Happy FIRST Birthday, Juliet!!

Juliet Rose Amador! You turned the big ONE this past week!!! Woot Woot!! You are the cutest one year old and we were so excited to get to celebrate you and your birthday with family. Aunt Sarah and Uncle Jared graciously offered to host your party at their house as it was much easier for our little family to travel to Atlanta than everyone else travel to Savannah. 

We affectionately call you "JuJu Bug" and decided on a bug themed party when I found this adorable outfit in your size! 

I had a lot of fun designing your party invitation. I added some glitter once they were printed and had fun with addressing the envelopes too. 

Aunt Sarah helped me decorate and set things up the night before your party. We had a lot of fun creating a fun scene on their chalkboard wall. 

I also made a coordinating highchair bunting to dress it up a bit. 

For party favors we gave each child a little picnic basket with some bug-themed items. The little kids each got a book (either bumble bee or bug related) and the bigger girls received some fun slap-bracelets. The baskets also had some antennas, bug tattoos, a jar of worms with oreo dirt, and a butterfly treat bag. 

For food we served a taco bar with beef and bbq chicken and various toppings, fruit, chips and salsa, butterfly shaped PB&J sandwiches, and your favorite: applesauce packs. (I may have almost burned down the Ray's house with a crockpot mishap the night before... so G-Daddy came to the rescue by getting chicken for the party last minute- thanks Dad!) Uncle Jared made and served some yummy coffee too. 

2BWhole Bakery made the most wonderful vanilla with strawberry filling cake! It was gluten and dairy free to accommodate your cousin Karis and Lolly, and it was delicious! I also made some regular vanilla cupcakes that I decorated with bumble bees and flowers. 

I didn't get great photos of some of the other party decor, but we had big bug balloons and some tissue paper puffs and things of that sort too. 

We kept the guest list to family and "family": Aunt Sarah, Uncle Jared, Karis, Evan, Charlotte, Lolly, G-Daddy, Abby, Papa, Uncle Andres, Great Aunt Linda, Great Uncle Peter, Sarah and Steven Hecht, Brian and Lauretta Kloer, Emily, Alice, and Joyce. Sadly, Aunt Jessie was out of town and Uncle Juan had to stay home with a sick Ella.  GG and Ruth couldn't make it either as getting out at 95 years old is quite the feat!

We hired a face painter for the kids (and okay, maybe for Mommy and Aunt Sarah too 😜) and it seemed to be a hit! I asked her to stick primarily to butterflies to keep in line with the bug theme. The kids enjoyed the face painter, and Aunt Sarah, Lolly, and I also had our faces painted. I think some others would have had their faces painted too, but the artist had to go to another event and couldn't stay. You didn't get your face painted (because we didn't think that would have been too successful) but you did have two little rainbow butterflies painted on your arm. 

After everyone ate and the face painter left, we sang happy birthday and ate cake. You did okay with being the center of attention and really seemed to enjoy your cupcake. 

Once we cleaned up cake we sat on the ground and opened presents. You had lots of help from cousins and Olivia. Our families were extremely generous and you received lots and lots of fun things! Lolly and G-Daddy gave you a Little People princess castle and your very own sterling silver charm bracelet with an precious ladybug charm, Abby, Papa and Uncle Andres  gave you a Little People Safari set, The Rays gave you a whole set of play toys (stacking balls, play phone, butterfly shape sorter), Sarah and Steven gave you a Dracula counting book and mermaid doll, Great Aunt Linda and Uncle Peter gave you a super soft donkey (that I kind of want for myself and that you adorably "bark" at) and a wooden puzzle, Olivia gave you a bug scooter/rider toy, GG gave to your 529, the Kloers gave you a whole set of star themed gifts including jammies (and a matching set for big sister too!), books, and glow in the dark stickers! You also received a custom wooded name puzzle from mommy and daddy. 

We had a fun day celebrating you munchkin pie! You are so very loved and I hope you can look back at these photos one day and see all the love for you and people that were there to help make your very first birthday special. 

Juliet 11 Months!

Okay, how on earth are you a month away from being ONE? I cannot comprehend that. Where did this year go?!?

You have made leaps and bounds this past month and are starting to seem less and less "baby" and more and more "toddler" each passing day. Man, parenthood is such a weird tug and pull of wanting you to grow and achieve new milestones, while at the same time mourning you outgrowing sweet stages of life.

Without a doubt your biggest achievement this past month is that you started WALKING! Daddy got home from work, squatted down, stretched out his arms to you and you straight up walked into his chest for a cuddle. How special is it that we both got to witness your first steps!! Lolly was in town visiting and we happened to catch some of your first steps on camera! So proud of you, little one. Since then you have pretty much mastered the walking thing. Sometimes it still surprises me to see you come around the corner on two feet. Gosh, you are so stinkin' cute I can handle stand it.

Your becoming more capable with your hands. You wave "bye bye" with some consistency now. You love to turn the pages on books and open and close the flaps. You love to find a hairbrush and "brush" your own hair. (A few times I've let you brush my hair, but a couple of hard smacks in the head has put a pause on that activity - ouch! 😝)

Speaking of brushing hair, your hair is long enough to put into a tiny, hair-fountain, ponytail. Oh em gee.... again, SO cute! So fair you don't pull on it or take the bow out, yay!

Now that you're walking you're having a lot of fun exploring and getting into things. You love to play in the shoe basket, open the cabinet door and play with the pots and pans, and LOVE when you find the bathroom door open, taking the opportunity to play with the toilet paper!

Olivia started school this past month, so two mornings a week it's just you and me, sweet girl! We are both enjoying the time together just the two of us! You are so cute and chill, so often Olivia steamrolls over you and steals (or demands) attention... so it's been so great to have a dedicated time to focus just on YOU! 

You got to meet your great grandma on Daddy's side, GiGi, for the first time this past month too. Daddy's Aunt Diana and GiGi visited with us one night. How cool is it that you have two living great-grandmas? So special!

I'm not sure why, but you love being upside down. When you're sitting in our laps you like to fling yourself backwards and laugh and laugh and laugh.

Gah, you're so sweet and cute. I'm loving this age. I love getting to know you more and more. We are so fortunate to be your parents. I'm so in love with you!! Happy 11 months!!