Happy 1st Birthday Piper!

Warning: Lots of pics!

Piper--April 30, 2008 ~7 lbs, 2 oz.
3 months

6 months

9 months

12 months

Happy Birthday Baby Girl! Piper couldn't wait to celebrate today b/c she was up at 6:30 am and only took a 30 minute nap this afternoon. Fun times for Mommy! We had a good day despite the fussiness. I think she's teething again (which could sum up the 1st year!!). We went to a playgroup and met some new friends, ran errands, and did some shopping. Her big celebration will be on Sunday! Here are some pics from today.

She did not like her birthday hat!

She didn't really like the headband either...but isn't cute!!

But...she did like running around naked after her bath and playing with her toys!

Isn't this a cute face!

And, this is her new fort that Daddy made for Piper...the car seat box!

Piper's first year has gone by so fast and we are so happy she's a part of our family. Neither Michael or I could imagine life without her! I am so proud to be her mother and I am looking forward to all the years ahead!

Tyler visit

Last week Piper and I drove to Tyler, TX to visit. We had a few friends that have had babies over the past few months and we wanted to visit with everyone else (that we could fit in!). We left on a Wednesday planning to leave Saturday morning but found out that we had to be back for a funeral on Saturday so our plans were cut short and we left Friday morning. Our visits were short and sweet but still fun! Here are some pics from our visit! We visited with our former neighbors and I took these pics of Piper in front of Mr. & Mrs. Fullers yard. They are wonderful gardeners and have beautiful landscaping!

We stayed with The Estes Family. They were fun hosts! Here's Jonah holding Piper and his little sister Parker. Parker was born two weeks after Piper!

This is Piper with baby River. He is 3 months old! His mom, Paula, was a teacher at Andy Woods.

Parker & Piper.

Mr. & Mrs. Fuller w/Piper.

Macy & Piper. Macy was born 2 days before Piper. Her mom and I enjoyed our pregnancy together! I was able to eat dinner with some of the former Sunday school girls. Macy got to come along too!

Jonah loving on Piper. Piper loved all the attention he gave her!

Aunt Becky & Piper. Becky and I worked together at Andy Woods. Piper and I saw a lot of friends at the school when we were visiting but this pic w/Becky was the only one I took!

Mikenlie & Abigail, our former neighbors, with Piper!

We also got to see Baby Charlotte (5wks). She was so little and such a doll! I didn't get to hold her long enough and was hoping to go back and see her but plans changed! I didn't get a pic of her either. And, I got to see Baby Tyler (3 wks). He was really little! And, we visited very quickly with our friends Brittany & Jon and had breakfast with my friend Ame. I really enjoyed going back!

Some New Pics

We have been super busy this past week and it doesn't look like it's slowing down this week as we prepare for her 1st bday!! Here's some pics that I've needed to post for a while now! Piper recently started crawling around the house holding her baby. She has no name!

Clutching the baby as she tries to pull up on the stairs. She has only been able to pull up to her knees so far. I think she looks like a Prewett in this pic. (my dad's side)

Future cook??? She can now pull up to the microwave! Just great! We have a microwave that is built in low for kids to use but I'm pretty sure I don't want Piper to use it just yet!

Piper's Bedroom

Well, I think Piper's room is finished except for a few things here and there! I sewed the curtain hanging behind the bed with leftover fabric I had from having her bumpers, bedskirt, and curtain made. Yes, the adorable curtain I made for her former room was ripped apart so that I could make this one! I didn't have to purchase anything but the rod! I really want to put something in that middle space you see b/n the curtains. I can't think of anything...any suggestions?? Those canvas paintings to the right of the bed look dwarfed in this pic but in person they don't so much! Grammy painted those!

Also-I still have Piper's fat bumpers on her bed. I tried taking them out b/c she's kind of crowded in there and she did not sleep well. I think she likes the coziness they create. Sometimes at night she sleeps on her side w/her back smack dab against the bumpers. Also, the bedskirt on her crib was made by Piper's Grandma Judy. I was able to just fold it in half and pin it once we lowered her crib down all the way. Doesn't Piper have talented Grandma's!

