Gabriella Turns 1!

Thinking back to a year ago, it's hard to believe how much my life has changed. It's been a busy weekend at the Eptons. We started off our holiday weekend with the Turkey Trot, shared a fabulous meal and then today, we celebrated our baby girls FIRST birthday! It's hard to believe in 4 days, Joshua will be 16!!! Where has the time gone? Is it me or does it go by faster and faster the older I get?

This morning Gabby decided once again that 330am was a fine time to rise and shine. I really didn't think she would go back down. I was up with her until about 430am, then reinforcements arrived, meaning Stephen. I would say around 5am, she was finally back down. Of course 630am the princess was ready to kick off her birthday festivities! We started the morning with a pancake and some fresh apple slices. She tried a blueberry but it must have been too tart, admittedly, I laughed when she scrunched her face and shook side to side...lol

We played for a while after breakfast, she was winding down but fighting a nap big time! I had so much prep to do for her big day and it wasn't long before is was 10am and I had nothing done yet... She finally decided to go down around 1045, so then I started on her smash cake. I will be completely honest, when Joshua turned one, I didn't even know what a smash cake was. I would say, I cut a piece of his birthday cake and he ate it like crazy! I decided I would make her smash cake match her bakery cake - Pink & Purple. Of course, I took it to the next level, Purple cake, Pink icing...

It seems like when you have people coming to your house, you always run out of time...why would today be any different right? I was running in different directions and despite a call from Stephen from the store telling me they couldn't find her cake, it was all under control.  I was relieved to see Stephen arrive home with the cake, apparently they were just having issues locating it, phew. Everyone arrived at the same time, even the pizza delivery chick, and I was still in the midst of finishing up icing and decorating her cake and the cupcakes. After some pizza, it was time for presents...

 If I had to guess I would think that Gabriella was on sensory overload. There were so many people, so much attention and so much unwrapping to do! I know for a fact that she was very pleased with all of her prezzies because when it was cake time, she really just wanted to continue to ride around!

I have to say, I may have erroneously thought that Gabby would dive into her cake face first... She was a lot more skeptical than I would have ever imagined. I thought for sure she would have crumbs flying, icing on the walls and be covered in cake remnants! She was tame, fortunately, daddy was there to try to show her the ropes... Kinda regretting my "lead by example" motto... no, not really... it was a pretty awesome spectacle, as seen in the video (it's kind of long but it's cute!)

I believe her first birthday was quite a success, there was pizza, cake and a stroll around the hood in her new wagon (there is another seat, so Connor may get invited on a walk about one day soon...lol) - She was tuckered out, got a nice bath and went down a little earlier than usual (which means I will probably be up at 2am but totally worth it) which is nice, I needed to relax a little - it's been a long, busy day for me too!

Happy FIRST Birthday Gabriella, Mommy & Daddy love you so very much!

Now, 4 more days until Joshua's birthday...OYE!