Jillian Turns One - Hip Hip Hooray!

Jillian turned one year old yesterday! WOW! We can't believe how fast the past year has flown by; it feels like it was just last week when we went to the hospital to deliver! Jillian is an amazing baby and we feel so lucky to be her parents. She is such an incredible blessing. We had a party yesterday afternoon to celebrate and we did a Strawberry Shortcake theme. Jeremy let me pick the theme and all the decorations - and I had fun going crazy. :) Everything was Strawberry Shortcake - even Jillian's outfit!

Our friend Helena baked Jillian's cake and decorated it like Strawberry Shortcake and even made a yummy, yummy Strawberry filling. Yesterday was the first time Jillian tried cake and she LOVED it! :) What a shocker. When we first put Jillian in the high chair, she was sleepy and probably would have rather gone to bed. After half the piece of cake, the sugar high set in - she woke up and started laughing and have a good time! It cracked me up to watch her go from sleepy to wired....its a good thing she was happy-wired. She is definitely my child, I am a big fan of cake!

I love this picture! Miss Jillian is playing with Mr. Zachary. Zach belongs to our friends Kay and Eric. They (Jillian and Zach) are only about 3 weeks apart in age and were playing so cute! They had fun going through the tunnel and ripping the crepe paper off the high chair. We are definitely going to have to get together to play again!

The Group! So fun to see everyone at once! It appears that everyone is looking at the camera but the Birthday Girl - her attention is focused on Brendan. Brendan really likes Jillian and was having fun being silly trying to get Jillian to laugh. (How did Mom and Dad not realize that Jillian wasn't looking at the camera??????)

I am so happy to be here one year later, it has been a truly fabulous year! I'm also sad and I miss the itty-bitty baby we brought home from the hospital. I miss cuddling Jillian through the night (yes, she slept with us for a bit) and at the same time I'm thankful she is sleeping in her crib. I miss her sweet baby grunts and coos and; yet, my heart melts when she looks at Jeremy and says "Da-Da". Is this what its like to be a parent? Will each new development cause me to mourn the baby she is growing out of at the same time I'm celebrating the young girl she is becoming? I think so. I think my heart will always feel torn with each new milestone. May I always show Jillian only true happiness with her accomplishments. May I never let her know that I may also feel sad about my baby growing up.

Here's to another truly fabulous year! Jillian, thanks for being ours!!!