Our little pumpkin's party

We had a pumpkin theme party for Tinley's first birthday.  After much planning, stressing, shopping, crafting, cleaning, and time in the kitchen, we had what I'd like to call a successful first birthday party!  Whew!

Poor Tinley had started cutting two molars, side by side, the day before her birthday, then come the morning of her birthday had 101.1 temperature, blood taken, and 5 shots. Talk about a nice welcome to the big 1.  I'm pretty sure she thinks being one is NOT fun. 

She was sleeping when her guests started arriving, but ended up being in a really pleasant mood the whole time (thank goodness).  She hadn't had much of an appetite since Wednesday, and Saturday was no exception.  She was not thrilled about the cake, it took quite some time for us to get her to not turn her face away from it and lock her mouth shut.  Eventually she got into it and gave us all what we wanted.

Tinley had been practicing blowing, and the moment of truth was just around the corner....when Dylan came up and blew out the candle for her.  I told his mom, it's a good thing he's cute!  Maybe you'll get your chance next year, Tinley, you have a whole year to practice;) 

At first she was much more interested in feeding others.

  And if you're wondering why they're called a patty cake, here is your answer:

Thank you everyone who came and made Tinley, and her parents, feel so loved on her birthday! 

In case anyone is trying to get tips for hosting a pumpkin party, I searched hi and low without much luck, so let me make it WAYYYY easier for you!  Here are some helpful links and ideas all in one place.  For food we had cheese balls, a couple different types of gummy pumpkins, peanut butter pumpkins, pumpkin dip, a pumpkin-shaped cheese ball, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin bars, sugar cookies in the shape of a pumpkin with orange frosting for people to decorate themselves, pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, oreo truffles dipped in orange candy melts with a pretzel in the top to look like pumpkins (also makes dipping easier, and for those who are looking at the recipe- I don't set aside any oreos, I use all of them with the cream cheese).  We also had two types of chili and cornbread since it was around lunchtime and we had some gluten/dairy free guests who we wanted to make sure had something to eat. 

We didn't do many decorations other than fall things and pumpkins around the house, a couple orange balloons and a sign, I found the letters here, and my mom and sister so graciously made it and put it up for me, thank you!

I hope that helps get your creative juices flowing!

*Special thank you to Susannah for creating Tinley's onesie and to Becca, Kathryn, Mom, Jes, Lana and Nori for helping make delicious food and helping with decorations/setting up for her party!

Tinley | 1 year!!!!!

 

At 12 months, Tinley: 

measures 29 inches long (with her shoulders scrunched up up to her head) 50th percentile
weighs 19.9 lbs 26th percentile

Has at least two molars barely cut through, possibly more...it feels like she has two on top but we can't see them.  She has 10+ teeth.
As soon as she wakes up (and sometimes before she even goes to sleep) she likes to go to the corner of her bed closest to the door and bounce around, or sometimes she makes laps around her crib, meanwhile I'm listening to her giggle or talk (extremely loud) over the monitor.  I can hear her bouncing as  I type.
Finally started crawling, uses her right knee and left foot, her left knee never touches the ground.
Mimics a lot.  Really good at saying birthday party, purple, hi/hey T, hi, bye, cracker, boo, i did it!, weeee (while swinging or spinning), and amen after...or near the end of prayers.
Plays peek-a-boo...covers her yes then moves them and says BOO!

Tinley | 11 months

 

At 11 months, Tinley: 

Says "uh oh" if something falls.
Loves playing on the phone, calling, setting calendar appts, etc.
LOVES being outside, playing the grass and leaves...and eating acorns
Her favorite show is "Go Diego Go" she shakes her head yes and no when they ask questions, and repeats some words like BO!!!! (boat) and AVE! (for what sounding like "avestante" from a few rooms away)

Tinley | 10 months

Wow, ten months...really?

