Birthday Party

We celebrated Fiona's birthday with some family and friends at our house this Saturday.  Fi was super as ever.  She napped heartily before the party and was a pretty good socializer after that.  When it came to eating cake, she was a dainty little lady.  I gave her a dollop of icing on my finger and then she proceeded to slowly pick away small bites.  It was rather anti-climatic.  The "smash cake" didn't quite live up to its fate; half of the cake was intact when she was done, and we didn't even have to change her even though she went bib-less.  She wasn't into her birthday hat though, but hats are a sticky point for her right now so I wasn't surprised.  I don't have great photos from the weekend but these sum it up. 

One year old!

  The day has arrived.  Our baby is one year old.  What an emotional milestone.  It was surreal calling her the birthday girl this morning when she woke up.  We didn't do anything fancy for her today, but we got her a cupcake.  It had sprinkles, which she started picking off.  She eventually dug on in and got messy, which bodes well for her party Saturday.  I am a bit speechless and in awe today so I will just let you enjoy some pictures of Fiona on her big day.  We did her normal monthly picture with the sticker--that is quite challenging.  But we got plenty more priceless photos.  Fiona is quite the expressive little lady, and she seems to grow more so by the day.  Amazing, amazing, amazing.

Happy Easter!

Fiona spent Easter at the shore with the Grenko's.  Saturday was a nice sunny and not too breezy day on the beach.  Fiona watched Winnie dog play in the surf and enjoyed getting her hands in the sand.  She did really well until she started trying to put pieces of sand and shell in her mouth.  We were victorious in getting her to keep her hat on though--a necessity for our fair one.  

Since Fiona is a bit too young for an Easter egg hunt, we just filled her eggs with puffs, yogurt melts, and veggie bites and let her rattle them and take them out of her basket.  I think this is going to be our fun little game past Easter to keep her busy.  She is definitely into moving and sorting objects right now.  The only challenge is reloading her basket or whatever she is emptying quick enough for her to unload it. 

 

Spring has sprung

Spring has sprung finally.  Fiona has had a few tastes of basking in the great outdoors all weekend, but this weekend was the ultimate.  We were outside most of Saturday and Sunday, planting flowers, doing some painting, and enjoying dining al fresco.  It was fabulous.  Napping conditions in the stroller were also prime--cool breeze and the sound of birds.  Here is the little lady all kicked back and ready to snooze.

Tough weeks but what a sweetie

With the pressure of work travel (leaving on a flight to San Francisco at 7:40am tomorrow) and home improvements, I feel like we haven't been able to give Fiona much deserved attention.  It has been challenging since she is becoming more independent-minded, which has physical and vocal repercussions.  She has been an adorable little trooper fortunately and is learning so much.  This week is the week of mimicking.  She had fun trading off hammering with Tim--he hammered for real, and then she pounded her hand on what he was working on.  I can't believe her first birthday is just two weeks away!

Faces of Fi

My work schedule was jam packed this week with me off to DC and then San Diego, so I have limited photos from Fiona this past week and weekend.  Instead, I thought I'd share some of the photos that kept me company on my travels.  Tim compiled them all for his desktop, and I have been flipping through the individual ones on my phone.  They were all taken on her 11 month birthday, and we affectionately call them the "Faces of Fi." They go from sad / bored (far left) to elated (far right).  I think my favorite is the second one from the left.  It is hard to tell in this compilation, but she sort of has her back straightened, shoulders back, and a smirk like she knows we are talking about her.  Although, the pure joy and animation of the second one to the right is pretty good too.