Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Rachel is ONE!!!


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Grandma J loves her Rachel.
Pop loves these kids!




Okay - scroll down for my message - I can't move the pics around for some reason -





Below is the picture Lilly painted for Rachel!














This is the picture Daniel painted for her.
















To the left is a pic of the girls in their new PJ's from Grandma.













Grandma and her special girl!






















Ella Cate painted this for Rachel.















Rachel loved the bows!!! Lilly found them!





































Rachel absolutely loved all the attention.



She is sleeping with her Seahorse now. Lilly wanted it so badly. She had a Glow-worm that Uncle Brad gave her when she was little.

























Me and Rachel with the pic of me and my dad.













This is what happens when you allow your SIL to hold the camera -


















The kids and the frog cake - not sure what they are doing - I am cleaning Rachel up!

















Ella Cate just shoves it in.












MONSTER BABY!!

It took her a long time to get into the cake. She just beat it like a drum. Uncle Ned tried to help.








Aunt Melanie and Lilly with the rolls Lilly made - the frog cake I struggled with. This is the worst looking cake I ever made. I was sure it was going to fall apart.













My baby just turned one. Yes, there is a bit of bittersweetness in that. I am sad that I do not plan to have any more children. Four seems like such as small number when I look around and realize, I have no more babies. No one will be so needy for mommy. No one will wrap their little fingers around my and feel completely safe. And yet, there is a freedom in it. I was excited to put her in my dress, because it felt like a good way to end it. While I won't need to buy just a number one candle ever again, I will have kids old enough to help out and have fun. Soon I will not need to carry anyone around, my hands will be free. Sadly, I think they will get lonely.







All of that aside, we had such fun. I had so much to do today and Lilly really helped out. She helped with decorations and cooking. She was amasing, wanting everything to be just right for the party.







We made paper chain decorations, the kids each picked a gift for Rachel from their own toy stash to pass down. Lilly chose a ballerina suit and a book. Ella Cate selected a book and a stuffed turtle she made at VBS. Daniel chose to give her his stuffed puppy - not sure that gift will stick.




They also wrapped up the pictures they painted and framed. I made a roast and Lilly made homemade rolls. I helped in the areas I needed to but she really did a lot of work. It was delicious. We had a frog cake and Rachel had a small cake for herself. Her brother and sisters decorated it. She sat in the floor an picked at it and played, surrounded by family. It was nice and quaint. She watched her gifts be opened by Lilly, EC and Daniel. The blue dress she is wearing is what I wore for my First Birthday.




She laughed and smiled. She scooted around. It was simply wonderful.







I took a little time this morning to look back at Rachel's baby book and think back. While the delivery was and is a bad memory, I sat and thought about the first night held her, the next night when Aunt Laura was in charge. I think Aunt Laura stayed awake all night checking on Rachel. I haven't had much time to sit back and really take in how much Rachel has changed.







So that is what I plan to do - sit back and think...look at pictures....realize how wonderfully blessed I am. PRASIE GOD!!!

2 comments:

  1. This is so sweet about Rachel! I love each of your sweet kids and am glad that she is doing so well. She has great, Godly parents who love her and her brother and sisters! What a blessed little girl! And 4 is enough, it is a home full of laughter and little feet and kisses and homemade rolls. Kids never get to the point they don't need their mommy. I still need my mommy after all! I love you, good momma that you are! Kayla

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  2. So sweet- all of it. I love the dress- how special. And your worst cake would have been my best! The framed paintings were beautiful and special. :)
    On another note... are you guys doing Upwards again and are sign ups anytime soon. The kids are asking so I don't want to miss them. Thanks!

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