Year One: We survived

...so far.

It's been one year since our lives were flipped upside down and a little bundle of joy entered our world. As I'm sure it is with most parents, we've had our good moments and bad moments. Thankfully, the good moments have been much more frequent than the bad. A few highlights:

• Molly being born (obviously)
• Molly's first plane flight
• Trips to Maine and Michigan
• Getting to the destination on some of these trips
• Countless random moments of joy

To top it all off, we had a birthday party (a day early). All in all, we couldn't have asked for a better time. Molly was amazing. She had two good naps which were key. Anyway, let's see some pictures.

About two minutes post nap, the birthday girl gets ready.

After a year and they still like each other.

Molly was very polite and acted as a greeter at her own party (someone must have raised her right).

Over the past day or two Molly has really started to walk. Here she isn't even holding on to Grammie's hand.

And there she goes! Her record is about 10 - 15 steps all by herself.

Molly also got to see some of her friends. In all there were about five or so kids under three.

It isn't a 1st birthday without a 1st birthday hat!

And presents. Lots and lots of presents (between this and Christmas, I'm starting to notice a trend).

Some presents even sneak up on you.

Like giant pink dogs from Uncle Nate and Aunt Ellete (who both used to work at F.A.O. Schwartz).

"You! With the camera! More presents and more sugar!"

After seeing what could happen with animal shaped cakes (friends of ours didn't have the best experience when they made a frog-shaped cake for their 1 year old: think freak out), we decided to go with just a cupcake. After opening all those presents Molly was a bit tired.

So tired that Momma had to help blow out the candle.

"Want some icing?"

Poor cupcake. You never saw it coming...

Uncle Nate and Aunt Ellete with the birthday girl (on her actual birthday). We were thrilled they and others made the trip down.

For Molly's birthday we went for a walk at Fort Washington with Grammie and Gramp. Molly looks tuckered out because she just spent a good ten minutes walking up hill (holding on to Gramp). It's a tough life, but she survives.