Happy First Birthday, My Sweet Sophia!

Having a birthday the day after Christmas is going to prove to be very interesting. However, there is a huge benefit. Wherever we are, you can bet there are hordes of family members hanging around ready to be a part of the celebration.

This year, though I would have loved to celebrate at home in the very room she was born, we got together at another special place: Grammie's house!
My Grammie is 90 years old, and for as long as I can remember, has been hosting birthday parties for all ages. It just seemed so appropriate to have Sophia's first birthday party there as well. Graciously, my aunt (who shares Grammie's house with her) provided dishes and a clean house and candles and extra food and a few cousins.

I don't even remember who all was there as there were people running in and out and stopping by. It was a very festive and happy atmosphere, with no lack of distractions for the little ones. One part that was special is both my and Eric's parents were there.

We brought a huge pot of chili and a platter of holiday cookies for a treat, but for Sophia, we gave her a taste of her first cake...a pancake! With both the girls, we opted for a less sugary birthday treat. Mari had yogurt with fresh berries and a graham cracker for her first birthday treat. We let her eat it herself (thankfully, Mari is a summer baby, and so after covering herself with yogurt and berry juice, we just dipped her in the lake). Sophia had a pancake. I was going to add maple syrup, but plum forgot. She didn't seem to mind a bit. She got the privilege of eating it herself as well, another first for her.
We had practiced blowing, but she was so amazed at the tiny flame she forgot what she had learned. Mari, Joshy, and Elizabeth (my cousin's daughter who happens to share Sophia's birthday) all happily blew out the candle for her.

Besides having yet another child reach the one year milestone, another surreal moment of the day for me was this.
My sister Heathyr and I changing our babies together. I so vividly remember being six years old and playing dollies with Heathyr, and now here we are with our "real" babies. Weird.

And I can scarcely believe THIS baby is already one year old. Happy Birthday, Sophia Pearl!