Brylie's 1st Birthday Party

It was so much fun putting together Brylie's 1st Birthday celebration.  I loved reliving all the pictures and memories over the last year and cherishing all that she has brought into our world.  Brylie has been nicknamed Monkey since birth so it was only fitting that it would be her first birthday theme.  There was a piñata, BBQ, memory wall, video montage and more.  I look forward to organizing and celebrating many more birthdays with my wonderful daughter.  We are so thankful for the family and friends who came and showered our precious child with love.  It means so much to have your love, support, and friendship.

 Brylie was so interested in the decorations.  She loves balloons and could not get enough of the monkey balloons.

 Mommy and Brylie in front of the dessert table.

 Shel, Brylie and Mommy.  Shelden and Becky came down the night before to help set up for the party.  It was so helpful to have them around and we loved their company.

Aunt Becky, Brylie and Mommy.

 Brylie showing off her "cheese" smile and her birthday onesie and bloomers.

 It is amazing to me how quickly she has grown.  I hung some of our favorite clothes from newborn to 12 months.

 Lunch was sliders, corn on the cob (Brylie loves it), potato salad etc.

 Table outside with bananas, bubbles, coloring and curious george fruit snacks.

 The birthday girl's hat and bib

 My wonderful mommy and Brylie.

 Photo wall of pictures from each month.

Mymouse, my mom and Brylie.

 Brylie showing her "O" face which we jokingly say is to support Oregon.

Uncle Ryan, Brylie and Mymouse

There are few things as magical as watching the love between my husband and our daughter.  It warms my heart to see their relationship develop and know how much they love each other.

 Daddy is enjoying a hug from his birthday girl

 The wonderful Broughton Family our friends from church. Their daughter, Ellery is only a month younger than Brylie.  I imagine they will be great friends.

 My and my dad.

 Enjoying the video I made of Brylie's first year.

 Aunt Kathy who came to celebrate even though she just underwent hip surgery and Shel spending some time with Brylie.

All dressed up and ready for some cake.

Jack and Lauren help Brylie celebrate.

Brylie checks out her monkey cake I baked for her.

 Her first time eating cake and she doesn't quite know what to think.

 Uncle Brian and Darryl

 Monkey piñata time

So fun to see the kids scurry to get treasures (goldfish, cheerios, crayons, sunglasses, bracelets, monkey tattoos etc.)

 Darryl, Uncle Travis, Leana, and Aunt Becky enjoying the party.

 Kaley and Chris other friends from church and Nick's best friend Cory.

Our sweet neighbors Sarah and her daughter Kaitlyn.

 The Viola family who I met over 7 years ago and feel very blessed to have come to know.  They are a wonderful family.

 

Happy 1st Birthday Brylie

I can't believe our little monkey is already a year old!! I love this girl so much and am so thankful for all that she has brought to our family.  

At 1 year old Brylie weighs 23.1 pounds and is the 79th percentile for weight. She is 30 inches which is  77th percentile for height.  It is amazing to think how much she has grown from the day she was born at 8.2 pounds and 20 inches long.  

This picture was taken minutes before she officially turned one.  I love how peacefully she sleeps and how crazy her hair gets.

Birthday breakfast!!  Nick went into work late, so he could make breakfast for his birthday girl.  He made her Winnie the Pooh blueberry pancakes.  Tom and Bonnie were here as well, so they were able to join in the fun.

 That evening my mom came over to continue the birthday celebration.  We had dinner with Tom, Bonnie, and my mom and Brylie opened up some presents.  It was a wonderful day!!

My Letter to My 1 Year Old

Nick and I wrote letters to Brylie describing what life has been like this past year.  We wanted to describe what she has taught us, what we have learned about being parents, and various feelings about her first year on earth.  Nick would prefer to keep his letter private, but below is part of the letter that I wrote to my amazing daughter for her first birthday.
 

