Happy Birthday Lila!

My baby is one today! Because of scheduling conflicts we celebrated a day early with my family.


Lila loves to play with Pa Dave! Their favorite game is "I'm gonna git ya!" She squeals and crawls at him, then face plants in the carpet just before reaching him, and then she just waits to be tickled.


Caite and Lila are showing you that Lila is "ONE"! Well, Caite is showing you that Lila is one, Lila is probably just pointing at the Christmas tree...


I have been fighting some Mommy guilt over the fact that Jake and Evie both had more elaborate 1st birthday parties, or at least they were planned beyond, "Oh yeah, um... let's have cake tomorrow..." But she doesn't know the difference or care and minimal effort was necessary for a sane mommy this week. The other hard part is that as the third child she doesn't really need anything as far as presents go. She got a birthday outfit, some long sleeved onesies and a cute pair of embroidered corduroy overalls from Mommy and Daddy. A fun farm book that makes animal sounds from Pa Dave. And this was her one toy...


A ball popper that plays music! (You'd think I'd have figured out the loud and annoying toy thing by #3... sorry Brian.) The older two have had just as much fun, if not more, with it though. So I am calling it a successful gift.


This picture just makes me laugh, her crazy, excited eyes just seem to scream, "OOOOH! SUGAR!!" don't they? And fortunately she has an older sister there to show her the finer points of blowing out your birthday candles. Such as, don't use your hand, owie!


And then it was time for my favorite first birthday tradition, let them go hog wild smashing cake in their face! My other two did not like to be dirty and didn't really enter into the spirit of the thing. (In fact, Jake went absolutely hysterical when he reached the cream filled center of his hostess cupcake.) Obviously not a trait that Lila shares...


She demolished two small slices of cake. When I put the first one on the tray of her highchair she gave me a look that seemed to say, "Seriously? You do realize that by putting this with in arms reach of me you've made it fair game, don't you?" Then she attacked it while keeping an eye on me to make sure I wasn't going to change my mind and take it away. After the cake was gone she spent a good 10 minutes painstakingly scrapping the frosting off the tray with one dainty finger. She was determined not to leave a speck of sugar behind.


I love you so much my little Lila Faith. I know that you were sent to our family to complete us. You have been my sweetest blessing in a year of so much change and sorrow, and living proof to me that having faith and trust in Heavenly Father's plan for my life will result in greater rewards than I could ever imagine. Happy Birthday baby girl!