Clara Turns 1!

My last baby turned one, but I didn't cry! I definitely had bittersweet feelings all day, but I mostly just enjoyed the day with her. Unfortunately, it was a busy day, so I didn't get to spend as much one-on-one time with her as I wanted.

Aubrey had her first e-learning day, which meant she had a 9:00 Google Meets video. She wasn't cooperating, so I was trying to listen for her and even speak for her when necessary. And then Carter kept asking me for thing after thing. So that made breakfast hard, but I finally got the traditional birthday Swedish pancakes made.

 

Clara had already had Swedish pancakes before, so she knew she liked them. And she decided she didn't want to wait for me to take photos, so she went for it.

And when she got it, she really went for it!

I did finally take it away and break it into little pieces for her. Also, can we talk about the little birthday crown I made for her? I can't stand the adorableness...

I also made her a C pancake because, you know, birthday. And she did eat all of both pancakes! So there you go.

After breakfast, Clara napped while I got myself and the kids ready to take Carter to preschool. Then I had to come home and bake Clara's birthday cake. Then it was back out to pick Carter up from preschool and back home again to decorate the cake.

Once that was done, I got to sit and watch the kids for a bit. Clara enjoyed her balloons, but not in the way I expected, haha. She was all about pinching them.

When Daniel came home and Nana and Papa came over, we were able to start the real celebration of this sweet, adorable, wonderful baby love. We started with a little dance party courtesy of the Beatles's "Birthday."

We also called Grandma and Grandpa on the iPad so they could watch presents and cake and feel at least a little bit like they were here.

We and the kids picked out old toys that were stored in the attic to give Clara as gifts (because we're cheap, but we're also resourceful). Carter picked the singing and lighting up farm toy that attaches to the walker we already had out for her.

She was a big fan!

Aubrey gave her two old Olaf and Sven stuffed animals. I didn't get a photo of those, because as sweet as it was that Aubrey chose them, Clara isn't too into stuffed animals yet.

Nana and Papa gave her a singing, counting, spinning mushroom toy. She was SO into it. She wouldn't pay attention to anything else we had for her to unwrap.

In fact, I have this video in which I'm being super annoying trying to get Aubrey to give Clara her last gift instead of enjoying that Clara was dancing so cute to the music from the mushroom toy. *Sigh*

After presents we ate dinner. I then made Daniel take a photo of me with my lovey. I wasn't sure she was too happy about it, but we got this awesome shot!

I also made everyone wait while I took a smashcake-esque photo. But since Clara kept crawling toward the cake and trying to grab it--and because everyone was waiting for me, totally confused about what I was doing--I gave up after three photos. This was the best one I got.

Finally, it was time to see what Clara thought of cake! It was a marble cake I hadn't made before, and it was only okay. But hey, she didn't have anything to compare it to, so she doesn't know it wasn't great!

Obviously we sang first. I think Clara's reaction is so cute!

And then she did some tentative exploration of the cake.

At first she mostly just broke it up and licked her fingers a few times...

... until she finally figured it all out.

Then she started kind of playing with it as she ate it.

And finally, Daddy got her a spoon so she could eat it her preferred way, haha.

Weirdly, Clara didn't totally slime herself, so I didn't have to give her a bath. And since it was Daniel's turn to put her and Aubrey to bed, I decided to take a few minutes to read some books to her on the couch, just me and her. It was heaven.

My goodness, I so completely adore this girl. She is sunshine and puppies and rainbows and chocolate and everything good and wonderful. I sometimes often think we're crazy to have had another kid, but I can't imagine my life without this little girl.

*sniff*