Bella is ONE!

Well it is really hard to believe that we are here already...but our big girl had her first birthday last Friday! I know everyone says this, especially parents, but I really can't believe how fast the time has gone. Really, what has happened to the past year? I remember so clearly coming home with Bella from the hospital to Mom, Dad, Noah, and Grandma and Grandpa Adams sitting around the dinner table in our dining room having a nice ham for lunch...and then it is like our lives fastforwarded to Bella's first birthday.

I was thinking back on the year and all the fun we've had and reflecting on how truly blessed we are. Sometimes I get so stressed being home with my kids and watching another baby, and so tired from this pregnancy and all the othe things like throws at you, that I forget to really just sit down and enjoy all the little things that I get to experience with the kids everyday. When I sit down to do the checkbook and Noah asks if he can come sit on my lap...Bella toddling over to me and peeking over my shoulder while I'm changing the laundry loads...Brian tossing both of the kids around every night when he gets home from work...we are so fortunate for all of our blessings. I hope that I remember to sit and think about that more often.

Anyway...We spent the weekend before last in Wahoo to hold her party at Mom and Dad's house and had a really great time. Here are some of our highlights from the last few weeks!

Mom and Dad had Joe and Chelsea's football team...I mean kids...at their house while Joe and Chels when to a Coldplay concert while we were there. We were in Lincoln for some of Brian's family things and didn't tell Noah that the boys would be there when we got to Mom and Dad's in case they were sleeping...Noah walked in and started screaming when he saw them and they all started hugging and jumping around! Of course, all this was while they were trying to get the boys settled down for bed!! Noah curled up with th eother two big boys and had Papa read to him, too.

Yay for PINK!! I wanted to go overboard on pink girliness because it would be the first really girly birthday party on our side of the family...so it was a Disney Princesses themed party with PINK everywhere!

The Three Amigos enjoying their lunch! We forgot to get a picture of it...but all three boys have Princess temporary tatoos on their arms! Joe and Chelse unknowingly started a tradition

Pretty girl enjoying a photo op! Uncle Joe is a good photographer!

Brian with some of his family: (Clockwise from Brian) Pappy, Meme, Aunt Karen, Robbie, and Nathan

Sharon on the other hand got sat at the kiddie table :) Actually, she was walking by to go sit with the rest of their family and Julius turned around and asked if he would sit with them at the picnic table! It was really sweet:)

Not sure whats happening here...but Julius is so darn cute!

Bella enjoying the crazy coup...backwards.

Yay, cake! Bells got so excited when everyone started singing to her. She was kind of slow to start with her cake, but she got the hang of it eventually.

So with the great girly things I got for the party, one was a scratch and design princess dress party activity. This is a picture of MIke playing with one. How sweet :) Becca probably wanted him to practice doing girly things

Uncle Brian roughhousing with his nephews! He misses them so much

This is when the bouncing house started to deflate. With Brian, Julius, and Jonah inside.

Our big girl opening her presents! She was really excited about the cards, especially the pop-up once from Meme and Pappy

Jonah playing with Bella's little doll house! I guess Mom opened and wrapped this in from of them and they LOVED it! Its one of Noah's favorites now

Aunt Chels's little buddy...I like to wait to get Bells dressed when Chels is around so that they can play dress up

The whole crew! Everyone thought I was crazy bc I wanted to family picture but we always forget to take them! It'll be outdated when Paige comes in September but thats okay

Cuddle time at home

Nakey babies!

The boys decorating for Bella's little party at home! Yay for pink streamers!!

Everyone got in on the decorating...

Bella opening her presents! Some books from Holly (the girly I babysit) and her parents Chelsea and Rick

Bella's Dog Book from Brian and I...Bella started to say "dog" and she always points them out, so we thought this would be pretty appropriate...and she loves it!

Noah helping her open her Pound-a-Ball toy...which he wrapped himself.

We were pretty low key for her birthday...we went for a car ride since they can turn to face forward at a year and we wanted to check out her new carseat, the we had hot dogs and mac n cheese for dinner (becase Bella loves them together) and later had cake! This was her at home cake that "Noah made". Noah also made the frosting, frosted the cake, decorated the house, and wrapped all the presents. If, of course, you ask Noah.

She's daddy's little girl: She loves her chocolate cake.

The other big thing that happened...Brian helped me paint her fingernails for the first time! I wanted to bring nail polish to the hospital and do it then...I've been dying to paint her nails since she was born! But Brian was a good sport and let me do it for her birthday. They were a very pretty, shimmering pink, and we matched.