Favorite birthday present

We got Molly a water table for her birthday. She really likes it!

Her diaper filled up with water and we had to take it off. The last few minutes playing were spent in her birthday suit.

Birthday night

After the Splash Pad on Friday Molly took a spin in her new big girl car seat. We went out to dinner with Gammy and Lumpy and then home to open a few presents. It was a nice quiet day and we enjoyed celebrating our favorite One Year Old.

She loves her new seat. She totally sprawls out and loved waving to every car we pass.

A new hat to wear while watching Cards games with Daddy.

A family picture outside the restaurant. I love this picture, but it was so humid outside the camera fogged up, darnit!

The Party

We had a great time at Molly's 1st Birthday party. We were thankful for the friends and family that were able to come and missed those who weren't. Molly loved all of the attention from everyone and got lots of fun gifts. She wasn't interested in the giant cupcake, but liked being in her high chair with everyone looking at her. Here are some pictures.

I had fun making this banner and decorating her cake table.

I mounted pictures from each month of her life on tiles and had people try to put them in order as a party game. It was fun and no one was able to get it 100%, not even Daddy! All of the guests made a bag of candy to take home as a party favor.

Checking out the candles, I had to blow them out before it got to her because she has very curious little hands!

Giving it a try, not so sure...

She mostly just liked looking at it.

Time for presents, she had changed out of her sticky clothes by this point and decided to keep things a little more casual.

She was much more interested in ripping the paper, next time people can just wrap empty boxes!

Having a little snack with Grandma and Grandpa, can you tell she was loving the attention?

More love from Gammy and Lumpy.

So Far...A GREAT Birthday

Today is Miss Molly's 1st Birthday. I'll do a much more detailed post later after her party, but just wanted to show you that so far she is having a great day!

First steps...kind of

Tonight Molly took her first steps, well kind of. She's been taking small steps for a few days now, but this was the longest stretch and also the first time I got it on video so I'm calling it the first time. Such a big girl!

Hilarious Video

Molly had a big day playing in her pool yesterday and it must have really worn her out. The video is kind of long, but the end is hilarious because she suddenly realizes she is being filmed.

Birthday Cake Test Run

Have you ever heard of the Big Top Cupcake? It's a cake pan sold on an infomercial that makes a giant cupcake. I joked that this would be perfect for Molly's cupcake themed birthday party, but didn't plan to order it. Then last week I was shopping at Bed, Bath and Beyond and guess what I found? Tonight I did a test run because I wanted to make sure it would turn out okay. Here is the finished product. The second picture has the baseball so you can see how big it is. And don't worry Molly was in bed when I did it and I took it to the neighbors so she will still be surprised next week. I can't wait to see her shove her little fingers in there!

Swimming with the Rozebooms

Yesterday Molly and I drove to Grinnell and met Karoline and Lulu for a picnic in the park and an afternoon of swimming. It was really fun to see them and it was an awesome pool. Molly is still a little too young to be much fun for Lulu to play with, but soon they will be best friends! Thanks Rozebooms for making the trip.

First ponytail and "I'm Gonna Get You"

Tonight Molly had her first pony tail. She looked so cute and grown up. Here are some pictures from our post dinner/bath playtime.
She makes the funniest faces!

One of Molly's current favorite games is "I'm Gonna Get You." She crawls away, we chase her and tickle her and then repeat (a lot). Mike caught it on film last weekend, quite a feat considering he was the chaser and the videographer!

The McGills go to Dallas

Here are a few pictures from our trip to Dallas to visit Aunt Annie and Uncle David and Aunt Laura and Uncle Hanna. It was a great trip, despite the explosive diarrhea (sorry DFW). Thanks Shanks and Saliyeh's!

Still cute

Okay, we're back from the Land of Technical Difficulties (Thanks to Aunt Annie). Here are some recent pictures of Molly. We have been really busy and I have to admit I have been terrible about bringing the camera with me when we go places, so most of these pictures are from when we are playing at home. We had a great trip to Grandview for the 4th of July, a wonderful tradition that was so fun to start with Molly this year.

I am amazed at how much Molly seems to be learning and changing these days, I'll post more details about this later in the month when she turns one, WHAT!?!

And yes, in case you were worried or wondering she is still cute.

Riding in the car, just being cool.

She loves to stand at the back door and watch Harvey outside.

You can't really tell in this picture, but Stephanie is holding a frog. I was using the bathroom in the Grandview Park shelter and this frog hopped across my feet. It scared me to death and I sent Stephanie in to get it and let it go outside to save other women the same panic. Stephanie was very brave as long as she had it wrapped in a napkin. Such a lady!

Mommy and Molly watching the parade. She especially loved the L & M marching band and the Shriner's.

I think she looks like a teenager in this picture, telling me to stop taking her picture. Scary!

Reading books, she's slowly starting to enjoy actually looking at the books and being read to instead of just chewing on them.

Silly girl!

She's holding her toy phone, just starting to understand what she is supposed to do with it.

"Um guys, a little help here?"

No caption needed. Just cute!

We've been spending lots of time at the Splash Pad lately and she loves it so I promise to take the camera next time we go and post those pictures.