Happy First Birthday Baby Elle-Bell

Welcome home sweet sister

Sooo happy to have a sissy!

so tiny, so perfect...

fresh from heaven,

Grandma and Grandpa Wilson gave her a gift and she didn't want to open it. She just carried it around and when Grandma tore it open for her she cried and carried around the pretty paper all devastated that grandma would ruin her pretty present. The kids all thought it was pretty funny.

Not sure she wants to touch it...

Happy Birthday Baby! ( I didn't have any dowels to use to support the cake and it sank as soon as it settled :( oops it wasn't my finest cake moment)

These pictures didn't post in order but they're still fun. Elena didn't want to touch the cake at first--didn't want to get her hands dirty. We eventually helped her dig in and then we couldn't get her out of it. She was literally 'all-in' by the time we were through. She demolished the cake as well as both our clothes and grandma wilson's tablecloth :)

"maybe this stuff IS ok...."

Eating Face first---Loving it!

Can't get enough!

I can hardly believe it! One year old and sooooo stinkin' funny. This girl is a character. She keeps us all on our toes. She loves her brothers and her sissy and wants to do everything that they do. They love her too and I'm afraid she's sooo very spoiled and loved. All three of the older kids dote on her and she adores them for it. She's also got her handsome Daddy completely wrapped around her cute little chubby fingers.

What a great year it's been we've loved every minute of it. Babies really are little miracles, perfect little hands, feet and bodies that grow and learn so fast. What a wonderful gift to be able to watch and love. We are so blessed to have this sweet baby princess in our family- I just want to know why they all think they have to grow so quickly? I hate that they get so big so fast! It breaks my heart to think that in under ten years our babies will start leaving the nest :( I try to dwell on the positive and every little thing they do that I love. Especially when things are hard or I'm so tired I just have to remind myself to enjoy every minute because it's not going to be like this forever, even though sometimes I wish it could be. Today really is a gift 'that's why they call it the present'