Our baby Catherine is not so much a baby anymore... I can't believe she is one and it's beyond belief how fast these last 12 months have passed by.
Her party last weekend was a low key one... just a few close friends and Bao and Ty made the trip up from Adelaide especially to celebrate with us... Catherine wore a little white ao dai (a Vietnamese traditional dress) at her party... it's the very same one that my mum sewed by hand which I wore at my first birthday party, and which Elizabeth also wore at her first birthday party. I love that my Mum was still able to be a part of our day in this small way... It makes me smile and get all sentimental to think we have all been able to share the same little outfit on our milestone birthday.
One year olds don't do much at parties... We played pass the parcel... and the other kids were content to play in the yard while Catherine pretty much spent 90% of the party sitting in her high chair watching on while eating spring rolls which are her favourite food at the moment. She spotted them when they were freshly cooked and refused to have a morning nap until she'd eaten one... and then she had 4 at the party... and 3 for dinner... 8 in total all day! That's a lot of spring rolls for a little child! She unwrapped some presents (with the help of Elizabeth, who loved helping her!) and enjoyed shaking and playing with her abundance of new clothes that she received and also with her toys (a postbox that Elizabeth picked out, 2 xylophones (one from Chu Phong and one from us), a pelican thing, and a tray of wooden blocks, a cogwheel snail and some books) She also loves the new spotted bowl set that her godmother Vicky got her... (well actually, I'm sure that's more me... but it's so pretty!) and loves that her godfather Tuyen all the way over in Ireland sent her a birthday card with a morsecode baby-talk message in it! So lucky, so loved and so blessed. Catherine must have known it was a special day on her birthday, because she hardly slept all day and was in a remarkably happy mood.
Just a quick condensed summary of party in a few photos -
I also did a pre-party cake smash shoot with a giant cupcake, the day before her party... I've seen a lot of cake smash shoots and it always looks like it's frantic and crazy as the child gets into the cake. But Catherine (much like her sister), is a cautious child. She was quite tentative and sat there looking at the cake for ages... slowly suss-ing it out... but once she figured out it tasted yum and that there was cake in there, she got into it and really enjoyed it. She was really quite drawn to the giant cherry on top (which was just a ball of fondant coloured with a heap of red food colouring)...
And just a few little things about what our 1 year old is like at the moment -
She can stand unassisted for several seconds, but when she realises she's standing, she freaks out and grabs onto me or the couch.
She hates being spoon food and prefers to try to feed herself. Favourite food is meat, meat and meat. Followed by jatz biscuits and broccoli. Dislikes most fruit.
She is a food beggar... as soon as she sees anybody eating (me, Phan, Elizabeth), she rushes over and makes a lot of noise until you give her some food.
She loves her big sister lots... and loves following her around.
Her favourite song is "Old McDonald Had A Farm"... which she laughs and claps to... I have to sing this song to her while changing her nappy to stop her from trying to crawl off the change table.
She likes to clap her hands and dance... she has this little boppy wiggle that is hilarious... I need to catch it on video.
She has a lot of personality for a little person and her cheeky grin could soften a heart of stone.
I'll finish this post with Catherine's first year in photos... slideshow making is not my forte, but this has been made with love and makes me so nostalgic as I look back and see how much she has grown in these last 12 months.
We love you, our beautiful Catherine... We have been changed and so blessed with your presence in our lives... xoxo
