Busy bee is a star!

Our little beauty had her first real photo shoot yesterday at the National Cathedral Bishop's Garden. We loved the photographer and Eila loved playing in the gardens and was thrilled to dance to the bag piper's music that was playing at the church. The tulips and tons of other flowers were in full bloom and the weather was already summer-like. We got a sneak preview of a few of the pictures already. If you'd like to take a peek they are posted on the photographer's blog. Eila is the most recent entry as April 19- busy,busy. Here is the link-

http://rdavidphotography.typepad.com/r_david_original_photogra/

Also, I wanted to post a few of the shots we took just before her birthday with her godmother Lauren and her favorite big puppy dog visiting the gardens around the Smithsonian buildings. Today is Lauren's Birthday- Happy Birthday Godmama!

Eila's big new accomplishment is in the language department- she learned to say 'mama' and she points to pictures and my ID badge and straight at me and says it proudly. It melts my heart. There is no better sound in the world.

Happy First Birthday!

Eila in her new tent (above and below)

First bike ride!

Eating her new bath toys with her 8 teeth

Baby Jacob and Aaron (foreground) with Baby Maddie and Todd (background)

Kaelin flower in the tent!

Uncle Bart and Michael with cousin Keya

Auntie Carmen (the cupcake expert) with Helen and Brenden

Just before Maddie shares a bite of her ladybug cupcake with Eila

A birthday kiss

The guys- Greg, Andy, Bart and Todd

Enjoying the sunny day

Keya gives Eila a dandelion for her birthday

What beautiful cupcakes!

Eila loves Stefan's nose!

Eila gives Stacey a good bye kiss.

Eila turned 1 yesterday - April 5. She shares her birthday with one of her great grandmothers, Isabelle, and her name with her other great grandmother. They are all April birthdays (including her Ba's) - it's a great month to be born. We celebrated Eila's big day yesterday with a big and bustling party at our house, which was moved from the park picnic location due to predicted rain... but it turned out to be a gorgeous day so everyone spent time out in back and we kept the patio doors open. It was great and everyone had a wonderful time. Eila took a spin on her new bike (with a pushbar, her feet actually don't reach the petals yet) and playing in her new tent. She got tons of fun new toys that she is very excited about- kids love novelty. We had egg-free birthday cupcakes with super duper fancy decorating on them made by her auntie Carmen- they were incredible. There were frogs, ladybugs, and of course, ducks! Eila has been crazy about ducks for a long time and it was one of her first words. Yesterday she learned to say zoo and got many zoo animal toys. Eila is a joyful an and amazing child- we are lucky parents!