Here’s how it went down:

No, I’m not having a party for Caroline’s 1st birthday. It’s so close to Christmas, people will be out of town or busy with other stuff. I know, I’ll throw a Halloween party and that will get my need to throw a party every 6 months out of my system. I mean, obviously we’ll have a cake. A cake isn’t a party. I’ll make a really nice cake and put up some streamers maybe a few balloons. Let me just check the internet really quick for ideas.* Oooo look at these cute winter cupcakes I saw on the internet! I’ll just start a Pinterest board for Caroline’s First Birthday but it’s not like I’m going to invite a zillion people and make fifteen different kinds of cookies. Maybe just three. Ok seven. And I’ll make just a handful of invitations. Ok ten. Ok twenty five. And sure, Mother-in-Law, you should definitely fly in from Ohio for the party – I mean NON-PARTY – because it’s going to be amazing. Twinkle lights and sparkly snow and silver sequins and doilies everywhere. Hot cocoa bar! Hand cut snowflakes! Sparkles! GLITTER!!!!!!!!

Truly, I’m a little jealous MY birthday isn’t in December because it’s kind of awesome. Everywhere we go there are lights and ornaments and Christmas decorations and as far as Caroline is concerned they are all for her. Our family adventures are all super fun and usually end with candy canes. Everyone is full of well wishes and good cheer and my adorable little munchkin face red-headed elf baby shines where ever she goes. It’s magical.

Here’s a peek at what I’ve been working on for her just-a-tiny-bit overboard first birthday!

*WHOOPS. OBVIOUSLY, this is where things went downhill. Or uphill. Whichever way leads into the pile of magic twinkle lights, glitter and fake snow.

Busy, crafty, bakey, sleepy, crazy week. I cannot BELIEVE it’s December.

Sunday:

Saw cute toddler hat online. Thought "Dude, I can do that". DID IT.

Lights on our bannister

Spray paint for an overly ambitious project. Per ushe.

Monday:

Double swinging

Future basketball scholarship?

I made this. WITH MY HANDS.

Tuesday:

My floors are disgusting. Were disgusting. Obviously I cleaned them, but they're probably this dirty again by now.

The Monster at the End of This Book READS ITSELF. Brilliant.

Bath time is the happiest time of the day

Wednesday:

Mike Mulligan and Mary Anne are Evan's new favorite

Target soda fountain, where Coke and Pepsi live together in harmony. AS IT SHOULD BE.

Invite for Caroline's first birthday. I'm insanely proud I made it from scratch.

I asked him to smile nice for the camera. Toddlers are so helpful.

Thursday:

Babies are also helpful.

Lap nap

Tiny Christmas tree to plant in the yard. It makes up for the one we chopped down, right?

Friday:

Caroline gets so much love from the big girls at Stroller Strides

Prepping for some SERIOUS holiday baking

I wish I got as much sleep as this kid.

Saturday:

Twinke lights photo shoot set up #2. It went MUCH better.

Christmas cards DONE.

My kid tried to blow out the birthday boy's candles. He thinks all parties are for him.

Demanding baby demands your french fries.

I’ve been so busy doing stuff I haven’t had time to BLOG the stuff I’ve done (even though a lot of it is stuff I WANT to blog) and I’m going kind of crazy. I feel like I haven’t sat down for a whole week – and that might actually be true, because somehow I’m managing to lose weight even with Thanksgiving and road trip food and sugar cookie dough for lunch. I actually fell asleep sitting up on the couch Friday night. But I’ve only got 2 weeks until Caroline’s first birthday (and the party I SWORE I wasn’t going to throw) and 3 weeks until Christmas, so I figure I can sleep after New Years. I’m looking forward to it.

Did you take any camera phone photos this week? Link up with one or lots using the linky below and grab the code (so it shows on your blog too!) over at Amy’s . It’s really fun!

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Today I am thankful that NaBloPoMo is DONE and I DID IT and I will NEVER DO IT AGAIN. I am both proud of myself for posting every single day (MORE THAN ONCE if I had sponsored content, because I felt like that was cheating) and annoyed at myself for posting every single day (because I am not that interesting). I think I ended up annoying people more than anything – my comments dropped significantly, which for me defeats the whole purpose of blogging. Not because I need constant reassurance that I’m awesome (although that sure is nice TOO) but because hearing YOUR stories and thoughts and advice is a huge part of why I bother to write my thoughts here on the interwebs instead of in my journal. So, dear friends, if I promise to write less crap, will you come back now? Pretty please?

Things I WILL be blogging about in December: cookies, Caroline’s first birthday party, how much I hate cleaning my house, knitting, my fight with myself over possibly weaning the baby, Little Evan’s inability to control his own strength, house plants, tattoos, traveling with kids and Christmas decorations. I will also be taking more naps, eating too much and dedicating a LOT of time and energy to finding the perfect bubble bath.

Today I am thankful my blog can go back to being whatever I want without feeling like a quitter.

Today I am thankful for photographs (even the ones that live in my computer instead of on my walls) so I can remember weekends like this one.

And YOU can be either a) thankful for something to look at on the internet besides funny misspelled kitten pictures b) thankful for the “x” in the upper right hand corner so you can skip a zillion pictures from our weekend and go look at funny misspelled kitten pictures instead. Here, let me help you.

Zombie Baby hunts for trees AND brains

Helping Daddy cut down the tree

How am I supposed to eat leaves off that tree if it doesn't have any?

A gaggle of gingers

Evan tried to ride the tree and ended up dragged across the field instead.

Family Photo avec un two and a half year old

Ridin' dirty

We accidentally went to the local holiday parade because it was at the end of our street.

Giving the traffic cop the side-eye

Parade dog

He liked the fire trucks

The parade was at least 50% emergency vehicles

Self portrait in my husband's glasses

I'd say she liked the parade

So cute

Best seat on the street

Colored lights & a lifetime of ornaments on the tree

Helpers

Twinkly

Failed (mostly) photo shoot

The magic of Christmas

Sharing his holiday spirit with you