1st Birthday Cake Pictures

It's time to start posting some party pictures!!! I think I'll do it backwards and start with cake :)

Animal shaped chocolate covered pretzels.

Everything above are things I made, but my friend Sarah from Unbelievably Vegan made Jayden's cupcake that he ate. As you can see, he loved it. We didn't do this at the party because we figured it would be too much in one day. We did it at Grandma and Grandpa's house the next day, on his actual birthday.

He looks a little unsure about whether this is really okay to dig into.

Two handfuls of cake.

Who Said He Could Grow Up?

I took this picture as we brought Jay home from the hospital.

I took this picture one year later.

I will be posting first birthday pictures very soon. I have to organize all the pictures we took as well as the ones my brother and dad took. Plus I promised myself I wouldn't post pictures on facebook or my blog until I sent some to Jayden's birth mother first, along with a letter.

The Day I Met Jayden

One year ago today.

Look how long his hair was!

My Blog Post One Year Ago

Tonight I went back and read my blog post from one year ago. I remember all the emotions so well. I was giddy with excitement while also scared to death it wasn't really going to happen. In fact, that scared feeling didn't go away until we were actually driving to the hospital to pick him up. I didn't really let myself feel the excitement until then.

Anyway, I decided to share this post with you.

Sunday, September 12, 2010:

I woke up this morning feeling a little nervous that maybe something had changed overnight.

But, as the day went on, and we received no phone call, I started to relax and let myself believe this is really happening!

We have done a lot of shopping....and cleaning....and hoping that this is finally it....

The baby's bed is all set up next to ours.

Going home outfit is washed and packed.

We have clothes, diapers, formula, bottles...everything all ready to be used. (It looks like a baby store exploded all over the house.)

Here is the plan:

8 AM- Call the pediatrician.
9AM- Call the agency to confirm all the hospital paperwork was faxed to them.
9:30 AM- Go to the bank to get ceritified check for full placement fee amount. Yikes.
10ish AM- Head to agency to start filling out paperwork.

After hours of paperwork torture....go to the hospital to pick baby up!!!

Then bring him home.....EEEEEK.

Can this really be happening?!

Oh, and we officially have a name picked out....

Jayden :)

Birthday Buddies

I feel lucky to have so many twitter friends with September babies. It's been great to check in with each other and give/receive advice and support when needed. We all went through similar things at the same times and it was so nice to have each other over the past year.

There are even three babies that were born on the same day as Jayden! I love that Jayden has birthday buddies. Erin's twin girls Evelyn and Charlotte and Amber's little boy Aidan.

I really appreciate the friendship I've developed with Erin over the past year and love keeping up with her adorable girls. We have had many of the same worries about our kids over the past year and it's so nice to read her tweets everyday and know I am not alone.

Amber and I both had long adoption waits and it was a complete coincidence that our boys ended up being born on the exact same day! Truly amazing. We both survived colic and I feel as though we should have bracelets or T-shirts made. She has been a great friend and our boys will always be connected-- even though one of them is in Alaska and the other one is in NY.

Because Jayden's 9/11 birthday buddies are so special, I wanted to include them in our party plans. Even if it's something very small.

I made animals that will be part of centerpieces for the tables. Evelyn and Charlotte are having an owl birthday theme so I made an owl. Aidan is having a mickey mouse themed party so I did a mouse for his.

I know it's kind of silly..and it's definitely a small gesture...but it is special to me that I will have a little piece of them at Jayden's party since they couldn't be there in person.

Some of the animals I made for the other centerpieces:

Poor panda. He lost an eye.

I keep expecting to find it, but I think I might just have to make a new one.

Jayden loves kitties!

Party Preparations: Party Hat and High Chair Banner

The banner I made to go on the high chair Jayden will be sitting in for dinner:

Jayden's party hat:

Unfortunately I have absolutely no sewing skills so I bought this.

Brinkley came in to do some more kitty modeling.

I told him it was unprofessional to eat the product you are modeling.