Joanna's First Birthday

On Tuesday, May 24, we celebrated Joanna's 1st birthday on her actual birthday at our house. We kept it really low key with just us and B's parents.  Sorry no big party like Vivian!  We did stick with the bear cake tradition :)

I made her smash cake using the recipe I made Vivian's with cream cheese icing. She didn't dive right in, but she did eat more than Vivian.  At one point she grabbed the entire cake trying to put it in her mouth!  I thought for sure she was going to have the entire cake in her lap.

After cake, we opened gifts on the back porch.  We got her an inflatable pool with a slide and a travel mattress for her pack n' play.  Vivian got her a toy phone.  B's parents got her a sweet little dress and 2 sleep sacks.  My parents got her a travel blocks and laptop.  We are going to MS in a few weeks so she needed a few new toys to play with on our long drive.  

We did grill burgers for lunch and visited.  After Nana and Papaw left, the girls got in the pool.  They had a wonderful time.

Both girls did well and Joanna took a 2.5 hour nap that day.  I just let her morning nap last however long she wanted since I knew an afternoon nap wasn't happening.  She did great with 1 nap.  

I can't believe she's already one!  We love you sweet sweet!!!

    

12 Months Old

Blink and you are 12 months old.  Seems just like it was yesterday when you were born.

You are now technically a 'toddler' even though you aren't walking yet.  Looking at you, you will always be my baby, my last child.  

You are the sweetest little thing, but your personality is really coming out.  If you are told 'no', tears start flowing just like your big sister.  You also don't like when mommy takes things away from you when you aren't suppose to playing with it, like power cords.  

You've started giving the biggest, slobbery kisses.  I'll ask for a kiss and you open your mouth wide and give me a big wet kiss.  Love it!!  

You've started playing 'chase' with Vivian.  She'll run and you'll crawl as fast as you can trying to catch her.  Can't wait for you to start walking!  You and Vivian love playing in mommy and daddy's room.  Vivian will shut the door so you guys can play by yourselves.  Melts my heart until I hear you crying, ha!

You've started not becoming a fan of your high chair at home or at a restaurant.  You want to explore and not be trapped.  However, you love being held.  There have been many days you cry instantly when I have to sit you down.  You just want to be attached to my hip.  

We love you so so much Joanna Grace!!!  You have completed our family and can't wait to see what the next year has in store for us!!  

XXOO

July 4th Weekend

Well, we survived the 13 hour car ride to Mississippi with a one year old.  Driving through the night is the way to go.  Kudos to B for driving all the way!

On Friday, it was just the family of 5 until my brother and his family arrived that evening.  We stayed outside the majority of the day.  Vivy played in the kiddie pool, swung and Papa wheel-barreled her around the yard.

Brian fished and shot turtles.  He was a happy boy.  Gotta love getting out of 'city' and back to the country.

We went the traditional route and grilled some hotdogs and had banana pudding for dessert.  Delicious!

 Afterwards we walked down to the creek to burn off a few calories.  It was a little grown, but it made it seem a little more adventurous.  I even had to jump on daddy's back to walk across the tall grass.  I didn't want redbugs to get me!

Vivy was worn out by the end of the day, poor thing. We went ahead and started her bath at 6pm and she was asleep just after 6:30pm.

Chris and them arrived around 7 or so and we had started shooting fireworks.  It doesn't matter how old you are, shooting fireworks never gets old!  We did have a few scary instances.  The first incident, Mom was shooting a bottle rocket and instead of shooting off into the pond, it back-fired towards us.  The second incident, B picked up a cone called "Double Trouble" and asked me if someone had already shot it.  I said, "yes" because there looked like there was a whole at top where it would have gone off.  He threw it into the fire.  Not long afterwards, a dynamite sound went off and things started shooting.  Everyone took off running.  It was hilarious and scary at the same time.  Brody isn't afraid of fireworks, but after that, poor little guy was shaking each time a firework went off.  The third incident, B did the "finale" with fireworks that shot high up in the air and did different designs.  Well, the last one that shot off didn't go into the air, it went off just out of the canister.  We didn't here B or see him move.  He walked over a minute later and said it off way too early.  He was a little smokey.  
Interesting night.

