It's my party, and I'll cry if I want to...

We celebrated Ainsley's first birthday a couple of weekends ago with a little party at my parent's house. I was so excited to have everyone, who could be there, together to celebrate the first year of our baby girl's life. However, Ainsley wasn't so excited and maybe if she had understood that it was all about her that day she wouldn't have acted like a little stinker! Ainsley probably spent a good 50% of the party crying. After a while I just had to laugh about it! I pretty much had to stay out of sight so that other people could enjoy her. If she saw me for a second the tears started. It was a nice party and I loved how everything turned out. At least Ainsley was happy while opening her gifts and the first few minutes of trying to get her to eat her smash cake :) All we could think of is that being around so many people at once stressed her out because when we'd take her out of the room to be alone she was fine. I guess she gets that from me. Oh well. Better luck next year! Hopefully everyone enjoyed spending time with each other as much as I did!

I worked half a day on Thursday, Ainsley's birthday, so she got to wear her special birthday dress to my parents house that morning. My mom had given it to me at one of my baby showers last year. They also had a treat waiting for Ainsley when we got there. I had done so good that morning holding in my tears, but my parents made it impossible when I walked into the kitchen and they had her high chair all decorated, along with a gift, cookie, and sign on it.

(About to eat breakfast and then head to Lili and Pop's for the morning. And unfortunately the pictures from that morning are on my Mom's camera.)

Pawpaw and Mimi flew in the afternoon of Ainsley's birthday (4/14). We were so excited to see them, since it had been since Christmas. We grilled out burgers for dinner and ate outside since it was such a beautiful day! (Also, it was Pawpaw's/Kenneth's birthday the next day!)

First time Ainsley has had a burger. And she loved it!

Hmmm...

After dinner, we met my parents for dessert at a yummy frozen yogurt place, Sweet Cece's.

Mimi and Ainsley

"Where's your toungue?"

Everyone had to take turns walking around with A because she would not sit still!

Getting a little play time in with Mimi and Pawpaw just before going to bed.

Saturday was party day! My parents grilled out for everyone (chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes, frozen strawberry salad, fruit tea...yum!)

Here is Ainsley's birthday banner and other decorations! The theme was simply "Spring".

The book on the middle of the table is titled, "It's My Birthday". I had bought it a few weeks earlier because I thought it was such a cute book! I ended up setting it out for everyone to write a little message inside to Ainsley.

Ainsley's birthday cake turned out SO CUTE!

This was Ainsley's little smash cake and the cake lady made it match her birthday invitations. I wasn't expecting so much detail! I will definitely be using her again.

My Mom painted Ainsley's birthday plate. She did such a great job! It will always be so special to use on Ainsley's birthday. The Precious Moment is what Lili and Pop gave Ainsley on her birthday morning. I collected these growing up, so I was excited for Ainsley to get her first one.

(Uncle) Michael and Me

Checking out her birthday balloons with Mimi and Pawpaw

Taking a "people break" outside with Daddy

Heading back inside to open her presents!

This is Ainsley's Pottery Barn chair from Lili and Pop. She loves sitting in it!

One of Mimi and Pawpaw's gifts: a little James Avery necklace. It is so PRECIOUS.

"Choo-choo!"

A's train from Great-Grandma/Grandpa

The CUTE clothes sent with love from West Texas. Thank you Nanny, Granddad, Bryan, Terri, and Amanda! We miss you! (I always look forward to seeing what they pick out because they always do such a great job. And I'm pretty sure they have a fun time shopping for baby girl clothes :)

You can kinda see her necklace in this pic. It is so sweet! This girl has a lot of jewelry so far and I'm sure it will only get worse...haha.

A sweet baby for our sweet baby. This doll is from Great-Mimi/Papa. It's a classic doll that's part of a series. So you can add to the collection it as she gets older. From what I understand each doll is for a certain age. She was so intrigued by this (especially with the eyes which open/close).

I'd say she is pretty spoiled...

Taking a ride to the kitchen in her wagon, from Mommy and Daddy. Time for birthday cake!

Not quite sure what to think about a bunch of people staring at her and singing.

It took a lot of encouragement to get her to even touch her cake.

I'd say she did pretty good!

Mimi, Pawpaw, and Ains

Ainsley loved her Pawpaw pulling her around the house in her wagon!

Baby Jordan

2 weekends ago, my Mom, Dad, Ainsley, and I headed to Memphis to spend the weekend and give one of my closest friends, Erin, a baby shower. Kelsey, Erin's sister, and I decided she needed to be showered for baby #2, due May 14th. Erin already has a little boy, but will soon be blessed with a baby girl! We are so excited for them and cannot wait to meet sweet Jordan in the next few weeks. It is also always a good, fun excuse to get old friends together. It was nice to get to see a couple of friends from elementary/jr high/high school. And there were so many babies there and another friend due with her first in July! I already can't wait for the next baby shower so we can all get together again :)

Thanks Mrs. Denise, Kels, and Erin for Ainsley's birthday treat!

Our 1 Year Old

I know I won't make it through this post without tears. I've just been so emotional about Ainsley turning 1. Not a bad emotional. Not even that she is 1 year old. I think it's more about remembering what all happened a year ago and going back through all of the events in my head. I keep thinking, "At this time last year, I was..." I cannot believe that was a year ago. And after all that happened we have a healthy, chunky, beautiful, blue-eyed girl who is the joy of our lives.

