A polka dot birthday

I took the family out on Friday evening to take birthday pictures of Rose, but it was so bitterly cold and growing dark quickly that the below picture is the only one of about 20 that turned out. I'll have to try again soon.



Sadie~Rose got a chair of her very own from her grandparents and us as her gift.

She seemed quite tickled with it. :)


Olivia wanted to get in on the action.

I love her little toes on the ottoman.

On Saturday afternoon we had a small polka dot birthday party for Miss Rose.
It all went well, without a hitch.

We had a pink polka dot cake for all of us,


And Sadie~Rose had her own grain-free/sugar-free version to try.

She never seemed quite sure what to think and kept looking at us with a look that said, "Are you serious? How long am I actually going to get away with playing in my food before you take it away?"

She kept tasting it,

and we eventually got a smile out of her.
But I think her favorite part was just getting to smoosh it between her finger. :)


Ellis didn't quite know what to think of it either.

She had fun playing with friends and new toys.

And I even caught her blowing one of the noise makers! :)

It was a pretty fun day, full of fun and friends for our sweet little girl.

Happy Birthday Rose

One year ago today I woke up and realized that it was my due date and also, last year, the day before Thanksgiving. She was being stubborn and not wanting to leave her very crowded but comfortable abode. I decided to be stubborn to and just pretend I wasn't pregnant and make a day if it, getting ready for the big Thanksgiving meal we had planned. I made pies, side dishes, rolls, and lots of mess. All day long I worked, and didn't think too much about it when I had to stop to breath between contractions.
When Mike came home we made a quick trip the the chiropractor's and an even quicker stop at the grocery store where I had to stop and breath every other aisle.
At home we ate a quick supper and I started making my last pie of the day, a pumpkin pie. Timing my contractions and laying my head on the cool counter tops during the tough ones, I made it through and stuck the pie in the oven and immediately told Mike to call my midwife. I labored upstairs with the smell of pie wafting through the house. When the pie was finished someone ( I have no idea who) took it out and put our birth kit in to warm while a sweet little Rose was being born. Just 3 1/2 hours after my labor started, she made her beautiful quiet entrance into our world with not a sound made and promptly feel asleep on my chest. Someone quickly grab our kit out of the warm oven and snuggled a cap on her head. I kept sniffing her, like any new mommy does, enjoying all of her newborn smells, but something kept catching me but I couldn't put my finger on it. I mentioned it to my midwife who took a good whiff and then we all had to laugh when we realized that our little baby Rose smelled like pumpkin pie from her little cap. She was our beautiful amazing baby and we were so thrilled to have her for our very own. One year later and we are all still just as in-love and thrilled that this sweetie pie is part of our little family.

just born...

one month...

two months...

three months...

four months...

five months...

six months...

seven months...

eight months...

nine months...

ten months...

11 months...

Today my dear girl is one.
We are planning a pretty polka dot birthday party
(in the blogging community tradition)
for tomorrow.
But today is just our own.
Just us,
just our little family.
We've loved every minute of this past year,
even the hard moments.
And it is a bittersweet day to see my
tiny baby really become a one year old.
Pictures will be taken,
packages unwrapped,
video recorded,
and a candle lit.
All in celebration of one amazing little girl.

Shhhh!

I ordered these three sweet girls for Miss Olivia. They are for her Christmas stocking.
Aren't they adorable? Her favorite one is the one in the polka dot dress she tells me.
Hmmmm... I wonder who she takes after?


I've been trying to convince Mr. Mike that we need to make something similar (or identical!) to this for her little friends to live in.

He's being practical and keeps asking me where we are going to put it. :)

You can browse this sweet shop full of delightful girly things here at her Etsy shop,
TooCute

I just wanted to give you all a reminder or a heads up
about the new Christmas Swap we are doing on Domestic Bliss.
Hurry to sign up, the deadline is this Saturday!
It's sure to be loads of fun and easy on the budget.
We would love to have a few more of our friends in the mix
and celebrate this beautiful season together.

the arrival of autumn

We went for a walk the other evening to enjoy some of the beautiful fall colors. It has finally cooled off and we are enjoy cool temps and the changing of the leaves. I know it seems late for most of you, be we are south. Way south. :)

The crepe myrtle in our own yard.

Olivia decided in the morning that we should all three match that day.
She was quite put out that I didn't have matching black pants to wear.
We had to settle for me to just wear a matching shirt and black flip-flops.





Daddy and his girls.

Mommy and her girls.

Mum and Rose.
We wondered why she wouldn't get her hands out of her mouth.
We have since discovered 2 new teeth trying the hardest to come through
and making our baby thoroughly miserable.

One of my favorite autumn treats.
Apple cider and candy corn.

10 on 10 - November

I'm one picture short of ten. Imagine that.
Hopefully next month I'll do better.

10 on 10 -November

The makings of french toast

the eating of french toast

practicing writing the alphabet

clean dishes

waving "hi" before sister gave her a ride in the doll stroller

heading up the stairs

school work

getting some knitting in while Olivia reads her words to me

Olivia and our sweet neighbor boys