One.

How Big is Liam?

That's right. So Big! And I can hardly believe it. He is one. A happy, healthy, perfect one. 23lbs and 31 and a quarter inches which means 50th percentile for weight and 90 for height. Tracking at around 6'1 or 6'2 which would make his daddy really happy, but really what can you tell when they are 1?

Liam was ready for one. I think he was holding out on several items until the big day. He threw away the bottle and simply prefers his milk with a straw. He uses a spoon to feed himself whether that be the wrong or the right end of the spoon. It also really doesn't matter if he actually gets anything on the spoon, he just prefers to do it himself!

We also started walking more independently.

and we can finally clap! He was so thrilled to learn that he could do this one.

Liam has become more talkative and has increased his 'baby' vocabulary to: mama, dada, Ta Ta (Tucker), Ba Ba (bye bye), ummm (Yum), Moo (for what the cow says), Duh (duck), Di Di (GiGi) and when he gets super excited Da DEEE (daddy). Also we did a little Pa action for Pop. We think he even mimicked 'Cake' for Paige at his party, but that is just a mommy guess! He amazes us everyday.

It is truly incredible to watch his little brain work. He loves to push cars around the house and even makes the perfect little boy "vroom." I guess they just instinctively know what to do. He can point out the cow, the pig (his favorite probably because i oink when he gets it right) and the sheep. He also knows where mommy's eyes, nose and mouth are and gets super excited when he points them out correctly. In the bath we know the boat, the duck (Duh) and "Oh, no Mr. Bill!" He loves to chew on this rubber doll - sorry it carries daddy's name!


His favorite song is Twinkle Twinkle little star. He makes the little twinkle stars by pinching his fingers together, which means you must sing! It took me forever to figure out what the heck he was doing... thank you daycare teachers for the heads up! He LOVES the spinner toy that dad bought and he puts just about everything in it, pulls the lever and watches items twirl. This would include the occasional attempt to put himself in the spinning bowl. All the kids try it... they are so silly! His favorite toys include books and the wooden stacking rings that my Aunt and Uncle bought him for Christmas. He used to get frustrated with them, but now he is an expert! He also loves figuring out how things work. We call him our little engineer because he studies gadgets super hard and always wants to give them a try!

My favorite from this little one year old? Eskimo kisses! He will rub his little nose on mine when I ask and just burst into a fit of giggles. I don't think this will ever get old.


I think I have been planning for Liam's first birthday since he was 6 months old. I knew then that I wanted to do a Very Hungry Caterpillar birthday party. We have worn the pages of the storybook and chewed the antenna of our stuffed caterpillar. An instant attraction to this beautiful book. The colors were so stimulating and as many of you know, Liam has been a fan of green since he entered into this world.

And so the time came. Liam's first birthday. I tried to hold my breath as if it wasn't actually here. But as I took that breath I felt the most intense feeling of joy I have ever felt. I cannot explain it. You know when your parents call you on your birthday or give you that tight squeeze and re-live your birth day over and over. And tell you just how long it took you to make it into the world and what happened when you took your first breath. And then they make you wait until the very second you were born before you are allowed to truly celebrate?

I get it mom. I get it. My birthday is also a celebration for you. Because you were there first. Because you experienced it. And there is nothing in this world like holding your child for the very first time. Watching them take that first breath is overwhelming. And that first birthday feels like you have come so far when you look back and take a look at where you have been. And maybe it seems a little silly or a little mushy, but... I get it. I will take from another inspiring blog because Bryan Adams says it best "When you love someone, you'll do anything. You'll do all the crazy things that you can't explain. You'll shoot the moon. Put out the sun. When you love someone." My heart is happy and I was the crazy mom! I am so totally in love with my little one year old. He is one. At exactly 3:10 on January 22nd he turned one.

It turned out just as I imagined it. A magical cocoon world fit for a caterpillar king! His eyes sparkled. Liam was so excited and his reaction was more than my heart could take. My cup runneth over.

We set the table full of tasty treats that the caterpillar would eat through...

And left an entire buffet set to hold the most incredible cake. Steffany Bowling outdid herself on this one. Each piece was carefully crafted and hand-painted to perfection. She managed to capture every detail in this masterpiece. It was so rich and creamy. A birthday cake beyond my wildest dreams.

Shalonda from Chubby Cheeks photography helped us to set the scene for such a joyous celebration with a series of the most yummy cake smash photos. Shalonda is so much more than a photographer and she is truly a master at creating and capturing every memory. She sees beyond the lens and manages to create magic every time. She takes my breath away and is truly inspiring. It is amazing the way our lives crossed and the similarities that we share.

Nicole made our story come to life with all the outstanding details. From the invitations, to the labels, to the decor and beyond her personal touches turned our caterpillar vision into reality. She has such a creative eye and I had so much fun brainstorming and creating with her. My heart was filled with butterflies of excitement, quite literally.

The tunnel system was setup and within minutes our home was filled with the sounds of tiny voices and laughter. The sound of pure happiness. The sound of joy. It was a gorgeous day and as I looked around I could not have felt more loved. More happy to be surrounded by the most amazing family and incredible group of friends. I am truly blessed to have the support, advice, friendships and genuine care from every single one of these individuals. And whether we formed a bond through our children or college or church or work or even babies-r-us, we formed a bond. And I am so grateful. So full. So incredibly lucky to be here in this place. And Liam is so lucky to grow up knowing so much love and so much happiness!

It would not have been a birthday without an artist touch and we brought in the most talented artist I know. My mommy! With the help of Uncle Steven and "Aunt" Rach we managed to dip tiny fingers into green paint to create one of a kind artwork. I don't think we ruined a single outfit in the creation of these little beauties.

A very special thank you to a woman behind the scenes. A woman who I have always admired and loved. A friend that holds a special place in my heart and who made a very special trip just to capture the day and bottle it up. Paige Ogilvie from PLO Photography. Thank you for being there. Thank you for allowing me to be in the moment. You have such an amazing talent and gift and I could not think of a more perfect person to do the job. I cannot wait to fall in love with the day all over again once we get a glimpse of your photos!

As the paint dried and the little yawns begin to creep in... it was time to say goodbye to our little friends. We sent them off with eric carle lotions, bubble baths and creams.

We gave each little a bug inspired sucker and a caterpillar or ladybug water bottle complete with a large helping of gummy caterpillars stuffed in their carrying cage perfect for the ride home!

It was the perfect first birthday and Liam slept so soundly! Happy Birthday sweet boy!