Happy Birthday, Waylin!
Waylin's birthday was filled with a whole lot of happiness. ❤️
Her day started with a room full of birthday balloons and streamers! She has never seen balloons before! In fact, she was getting a little too confident with squeezing them...and I can fully disclose that, as an adult, popping a balloon on yourself is still scary and still hurts! 😂
We opened presents out in the living room! She is surprisingly good at unwrapping presents by herself. I don't know where she learned that! :) She got a unicorn chair, a tricycle, a doggie guitar, mega blocks, a puzzle, and some books!
I mean, do you see that smile? This girl is a total badass! She wanted to sit on her tricycle AND play her guitar at the same time! How did I get so lucky to have a daughter like her?
She was also VERY interested in the mega blocks that we bought her! To this day, she surprises me with how well she places the blocks on top of each other and the intricacy of her builds! I mean, she's one, ya'll!
She's basically a badass, princess engineer! 😂
After we opened presents, Waylin put on her birthday dress and we headed to the Original House of Pancakes for a birthday breakfast!
The waitress was so great! She brought Waylin something to color and a special birthday treat! Waylin has never colored before this, and she did great with the crayons! Perhaps the ice cream and other treats distracted her from eating the crayons, but I call it a win! :) We still have her first piece of art hung on our fridge! :)
Waylin got to have ice cream and pancakes for breakfast on her first birthday. We asked her if she liked it...See for yourself! 😂
We also took a trip to Radar Family Farms in Bloomington, IL! She hadn't been to a pumpkin patch yet, so this was another "first" for her! It was so beautiful out there! Of course, she had to try apple doughnuts and cider! :)
Just look at that smile! 😍
We grabbed more doughnuts from Krispy Kreme before heading home! This little lady is not shy of a plate of doughnies (as we like to call them)! 🍩
We made one last stop that night! This girl loves BEEF! It's a thing, and she's allllll about the BEEF! So, to Texas Road House, we go!
Ultimately, it was one of the best days in the world! I am so happy that we were able to both take the day off and see her experience so much fun!
I wrote this on FB about her first birthday, and I thought it was would nice to post it here as well:
I’m totally going to be that mom that euphorically speaks to my now one year on Facebook…Sorry. 😂
From the moment I walked into the hospital and all throughout the days that I labored, my heart was full of intense fear: fear of pain, fear of the process, and fear of being a mom without a clue. A year ago today, we met and I cried tears of relief when your little finger curled around mine as if to say, “Let’s figure this out together and I won’t tell if you screw up once in a while.” The first of many pinky promises, I’m sure! ❤️
I’ve never felt a more calming, peacefulness than this moment I captured at 3 AM, just hours after you arrived: the two loves of my life asleep on either side of me. I’m not a religious person, but in that moment, I felt like I was given permission to experience something I could only imagine a blessing to be. It was a deeper love than I had ever known as a now stronger, more intimate family of three.
I wish you the happiest of birthdays, Waylin! You have the most beautiful soul I have ever known. Your eyes are the happiest shade of blue that match the warmest smile. Your impeccably timed laugh makes your dad and I laugh even harder. You give the BEST hugs, even to the dog! And your love for donuts and animals makes your kindness so sweet! Thank you for loving me in a way that makes me feel like I am more than enough. I am forever blessed to have your love.
I love you. ❤️
