Ruby's Birthday, Part I

(written in three parts because I can only post 4 pictures at a time through Picasa. LAME.)

Dear Ruby,

You are one year old. A whole year. When I think back to what we were doing a year ago, I can't believe we're the same people. Or that there was ever a time when we were without you.

We decided throw a party in honor of you. Here are some of our party decorations.

Mama made the above. I cannot tell a lie, I saw a picture of something similar on the internets. But said picture did not spend hours cutting and pasting and carefully choosing paper and ribbon. That was all me.

Then we put out flowers and tablecloths and pretty cake stands, cupcakes with strawberry buttercream, homemade mac n cheese, salads, strawberries...it took a village to put it all together. I'm not bragging when I say it was absolutely delicious slash gorgeous, either.

Then we stopped taking pictures for a while, because that's how we are. But Opa has a bunch more, so all is not lost.

Here you are, toward the back, with some of our guests. When the first baby arrived, you had a look on your face like, seriously? I get to have one of these IN MY HOUSE? You were beyond thrilled.

Here you are, crowding around the littlest and therefore weakest of the babies. You were nothing but sweet with her, though.

There were 27 people in all, including your Aunt Patty, Oma and Opa. There were five babies including you, and two bigger kids. I worried such a big group of people would overwhelm you, but not my girl. You had the best time.

(continued in Part II, just above this post.)