Now, this is the BIG project I have been working on...the painted alphabet. It's the project I mentioned Grammy worked on over Easter! Here's the story on it: I went to the annual Cloverleaf (a cool, funky store here in ardmore) sale a few weeks ago and they had some of those big and small letters for really cheap. Like the ones you get at a baby boutique for $14 a letter. I got mine for 25 and 50 cents a letter! The only thing was these letters were scratched and scuffed and they only had random letters like X, Y, Z. Well I got about 1/3 of the alphabet and then began my hunt for the rest. I found some marked down cheap at Hobby Lobby and I purchased some cheap frames, canvasas and some wooden shapes (on sale of course) to be painted on and with a LOT of creative help from Grammy this is what my idea turned into! I sure wish I could paint! Good thing I've got her! ;-) Isn't it so great! I love it! I want all of you see it in person! BTW, the entire project was under $20!

The frames you see on the right are going to have Piper's newborn pics in them once Hobby Lobby gets the correct mats in stock! I have the middle one framed and matted correctly.

Paper lanterns

Doesn't she look guilty?? She was trying to escape while I was working on hanging the alphabet and she knew she shouldn't. Look how long those legs are!!!

Painted canvas by Grammy!

'B' from the alphabet. Grammy painted this freehand!

The side table.

The House Tour Begins--Guest Bed & Bath

Well my friends you are finally getting a little glimpse of what my house looks like. It's slowwwwwly coming along! Enjoy seeing the guest bathroom and guest bedroom below! The sink area. I have hung a brown towel there now instead of a cream towel!

Above: Guest bath wall when you first walk in and to the left. I've hung my pictures of presidential homes.

Behind the potty, I hung my former bedroom drapes from ceiling to floor. They were not that long but I had 4 panels so I sewed two panels together and they puddle at the bottom. I hope to hang some kind of picture in the middle at some point! (sorry the photos are a bit blurry)

The potty again! The bathroom has a tan w/brown striped wallpaper on it. I really like the wallpaper. In person, it looks very Ralph Laurenish. I really like the way this bathroom turned out and it's all thanks to my best friend Chandra and her creative ideas!!

Now, on to the guest bedroom. I really like the way the bedroom turned out as well. I think it looks way better in person than in the pictures. I don't love what I have hung above the bed but it was free for now. I want to eventually replace it with a wall of plates when I find some cheap ones! Also, in person the scale of the items looks better (in my opinion!)

Once again, these are some curtains I already had. I had them hanging in my office/guest room in our former home. See where the trim is in this picture? Well, in my former home that is where the curtain touched the floor. In this home, the ceilings are so much taller so luckily I had some extra fabric and sewed it to the end of the curtain and hot glued the trim on you see in the picture. (my sister made those curtains about 8 years ago for her former home!)

The view to the hall.

And, the view when you walk into the room. The closet doors are to the right of that chair. That armoire was located in my former living room! It looks so much smaller in this house. It works great in this room! See that wreath...my m-i-l made that to match some wedding decor and I just changed a few of the flower springs and it worked great! I probably spent about $10 on this room. I'm so proud that I used what I already had! I am kind of sad that I haven't painted one wall in this house b/c I love color but I'm coming to terms with it and I keep reminding myself that painting is a lot of work and I can't even keep the house cleaned on a regular basis; how am I going to complete a painting project! :-)

Next on the tour will probably be the kitchen/dining area and Piper's room. I've got to clean the house and finish a few things in her room. My bedroom is bare. It's so sad but I'm trying to work on a plan for it and I have grand ideas for the living room but I just need to find time to go to the furniture store!! Anyway, that's the tour for today!

Happy Birthday Daddio!

The birthday cake waiting to be devoured with vanilla ice cream!

This is Michael's first birthday to celebrate with Piper! We baked him a cake this morning and we plan to take him out to eat some yummy Mexican food at Polo's tonight! Happy Birthday Michael!

Easter basket!

Yesterday Mommy forgot to give Piper her Easter basket goodies from her Grandma & Grandpa Levy so we gave them to her today! She loved her little egg and the mini-Elmo & Grover that were inside! Thank you Grandma & Grandpa!