Ava Bear, Ava Bear, What Do You See?

Birthday girl!!

Our little girl is one!  It is so hard to believe that one year ago we were beginning our journey as a family and now here we are!  To read about the start of our journey click here.  To celebrate turning one, Ava decided that she would start walking.  She took her first steps the day before Daddy's birthday and started walking on her own the day before Mommy's birthday.  It has been so neat watching her learn and explore.  She still looks a lot like Frankenstein when she's walking, but she gets better every day.

Reading her favorite book

Reading her favorite book to Scooter

To celebrate her first birthday we had a "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" themed party, which was perfect because we call her Bear (Ava Claire rhymes with Bear) and she loves that book.  We are pretty proud of how it all turned out!  Thank you to all of our family and friends who celebrated with us.  A special thank you to Daddy, Grandma and Grandpa, Grammie and Grampie, Uncle Steve, Aunt Katie, Uncle Kevin and Ann Marie for all of their help before, during and after.  :)  Now be prepared for tons of pictures.  :)

The invite

My "deer in the headlights" cookies

At least all of the characters were represented :)

My rubber ducky punch - I guess they really liked it

Her smash cake

The dessert table

Loved this so much!

The Favors

The smash cake and cupcakes were done by our friend, Ann Marie.  The invitations and all of the brown bear graphics for the toppers, favors and banners were from Design Dream.  I highly recommend both of them!!!  Here are *some* pictures of family and friends.  (Just a few)  :)

Family picture :)

Aunt Christy with Ava and Daddy

Ava and Auntie Kristie

Daddy, Ava and Katherine

Grandma and Ava

Picture with Grandma and Grandpa

Ava with cousin Emma

Uncle Steve

Great Grams

Great Gramps

Birthday Girl!!!

Not so sure about this hat, Mommy

Emily

Balloon Fun

Happy Birthday!

Andi

Dive right in

Yum!

Ava offered me a bite...

...got a lot more than I anticipated.

Tastes better when you smash it.

Oh, Ava.

Going to give Daddy a taste next...

Silly Daddy

Can't beat cake with a balloon

Needed to change after cake

Auntie Kristie

Uncle Steve

Ava Bear

Ava and her Godparents

Inside of the cake

Sharing balloons with cousin Nathan and Aunt Katie

Adams Family

Ava and Grandpa

Poor baby

Kalyn and Ava

Ava, Katherine and Matthew

Hannah's blue lips

Ava's meesage from the Hardy Family in Georgia

Thank you so much to everyone who helped us to celebrate her "Beary Special Day".  There were many others that we didn't get pictures of but we love and appreciate you all!