{ A Very Happy Birthday }

On October 24, our baby turned 1 year old.  I still can't quite believe that we have crossed over into saying "year" and not just "months".  In the past week or so it has been amazing to me how much more like a little boy he is than a baby.  It is a very bittersweet transition as I cherish this increased interaction and development and really begin to see him taking on his world, but also see that baby stage passing away.  There have been several times where I've found myself not wanting to put him in any of his clothes that make him look more grown up.  I just want to hold on to the baby look a little bit longer.  Everyone always says kids grow up way too fast.  I thought I was prepared for it, but it's so true.  Cherish each moment or they pass by and are gone!

On that note, birthday party pictures are further on, but I just have to include a few reminders of those precious few hours and days when Oliver Forest entered our lives one year ago.

{ A few minutes after he was born. }

We began the happy birthday celebration with the arrival of my sister Bethany, now Auntie B, the Saturday before the party. It was so very special to have her here and to see her and Oliver bond in a very special way.  We hadn't spent good, quantity time with her since Oliver was 6 months old, so it was well overdue.  I appreciated having her help in the last-minute party preparations, and of course having her tremendous artistic abilities available was an added blessing!  She added lovely details to the appetizers, candy dishes, made the cake and hung streamers.  I miss doing things with her more often!

We had a wonderful amount of guests to help us celebrate.  The guest list ended up being small, and I was concerned there wouldn't be enough people, but it was perfect.  God blessed me so much in that capacity.  Everyone was able to visit, I was able to keep the food simple, and Oliver had a wonderful time and wasn't overwhelmed by any of it.  Unfortunately, I didn't end up with many pictures of our guests, but they are remembered in our hearts.

I was so excited, I started planning and preparing for the party at least two months ahead of time.  I didn't exactly have a theme.  I knew I wanted animals, puppets and lots of color.  It all came together wonderfully and Oliver was so happy when he got up from his nap and saw the room transformed.  Seeing his eyes light up was exactly the effect I was going for!

 

We had a cake, but also an ice cream bar with waffle cones and all the toppings.  That was so much fun.  I think everyone had the child inside come out because there were many happy trips back to add more toppings made by everyone!

{ The happy Auntie B and Grandma Linda }

 

Then of course there were presents.  He enjoyed opening the first couple of boxes and then once he got to a new toy, he was ready to put the rest aside and play with it.  (I finished them for him!)

Because his birthday was on Monday, we celebrated with his party on Sunday.  I wanted to make his real birthday special, though, so we all enjoyed Monkey Pancakes, which I had found over here.  We call him our little monkey, so it was perfect.  Yum, yum!

He snuggled so sweetly with his grandpa that morning. 

Tim and I are so blessed to be the parents entrusted with this precious boy.  My heart is very full as I consider the ways Oliver has enriched our lives and how we have grown as individuals and as a couple because of him.

Happy birthday, Oliver.  May you have a wonderful and happy 2nd year of life!