Holy 'time slow down', Batman!!!!!!!
How is it that my BABY, the one I just brought home from the hospital, the one who's still so scrunchy and cuddly, turning ONE?!?!
The littlest munchkin did indeed turn 12 months old on March 6th. She was surrounded by not only her intermediate family and NW Arkansas family, but her Nana and Aunt Anna!! To say we were excited to have some O'Connell's back in Bentonville would be an understatement. I was floored that my youngest sister was willing to spend the first half of her very last Spring Break with us, but we had SO MUCH FUN! I mean, who WOULDN'T want to SB '16 with us?! HA- totally kidding!
Regardless, it was so fun to have them here for a few days!
Enjoying the always-beautiful Crystal Bridges. There brunch is amazing by the way!
Silly times with Nana....
...and Aunt Anna
{why is it a must these days to pose for a picture with eyes closed?!?!}
...even Evelyn was in on the silliness. She LOVED doing flips off Nana's lap. Seriously, now when you sit in that chair with her, ALL she wants to do is flip over- ha!
...and Harper HAD to pose with Aunt Anna's Starbucks drink- no she didn't drink it, but pretty sure she felt kinda cool walking home from school with her brew in hand- oh dear!
Harper and Anna are cut from the same cloth. Both LOVE anything medical. Harper's favorite pages in her encyclopedia: the pictures of all the muscles, bones, veins, and arteries in the human body. So, of course Aunt Anna showed her up on the 'coolness factor' and introduced her to an open heart surgery and taught her the difference between healthy organs and those that are sick. She LOVED it. Crazy girl, but maybe one day she'll be a fantastic nurse just like her Aunt?!?! Ya... I can only hope.
{quick pause in the action to get a group pic. Love having family in my neck of the woods...
...especially when it involves Krispy Kreme deliveries;)}
And then it came time to face the music: a one-year old birthday party fit for a birthday girl full of Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice....
She started her day receiving her first bouquet of flowers. So beautiful and went to great use as we decorated for her birthday weekend.
Thank you so much Grandma and Grandpa Lee!!
Her theme: Sugar and Spice.
I blame it on my pregnancy craving of cinnamon bread, but Evelyn LOVES everything cinnamon. So it just seemed fitting that she have a plethora of cinnamon and sugar goodies to ring in turning one.
I had fun decorating and making little cinnamon and sugar shakers for the attendees. Pete had fun smoking enough pork to feed an army. We enjoyed having our friends and family together to help us celebrate for sure. THANK YOU, EVERYONE!!!
Mom and Anna: I could NOT have pulled off birthday weekend without you. Or at least it wouldn't have involved nearly as many smiles. You both are incredible. Thank you for all the fun, all the help, the laughs, and even putting up with my OCD as I wore my 'party-planning hat'- ha! I love you both so much and felt so lucky to have you here. Thank you for making our girls feel so special- lucky ducks they are!
...and little miss seemed to LOVE her cinnamon and sugar cake. Disregard that she looks like a hot mess, she was partying it up that evening- hehe, but she had so much fun with everyone.
I never had professional pictures taken of the older two on their first birthdays, but this time I thought I would give it a shot. A week before her party, I asked our neighbor, and amazing photographer, to snap a couple pictures of the munchkin tearing into her smash cake....
I was so impressed with how they turned out, and had so much fun dressing up Little Miss for a few pictures... hehe.
{as Pete says, "we're totally showing off this picture at her wedding some day;)!} HA!
Still seems so surreal that my baby is one, but as I continue to say- I love it all. There isn't one stage of being a mother that is my favorite. I love it all... watching them become their own person is the best.
Ms. Evelyn: you are one-of-a-kind my dear. You are the loudest of the bunch, most curious, and always up for whatever the day holds- as long as you're a part of the group. I say it all the time, but you are the perfect addition to our family. There was a time when I wasn't sure I was strong enough to be a mom to more than two little ones, but you knew better. Your happy, sassy self has proven to be everything our little family never knew we were missing. Love every ounce of you and look forward to all the moments- watching you grow into your beautiful self. Happy ONE, baby girl!
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