Back from the Dead ... Part II

Since NUMEROUS people have commented on how I haven't been posting lately, I figured it was fine time for another "rambles ala Kristin". And what better excuse than ....

Miss Paige's 1st Birthday.

Yes, it's true. my little princess has turned one. It's so hard to believe. As I made food last night for the party today, I kept glancing at the clock and trying to remember where we were just a year ago ... Calling my mom after dinner at 6:30 to come be with Riley because this may just be it, being told at 9:00 that I had 45 minutes to walk the halls because I wasn't contracting enough (at which point I made Ryan climb like 15 flights of steps), and strangly enough, I woke up at about 3:00 in the morning last night and remembered how a year before I was SO relieved that labor had been so short. I'd been so unbelievably afraid that it'd all happen like Riley's birth did.

I find it amazing that a baby can change so much in one year. At one year, Paige is a joyful little girl who melts my heart in the mornings when she wraps her chubby little arms around my neck and snuggles in tight. I always said I wanted a boy and a girl ... "the best of both worlds" ... only, I never knew just how true that phrase was. I have such different, but equally important, bonds with each of them. I can't even fully put it into words how they're different ... but they are. I had the typical, "how will I ever love another child as much as I love Riley" thoughts that I think every mother has as she is pregnant with baby #2. Everyone told me, "you will" but I didn't know how that was possible. Now I feel like I can join that "club" ... and want to tell all those mothers who are pregnant with their second (boy there are a lot of you too!), you will.

With all the happiness that happened in our house today, I couldn't help but be a bit saddened by the thought that my dad never got to meet Paige. I hope that she'll somehow be able to know what an important part of our family he is. He loved his grandchildren so much, and at all these milestones his absence is especially missed!

We had a great party today. Grandma Karen, Auntie Krys, Uncle Jim, Auntie Deb, Great-Auntie Gayle, and Cousins Nate, Ben and Jack were all here. Tammy and Clint surprised us by coming down too! (We're celebrating both Weston's AND Paige's first birthdays in Warroad over Thanksgiving weekend!)

Well, on to the part most of you are probably waiting for ... PICTURES!

(As I'm typing this my daughter has tried to climb up the steps right next to my desk ... and when I tell her no she smiles at me and crawls even faster. Now she's mad at me because I've blocked her way with the rocking horse.)

Okay ... on with the pictures ...

I made cupcakes instead of having a cake. My mother, sister in law (Krys) and my sister were all suprised that I decorated these myself ... evidently they don't think I have any creative abilities :)

So of course Paige had her own cupcake ... she was much cleaner than Riley was when he did this on his first birthday ... but he also had a whole little cake.

Clint decided to put our wood floors to good use and was sliding the kids down the hall and across the living room on their butts. They thought it was hilarious! Then the kids (Riley and Cousin Jack) doubled up on Clint ... and pretty soon he had all four of the younger ones.

I LOVE Weston's face in this one ...

Mr. Weston ...

The Zahradnik Cousins minus Katelyn (poor Katelyn, she missed the party today because she was sick. Paige missed her only girl cousin!)

Tammy, Clint and Weston ...

OUR family picture ... Riley needs a family picture for school on Monday ... and sadly, we have VERY few family pictures ... I'm actually pretty happy with this ...

So there you have it ... Paige's first birthday. Unfortunally, I was so focused on getting pictures of the kids when something was happening ... I missed most of the adults. :( If I get any pictures sent to me I'll be sure to post them too!

Next time I'll do a long post about Riley since he's had a few things happening lately too. But for now, I think I'm going to relax a little bit! :)