1st Birthday Celebrations

It started on a normal day, down at the mailbox in the form of a birthday card from Great Grandma Lang (who NEVER misses a birthday). She loved it and took it around with her all day.

Then came a much bigger package than mommy was expecting. It was from Grandma Lang and I had to put that AND all my grocery shopping on the stroller and then walk a half mile to the car. It was definitely a balancing act and after falling several times, I'm glad nothing was breakable!

A BABY!

What a lucky girl!

Then our neighbor Melanie brought Kelsey a present

Tally bought me flowers on her birthday because as he said, "you did all the work, one year ago."

Abram brought her a present the next day when he came over

THE INVITATION:

I love Scrappy Princess & Photoshop

THE BIRTHDAY PARTY

It had rained the whole week leading up to the party and I honestly prayed for it NOT to rain. Although cold and windy, my prayers were answered and it did not rain. Tally started a running club at work and ran the Greifenseelauf, a 10K not far from the farm. The dates unavoidably fell on the same day, but he was done just in time for the party to start. Great job, honey!

The farm from the parking lot

Here's a SMALL sample of all the pumpkins and pumpkin/squash creations found on the farm.

Kelsey lead Oma around the whole farm while I went to pick up Tally

OVEREXPOSED! This is my problem with shooting in manual in a place with lots of shade and sun, but I had to get the moment. Kelsey climbed out of the pumpkins and balanced on two of them. Sometimes she's quite coordinated and other times, I could swear she's drunk.

A shot of the pumpkins with the Seegraeben in the background. What a gorgeous place.

After these pictures, I ran to do something for the party and caught a glimpse of Tally holding a baby so I wrongly assumed he had gone and gotten her. When I looked up and saw him holding Jennifer's baby, Emily, I panicked. "Where's Kelsey?" He looked at me like I was mad and said, "I thought you had her!" After a few seconds we found her standing next to a man, who was sitting watching his kids on the playground, with her hand on his leg. I guess she felt like watching the kids on the playground too and made a friend in the process. The thought passed through my head that I must be the worst mother in the world and I was really sad that I was only capable of raising a child for one year.

Kelsey looks like she's about to grab the present from Emily and run!

Niina & Wilma checking out the farm

THE CAKE

As a first-time, first birthday, first-time cake-baking mom, I was a bit nervous about the responsibility of making her all important cake. But, my mom had made me several birthday cakes for my first birthday and I had always planned on making Kelsey's. First I thought carrot cake or something healthy. Then something extravagant like a sheep cake. After practically making myself sick trying to figure out something, I decided on this.

Simple. Chocolate. Messy. Perfect for pictures.

I also had big plans of printing off little cards using the same paper from the invitations but I forgot the external hard drive and luckily fell upon a paper store instead. The one on the right is how they say happy birthday in German: "Alles gut zum Geburtstag."

Our first birthday party together

Happy Birthday to Kelsey

Why is everyone singing at me?

Are they really letting me do this?
It's good, here dad, try some!

David and Karen enjoying this sweet experience

Wilma is a fan

Matthew chowing down

Brooke, Ashley & Andrew enjoying the cupcakes

Jennifer & Emily - Jennifer just found out she's 2 months pregnant with TWINS! Her daughter is only 3 weeks older than Kelsey. I can't imagine.

Wilma and her daddy, Marko (a bit overexposed)

She got so many wonderful gifts - thank you to everyone!

CHEESE

Is anyone looking at the camera?

Overall it was a success. Kelsey had fun and I think the other kids had fun too. There was cake, singing, pictures, presents, laughs, and best of all, family and friends.

After the party, grandma gave this CD to Kelsey from Aunt Camie, Uncle Ryan, Colton & Carter. It's the Inside Out Acapella group. She loves listening to it in the car - especially Peanut Butter & Jelly - oh wait, that's me. She dances to the beat of Book of Mormon Stories.

Kelsey received a package in the mail a few days later from my Aunt Lisa

They are silver circus animals that hold up the candles on the cake - and they're darling. I can't wait to use them next year...and many years after that! She loved playing with them, but I didn't want her to break, ruin, or lose them so I put them away for later.

Thanks everyone for making her first birthday so wonderful!