One Year in a Flash.

One Year in a Flash.
I guess I’ve delayed writing this post as I’m kind of in denial my baby girl has passed the one year mark.  That’s right.  She’s ONE.

It’s hard to sit here and try to put together words to describe this love.  The feeling I have for this little girl.  Words that are worthy enough.  One year now separates us from the beautiful day Pixie was born.  One Year.  The BEST year.

With one year comes an overwhelming sense of emotion.  Gratitude.  Happiness.  Bittersweet emotions.  Being a mother is the greatest honor in the whole wide world.  It’s the biggest joy I have ever EVER known.  Watching her grow, watching her smile, watching her little personality shine.  It’s amazing.  I live for it.  Everyday.  There’s nothing else on this planet I’d rather be doing, but raising my little girl.  Holding her and nurturing her.  Watching her bloom.

With birthday’s come celebrations.  I was wondering if I’d hold it together.  I did.  Her party was a bit of a whirlwind.  A bit?  Who am I kidding.  Just like the theme, One Year in a Flash, it went by IN A FLASH.  Thankfully, it was VERY well documented by my two great photo friends and my little sister.  If you’d like to watch the video slideshow, click HERE.

The picture perfect start to a picture perfect party is a picture perfect invitation.  I custom designed these tri-fold invites in photoshop and ordered them on pearl paper from my photo lab.

Mary Anne of Contemporary Catering by Mary Anne did such a GRAND job on the food and presentation.  We spent months and months planning the look, feel and taste of Pixie’s special party.  It couldn’t have been more perfect.  My mother moved to North Carolina in August.  She’s ALWAYS been there for me when planning any event.  It was SUPER hard for me to do this without her.  (I know you couldn’t be there Momma Mia.  You were there in spirit but we missed your VERY MUCH.)  Mary Anne, thank you so much for all of your hard work and love for my little girl.  Without you, this party would have been sloppy joes and lunchmeat.  It really was amazing.  THANKS TO YOU!

Birthday girl.  She LOVED all of the attention!It’s amazing to watch her look at the world with such wonder and excitement.

I call Pixie “Birdie”.  Mary Anne and I found this birdhouse that was the perfect centerpiece for the food.  She also found the adorable Birdie perched on the house.  Birdie’s Birdhouse and yummy fruit waffles. Mmm.
Smaller birdhouses adorned the other tables.

The theme?  One Year in a Flash.  Photos.  Fun.  Lollipops.  Vintage cameras.  Santa Clause.  Happiness.  Red and white.  Polka Dots.  Birdhouses.  Love.  Candy Canes.  Snowflakes.  Celebration.  All of the above.

Photos hung with twine to pull in the brown accent color of the birdhouses and high chair.

The party was held at a friends condo clubhouse.  (Thank you Bob, Jenny and Eli!!!)  It was the perfect place!  Here’s a shot of the dessert table, gift table where the time capsule was and the photo boards.  Jason was on the search for vintage cameras.  All over town.  He found some REALLY cool ones from used camera stores and thrifting.  They were placed sporadically throughout the food/drinks/gift tables.


I love her shy little smirk here.  She looks so happy.  So happy.  And look at that crazy wispy hair.  Makes my heart warm.

I wanted to tie in the photo theme with the food place cards.  I took photos of Pixie with her chalkboard and wrote each food item on the board. Three candy canes acted as a little photo stand for each food card.

Pixie, of course, loved posing and modeling for these!  This one was one of my favorites.  She’s peeking over…. “c’mon, haf sum of Pixie’s popcorn!”
Jason even found a red vintage camera!
Organizing and choosing photos for the slideshow and photo boards was a hefty two day task.  I took over three THOUSAND pictures of her in eleven months.  That may be a little crazy.  I call it love.  Aunt Cinni and MaMa helped me make the banners with a fancy cricket.  It was so much fun being so crafty.  Thank you, Monaghans!


