Happy Birthday Willow Grace!

Since our camera doesn't work any longer (have to get another very soon), we were just able to get pictures back from Chris's mom from Willow Grace's birthday. I can't believe that she turned one already! What a year it's been!

We celebrated at Chris's parents house with about 30 guests. Among other things, for our refreshments we had Tigger's Terrific Tortilla Chips and salsa; Eeyore's Dressed Eggs; carrots, grape tomatoes, and broccoli from Rabbit's Vegetable Garden, Roo's Red Grapes, and Piglet's Party Punch. I displayed little cards next to each item. Though she seemed quite confused by all of the attention she was getting, she seemed to enjoy all of her presents. Some of the best moments were watching her face while she heard "Happy Birthday" being sang to her for the first time, seeing her dance while her daddy and Uncle Marty played their guitars, and finally getting her to eat a bit of her cake after everyone had gone.

The Busyness Continues

If my report on how crazy my Saturday was gave any indication about how my weekend was going, then you won't be surprised that the flurry of activity kept up a healthy pace. On Sunday we traveled to Crossville for a family reunion. We spent two and a half sweltering hours in a picnic pavillion with about 75-90 of Chris's relatives from his paternal grandmother's side. Thankfully, there was a lake nearby, and we benefited from a bit of a breeze drifting in to keep us from getting too uncomfortable. I think my favorite moment was watching Willow's fascination with the geese that had gathered around as some of the children fed them leftover rolls; she stood quite still and stared at them in wide-eyed wonder. Afterwards, we went on to visit with his maternal grandmother and a few other relatives. There, Willow Grace entertained everyone in the living room as she practiced her newly acquired skill of walking.

On our way back to Nashville we took a little detour through Murfreesboro to pick up a little gift Chris found for me on Craig's List. We've decorated our kitchen in Coca-Cola (of course), and he found a little Coca-Cola tiffany-style lamp for me which he knew that I had really wanted. I already have the little tiffany-style juke box and telephone, so it goes quite well. Kudos to my thoughtful husband!

For my Monday, I had BIG plans, even if they were just a bit unrealistic. I really wanted to get all of my errands and running around done for the week. I planned to visit Sam's, Walmart, Target, TJ Maxx, Linen-n-Things, Party City, The Dollar Tree, the bank, the Range Rover dealership, and a couple other places. Sounds crazy, I know, and I didn't even get half of that accomplished. I've been a mom for almost a year now, and I still haven't completely figured out that I just can't do as much running around as I used to. There are meals to be prepared and served, naps to be taken, diapers to change, and play time that must be had. I was halted even before I left the house by a very sleepy Willow Grace who settled in for a morning nap. When she finally awoke, I scooped her up and went to pick up Mom who spent the rest of the day with us until Dad came to fetch her back from our house last night. So, even though I didn't get all of my running around done, I had my sweet baby girl and my sweet mom with me. What better shopping buddies are there?

This week I will spend checking and rechecking my lists for Willow Grace's first birthday party. While I run all over town picking up odds and ends for the party; I'll also be looking for just the right present. I just can't seem to decide what to buy for her. I really want to find her a little toy vacuum cleaner that makes realistic noises. She loves watching me vacuum and chases the vacuum cleaner all over the living room. Shopping for a one-year-old is hard. While there is certainly no shortage of fun toys out there, there's so much that is just not age appropriate for her. I really want to get something great for her, but what would that be? I need ideas!

4:13 AM and...

I can't get back to sleep. I awoke well over an hour ago to the strained little cries of Willow Grace who had a very wet diaper. She had not finished her bedtime bottle, so I gave her that. Still she did not go back to sleep, so I rocked her for another 45 minutes before gently placing her back in her bed. Finally, I lightly treaded my way back to bed, but between being slightly chilled and the million thoughts swirling around in my head sleep would not come. I thought of a half a dozen things that I could get up to do, and this one (writing here) won out.

Just fourteen hours ago I was preparing for a Pampered Chef party here at the house. Most of my guests had never been here before, and I was nearly quaking with anticipation and excitement as I took each of my guests in turn and gave them a tour of my nearly completed home. I've been working so hard all week to get each room ready -- cleaning, carefully hanging pictures, placing odds and ends. Finally, this morning, I could think of nothing else to do to prepare, and so while Chris busied himself on the computer and Willow Grace took her morning nap I stretched myself across our sleigh bed with Marley & Me and settled in to read a few chapters. What a delightful book it's turning out to be.

The party was a wild flurry of conversations and activity. I darted up and down the stairs at least a couple dozen times either giving tours or attending to some need of Willow's. I flitted from guest to guest engaging in excited conversation over Pampered Chef products, some detail of my home, the joys of being Willow Grace's mother, the happenings in their lives, workout routines, the two delicious dishes of enchilada casserole and strawberry trifle that had just been made, and fond memories of times we've shared together. On the whole, I would say that the event was quite a success, and I am so glad that I did it.

Not long after my last guest left, I quickly cleaned the dishes, tidied up the house a bit, gathered all the dishes and ingredients I would need to take with me for dinner preparation, prepared Willow's diaper bag, and headed out the door with my sister on our way to another party at my parents' house, this one a celebration for my uncle who has, quite impressively, become debt free! Our husbands had spent the last few hours together and were already there, so we woke Willow from her afternnoon nap and set out.

There I busied myself with dinner preparations. I made and served two pizza casseroles, and (to my delight) everyone gushed over how delicious they were. It's such a easy dish but is so tasty! Finally, after I cleared and cleaned the dishes, spent some time with Dad finalizing some details for the ministry's newletter, and had just a couple bites of the cake, which had multiple pictures of credit cards with the words "Paid in full" triumphantly stamped across each, we loaded up my now empty casserole dishes and our sweet girl and headed back home where I promptly put her to bed and took up my book to enjoy a few more chapters before drifting off to sleep myself.

And now I have snippets of conversations from the last 24 hours playing out in my head, rememberances of events from the novel I'm reading and even other novels I've read, scenes from TV shows and movies I've recently watched, plans for our travel to Crossville for a family reunion, to do lists, and so much else still bouncing around in my head and jostling for my attention.

It's now 4:43, and I really would like to get just a bit more sleep.