one: part two

Dear Kiley,

For your first birthday we gave you some toys you'll soon forget about. But more importantly, we spent a lot of time with you, showered you with love, hugs and kisses, and had all your friends and family over for a super fun party. I hope these blog posts will someday mean more to you than any party or gift, or piece of paper with dollar signs on it. You certainly don't appreciate it now, but hopefully someday you'll recognize the value in me sharing your personality in pictures with the web.

You have blossomed into quite the young lady. Your dad and I were trying to think of the right word to describe you... grumpy? No. Independent? Not quite. Sassy? Getting close... You certainly are vocal about getting what you want, particularly when it comes to food and things Jaxon has. Otherwise you are generally the cutest, brightest spot of the day with a smile that lights up the room, melts hearts, and makes people want to bite you (grandma walker in particular).

I find myself just watching you... you're catching on to things now and starting to tease your brother quite a bit, playing peekabo on your own, working on standing all by yourself, walking with toys or along furniture, climbing up all the stairs, hiding in my clothes in the closet with a very mischevious grin, saying 'nigh nigh' and 'yum yum'. You can eat a whole cheeseburger from McDonald's all on your own- we now have to buy another meal when we go out instead of sharing because well, you just eat a lot. You are so desperate to be able to run around and play, go down the slides at the park, play catch, and do all the things the other kids are doing. Sometimes it leaves some nasty scrapes and gashes on your forehead right before a big party weekend and family pictures. I think you're going to be a handful someday...

But for now, I'm just going to stare at you and soak you up. Take way too many pictures of you, and give you some big squeezes just to make you giggle. Listen to the silence as you eat (because you eat so much!). And enjoy your constant wonder at how things work. You are such a sweet little girl. I can't wait to get to know you even more. We love you. Happy 1st birthday.

Mom and Dad

Enjoy these pictures from your party!

Checking out the monkey hand puppet from Carol and Jeri.

Am I supposed to laugh? 

 What else is in here? Opening presents from Grandma and Grandpa Walker.

 Before everyone got there on Sunday for the birthday party, Jaxon and Zoe took a spin in the driveway. Neither of them is a very good driver.

I can't wait to show them how to drive...

 Mmmm... Can't beleive mom worked so hard on these! Oh wait, that's right, she bought them. And they were good.

Showing everyone how you topple mountains at the water table.

And in the third outfit of the day... we did the Chinese tradition of having Kiley pick something on the tray. Each item represents her future somehow (calculater= smart, pen= writer/creative type, candy= like to eat/ foodie, toy= like to goof off, money= wealthy).

She picked the pen! Atta girl!

Then she picked that little piece of wrapping paper...

 And a cupcake to top it all off.

Approved.

 Double approval.