Reese's First Birthday... Better late than never!

For Reese's first birthday celebration I decided to throw a "tiny party" with everything miniature. Between working full time and raising a very busy little lady it was hard to accomplish all my "dreams" for the party, but I think it was pretty cute nonetheless. My mind went crazy thinking of all the "tiny" things we could decorate with, eat, and include in the theme! My mom and I made the cutest mini invites and with the she and my Gramma's help we made mini pennant banners, a mini party hat, and a lot of mini party pom-poms. We rented big tables and chairs, along with mini tables and chairs from our favorite rental place, had a mini bounce house, and served lots of mini food! On the menu were mini burgers and buns, mini bow-tie pasta salad, mini veggies, mini crackers and dip, fruit salad, and lots of mini snacks! I also made a mini dessert table with mini reese's pieces, mini gummy bears, mini caramel apples, mini cupcakes, and mini peanut butter cups. Guests left with mini party favors for the kids filled with cute mini toys! I was so wrapped up in the festivities that I hardly took pictures, but here are a few!

{The Birthday Girl, sitting in her new mini chair!}

{The mini favors}

{Mini pennant banners were hing throughout the house, this one in our foyer... It says "Happy Birthday Reese"}

{Mini cupcakes, with mini flags, made by moi}

{Dessert table, and Reese's own mini cake!}

{Mini burgers}

{Attempting an "all kid" picture on the mini chairs...}

{Bday girl in the bouncehouse!}

{Reese eating her cake}

{Reese and her two BF's, Aislinn and Xavier}

I got lots of ideas from other blogs for the menu, decor, invites, etc. and will have to do another post with all the links!

ONE!

Hard to believe this was life one year ago!

And today... (well, this was actually a few weeks ago, but look at this big girl!)

What a year we've had! The first days were full of nervousness and getting to know each other, sleepless nights, many feeding issues which led to many emotional moments. The next few months we started to get the hang of things and of course it was time for me to go back to work and time to adjust again. The next months full of so many changes and milestones for our little girl. Now we have made it one year and it's gone in the blink of an eye. All those initial troubles seem so far away and all I can think of is how much I love this child. She has taught me more about myself in one year than I have learned in the other 27 I've been on this planet. She is my best accomplishment and I'm so proud we've made it here in one piece. She is the sweetest, funniest, smartest little ball of energy and I blessed to be her Mama. We are so lucky!

Happy 1st Birthday,

Reese Delaney Clark!

I LOVE YOU!

Catching Up!

Summer seems to have arrived and so have the 100 degree days! We were lucky enough to have a mini-beach vacation a couple weeks ago and escape the heat in Santa Cruz. We had fun at the beach, in the redwoods, on a hike to see the elephant seals, and in Monterey at the aquarium and shops of Cannery Row. Reese loved it all! We are so happy she is a beach lover like her Mom and Dad!

{Reese's first view of the Pacific Ocean!}

{Daddy got to catch some waves}

---Hot tub!---

Henry Cowell State Park, home of the GIANT redwoods!

Father's Day, a trip to Ano Nuevo State Beach and a hike to see the elephant seals!

it was very windy....

{Beach in Capitola, near the Santa Cruz Pier}

Next stop the aquarium...

{Our favorite part of the day, touching the sea life}

Natural Bridges State Beach