My cousin, Ashley, made her camera onesie and adorable leggings with the Santa fur.  She’s sooo talented!  Etsy peeps made the headband and ruffle butt.
She is showing off her new skill.  Walking.  About 4 steps.  Love that ruffle butt!
See the red OSU/bear stocking?  On Christmas morning last year, the nurses brought Pixie Jo into the hospital room snuggled inside this stocking.  It’s very near and dear to my heart.  While getting the Christmas decorations out of the tote, I pulled this stocking out and smiled.  I took a huge sniff to see if I could smell her newborn smell.  Nah, it smelled of basement mold and plastic tote.  Doesn’t matter.  The memories of her sweet little smell will last forever.

Pixie’s Time Capsule.  She will open it on her 18th birthday.  We asked everyone to bring something that represents today.

People thought of some REALLY cool ideas…
An iPhone full of photos and music (and a charger so she can turn it on when she is 18). A McDonald’s toy.  An angrybird.  Adele CD.  Glamour, hair and gossip magazines.  Newspaper articles about the Buckeyes.  Scrapbooks full of items of today including the latest fashion and music.  Receipts for common purchases such as gas, stamps, a bottle of Iced Tea and highlighters.  Photos of Pixie.  Photos of Mommy and Daddy.  Crazy photos of Mommy when she was in college and high school…that Mommy may not even be willing to share with her 18 year old.  🙂  A twinkie (they say they last forever, we will know in 17 years).  Fashionable high heels.  Letters written to Pix (it’s killing me not to open these!).  And videos.  I think she will really appreciate opening this on December 23, 2028.  That seems like forever from now, but with how fast her first year flew by in playing with her toys, I’m sure it will be here before we know it.
Happy Birfinday to me.  And my crazy hair!  (How freaking cute is this little photographer?!!)

Reading “Birdie’s Big Girl Shoes”.  The Seese’s got Birdie a pair of big girl shoes (for the time capsule), the book, a pair of little girl shoes and a photo of birdie lined up next to all of my shoes.  REALLY COOL GIFT!
Tank yew for mii hanmayd birfinday kard, Gavin!
Carmel Apple Pie Shooters.  Da bomb diggity.

Struttin’ her stuff in her Santa diaper and elf feet.

Blowing out the first birthday candle.

Num. Num.

Bittersweet.  But mostly sweet.
I am 1!

Here Daddee.  Yew haf sum kayk.


Elf piggies.Hi Friends.

I found this idea on Pinterest.  Cut an invitation and put it in an ornament.  We made one for Fiona’s First Birthday and she reciprocated the lovely gift.  🙂

A very special visitor came to wish Pixie a Happy Birthday.  She was not very thrilled to see him!
Santa (Jason’s Dad, “Poo Paw”) was a crowd favorite!  He gave the kids tins of cookies.  And the older kids, too.


The littles were quite funny to watch.  Some loved him.  Some, not so much.
Pixie’s Peppermint Cosmo’s.  De-lish!


Presents!  We are still opening one toy a day.  It’s been a month since her party.  Spoiled girl!

Grandfather and Nannie found a vintage camera with the Christmas scene inside.  It is so magical.  Each side is different when you look through.  It plays music and lights up.  They even had the top engraved with a special message to the birthday girl.  A gift she will have and love forever.

My ONE YEAR OLD daughter has REAL Ugg’s.  Not look-a-likes.  Not “designer inspired” like her Momma’s.  Real ones.  She’s ONE.  Do I sound jealous much?!


Her twin cousins can’t get enough of Pixie.  It’s just adorable.
Pixie’s Paparazzi….

(Thank you, Berta, Light Girl and Auntie Mo, for making this SO PICTURE PERFECT.  LOVE YOU SO MUCH!)

Big news!   Roberta (fabulous second shooter for Crystal Jo Foto) is expecting her first born this spring!!  Look at that cute little baby bump!  So excited for you, Roberta and Steve.  You are going to be the best parents!!!

And a special note from Pixie..

Thanks for making my birthday picture perfect!!