped me open all her presents (whoa, did she get a good haul!). And she really played very happily with all her friends. There was one tiny incident of someone in shoes stepping on her fingers, but she forgot about it pretty fast :) My grandmother gave Joanna Rose her first rose bush, and after the party we went outside to plant it in the backyard. I can't wait for it to grow!
Joanna didn't really nap after the party. She had a pretty good nap right before the party started which was perfect and gave her the energy she needed for the day. At about 5:30 she was eating dinner and pretty much fell apart. She was exhausted. I nursed her and she took a little snooze in my arms then she got a bath and went to bed. She slept quite well last night, I think!
We missed those of you who couldn't help us celebrate, but come on by anytime and we'll party hearty! Thank you everybody who came. I know Joanna won't remember it, but we took enough pictures that she'll grow up knowing she has always been so loved!
What a special first birthday for Miss Joanna! Such a sweet little girl! How she holds the baby and pats the back is WAY too cute. Loved her little party dress, too. Way to go mom with the giraffe cake...it was super yummy! Such a wonderful day :-)
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