My artwork...

Haha! Just kidding...this SO isn't artwork! I have been working on this thing for almost 2 years! I started it while Chad and I were building our house. I needed something to keep me busy while he spent late hours working at the house...I was newly pregnant and there wasn't much I could do to help him. About halfway through it, I got burnt out and quit! I was inspired to go back and finish it this week after looking at Natalie Barham's blog...my good friend Brooke is her sister-in-law. Ok, so I know my work will never compare to hers, but I think this is an adorable sign for my classroom door! I'll leave it to Natalie for beautiful things for the home. She is having a holiday show next Thursday in Ruston if anyone's interested in going!

Avie's 1st Birthday Party...FINALLY!

Well, I think 2 months after her birthday party, it's high-time I posted some pics of it. We had a BLAST! It is stressful throwing a first birthday party! Geez! Her birthday was on a Wednesday so we had a nice Avie/Mama day...she wasn't in a very good mood that day! I know! Sad! But the day of her birthday party was another story...she has a perfect day. On her actual birthday, Nonna and Papa drove over and we went to eat at Outback. After that, we took Avie to the mall and rode her on the carousel 3 times! She loves that thing.

She HAD to have a special outfit to wear on her birthday! I made this, appliqued a cupcake on it, and monogrammed it!!

We let her open a few presents that day....hello? It's her birthday! She got a ton of gifts at her party but she couldn't go her whole actual birthday without anything!

Reading a birthday card from Nonna and Papa

I made cupcakes that day and we brought one to Outback with a candle so we could sing Happy Birthday to her! The candle also played Happy Birthday!

Of course Daddy picks the buck to ride. He puts her on that one everytime. Look at that little girl's face!

Ok, so these are a little out of order, but there are so many! Avie ate some of her cake, but she didn't get down in it like I thought she would! She wasn't self-feeding at the time, but she is now!

If your kids don't have one of these, it's a MUST! She loved this thing!





And my nieces did too, so we got Caroline one for her birthday the next month.




Giving her baby doll (from the Bristers) some sugar!

Ooh, and another baby! From Nana and Pops! It says all sorts of different things, she lights up everytime she sees it!

Daddy with his birthday girl.

This is Miss Debbie, Avie's OT. Well, since she started daycare, she's with a different OT now, but she's been with Miss Debbie since she started, so she'll always be special to us! Avie loves her!

My little angel in the jumper!

Wow...I know.

And wow again.

Of course, she had to have a special bib!

Aunt Tata and Avie Drue! Avie loves her Aunt Tata!

And I joined in on the next one...

This is the thing that makes me the happiest...

Look how happy Grandmom looks. She loves her great-grandbabies.

Caroline and her mama!

My sweet little family. We are so blessed to have each other. God couldn't have matched up any 3 people as well as He matched us.

Chad calls Avie "Sugarbear" so we had to get her a personalized melamine plate to put in her room. My friend Ellen hosted an online show on so I bought one back in May. You can design these yourself....pattern, colors, font, everything.

Most of the party took place on the patio. It was cooler outside than it was inside! Yeah, we had the oven on, cooking, so it heated the entire house! I'll never do that again on a hot summer day! The cooking will be done a day in advance!

Mamaw and Avie. Mamaw kept Avie a few days a week last year. She was a huge help to us! I'm glad she's still healthy and able to do things like that.

Chad got Avie a lifejacket so she can ride in his boat now! It's HARD to find infant lifejackets! Thanks Bass Pro.

Sweet Olivia Jane Hamby...this might've been her very first birthday party to attend!

She is cheesin' it big time! She gets so excited! We can say, "Avie, say cheese!" and she does this funny little grin like she's doing in the picture.

Smilin' at her mamaw

Reading a birthday card. Can you believe my 1-year-old can already read??? ;)

It looks like I'm wearing a hat...it's her birthday balloon in the background.

So, what do ya think about her pettiskirt? Doesn't every little girl deserve one of these? Aren't they so prissy???

Some of the decorations. Thanks Nonna and Papa for all the balloons! They added "fun-ness" to the decor!

So there was probably too much food (and the bar was completely covered with dishes of party foods too!)....but isn't that the best thing about parties? Well, it is to ME!

A lady in West Monroe, Kelly Hargrove, made Avie's cake! It was absolutely perfect! And delicious! Thanks, Cathy, for the recommendation!

We can't believe our little girl just turned ONE! It was an amazing thing to look back on the past year and think about how much we went through with Avie and how far we've come. Sure, we still have OT and PT once a week and our baby is getting braces on her legs next week, but things could've turned out so different! What we have to do now is so minor compared to what could've been. We are blessed by the grace of God and we know how fortunate we are to have Avie as happy and healthy as she is today. She's an absolute joy and has a personality like no other! Thank you for loving her and for praying for us through this journey. We KNOW with all our hearts that it was prayer that got her AND us through what happened this time last year. Happy 1st Birthday my love!!!