The Big Party...

Well, we survived the one year old's birthday celebration...  Barely!:) 

Let me just tell you, the Little Gym is the place to do it.  Sure, it's not the cheapest, but they take care of EVERYTHING, except writing the thank you notes.  Shelby and her crew helped us set up, put out all the snacks, and corralled the 17 kids in an orderly fashion!  They were simply amazing and all 17 kids enjoyed the body flinging activities confined in one, large room...  And there were a lot of bodies flinging... let me tell you!  Shelby and staff even wrote down all my gifts and who they were from.  Felt like she was my BFF at my wedding and baby showers.  

And the best part....  NO CLEAN UP... Score!

 The morning of his party.  This could be trouble.  Mean mugging us all while rocking the Bill Murray hair...  Thank God he pepped up!  (Brad said he was ticked off at the lame penguin pj's his mother put him in...)

Ummmm.  Try again bakery.

Added the "d"!  Much better!:)

 Sugar cookie party favors for all the kids.  To die for...

"Where is everyone?!  Let's get this party started!!"

We love some shakers...

 Most of all the troops!  This was a crew!  They all played so well together...

Nothing says "party" quite like a rainbow parachute!  

(Bebo just supervised through the glass...  He did remind me twice that the Patriots kicked off at 3:30 and the party was over at 3:15. I told him that he would live if he missed the kickoff:). 

 Bob and the birthday boy...

 The older kids were sooo sweet to Ledger.  Knox, Emma Kate and Campbell were terrific helpers.  

Fun with Daddy.  And the shaker...  He was obsessed with those things. 

 Time for cake...

Nope...  Not having it!  Didn't eat one bite.  (Definitely doesn't take after his mother...)

Well folks, that's about all he did.  Slap it, stare at his fingers and then cry.

 Mommies friends and Ledger's friends!

 Uncle Slade, Aunt Lindz and the crew came!  We were sooo happy they came for the day!

Knox, Briggs and Ellis had a LARGE time!

Two tired Grandmas and one extremely over stimulated, delirious baby post party...

 

Uncle Chebe, Aunt Boppy and the Foster Clan!

 The morning after...  Ledger loves his DeDe and Grandma!

What a great party celebrating this little guy.  Loved every minute of it!

What a wonderful day with friends and family.  We were all exhausted and of course Ledger got his second wind about 8:00 pm Saturday night.  He had zero clue where he was, ran into multiple walls here in the a.p.t. and was up at 1:00, 3:00 and 5:00 am...  We both knew it was going to be a hellacious night after an all day party with two measly 45 minute naps.  But we survived!

And nothing like partying all day on Saturday and Momma starting her new job the following Monday.  And the Wainscott's are moving into our new house in three weeks.  

Can I get an AMEN!

  I mean, why not do it all at once?!?!  

Tears are sure to happen within the next 30 days.  Both happy and stress tears:)

Love,

~H 

Dear Ledger...

Dear Ledger,

WOW!  What a year this has been.  Everyone said it would fly by and some days I thought they were lying, but it sadly has.

From that late Mother's Day 2014 night, when it read positive on the fun, little plastic stick, I knew you were going to be the miracle that your Daddy and I had prayed for.  I was so excited that night I don't think I slept an hour.  I hid it from your Daddy, because I just wanted to make sure.  So after taking three more pregnancy tests the following Monday morning in the 3rd grade staff bathroom at Woodlake Elementary, I knew it was true and I wasn't crazy.  You were here.

When you arrived January 13th, 2015 at 12:32 pm, I admit I was PETRIFIED out of my mind.  I was scared to no end.  I like to be prepared.  There was nothing else I could have read, Googled, or asked/texted girlfriends about.  I thought I knew it all.  Well, boy was that laughable.  All that got thrown out the window the exact moment I heard your faint cries in the delivery room.  The next three days in the hospital were such a blur.  I just remember being so freaked out and not knowing exactly what to do.  I think I might have changed one diaper.  Your Daddy, grandmas, nurses and aunts sadly did them all.  I would like to blame it on the aftermath of the C-section, but I was completely overwhelmed. "I am a Mom", I kept thinking.  I wanted to be THE perfect mom.  I was literally scared to death.  Even on day two of your life, Daddy had to ask Mommy if I needed to talk with someone...  Brad was a tad concerned that he had forever lost his normal wife.:)  AND that honest, gut wrenching question from Daddy made me get a grip, put on my big girl panties and take the reins!   But, I do have to apologize about the time I was uncontrollably sobbing and begging Daddy not to go to work and leave me alone with you when you were about 2 weeks old.  I was extremely anxious, frustrated and maybe a tad "cuckoo"!  Nothing personal...

 

You are no longer a baby anymore.  You are a strong-willed, happy toddler that can now throw an epic fit when you have to put on your shoes, when you don't want to eat or be strapped in your high chair, or don't want to leave the Little Gym.   You are becoming so independent and on one hand it kind of breaks my heart sometimes that you don't need me as much anymore and sometimes it makes me cry happy tears that you can finally do somethings on your own without a death grip on my leg.

I don't mind picking up the tornado of toys, books, blocks, and fridge magnets at the end of each day.  I don't even mind picking out the endless trail of soggy crackers left embedded in the high quality apartment carpet at all (Not ours and not for long!)  I don't mind talking to you all day everyday in our baby talk dialogue, and the persistence of trying relentlessly to get you to say "Mama" instead of "that" guy's name.  I don't mind that ALL you want to eat is pureed baby food, but the recent discovery of Ritz and Lays has been great news; even though you really only lick the salt off of them.  And at the rate we are going, I won't mind packing your lunch of Squeezies when you are in 2nd grade, but you may get made fun of.  I really don't even mind our 2 am, 3 am, 4 am parties anymore; my body and mind are used to them after a serious lack of sleep for the past 365 days.  

I cannot get enough of your infectious giggle, sideways grins, and your teasing nature.  Or your love of people (you would gladly go with any child abductor), love of open-mouthed kisses, and your zest for life!

You have taught me that life is definitely an adventure and that as a Mom, you must be flexible... That is a tough word for this type A personality, but I have you to thank that it is getting better.  Slowly, but surely.  You have taught me to live each day to the fullest.  You have brought daily laughs and smiles everyday to our lives.  Just one of you shrillish giggles can make a bad day turn around in a split second.

You are a true blessing to our lives.  Your Dad and I sit around and talk about what we did without you; sleep a lot, drink a lot of wine, go out to adult dinners, take fun spontaneous trips, go to the movies and sleep more!  But we would gladly give up all those again and again for YOU.  You have taught us the true meaning of unselfish love.  You are undoubtedly the best thing that has ever happened to us.

You are special and unique.  God knew exactly 'YOU' so long ago; what your personality would be, your spirit, your quirks and he molded your laid back demeanor. Your Daddy and I are the blessed ones that get to call you ours.  Ours forever.  

I am already so proud of you it hurts. You are destined to do great things Ledger Cory Wainscott.  I just know it.  But for now, just stay Mommy's BFF.

I love you more than anything and nothing will ever change that.  

Love,  

Mommy