celebrating harper

 Harper had her first birthday party this past Saturday.  We had so much fun with our friends and family that were able to come celebrate our little lady.  A week before the party, Harper's Grandma (Brady's mom) called and said she wanted to come to the party from Utah.  We were thrilled!  We have loved our time here in Tucson, but for times like these it's tough to be so far from Harper's adoring grandparents.

It was so fun to have Michele here for the weekend.  Harper loved spending time with her Grandma, they loved taking little "discovery walks" together and touch and explore things.  On Friday as I was decorating cupcakes and getting things ready, the two of them were upstairs for the longest time playing and cuddling.  Harper was in heaven and I'm pretty sure Grandma was too.  Thanks for coming Michele!

We were glad that a bunch of Harper's friends (and their parents) could come celebrate with us.  Harper's cousin, Macee was here showing off her crawling skills--the five month gap between them is getting smaller and smaller as they grow.  Although Macee may well walk before Harper does, Harper had a few ways to show off for her cousin while they were here.

We had a ball watching Harper dive into her first taste of cake.  She adored the feeling of frosting between her fingers and enjoyed a couple licks while she played.  Brady finally helped her discover the cake that was hiding beneath all that frosting.  Harper's a lucky girl to have such a nice dad.  The clean up was less fun, but it was worth it.

I'm not totally sure how first birthdays will be celebrated for future Ashdowns, but I had a lot of fun preparing for Harper's party and although I know she won't remember it, it was a big, exciting day for us.  She admired my decorations and wanted to pull them down so badly, while Brady and I were happy to spend a perfectly sunny day with family and friends celebrating one year of parenthood.

whatever this stuff is, it feels great

 

and tastes good too!

this is hard work!

taken right before Harper realized how fun it is to clap with frosting-coated hands

Harper and Grandma recovering from the party and cake

look Mama!

one!

Happy birthday Harper girl!  I can't believe it has been a year since we welcomed Harper into the world.  I have to be honest--in some ways it seems like yesterday and others I can't remember life without her.  She brings so much joy into our lives, loves to make us laugh, meet new people and go anywhere with her mama.  She isn't walking, but she loves climbing stairs and stands up on anything.  Harper is one joyful little girl and we are so grateful to have her.  I put together a little slideshow to commemorate Harper's first year.  Enjoy.

a bit nostalgic

I began feeling wistful last week when I quickly ran to the grocery store on March 23rd and the feeling hasn't really gone away.  As I was getting in the car that night, I smelled a sweet springy smell, very unique to Tucson.  On my drive home, my mind was flooded with sweet thoughts and memories of Tucson and as I drove I realized the next day, March 24th, marked seven years ago that I was transferred to Tucson while serving my mission and that that same, wonderful smell of Spring filled the warm air that day too.  Thus began my love affair with Tucson, on the eve of turning 23, but never in my wildest dreams would I have expected to move back. 

 

When I got home the other night I told myself, tomorrow I need to write about my little walk down memory lane and all that Tucson has brought me, including my sweet baby girl; about how hard it will be to say goodbye in a few short months.  We will leave our first home, a ward we love, and the place we became three.  But I didn't end up writing that day because I ended up in the emergency room getting my finger stitched up after chopping onions (ironic since I don't even like onions) and have done very little typing since.

So that is how I spent the eve of my 30th.  Weeks previous I had been a little sad at the prospect of leaving my twenties behind, but as I approached the big day I actually got excited thinking about what's to come.  Hence, more nostalgia.  Not to mention that eight days after my big birthday would come Harper's FIRST birthday.  Can you believe it?  Tomorrow I will be the mother of a one-year-old--how I adore her! 

Add to all of these thoughts, events, and milestones it being General Conference weekend and then Easter next week and you get yourself some teary eyes, a very full heart and one nostalgic mama.

happy birthday baby girl!