Happy FIRST Birthday, A.!

Happy Birthday to YOU.  Happy Birthday to YOU.  Happy FIRST Birthday, dear AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA. Happy Birthday to YOU! 

Wow.  Our girl is 1.  We absolutely, positively cannot believe it.  To make it real, I've been remembering - everyday this week - what exactly I was doing as I neared A.'s birthday and arrival last year.  I can remember everything so clearly.  And I need to write it down, soon.  Pronto.  Because, before we know it, year 2 will be upon us. Meanwhile, flashback! 

But not so fast!  A. turned 1 today and we celebrated it in grand, D.C. style:  with a visit to the Cherry Blossoms.  The weather was beyond perfect.  The crowds were light.  And the blossoms - oh, the blossoms!  THIS is why we live here! 

As with previous years, we took gobs of pictures.  You can see more in this here picture gallery.   Afterwards, we whisked A. home for lunch, a birthday bath, and some present-opening festivities.  Thank you, thank you Grandpa and Grandpa D. for the beautiful and exquisite keepsake quilt and the gorgeous album (which we'll be filling in very short order; we can't wait to see you and show it to you in New Jersey!). 

And thank you, Aunt P. and Uncle R. for the new wardrobe and stuffed toy!  A. threw her clothes in the air in complete joy and had an interesting interaction with her new fuzzy family member . . .

The day didn't end there.  Oh, no.  After a nice long afternoon nap, the mama, papa, and birthday girl headed out to treat our guest of honor to a birthday cupcake from a nearby cupcake shop, dinner at one of our favorite restaurants, where A. enjoyed a wood-grilled halibut, and some outdoor leisure time.

No, no - that's still not it!  Just in time to mark the moment our A. was born, 7:29PM on April 1st, we slipped her into her pajamas, loaded her into the stroller and walked about the neighborhood, recalling what a perfect day April 1 was, is, and always will be.   

Happy Birthday, A.  We love you so, so much.