Sienna's 1st Bee-Day!

Sienna is ONE! We can't believe it has been one year! In some ways, this year has seemed much longer than just 12 months. In other ways, it seems like only a few weeks ago when we brought Sienna home from the hospital.

We celebrated her birthday with a bee themed birthday party and lots of time with our friends and family. Aunt Kitty and Uncle Rascal came in from Sacramento, and Unkie Kyle & Aunt Hannah came in from New York for the party. So fun to have them here to celebrate with us!

I've tried to tell her birthday weekend through pictures, below. We had so many good memories and so many good pictures, I know I didn't capture all the fun, laughs & memories. I think I've hit the high points, though.

Sienna, your daddy & I had such a good time celebrating your first year. You are a beautiful baby -- we love your chubby cheeks, bright blues eyes, button nose, curly tendrils, and little mouth. Even more, your happy disposition and infectious laugh make our ordinary days extraordinary! You have brought so much joy and perspective into our life. We look forward to many more bee-days with you!

My mom helped me make Sienna's bee cake. It turned out awesome, after MANY hours of work!

My sister and I baked and iced these bee sugar cookies. They turned out so cute!

We took Sienna to Deanna Rose on her birthday... love the pint-sized bench!

She loved sitting on the swing.

Beginning of the party... Sienna was a little unsure of the house full of people, at first. She came around to the crowd, though, and was her normal, charming self!

Sienna enjoying pizza for her bee-day dinner. (I made the bee antenna for kids & adults to wear at her party!)

Opening presents

Loving the rocking horse from daddy & mommy!

The cake!

Sienna's own cake

She was intrigued why everyone was singing to her!

But after we finished singing, she clapped her hands & wanted us to do it again!

First taste of her cake - a success!

Sienna loved her cake (mostly the icing), and she loved all the attention she received!

But once Sienna tasted the ice cream, she was done with the cake. She ate two ice cream cones - ice cream AND cone.

She had icing and melted ice cream all over herself. She was so happy!

Two birthday people together!

All the kids wanted rides in Sienna's new red wagon. This is Aliyah and Sienna.

Blowing bubbles with her favorite pal, Caden.

Another ride with Vivian, and a birthday hug from Caden.

Alden and Sienna kissed several times in the wagon! So sweet!

"Got your eye, Uncle Rascal!"

Karla & Matt were good to entertain the kids!

Pops playing with Sienna at the end of the party.

Cake & ice cream washed off, ready for bed in her bee pj's.

The next morning, Sienna was ready for another wagon ride! (She is obsessed with toothbrushes lately... we just go with it!)

Shoulder ride with Unkie Kyle!

Playing with her new fridge magnets and wearing her bee antenna again.

Sienna learned how to open the door and get in her car. She was so proud!

Walking

Sienna has officially moved from 'steps' to 'walking' in the past few days. She will walk on her own from a standing position. I think her longest distance is about 8 feet before crashing, but she sure is proud of herself. It's so cute to watch her take these first, shaky steps. She still crawls quite a bit, since crawling is much faster than walking.

She and I went to the park this afternoon, and she didn't want to hold both of my fingers to walk like she normally does. Instead, she wanted me to walk at her side and only hold one hand. So as we walked side-by-side around the park, I couldn't help think that my baby is turning into a toddler. While it makes me sad to see her grow-up, I LOVE watching her explore this world, learn new things and become more independent everyday. Today was awesome.

Sienna's first Royals game

We took Sienna to her first Royals game on Saturday night versus the NY Yankees. We had a great time! Sienna looked like she was ready to fall asleep in her car seat on our way to the game, but she perked up almost immediately when we walked into the stadium. She's like her momma; a crowd energizes her! Sienna actually sat in our seats for nearly FOUR innings before needing to get up and move. I was very impressed. A combination of ballpark food, the game, and books kept her busy & happy.

Kauffman Stadium is awesome for kids. If you haven't been; the stadium has a whole section for kids complete with a playground, fountains to play in, a mini-ball diamond, pitching & batting cages, carousel and plenty of room to run. So after the fifth inning, we headed to the kids area to play & have some ice cream.

Sienna LOVED the crowd noises, people watching, 'meeting' all the people sitting around us, and the ice cream. She was up until about 10 PM and did great. Ironically, though, she was up bright and early at 6 AM the next morning. Sienna is definitely not a kiddo you can keep up late and get her to sleep in the next morning. But we love that she is able to stay up late from time to time!

Pointing to the players on the field... I wish she could have verbalized what she was thinking!

Feet crossed & clapping for the Royals. Just precious.

Sienna discovers her new favorite food....

Ketchup!

Washing down all that ketchup with a big chug of water - LOL. The water bottle is one of Sienna's favorite toys.

In line for the carousel with Nana & slugger. Didn't want to stand still!

First ride with me & my mom

Second ride with Scott... kissing Slugger before the ride begins.

Daredevil

Finishing up the night with Sheridan's ice cream. (I didn't capture the fit she threw when we made her stop eating. Poor baby!)

First Steps

Last Wednesday, Sienna took her first steps on her own! She must have been waiting for Pops to come home from China because she took her first two steps to him when he came over to visit. I was totally taken off guard and was a bit sad, to tell the truth! I knew she was close to walking on her own, but I was surprised AND so excited when it actually happened. She's up to about 4 - 5 steps in a row now.

This video is of her pushing her car and then taking her first steps. Love our little bug bee.

11 months

Sienna turned 11 months old today, so the countdown to her first birthday has started! I can't believe it's almost time to celebrate her first year of life! Scott and I were just talking about when she was a newborn, and how we couldn't imagine her being a year old. She seemed so tiny, and time seemed to pass slowly in those early, trying months. But now here we are, with a baby who is almost walking, babbling up a storm, crawling up the stairs, eating hot dogs & watermelon, giving kisses, and learning to do so much on her own. What a dynamic year!

Her front, top teeth have finally broken through her gums (well at least one has... she's still working on the other). Poor thing teethes forever before her teeth actually come in. She gets a bit fussy, but nothing major. And luckily, she sleeps through the night when she's teething.

At the indoor playground at a local mall. She loved crawling through this tree trunk and 'playing' with all the other kids.

Sienna and Scott rode the carousel at the mall, too. Funny story. Scott told me when he first approached the horse on the carousel, he was thinking, "how am I going to hoist myself up on this horse AND get Sienna on my lap?" Luckily, he spotted another little tyke who was sitting on the horse alone, so Scott saved himself an embarrassing moment and potential injury. (Well I guess he wasn't spared of the embarrassment since I'm recounting it here. Thanks for being a good sport, honey!)

So cute with her pigtails & painted toenails

So sweet.... "put me to bed, Daddy."

Crawling up the stairs... a favorite activity lately

After she crawls up the stairs, she immediately crawls into the bathroom and peaks her head around the door at us with a big smile. We do this EVERY time she crawls up the stairs - great memory!

Sienna knows to hold the phone up to her ear and "talk" when someone else is on the line. Seriously?!? She already wants to talk on the phone?!

In an outfit for her namesake, Bee