 

At 10 months, Tinley:

- Loves walking more than ever, and has grown taller making it less painful for our backs...ok well, not Carleton's.
- Walks along things, the wall, ladders, chairs, boxes, pumps herself up by taking loud shallow breaths before she goes from one bar to another (on the back of a step ladder).  Doesn't need to be pumped up if she's walking from one person's hands to another.
- Can take around 12-15 steps at a time.  We haven't tried letting her go any farther.
- Claps for herself when she's done something she's proud of, if she's holding onto something with one hand, she'll slap her leg.  When she claps, it's her way of telling you you should be clapping.
- Says uh uh and shakes her head "no" if she doesn't want something or doesn't like something, or spits out her tongue and blows bubbles.
- Claps or kicks her feet really fast for "yes" or if she's excited about something.
- Crawled once, she covers a decent distance on her belly for not crawling, she's kind of army crawling.
- Has 8 teeth that are FREAKING sharp
- Loves chicken, black beans, tomatoes, and oranges.  The last two are probably her favorite things, but still loves almost all foods.
- Takes her bow out if it's hanging down at all but once I put it back in, she's pretty good about leaving it there.
- Is fascinated by the faucet while in the tub.

So RUGGED

My sister talked me and my mom into doing a 5K obstacle course mud run, at the time I thought, ok I've got plenty of time to train for this, shouldn't be too bad, I used to run 4-5 miles 6 days a week before getting pregnant with Tinley, I got this! I was wrong. My whole family signed up...Jes, Phillip, Carleton, myself, and my parents. The week before the race I wanted to make sure I could do the full length since I'd been slacking at running to say the least. Running with a stroller is a whole new ball game, as it turns out! And when you've been restricted to walking for 10 months, starting to run again was hard to get back into. Anyway, back to the week before the race. I made Carleton push the stroller and I ran 3 miles or so by myself successfully. Ok, I can TOTALLY do this, from everything I've heard it doesn't feel like you're running as far as you are, and the adrenaline pumps in, you barely have time to think of running between obstacles, again wrong! I made the really (REALLY) stupid mistake of not bringing shoes and just banking on using my sister's when she was done. I didn't want to ruin the one good pair of running shoes I had and therefor totally throw away any motivation to exercise. My friends, Ali and Kristin saw a pair of water shoes by the trash that looked clean and said I should just use them. I thought ok that's kind of gross, but that's a good idea and if they weren't gonna judge me for using shoes by the dumpster, then I wasn't above it;) I put the shoes on and immediately noticed two problems, 1. they fit about 2 inches too big for my feet and 2. one the right shoe the rubber/wirey part that goes through a plastic squeeze thing you tighten had been pulled all the way through without a way (at least apparent to me) to re-lace it. Oh well, they were free and they were shoes, and now I didn't have to wear muddy ones. I grabbed a quick bite of granola bar and instantly regret it. I NEVER eat or drink anything before I run, it completely cramps me up, no matter how little my intake, what was I thinking?! But I was pumped, WAY pumped, when we started. I started running, felt a little crampy instantly but ran through it...then we got to the first obstacle a big clay pit where I lost my shoes, multiple times. I turned around to get one of them when it came completely behind and got stuck under the clay. From then on it was downhill. The shoes were like clown shoes flapping up every step I took, every time I picked my right foot up it would whip my other leg with the loose wire, and I kept getting rocks in my shoes. I'd have to stop, sit down take them out when it got unbearable. I felt bad, really bad, for those running with me. They had on proper shoe attire and I'm sure would've run the whole thing but for me slowing them down. Thanks for not giving up on me, guys! I'm happy to say Carleton and I completed every obstacle, and even happier to say we did it together. He looked so bummed watching lady folk pass him, but he stuck it out with me, what a great hubs I've got. My parents and Jes and Phillip went before us so there would be sitters for the kids. We all ended up with some battle wounds, my mom had a deep gash in her knee, all of us but my dad who wore goggles, knee and elbow pads. I thought he was silly looking at first but after every painful scratch and bruise I got, I seriously could feel every one of them, I was wishing I had some protective pads myself! We looked like we'd been attacked by a dog or something with all the cuts and bruises on our arms, legs, hips...everywhere. I had an engagement shoot that night, but luckily they were Carleton's friends and didn't judge our mutilated appearance! Carleton was ready to do another one as soon as it ended, I was just glad I finished. I'd like to do another one to redeem myself, next time I will take what I've learned (read: good shoes) and apply it! It started to rain when we were waiting to go back to our car, poor Tinley got SOAKED while we were waiting for the buses.  She was such a trooper!  Here are some pictures of the event:


and almost two weeks later my legs: The worst of my injuries was a fairly deep gash on my left ankle (not pictured) and some painful bruises on my right knee and leg, you can't really tell but it was very swollen in those two spots)...and that's not fake tanner on my legs, it's good ole' NC clay staining my legs. I'm happy to say, it's all gone now:)