Gracie Joy's 1st Birthday- 8/20/09 start at the bottom

Wow, she looks beat and very full in this picture. We got her cleaned up and put to bed quickly after this. What a fun, stretched-out birthday couple of days. Until next year...

DEAR 1 YEAR-OLD GRACIE:
We love waffles, eggs, bacon, sausage, OJ, strawberries, maple syrup, chocolate cake, chocolate, oreos, presents, clothes, and toys, and family/friends, and of course YOU- GRACIE! That is right Gracie. More than all of this fun and yummy "stuff", WE LOVE YOU! All the other stuff is not necessary, just for fun. But you mean the world to us and we would do anything for you. We are so glad you were born and glad we get to be your parents. Just forgive us when we mess up and make mistakes. We aren't perfect but we are going to try to raise you the best we can to be a righteous, beautiful, and kind daughter of God. Because... that is what you are! Never forget that and I hope you will always treat others like they are too. That is very important. You will have a great capacity for touching others lives and influencing others for good. You already have just as a little baby and I am not just talking about your parents and your relatives. Strangers have been affected by you. I hope you have a desire to do good and make others happy by spreading the knowledge and hope that you came to this earth with and will grow up practicing it. Your dad and I love you and we can't wait to see the awesome woman you are going to become. Just promise me you won't grow up! Okay? You are so sweet you are making me cry just thinking about it. (Although, you know your mom- that is not hard to do!) You are the best thing that ever happened to me and your dad. We love you so much! I am looking forward to lots more fun times together. You're my best bud!
Love,
MOM
(That is the first time I have ever signed "mom" before and I am so silly it is making me emotional... I should have signed "crazy mom" instead)



















I made her name on her cake and the flowers using the chocolate transfer method on wax paper as well. Only I used the front instead of the back because I liked the textured side instead of the smooth side for the cake. As you can tell I had lots of fun with the preparation. And Gracie and Luke did during the party and while eating it all. Ooohh! Yum.









Then on Sunday, we finally cut her chocolate cake and let her go for it. She tried her hand first which was cute but then she just stuck her face right down on the cake and took a bite. It was funny. Then finally she was using two hands in it. I still can't believe Gracie is one. Crazy how times flies isn't it!




















So the waffle party was on Saturday at 9:00 and we had over 20 people in our small house, but it was way fun. It got a little hot when everyone was here and all the griddles were going but it cooled off quickly once we stopped. Lenna and Uncle Chet were awesome cooks. We couldn't have done it without them. It was like a real breakfast restaurant. And Luke even was the gatekeeper/valet. Just kidding-he didn't really park anyone's cars, just let them in! And he was sporting his pajamas and bedhead too. I love him even though he was one of the first people to eat.

Luke showed her how to lick the plate. Gracie learned real quick. And got extra helpings of just strawberries. hee hee!

After dancing and opening presents, Gracie got to dig into her waffle cake. It was made of 3 waffles with strawberries and whipped cream in between. It also had a candle on top. I think Gracie liked this better than her chocolate cake later. Especially the strawberries!


























Gracie was also going for the older guys. It was so cute when we opened up this bat from our cousins Nick and Cade who are way into baseball and play very well. They are so cute with Gracie whenever we are with them. So it was way cute when they picked out this princess bat and a cute learning bug toy too. They even let Gracie hit them over the head with it.






Gracie loves playing with her boyfriends. Carter was so cool because he came sporting his PJs! Nixon was pretty cute too. He is so good at climbing the stairs. Fun bath toys Lenna. Gracie loves them.




Gracie loved all of her presents but she has carried around this little purple purse with shoes in it daily since her birthday. Thanks Hailey!


























Happy Anniversary Rick and Lenna on 8/20 too! Thanks for coming down. Someday Luke and I will have an "Old Fashioned" wonderful Romance like you two too. We love you!










































As always Luke wished he was the birthday girl!

































Preparation pays off! But then you gotta clean up. The 3 neighbor girls came over to see what we were doing. We let them write their names with the leftover chocolate. They ate it and then helped clean.





Gracie was having a really bad actual birthday because she was teething her second tooth- on the bottom. She had a fever and her snot was running so bad it was making it hard to breath with her binky and when eating or drinking, poor girl.






















































We decided to make oreo suckers again but this time with chocolate transfers for decoration, idea from BAKERELLA at www.bakerella.blogspot.com. This was so fun and easy to do. It would be very easy for kids to do as well. I just use white or chocolate almond bark. Melt it down in 30 second intervals, color it with non-waterbased food coloring, and then put in a squeeze bottle to draw with it. You put your image underneath wax paper to trace. Then when it hardens you peel it off and you have 3D cake, cookie decor. I love it and it was so super easy and fun. And you can make a bunch and store for later! I think I will do something spooky for Halloween. My friend did the one on the right without a squeeze bottle, just a spoon. Cassidy is talented!