HaPpY bIrThDaY, eMiLiE!

Emilie is in Idaho at BYU-I for the summer trimester; so, this the first birthday we've been apart. (sigh)  I spent hours sorting through boxes and boxes of pictures this week, looking ones of her past birthday parties to post on FaceBook today.  That was a lot of fun and a bit of a chore; but they are all organized now by month and year.  I'm looking forward to putting them in albums and journaling down memory lane during the hot days of this summer.

Emilie's First Birthday

Emilie opened her first gift before breakfast on her birthday, so she could use it for breakfast.  Oma sent her a German toddler spoon which is crook'd for ease of mouth entry. Emilie was very anxious to try it while I made her cereal, and she took to feeding herself perfectly on the first try... of course!

  

Steve and I took our girl out to lunch at the Downtown Grill, which was the nicest restaurant in Oxford at the time.  Emilie opened her presents from us and and delighted in a piece of cheesecake!

Grandmama sent Emilie a beautiful collectable doll, which stands proudly on a table just outside Emilie's bedroom door here at home. We've placed a portrait of our one-year-old Emilie in the picture frame.  It was nice to have some collectables to mark her first birthday.  If I had to pick a favorite gift from her perspective I would guess it was the Animal Sounds book because of the way her father would "caw" like a crow.  She would throw fits of giggles when he did it, and she got to know the book so well you could see her anticipate the page being turned so she could hear him "caw-caw".

Happy Birthday, my precious little girl!

You have brought so much

love,

laughter,

wisdom,

solace,

perspective,

knowledge,

trust,

 and wonder 

into my life. 

You truly take my breath away.