Sometimes he just got so excited he needed to pat the horsey alot and really fast!

Loving the horsey

Had to get that shot from far away too so I could include the pants-lessness.

"What? Haven't you ever seen a made ride a horse with no pants?"

Looks like she's about to get on to him for playing on her horsey, but...

Pruet is able to disarm her with a hug!

And another hug...

So she gives him a big ole kiss! Such sweet cousins! (This picture will so come back to haunt them!)

D.J. sharing with Honey

Pruet was full of love! He had to hug Percy's cousin Morgan bye-bye!

That was the poor ladybug's head...

Daddy doesn't like chocolate, I think he was faking this bite!

Can you tell it's been a long, fun day?

I was trying for an icing kiss but she was busy.

Feeding Mama

How can you not love this child with a smile like that??

and that!

Happy FIRST Birthday, Chesley!

It's been one whole year since this precious child was given to us. It has seemed like less than half that time, either because time flies when you're having fun or due to sleep deprivation and exhaustion, who knows? But she is truly the light of our lives. We have been so blessed to have her in our lives for so many reasons. Not the least of which is that she is just so darned cute! I'm partial but don't really care! She has tested us and stretched us to our limits but loving her has made us love one another even more. My dad told us when I was pregnant that having a child makes everything better and harder and mean more. And I get that now and agree wholeheartedly. We spent so much time trying to decide when the 'right' time to have a baby was and once she was here all I could think was, "Why didn't we do this sooner?!" I have loved being a mom, and I cherish being her mom.

So, for the fun stuff! We had our families over on her actual birthday for presents and snacks and cake. She got some great stuff like a pull apart tamborine from Casey, that all moms of one year olds should look for-she loves it! And a gold bracelet from Gammy, a gold cross necklace from Percy's Dad. My mom is starting a little charm/slide bracelet for her from old jewelry of hers, (she did the same thing with my sisters and I), and the first piece is a tiny garnet, (her birthstone), flower. Honey gave Chesley her standard gift of $5 for the savings account she made Percy start with her first $5 when she was born. Aunt Alex gave her a precious sweater and matching hat. Percy and I gave her a soft rocking horse from Pottery Barn that's made for smaller kids like her. And my Dad gave her a Radio Flyer, (like the sleds and wagons), rocking horse as well! He didn't know what we were giving her and didn't tell my mom what he got so he had no idea. When we pulled out our rocking horse for her he started laughing, went to his car and came back with his. His is a little too advanced for her age so she can grow out of ours and into his but it was pretty funny at the time!

As for the cake... I made it for her-strawberry with cream cheese icing. And the adventurous part of this was that I have never tried to do a round cake with two layers-I'm a sheet cake kind of gal. But it worked pretty well and I was actually able to ice it decently. I debated whether to ruin it with my pathetic attempt at writing Happy Birthday on it but decided it was just how cakes from your mom are supposed to look! And it didn't look half bad. But she didn't like it. It's official-my child doesn't like anything sweet. Fruit or sugar no ma'am. Which isn't a bad thing but just strange to me- I mean whose child is this?? Anyway, she had more interest in messing with the cake than eating it which was fine-made for good pictures. But when she couldn't get the big globs of icing off her hands she was done. She doesn't mind dirty hands but this was too much and she started fussing and swiping the cake off her tray so we cleaned her up and moved on to playing with the presents. It was a great birthday-but it still came way too soon...

She was cruising around checking things out...

She finds something that tickles her fancy...

She finds a willing accomplice to help her eat her contraband...

and to help retrieve it from her mouth when she has a little trouble and decides it doesn't agree with her palate.

My camera and the cake dish were disagreeing so I took a flash and no-flash picture, hope you can see my masterpiece!

Singing Happy Birthday, she didn't know what was going on but everyone sure looked happy and it made her giggle!

"So I'm supposed to do what with this stuff?"

After a few tentative touches, she goes for a big smash!

"Let's see what all the fuss is about icing..."

"Thank you, I'm done."

"Annie, that looks like I should probably put it in my mouth, right?"
(Can't see it but Mom is holding up the first piece of the bracelet she will have made for Chesley over the next few years)

"Thanks, Gammy, for my bracelet--and this fun pink bow on the wrapping paper!"