Brylie your first year in the world has proved to be the most inspiring, joyful, and complete year of my life.  Being able to share in your triumphs, comfort you when you were down and learn how to navigate through the world of mommyhood has been challenging and the most rewarding thing I have ever done.  I never imagined the love that I could have for you and how much it would continue to grow each day.  Having you has given me the confidence in knowing that I am living my life with purpose.  Watching your first accomplishments have made me so proud.  This last year has been a big year of many firsts.  Your first smile, the first time you rolled over, the first time you slept in your crib, the first time you said dada and momma, the first time scooted backwards, the first time you ate solid foods, the first time you crawled, the first time you pulled yourself up, and the first time you walked with your stroller have all been incredible to watch.  You have taught me a level of patience that I did not know I was capable of.  A patience that is built on trying to understand and identify with how you are feeling and trying hard not to simply react.  Brylie your smile has the power to transform my mood and lift my spirits.  You have also given your daddy and I a new chapter in our marriage.  We are so blessed to have you and to be your parents.  You have brought us closer in a way that we didn’t think was possible.  You give our marriage a deeper commitment to our family and to raising you.  In this first year I have been busy reading many baby books and trying to figure out how to best raise you.  I have learned that there are many different styles of parenting that often times conflict.  Your Daddy and I have tried to be intentional in raising you and want you to know that it does not go without thought.  What I am learning and am continuing to try and learn is that it doesn’t matter the style necessarily what is important is that you are a happy, safe, healthy, spirited, and above all else loved baby girl.  We are so happy and proud to call you our daughter.  It is hard to believe one year has flown by so quickly.  We are looking forward to all the memories that we will create in the future.  I love you so much.  Thank you for making me your mommy. 

PeaPod and Water Fun

For Brylie's 1st birthday we decided to get her a pea pod which is a bike trailer. We thought it would be a great way to spend time as a family.  She really enjoyed her first ride in it, but we ended up biking at the hottest time of the day.  It was so warm that we came home for some water fun.

 On the horse trail near our house.

 Brylie in her pea pod with her baby sitting next to her.

Brylie loved playing with her doggy sprinkler after a warm bike ride around the neighborhood.

Trip to Kidspace

Brylie and I went to go spend the night with my mom. The following day we went for a walk around the Rose Bowl and then to Kidspace.  Kidspace has changed a lot since I had been there as a child.  Brylie was so cute to watch as she became adjusted to her new surroundings.  At first she seemed timid and unsure and within minutes she was exploring, playing with other kids and enjoying herself.  It was such a fun day.

 Enjoying the water outside.

Brylie listening attentively during music time.

 Having fun playing with toys and listening to the music.

 Examing the new instruments.

 Playing on the climbing structures.

So cute to watch her play with the other kids.  She had so much fun playing with the magnetic board.

Brylie's 1st Pigtails

I was finally able to put Brylie's hair into the cutest little pigtails ever.  I love it!!

Family Trip to the Circus

We had such a great time taking Brylie to her first circus.  They came to town and we couldn't resist the excitement of taking her to see all the animals.  We went early so we could go walk around the arena and meet the circus performers.  I was surprised at how well she did during the show given it was during her morning nap.  She loved watching the elephants.

 Mommy and Brylie getting ready to enjoy the show.

 The elephants that Brylie was fascinated with.

 I love this beautiful girl.

 She loved being able to sit in her own seat.

 Watching the show from her seat.

Family pic at the circus.

11 Months Old

At 11 months Brylie has 6 teeth poking through.  It is amazing to see so many little teeth when she smiles.  She really seems to have grown up so much in the last few weeks.  She is making the transition from baby to toddler, but she will always be our little baby.  It is hard to believe that next month we will be celebrating 365 blessed days of having her in this world.  She is the light of our lives and we love her so very much.

Brylie loves:
To use her pointing skills to communicate.  She points at everything!!  She uses pointing to help show us what she is wanting, liking, interested in, distracted by, and to get your attention.  It is amazing to watch her communicate and express herself with her pointing.

Brylie doesn't love:
Riding in the carseat in the middle of summer.  Recently we took a short drive to get sushi as a family.  We noticed that she was a little fussy which is a little unusual for her.  When we got the the restaurant we took her out and realized she was soaking wet from sweat.  The backseat does not provide much ventilation and she was very warm.  I felt so bad for her.  I have since attached a clip on fan which makes her much happier.

Tender moment:
Watching Brylie and Bella interact.  Brylie is becoming much more interested in Bella and can frequently be found tugging on her ears, climbing on her, feeding her food from her highchair, and searching for her when she hears her name being called.  The other day we were outside playing fetch with Bella.  For those of you who have not played this endless game with her must know that she is not very good at dropping the ball.  Once she gets a hold of the ball she puts a tight grip on it and will not let go without some prying or distracting, but when Brylie extended her little hand Bella carefully and gently placed it in Brylie's possession.  She did this again and again and waiting patiently for Brylie to drop it to her.  So cute to watch them play together.