Happy First Birthday Precious Mallory!

This weekend, we celebrated Mallory's First Birthday!

(Mallory is the daughter of my cousin, Clay and his wife (one of my great friends) Julie, if you are new to my blog.)

It's hard to believe she is already ONE!  It just seems like yesterday she was born!

Everything went really well and we were so glad we got to be a part of it!

Now, a ton of pictures!

Birthday girl!

 Table centerpieces.  They said "Mallory is one!"

The cake!

Julie had one for each month.

Mallory's smash cake.

These are her 1 y.o. pictures.  Aren't they precious?

Mama Julie and Miss Mallory.

The candy table.

Face banner.  I got this idea from Pinterest.  I think it turned out so cute!

The happy (and tired) parents, Julie and Clay, and Mallory.

My kiddos.

This is such a cute idea!

Almost everybody at the party filled one of these out.  Mallory will get to read them when she is older!

 It's time for cake!

What am I supposed to do????

The most hysterical picture of the day.  I LOVE the look on her face!  

This is all the damage she did and most of that was from her daddy smashing her fist into it.  She's just to lady-like to make a huge mess.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MALLORY!!! 

I hope you have a lifetime of joy, happiness, and fun!

Somebody is having a special 1st birthday!

I cannot believe that precious baby Mallory is going to be ONE in just a few weeks!

It seems like she was just born yesterday!

Her mama, Julie, and I have been working on and planning her birthday party for the past 11 months. (What? Doesn't every first-time mom plan birthday parties months in advance???)  Everything is going to be so cute!

One of the biggest things I've been working on is the invitations.  Since I am completely in love with my Silhouette softwear, I just knew I had to try to make something extra-special for this precious little girl!

Julie and I have scanned the Internet for months, and finally found "the one" on Pinterest a couple of months ago.  All credit for this idea goes to the original designer on Pinterest.  We changed the colors around a little to match the party better, and we think it turned out fantastic!

(Edited for personal information)

I just love how the pictures show her growth from little baby, to an "almost" one year old little girl!

We have so many super-cute plans for this party!  I can't wait to share them all with you!!

I hope you all are having a wonderful and fantastic week!

Thankful Thursday!

My friend Kelli from Countin' My Blessings has decided that all her Thursday posts during the month of November will be all about gratitude.

What a fantastic idea!  I hope you don't mind if I borrow your idea, Kelli!

This Thursday, I am thankful for my wonderful husband, Marty, who works very hard, every single day to make sure we have everything we need.  He always supports me in whatever decisions I make, and is an incredible father to our children.  I am beyond thankful that God sent him to me!

Photo by RoPoPhoto

I am thankful for my awesome children.  Every single day they amaze me with their compassion for others, their humor, and their ability for unconditional love.  I am beyond thankful that God allowed me to be their mother!

 Photo by RoPoPhoto

I am thankful for my mother.  There is no way I could even begin to describe how much I love her.  There are no words that could even convey what a wonderful woman she is.  I am beyond thankful that God blessed me with such a fantastic role model.

 (Chelsea, Aunt Cat, Aunt Nina, My mother, Aunt Betsy)

And finally, I am thankful for this new, precious bundle of joy! 

 

Miss Mallory was born yesterday, weighing in at 7# 8oz, and is perfect! 

 

 That is ONE PROUD PAPA!

I really wanted to take her home with me, but they wouldn't let me.  :o(

Mama Julie is doing great and Papa Clay is beyond proud!  He told me this morning "I think she's even cuter and more adorable today than she was yesterday!"  Seeing and hearing the transformation in this first-time daddy has had me in tears all morning.  I am beyond thankful that God blessed our families with Julie and Clay and now precious baby Mallory!

What are you thankful for this Thursday?