Growing w/ the Whitakers: October 2015

I know.
I know.
I DID NOT intend for it to take this long to post Part 2.
Delay no more....

She woke up from her nap;
Got her hair done by Aunt Tasha;
and came on the scene with Grammy.

All these people. Nawww I'll stick with my daddy for a minute.

Daddy Daughter Time!

Ohh this was the first time I got to meet William.

Most of my Greensboro crew came thru. The others were busy OR 9 months prego!

Alana and Mrs. Keasha - her hairstylist if I can't get it together!

So we had a Milk and Cookies themed party!

I was really excited about it when I settled on it and Charles approved, BUT on the invitation I REFUSED to say Milk and Cookies. I knew if I put Milk and Cookies on the invitation EVERYBODY would come in our house talking about "I want some milk and cookies", quoting one of my favorite movies Kings of Comedy...Bernie Mac's section. Although funny...I didn't want to hear that 20 times. For confirmation that it would happen, I asked just a couple of my friends and SURE ENOUGH the first thing they said was....."I WANT SOME MILK AND COOKIES" UUUGGHHHH GO AWAY!!! Hahahahahah!! And they confirmed that others would do the same.
So I created the invitation myself, without mentioning milk and cookies and with colors that would match the shirt Alana would wear on the day of the party ("My First Birthday").
Winning!!

The set up was perrrrrfect!
Even down to the straw dispenser.

Yes, I ordered glass milk bottles (with lids) for this Milk and Cookie party!

Customized of course!

And a few special ones too!

Man, this theme came together nicely. I might just randomly do it again!!

Kids playing together

Tell me

she's not

EXCITED!!!

Chicken and Butternut Squash

Ya'll know our kids are good eaters.

Ms. Charlotte in the house

Maybe Alana will call her Charla like Alex did for a while

and Aunt Clarice

Papi and Uncle James

My brother is SUCH a techie! He's not gonna get it James, just do it for him!

Here we go

AGAIN!!!

One of the happiest kids, as her Daddy says.

Alana and KeKe (William's mom...the big little boy from above)

You wanna play huh?

Dancing...She gets that wide leg stance and goes to town.

She was into the presents. I don't remember Alex caring at all.

They are truly different. See the bottom for more differences.

You see that frog card. It "croaks" the Happy Birthday song.

To this day it still makes her laugh.

Full of expressions

So we tried cake again.

Not the whole thing, just a slice.

Same results (peep that face)

Dig in the icing and then extend your hand to someone for them to take it off.

Her Dad "force fed" her some cake.

That's what she did with it. Kinda pushed it back out of her mouth.

If we would have given her some sherbet, she would have been all about it!

We gave her a fork.

I thought she was going for it. Fork in one hand and cake in the other

But...she just did a switch-a-roo.

Put the cake and fork in opposite hands.

Nanaaaaaaaaaaa

Clean up outfit

She likes tunnels and crawling thru things.

Is that grass in his mouth.

Hahahahaha!

I mean Alex looks like me right??!!??

Oh well. People say we look like!
Team Siblings!

OOOOHHHHHH

I had a great birthday!

See you next time Aunt Tasha

In addition to having a great low key party, I wanted a picture with Alana walking down the street holding hands on her 1st birthday just like the one I had with Alex.

Hopefully I can zoom in and get closer later.

Here's the one with Alex on his 1st birthday!

Oh my heart just skipped a little beat, but look at the differences

1) the 1st child wore clothes - the 2nd child did not

2) my hair looked nice with the 1st child - the 2nd child it did not; at least my tank top and shorts outfit is consistent
3) blurry picture with 2nd child probably b/c 1st child was doing something crazy behind us

Additional differences between Alex and Alana

- Alana opens kitchen cabinets, Alex did not

- Alana will stick her hand in the toilet if you let her, Alex didn't care

- Alana EATS and then might want you to share your food, Alex didn't until he was older

- Alana is a dancer (on beat), Alex not so much

- Alana can appear quiet, Alex NEVER

- Alana isn't really into books, Alex was all about them

More good stuff coming soon.

Well she's 1 now!
We had a little party and here's a recap of the week...

She wore a cute new little outfit almost every day during the week.
Some of them may have been purchased by you...so thanks!

Just me and my striped tights

Back of my cute jumper!

BIRTHDAY MORNING!!!!!!
She woke before her normal time and was ready to roll!

This is the exact time she was born!
I took the day off because it felt more significant for me to take off her birthday than my own. I don't remember anything that happened my birthday, but I remember a year ago and I don't need the blog to remind me! Hahaha! Good times! Yes, she's sitting on the stove...just for picture sake.

Still so happy!

Her and her daddy

Even though the party was Saturday, for the 1st birthday I feel like I must do something on that day.

So here's the cake I MADE AND DECORATED for Alana to smash!

Set the scene

Man I did a great job!

Yes, others were around and saw me do it!

I learned from Alex that trying to give them sweets/cake before they have had food that they are familiar with DOESN'T WORK! So she had a pear. You can see what's left in her hand.