clara is one!

Our big girl, where is the time going? I both refuse to believe it’s been a year since our little sunshine mochi came into our lives, and can’t remember life before she did. After convincing us that she might army-crawl until high school, she is finally charging around on all fours and pulling up on things. She is our sweetest lovebug. She loves crawling over and laying her plump little cheek on your knee; or on your pillow next to you; or, after a long soul-searching look into your eyes, delicately on your shoulder. Her favorite thing is following her brother around and stealing all his toys, and then yelling like a full-grown bear in a baby’s body when he snatches them back from her. We call her our gochujang girl, sweet and spicy all at once.

I know I have said this before, but before Clara was born I couldn’t imagine having a little girl, and even more didn’t know what kind of a relationship she and I would have. It has been the greatest surprise that she has turned out to be my little sweetheart buddy! Every time she lights up when I pick her up, it makes my heart burst. It just also works out well because Luke has always been close to Daddy, so we get to divide and conquer easily. (That is to say, easily for me, because my charge can’t bolt away from me or yell “NO PANTS!” or spontaneously lie on the ground screaming. Sorry, Daddy.) This is different from the family dynamics in either B2’s or my families, so it has been novel and fun to experience. But I’m sure it’s just a matter of time until she’s saying “I hate you Mom!” and slamming the door in my face.

Anyway, here are some of the photos from her party a few weekends ago! We went from planning a “small thing just for family because, you know, there’s just a lot going on right now” to “okay, maybe we’ll invite some folks” to “if we order this 20-foot balloon garland from Etsy right now and pay extra for shipping it might get here in time for the party” and then almost cancelled the whole thing because Luke got an eye infection, but it happened despite our best parents-of-two efforts (and our dear friends and family came despite our warnings!) so we’re taking it as a win.

Also, she chose the baseball, so we are two for two in children who will be fighting a distinctly uphill battle given how athletic their parents are (aka, not). We should stop putting sports things in these doljabis.

cakes • flowers • cake topper • balloon garland