If you are a mom, you will understand when I say, "In some ways when I think about it, it feels like it's been years since our baby was born. But in other ways it feels like just yesterday." As confusing as that is, that is exactly how I'm feeling.

April 10th was a very interesting day. Getting unexpectedly admitted to the hospital at 32 weeks. Those next few days were scary for us, not exactly getting an answer as to what was happening. The sudden onset of high blood pressure, trouble breathing, fluid in my lungs, retaining so much fluid in my body I could hardly move and finally being diagnosed with pre-eclampsia and being told we have to take your baby out right now is all such a clear memory. As bad as all of this seemed to be at the time, something most beautiful came from it all, our Ainsley.

I've said it before and I'll say it a hundred more times, "I would do it all over again in a heartbeat."

Ainsley, I will never forget...

telling your daddy we were pregnant, seeing you on the ultrasound, hearing your sweet heart beat for the first time, feeling and seeing all of your little movements in my tummy, decorating your nursery, being so nervous and hearing, "It's a girl!", buying you your first outfit (from TJ Maxx of course), wondering what you were going to look like, finding out we would be meeting you a lot sooner than we thought, being so worried about how your health and growth would be if you came into this world so early, being rushed back to the operating room and knowing from the second I heard your first cry that it was all worth it, crying tears of joy and feeling so much relief, seeing your face for a split second before they rushed you to the NICU to check you out, getting to go to the NICU with your daddy (48 hours after you arrived) to see you for the first time, getting to be the first to hold you and give you a kiss, being so excited each time I went to see you, watching you progress step by step, giving you a bath, changing your diapers, "kangaroo care", having to leave you at the hospital and feeling so empty, cheering you on as you gained weight, started taking bottles, and moved to an open bed, coming to get you to take you home where you always belong, my first Mother's Day, your first smile, your first laugh, your first roll, learning about you each day, the love you have for your Mommy when you reach for me, hold me finger, and pat my back. There is so much I will always remember from this past year. I look forward to another year of these new precious firsts. (Please just don't let this next year go by so fast!) We love you baby girl. More than you will ever know.

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY AINSLEY SUE!

At 1 Year you are:

~Enjoy eating: turkey, ham, chicken, pot roast, steak, pork chop, hamburger, cheese, bread, (grilled cheese ;) pizza, spaghetti, ravioli, watermelon, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, banana, muffins, pancakes, cereal (oatmeal), granola bars, mashed potatoes, rice, crackers, yogurt, applesauce, and I'm sure there's more I'm forgetting, but those are the main things.

~Have attempted: carrots, green beans, peas, avacado, baked beans, pears, peaches, let's just say we are going to keep trying these things and more until you get it!

~Completely transitioned to whole milk and will now take apple juice, but only from bottles. The sippy cup is still a no go, but it'd be nice if you would give in and take it sooner than later.

~Wanting down ALL OF THE TIME to walk around while holding onto our fingers. It won't be long before you won't need our fingers to get around!

~Love your walk around table and will practically run around it for long amounts of time.

~Still a good sleeper at 2 naps a day (morning and afternoon) and 12 hours at night. You usually go to bed between 7:30-8:00.

~Size 3 diapers

~3 bottles a day, but you do not drink much with each that's why you still get 3.

~Overall, happy easy-going girl

~1 tooth on top that is all of the way through, 1 on top that is coming through and both of your middle bottom teeth are peeking through. The bottom 2 came through in the course of 2 days and we never even knew! But it did make sense as to why you were so cranky those couple of days...

~Look around for Bella when we say, "Where is Bella?"

~Say, "Mama" and other general sounds (B's, M's, N's, D's) and talk a whole lot!

~Have started throwing fits if we have to take something away from you (especially our car keys), when I lay you on your changing table, and when we put you in your car seat.

I'm sure there is more, but it's way past my bedtime and this is all I could think of at the moment! Got to go get rested for the next couple of days. Ainsley's birthday party is Saturday and I can't wait to celebrate with family/friends! That will be the next post at some point.....

Birthday Sunday

The first Sunday of each month, our church has "Birthday Sunday". This is where they have all of the kids ages 1 to 18 come up on stage, as they call their names. Once everyone is up there, the congregation sings "Happy Birthday to you, may the Lord bless you...." Then all of the parents who have children up on stage stand and a prayer is said for all of the children. So today was Ainsley's first Birthday Sunday and here she is in her beautiful dress and in such a happy mood! (She must know her birthday is coming up.)

Little Red Raider?

"This post is especially for my Pawpaw, (Great) Granddad, and (Great) Nanny. I know the other sides of my family will think I look absolutely ridiculous, but I have to say red is a pretty good color on me! (But what color isn't, right?) My Nanny and Granddad mailed me this Texas Tech wear, so I figured I'd model it for them (via Mommy's blog), that way they could get a good look at me. What do you think, Pawpaw? Do I make a cute little Red Raider? I know, I know, it's no "Big Orange", but hey, I'm only (almost) 1 year old, so it doesn't really matter to me yet. I just kinda go with the flow and wear whatever Mommy puts on me, along with a matching bow, which apparently is very important. I'm still trying to figure that one out... I guess you will all have to wait and see which color I end up choosing to sport when I'm older. Just don't be disappointed if it's PINK! I love you all and can't wait to see you again!"

~With Love~

Ainsley Sue

"Oh, and a big thanks to my mommy who helped me put this post up so you can see how cute I am and how much I'm growing. Less than 2 weeks until my big day!"