Caden's 1st Birthday!

Happy First Birthday Caden!  Today he is one.  I cannot believe a year has passed since Caden was born.  So much has happened in a year.  Collin and I are truly blessed with a wonderful child.  We love him dearly. 

We had a birthday party for him yesterday. He had six friends over and their parents for a total of 16 people at our house. All of the kids got along very well. Caden has a very friendly personality and loves playing with and watching other kids. We bought him some play tents for his party with tunnels. The kids enjoyed playing in that and with his other toys. I made him a healthy oatmeal cookie cake and he loved it. I also made peanut butter cookies for people who didn't want the healthy cake and we had ice cream along with strawberries, veggies, cheese, meats, and crackers.  Here are some pictures from his birthday party. 

Is this for me?

Yummy, I love Oatmeal Cookie Cake!

Oatmeal Cookie Cake

Playing in my ball pit with my friend Katelyn

Action shot of some of the kids playing

I like playing with Miranda too

Katelyn and Miranda

Peyton is one of my best friends

David was the only boy who was able to come to my party.  We are just a month a part in age.  We get along great!  Maybe he and his sisters, Maya and Emma, can teach me German.

Kids love Collin

 

My Mom loves me!

Thanks everyone for the wonderful gifts!  Come over again and we can play together.

Today I made cupcakes for his birthday and Father's Day. Happy Father's Day Collin! We decided to let Caden have one cupcake without icing. He loved it. Hopefully he will forgot the taste of sugar and never ask for any!  Haha.  I honestly try to only give him healthy foods and don't add salt or sugar to foods he eats. We've been making most of his food this past month. I try and give him at least two servings of veggies and at least 3 servings of fruit a day plus grains and protein.

First bite of "real" cupcake

  

This past month Caden started walking.  He has been cruising for several months but finally took off a week ago.  We knew he could do it.  He's also amazingly pretty stable.  When a lot of people are around he prefers to hang onto mom or dad but when we're home or there are not a lot of people around he'll walk around the room.  We hope to get a well baby appointment this week.  Once we go we will give you his biometrics.

A year ago.

A year ago I had just given birth to the most beautiful baby I have ever seen.  I was beyond exhausted but had more energy than I ever had in my life, especially on such little sleep.  My world was changed forever.  I became a mom, what I view now as the most important role in my life.  I had a precious child that could not do anything for himself.  It was up to me and Collin to take care of this child and help him grow up.

Sweet newborn

Today.

Now Caden is walking, "talking," and exploring his surroundings.  He laughs and makes us laugh.  He can even feed himself.  Caden has grown up so much this past year and yet still has so much more to learn and more to grow.  He has almost tripled in his weight and I look at his infant clothes with joy as I think back to the days after we brought him home from the hospital and dressed him in his tiny clothes.

Active sweet toddler!

Dear Caden,

We are so blessed to be your parents.  God graciously gave you to us and we love you more than words can describe.  This first year has been fun and we are enjoying raising you.  We are trying to treasure every minute we have with you and we look forward to all the days to come! We love you son, happy first birthday.

Love,
Mom and Dad