It's a Bee-Day Party!

We celebrated Phoebe's FIRST Birthday with a little Bee-Day Party for family and a few friends. It probably wasn't the first birthday extravaganza I had worked up in my head throughout the year. But even being 9 months pregnant I was pleasantly surprised at how wonderfully everything came together and I was really able to enjoy her and our families on this special day. We are no where close to being settled into this new house, but it is incredibly nice to finally have a space to gather our families. This little girl is loved by lots of people, what a blessing for her!

Bee-day treats

 

Aunt Brook was a little skeptical about giving Bee first rights to that beautiful beehive cake she made, so I made her a little "smash" cake that she could destroy all on her own.

 

I know, right?! She's the best. Fist ever taste of sugar...she wasn't that impressed.

Get it Bee!

 

Bee received plenty of thoughtful gifts from her party guests including blocks, flashcards, books, a special dolly, and a quiet book from Grandpa Lee. Brad and I gave her the bumble bee Wheely Bug to cruise around the house with.
Something I don't want to forget: I knew I would be great with child, just having moved, etc. so I did my best not to overwhelm myself with excessive party planning. She's ONE after all and couldn't care less about the hullabaloo I was creating. I called a local bakery to ask about making sugar cookies frosted with a simple bumble bee on top. They wanted a whopping $3 per cookie. UM. No thanks, I'll make them myself! I'm so glad that I did. They were the best sugar cookies I've ever made and just imperfect enough to be perfect for my little bee.
A few other details:
Papa Ed loves pizza from The Pie, so we ordered it special for him!
Aunt Jen came over one night and helped blow up yellow, silver, and black balloons.  
Kim helped me string the balloons together in a big banner that we hung across the backyard patio.
Aunt Polly and Joann came down from Logan to be there.
Aunt Brook made the beautiful glazed beehive cake, almost too pretty to eat! She borrowed a beehive water dispenser that was perfect as well.
Aunt Michelle took all the pictures, such a gift, so that I wasn't stressed about not capturing these details.
I was grateful for all the help! Seriously, even tying my shoes at this point is insurmountable without assistance. Ha!
Happy Birthday to my sweet little bee!

Bee's Blueprint: 12 Months!

Hard to believe this is our last Blueprint for baby Bee! My gosh, that first year just sails away. Our baby is growing right up UP UP, and I mean tall! She is taking charge of her toddlerhood and walking and running all over the new house like she owns the place (and of course she does!). With that has come a flurry of bumps and bonks, especially on the hard wood floors, and she suffered her first goose-egg (the size of a ping-pong ball!) just a day before her first birthday. Momma and Bee shared some tears about it and snuggled in the rocking chair until we both felt better. She's a tough little soul, inside and out, and doesn't let much slow her down. Bee's hair is growing long enough to fall into her eyes so we've been pulling it up into a Bamm-Bamm pony-tail and it's all sorts of cute. There is something about that first pony that just pricks a momma's heart. We've started to see small glimpses into the beginnings of her imaginative play. She will take a bowl and spoon and mix them together all over the house saying "nummy nummy nummy." She will bring me the spoon for taste tests as needed. We often comment on how we can literally see the wheels in her head turning as she thinks and works herself through certain situations. Babies are smart! The stairs in the new house are an attractive novelty and Bee can easily climb herself up them, but getting down will need lots of practice. Baby gates are a must! Bee makes us laugh constantly and I'd be fibbing if I said I didn't think that everything she did, even when naughty, was magical. She enjoys the art of the chase and giggles and squeals when she's finally caught and receiving an over-abundance of squeezes and kisses trapped in our arms. She's starting to find her voice and says a few words like "hi," "bebe," "yummy," "momma," and "dada." Bee LOVES playing out in the back yard kicking her yellow ball and finding sticks and interesting leaves and eating dirt by the fistfuls. It's just what this kid needed. We are so happy she's ours, we'll keep her forever!  
12 Month Stats:
20.5 lbs (25%)
31 inches tall (97+%)

Home is whereever I'm with you

We found it! We found the one. The perfect little house to call our very own and today it is officially ours. Feeling exhausted and excited and ohmygosh we have a home! Happy dance! The home is little and has a weird kitchen and a pink tile bathroom and creeky wood floors. It also has two fireplaces, a backyard, and gorgeous windows. We couldn't love it more. I'm anxious to get packed up and moved in and somewhat settled before littleman arrives in a couple weeks. It gives me chills to know that we will bring him home to this place and we will be a family of four.
P.S. Geeeeeezo. What a stressful process it is to buy a home. I wouldn't recommend it during your third trimester...

Baby Bee Turns ONE!

Be still my soul. My little baby is growing right up and somehow someway someone has allowed her First Birthday to creep up behind us. My bestie Jessie (who is our unofficial-official family photographer) captured her sweet and spicy personality spot-on. This child brings light into our lives and these pictures prove it. Her Bamm-bamm ponytail. Her crooked little grin. Her pat-a-cake clap. Blowing kisses. Walking. Talking. Big blue eyes. Her first pair of Levi 501's and red Salt Water sandals. Her shy, curious, hesitancy about life on earth. My book worm. My lovey dove. My Bee. Daddy's happy girl. Momma's forever baby. This is our Phoebe at one year old.
Some of our fav's...

Momma's fav

"Bee!"

Great-grandma's table and chair and doll

All in a year

This month is an especially busy one for thebradleeduncans as we prepare to move but I'm determined not to let anything overshadow my little Bee's first birthday. Many wonderful miraculous things have happened to our family this year, but none so blessed as how our sweet little first born baby girl went from this:

to this:

 

 ...all in a year! 

(More pics from JOP to come)