Guess Who's One???

Well...we have a lot of updating to do...but for now we're just going to bask in the glow of Brady's 1st Birthday Party! We finally got to have Brady's party this past Sunday and even though it was two and a half weeks after his birthday...it was tons of fun just the same. Needless to say, the last month hasn't been any less crazy than the the one before, but we'll save that for the updating part later...but just to say that we finally were able to get everyone here for his party! Brady had a sports theme for his party so that he could celebrate his favorite things and first word....."ball." And of course when you do sports in the Dailey family, we have this demented version of sports fun which results in our traditional Ohio State-Michigan Rivalry. Jason's aunt Berthie baked the cakes and she surprised us with the an Ohio State and a Michigan Cake. We had just told her it was a sports theme, but they went perfectly with the picture we had of Brady for the cake table in his specially made Ohio State-Michigan shirt that he came home from the hospital in. We had it in an all-star frame that we received at Brady's Baby Shower. Although it was the shirt that he came home from the hospital in, the picture is from the OSU-Michigan football game (in which I must note that the Buckeyes were victorious!!). His shirt still fit since it was a little big when he was born, but needless to say it was the last time he wore it!!
Not only were the cakes unique and beautiful, they were also delicious!! Thanks so much Berthie! You did a wonderful job and helped to make Brady's 1st birthday just perfect! Although the OSU cake was much prettier, I must admit that the yellow cake in the Michigan cake was also pretty tasty once I closed my eyes and made myself try some! Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Deel for helping with the decorating and last minute preparations! I thought the decorations above the bar added a nice touch!!
Well...this is what we had to work with in getting the birthday boy ready! Is that not a pretty ornery look for a 1 year old! I can only imagine what we've got in store for us as he gets older. I had our Teen Winter Retreat at 4-H Camp the night before the party, so Brady went with me while Jason finished cleaning at home. Which let me say helped my sanity greatly!! I think I have the best husband in the world! I was so stressed worrying that we weren't going to get everything done. After I worked on the house all day Friday, Jason told me to go to camp on Saturday afternoon and he would finish everything. I still worried about it, but he did a great job, even putting the Valentine's decorations on our wreath that I had laid out. (Kudos to Kari for making our cork wreath for me many years ago!) Anyway...back to our little ragamuffin up there, Brady looked like a typical kid that had been at camp for 24 hours. He had bed head, a snotty nose, a dirty face and things in his hair that I'm not sure I can identify. We were waiting to give him a bath until after he got his hair cut. Fortunately, Lisa made a stop by to cut his hair before his debut at the party because it was getting pretty shaggy! I was afraid he was going to start to look a little like Joe Dirt because it was getting pretty long in the back!
Brady had his own little cake and he wasn't sure what to think of the candle or the singing!
At first he was a little dainty with his cake eating, but that was short lived.

He began to dig in!

And then the "Ladies Man" was fully engulfed in his cake!

He wasn't too excited about having cake on his hands though, he kept trying to wipe his hands on anyone walking by, on his high-chair pad and even in his cousin Lydia's hair as she was walking by.

And then after we took the cake away, he thought he would go back to playing with a ball until we got him cleaned up (which he loved!)

And now on to opening presents...packages, wrapping paper and packing peanuts...every 1 year old's dream come true. His most unique gift came first from his Uncle Kyle, Aunt Sarah and cousin Logan...but I'm guessing this one was Kyle's idea. Just what every 1 year old hopes for...a gaited whip, spray bottle and brush for showing pigs!! Kyle says he'll have him showing in the pee-wee shows before we know it. Now that he can walk, they'll have to start practicing! But Brady thought the brush worked well for brushing his own hair though!

Brady's very first lawnmower from Jay, Stacie Jordan and Jance! I think this one was payback for all of the noisy toys that we always got everyone else's kids over the years...but Brady loves it!!

Oh....more things to hit people with...foam Ohio State golf clubs and a golf bag from Grandma and Grandpa Deel. Hopefully I can con daddy into taking me golfing with him even though they're not blue and gold! I had lots of help from Josie, Seth, Lydia, Jordan and Jance as I opened my presents.

Now that we're done with all the festivities, we can finally find time to play. It's a good thing Logan's feeling better now so he could take me on a ride for my birthday!! We'll be celebrating Logan's birthday in less than a month!

All the festivities just left our baby boy plum worn out!

Thanks to everyone who helped to make Brady's birthday so special. We had a great day and enjoyed spending time with everyone. Those that were able to spend the afternoon with us were Grandma and Grandpa Deel, Granny and Pap Dailey, Uncle Kyle, Aunt Sarah and Logan, Aunt Jodi, Josie, Seth and Lydia, Great-Grandpa and Ann Stump, Great Aunt Berthie and Uncle Leo, Great Uncle Roger and Aunt Linda, Great Aunt Carole and Uncle Joe, Great Aunt Janet and Uncle Vernon and Honorary Uncle Jay, Stacie, Jordan and Jance. We know there were many more family and friends who were with us in thought and in spirit. Thanks again to Berthie for making the cakes. Thanks to Brady's Honorary Aunt Lisa for the emergency haircut!!

It's so hard to believe that our baby boy is already one year old. It seems like just yesterday that we were heading to the hospital looking forward to meeting him for the first time. He has changed our life in so many ways and brings joy to our life each and everyday. It is so much fun to see how he changes so much everyday and learns so many new things that never cease to amaze us. He is the bright spot in every day and brings a smile to our face when we need it the most. He is a blessing in so many ways. Thank you to everyone who has been such an important part of his life during this first year and for continuing to be a part of our lives.