the first birthday, the second time

So the actual birthday of Emma started out with pancakes w/a candle before we got Riley off to preschool. I thought this would be a special treat for her birthday breakfast.
She didn't like them and wouldn't eat a bite...arrgh. So I got out the cold cereal. I mean it is HER birthday, I gave in, and let her eat an almost healthy breakfast instead of the unhealthy 'special' one. oh well.

We tried to take time to make her birthday special, so Mike took a break from school and studying to hang out with us at the park. We wanted to do something that was fun for Emma, but we all had a blast!We all took a turn on these--way cooler than a merry-go-round.

Daddy and Emma on the slide!

"What?! she's going down alone!?!" as I drop the camera to catch the birthday girl flying down the slide too high and steep for a 12 month old.

After naps, we had my sisters/party guests over for dinner and the party.
Monica & Nate are pictured here, Auntie Erica was there too, but was busy being our photographer. Thanks Erica!!

After dinner we opened presents and Emma was so excited for everything she got, wrapping paper and balloons included that I could hardly get her to sit with me to open the next gift.

Then it was cake time.

I was excited for a repeat performance of tearing into the cake and eating up the sweetness.She looked excited enough about it, but when I set the piece of cake in front of her and gave her a bite, she wasn't so sure and just looked at it and rejected bites for about 5 minutes.

Weird.
Until...
Riley started feeding her. Then she couldn't get enough!

Look I can eat with no hands!

I guess it was plate-licking good after all!

Emma you are such a great kid! Thanks for giving us such a wonderful reason to celebrate and for providing us with such great entertainment! I can't believe it has been a year already. You are a huge blessing and ray of sunshine in our family. We love your sweet skills, like walking and dancing. Emma can already do a sippy cup for about 90% of her liquids. Pretty soon she'll say goodbye to the bottle and before we know it she'll be in high school. WE LOVE YOU!!

I couldn't sign off without a video or slide show and since I don't have time to upload a lot of individual pics for a slide show, here's a quick video.