I'm ONE!

 Even though April was such a busy month for our family (especially Brad), we managed to get in LOTS of celebrating for all the birthday kids. Ella's FIRST birthday was no exception. Brad got Ella a special XL muffin for her birthday breakfast. This was the first time we'd ever given her a big sweet treat like this and we let her just go for it! Of course she loved it!

The sand/water table was her big gift and the inspiration for her birthday this year.

Not sure what this is but I like it!

We had hung streamers and balloons from the ceiling and all day long Ella loved being lifted up to swat at the balloons.

This little girl hit the "I'm ready to walk" stage right before her birthday. So fun! But also so frustrating to try to get a picture of that little stinker. Every time I sat her down she would start walking towards me!

And the tounge. She loved sticking out that tounge. I have a ton of pictures of her with the tounge out that day.

There's our cheeser!

Mac-n-cheese for lunch--a favorite!

We had our big birthday cake celebration the next day when Dad got home from his trip--we just couldn't have him missing out on the 1st Birthday cake fest!

This sandcastle cake was a group effort. We all frosted and decorated it to (kind of) look like a sand castle. Ella got her very own "bucket of sand" cake to eat. (Actually, it was chunks of cake with pudding and Nilla wafer crumbs.)

It was so fun to watch her dive in! It was definitely messy but that's how the first cake experience should be, right? She barely made a dent in it before she was all done!

At ONE year old, Ella:

• Signs "more", "eat", "all done", "bath", "night-night", "drink"

• Waves "bye-bye"

• Is taking more steps every day

• Loves her blankie and getting wrapped up to go to bed

• Gives lots of wide open mouth kisses

• LOVES the bath--frantically signs "bath" as soon as you say the word

• Says "hi", "da-da", "mama", "uh-oh", and lots of babbling

• Eats a LOT

• Weighs 18 lbs

• Loves peek-a-boo, pat-a-cake, and tickles