New Pics (Week 7)... The BIG 01! OMG!

I'm drafting this post two days early because I know I want to do something extra special for your birthday but I'm not sure just what yet.  I'm hoping to have, not only pictures but, a video to share also.  So I'll have to be all up in Daddy's Kool-Aid these next few days to the point of annoying so that I am sure to get it!  I bought Daddy an awesome camcorder as a gift for Father's Day last year when you were still in mommy's tummy.  I knew that he would have loved to get some footage of the delivery.  Then before we knew it, the day was upon us and I was hee, hee, hooing through labor pains and it was the furthest thing from our minds.  Of course after all was said and done, and you were finally here, Daddy took some great video of your first few days in this world.... er, well in Brigham and Women's Hospital.  I can't believe that's almost exactly a year ago today!

So... your first birthday theme you ask?  I didn't particularly have one for you because you seemed to like many characters that it made it difficult for mommy to choose.  Don't fret though, I still bought decorations!  While it IS mostly Mickey Mouse themed, I decided to throw a few Sesame Street (Elmo) items in the mix also.  I bought 2 dozen balloons, Happy Birthday banners, Minnie Mouse plates & napkins, gorgeous pink colored table cloths, and streamers all for your viewing entertainment!  Don't think I stopped there.  I had to buy you a dress specifically for your birthday.  C'mon now.  It is the cutest dress ever!  It was a bit of a splurge but it's not like I go spending this amount all the time so I like to think my decision is justified.  It's a fantastic color for you. And you, my baby, are going to be the belle of the ball! 

Before I move on to pictures, I just had to recap some of the milestones you met this year.  Mommy is so proud of you.

- week of 4/4: cut your first bottom tooth. Ouch!
- week of 4/11: clapped
- week of4/17: cut your second bottom tooth. Double ouch!
- week of 4/25: tried an actual food (Egg Pastina)
- 5/4: ate a Stage 3 food! Go Livvy!
- 5/5: stood for a good 5 seconds by yourself
- 5/8: used a level 4 nipple on your bottle
- 5/13: moved into a sitting position from being on your tummy
- 5/27: sported your first pony tail!
- 5/30: MEMORIAL DAY / took your first dip in the pool and liked it
- 6/2: chewed and swallowed your first finger food! You had 4 apple cinnamon Graduate puffs.
- 6/5: tried your first cheerio. You weren't quite sure what to make of it.
- 6/14: stood up in your crib by yourself for the first time. What a greeting I got after your nap!
- 6/20: tried your first sip of orange juice and liked it
- 6/22: cut your third tooth! Your upper front right one! 
- 6/23: ate pasta with meat sauce
- 6/30: crawled for the very first time
- 7/8: said Mama for the first time and, yes, I melted
- 7/19: pointed at something for the first time
- 7/22: took multiple steps without falling. Go Baby it's your birthday, go baby it's your birthday!
- 7/24: stood up by yourself without the help of anyone or anything
- 8/5: tried soft serve vanilla ice cream right from the cone
- 8/6: tried whole milk

- 8/11: had lamb chops, strawberries, and honey dew

There were so many more milestones you met but I started Love Letters to Livvy in April so the ones above are the only ones I have record of.  I look forward to the days, weeks, and years ahead as you meet more milestones.  I feel so fortunate to be able to witness all of your firsts and will forever be grateful to Daddy for making that possible!  I love our family more than you could ever imagine and have never been so committed to something in my life.

The first half of this post was written on the 11th of August, 2 days before your birthday, while the rest of it is being written now, 2 days after your birthday.  Today you had your 1 year check-up.  You did great considering you had 3 different shots.  I just love your pediatrician!  I feel like we really lucked out with her.  She never rushes us and really takes the time to answer any questions I may have which, let's face it, are always a considerable amount!  Developmentally she said you were either on target or advanced.  She was happy to hear that I was feeding you healthy foods and that you were actually eating such a wide variety.  She joked that you should teach her children to eat lamb.  That's right baby, lamb!  You love Mommy's lamb chops.  So your stats you ask?  Well baby, you are growing that's for sure!  In two months, you grew one inch.  Your head is a half inch larger and you are a pound heavier.  My chunky monkey!  You know Mommy's just kiddin'.  You are anything but.  In fact, you are a peanut.  Not even an entire peanut.  Just a 1/4 of a peanut!

Weight:  18.9 lbs.  (12-13th percentile)
Height:  28 inches (17th percentile)
Head Circumference:  17.5 inched (32nd percentile)

So you'll be happy to know that I did take quite a few pictures.  Okay, more like a ton of pictures.  283 to be exact!  No I couldn't post them all but I've selected my favorites to share with you below.  I'm not entirely happy with a lot of them, especially the particularly noisy ones.  I had to use an ISO of 1600 in some cases, even by the window, because my shutter speed had to be ridicously high to cater to all of the quick moving toddlers!  Thank heavens for the noise reduction filter in PSE.  Even in my edits, I could not remove the grain (noise) entirely.  I also noticed that a lot of my pictures aren't coming out quite as sharp as I'd like so I'm having to sharpen them after the fact which I'd like to avoid if possible.  I guess I could have upped my shutter speed even more while taking my outdoor shots.  I think this would have made them worlds better!  Also the light by the window in Mackenzie's indoor shots cast a shadow on the left hand side of the picture that I'm not happy with.  Not sure how I could have avoided this.  Maybe with a reflector?

First some pictures of the decorations...

Story board provided by The CoffeeShop Blog.

And the awesome cake that Auntie Lola made for you...  Did I mention how delicious it was?  I think you thought so too!  Just check out the video I attached.

You look like you are about to pass out from chocolate cake and frosting over load!

This is your cousin, Marcella!  How cute is she right?

The next two are the same picture only I applied a Paint the Moon Deep Pop action to the first one.

The next series are of Mackenzie or, as I like to call her, Mac-a-doodle-doo!  First my black & whites...

And with her daddy.  Aaawwwwwwww!

And in color...

Your cousins, Esterina & Jonathan.  My black & whites first...

And my favorite black & white of Esterina!

And in color...

Lastly but, surely, not least...

You baby!

The first three are of you on the morning of your birthday and just happen to be my favorites!

And now for you in your party dress...

I wish I could have gotten more of you in your party dress, but mommy was not happy with a lot of your outdoor photos.  I could not catch good facial expressions from you or daddy.  Not to mention that most of the time you were both lookin' at Auntie Lola's camera.  I can't wait to see her pics!

And in color...