The next day, we explored around the house.  Went to the creek, played basketball, fished, relaxed.

 

 

Finished off the weekend by going to church.

The weather was perfect, great company and memories to last us a lifetime.  Couldn't have asked for a better weekend!

If She Could Answer

 Q&A from Vivian. 

1. What is your name? Vivian Kinard
2. How old are you? 12 months old
3. What is your favorite thing to do? Taking things out and putting them back. Although, sometimes I don't put them back...I let mommy pick it up for me :) 
4. What do you want to be when you grow up? An elephant trainer :)  I make a great elephant sound with my mouth!
5. What is your favorite food? Fruit, especially blueberries.  They are yummy to my tummy
6. Who do you like to spend time with? Mommy of course!  My Memom has been with me for about a month now.  I really enjoy her company.
7. What do you do really well?  Mommy says I'm the fastest little crawler, but I'm starting to choose walking over crawling now.
8. What makes you laugh?  When someone get's my 'chicken neck' 
9. What are you afraid of? The beach.  I am making progress...at least with the sand, but don't get me no where near that big cold bathtub.  I'm not sure about those waves!
10. Who is your best friend? Mommy. Sorry Daddy.  However, you know I want you to put me down at night and not mommy. 
11. What do you like to do with your family? Playing is the best!
12. What do you love to learn about?  My brain is like a little sponge.  I've learned how to do 'Twinkle Twinkle,' tell Brody to come when I want to go outside with my hands, I know which babies are Brody's...I take him his babies all the time. 
13. What is your favorite book? Pat the Bunny
14. If you had one wish what would it be? To say words to mommy and daddy. 

First Birthday Party

You had an EXCELLENT birthday little girl!  The good thing about having a birthday in the summer is that you can have a pool party.  That's exactly what we did!  We rented the clubhouse and had family and friends over to help celebrate your special day.

Memom made your little bear cake.  I knew I always wanted my first child to have this cake since my brother, myself and niece Audrey all had one.  I wanted to continue the tradition!

Me on my first birthday

You are WAAAAYYY cuter than Mommy!!!

We started your day with having a cinnamon roll for breakfast.  You LOVED the icing!  I gave you a piece of the bread and you spit that right out, ha!  You wanted the good stuff :)

 

 You had a busy morning of playing with Uncle Chris, Aunt Suzanne, Cousin Audrey and Papa.  You had a blast!  You took an hour long nap, from 10-11am.  I wanted you to nap longer, but sadly that didn't happen.  You were happy at least.  

Your party started a 1pm.  We showed up at 1:20pm.  You were fashionably late...that's okay!  Almost everyone was already there.  

 We didn't have a theme for your party, but everything was pink.

We did your smash cake first.  You LOVED it!  I made your icing with real strawberries.

After the cake was done everyone grabbed some food, ate and started swimming.  

We had to change your swimsuit because you decided to do a little poo poo.  That was a first for me.  I was unprepared.  Memom and Papa and to go back to the house and get you some Huggie swimmers and another suit.  It was all good after that!

You did a great job!  I thought you would become fussy since you were running on an hour nap.  You were a happy baby the entire time!

Your party ended at 4 pm.  We cleaned up the clubhouse and headed back home to open your presents and play outside a little.  

 

We got an earlier bath time...6 pm.  To end the day, you pooped in the bathtub for the very first time!!  I think you ate a little too much watermelon, ha!  Mommy put you down and you were asleep by 7pm.  

I am so glad you had a fantastic birthday.  We couldn't have asked for a better day.  The weather was great, you were happy and everyone was happy to be there.  

You are one loved little girl!!!  You have everyone (especially mommy, daddy and the grands) wrapped around your little finger.