CHAPTER 1... 21 Wonderful Months

Ever since we discovered that there was going to be a little baby in our lives  (21 months ago) life was not the same.  Dante has grown and changed incredibly from a tiny peanut inutero to the beautiful one year old boy he is today, and yet we're the ones who have undergone a major transformation.  We went from a couple to a family...from a man and a woman to mom and dad.  Life and love are beautiful and powerful things!

I'm going to do this post a little differently. I have a lot to say, but not a lot of time.  So I will add chapters to this post, and then add a bit more...and then a little more, until it is what I want it to be.

Here are the few photos I managed to get from Dante's party...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DANTE!

He's got the hat on, but his little nose is protesting!

I was so happy with my cheerful decorations.  

I wanted Dante to know something special was happening.

Everyone made wishes for Dante and blew out the candles.

Then Dante blew out one little candle on his own!!!  We're so proud of him : )

Then we got to sample the amazing silky frosting recipe I discovered--

 I can't stop eating cupcakes!  

For Dante, it was more of an inspection than anything. We removed his onesie so he could really dive in-- but dive he did not...just kind of smeared it around the plate.  He's not in the habit of feeding himself yet.  We think this is actually a good thing, since he doesn't often find things on the floor to eat!

Happy Dante proof table setting (no table cloth to Houdini onto the floor)

It wouldn't be the same without Gramma Cindy!  

(Note Dante's "My First Birthday" shirt...It's the only day that shirt 

will ever make any sense!)

Super cool party guest: Teagan Huffman takes a swig off of her bottle.

Gifts from Mommy and Daddy

"Rrrraaaaw!"

The entire Star Wars cast showed up for the party!!!

And there goes the dag-blamed party hat-- DANTE!!

Just a sweet little happy day!!! 

Thanks to our guests: Mike, Tiff & Teagan, Mary, Cindy and Greta. 

We love all the beautiful gifts!... 

(And to Gramma Linda who could be there-- we love the photo and the books!!!)