She is One!

I am late on this update because it has been a busy few weeks.  Willa's actual birthday came and went without much fanfare because we were planning her big party for the following Saturday.  Unfortunately, she had been fighting a cold for several weeks and it got much worse right before her party.  We were debating on even having the party but decided to go ahead, hoping she would feel better after a few days on antibiotics.  But she didn't recover as quickly as we had hoped.  She was a champ at the party.  She wasn't her normal super happy, social self, but was great considering how she felt. 

I told Seth I was just having a low key party for her, but that turned into 30 some people packed in our house.  He just couldn't understand why we needed to have a party since she wouldn't even remember it.  I tried to keep it simple. But it was large with just our family alone, plus we invited some close friends too.  We always have a birthday get together in my family no matter what the age. But it really isn't much of a tradition in his family, so we look at it differently.  He did admit after the fact that it was a great party.

Thank you to everyone that came!  We were so excited to have a house full of friends and family and really appreciate those who drove a long distance to help celebrate.

Poor Willa is actually still fighting off whatever sickness she had.  It has now moved into her chest and she is coughing more than she was before.  The doctor prescribed a nebulizer to give her breathing treatments to help.    

Back to the reason why this one year update is late...After her birthday party I had a political fundraiser I had been planning then a few days later a baby shower I co-hosted.  So now that I've got all those behind me I'm trying to get caught up around the house!  I have a lot of photos to catch you up on.  

Granni made her birthday dress and also made one to match her baby (which was actually my baby doll-Willa will have to do a lot of sweet talking her dad to get her own American Girl Doll).

This is one of my favorites...the birthday aftermath.

She loves her tricycle Aunt Dana got her for her birthday.  She can't reach the pedals yet, but we push her around the house.  We have a great house for riding because she will be able to just go in circles through the kitchen, living room & dining room.

She got all kinds of fun stuff for her birthday, plus some adorable clothes.  Here is her new awesome track suit from my college roommate Melissa.

She got a teddy bear and balloon delivery from Grandma Peggy on her birthday.

I just thought this was a good one of those big blue eyes.

 I know I mentioned before that she loves to read.  But it really is non-stop.  Some days she just keeps bringing books and crawling on my lap over and over.  She even looks at them on her own.  I just love it!   We were glad to get some new reading material for her birthday.  

Willa rode in her first 5k at ISU.  She was bundled because it was a chilly 38 degree start that morning in early October!

We started a new yearly tradition-a trip to Radar Farms.  It's an awesome pumpkin patch on the edge of town with a bunch of fun activities for kids.  She wasn't big enough for any of the activities this year.  

I just can't believe it has been a whole year and how amazing it has been to watch her grow from what we now call a "little peanut" to a toddler running from me with my cell phone in her hand.  I'm getting emotional just writing this. I think having her has changed me more than I ever would have imagined.  It's just the most amazing experience that is really difficult to put into words.

All images © Impressions...Photography by Cindy Smith, www.impressionsphotos.net out of Lincoln, IL. Images may not be printed, copied, reproduced, or distributed without written permission from the photographer