twinning & park days

I love twinning with my best girl! We even wore matching colored dresses to church on Sunday and I feel like I'm living my best life! ;) I know there will come a day when she has a say in what she wears and most likely won't want to match with me anymore so I feel like I have to take advantage of this season of life, ya know? 

This weekend felt like fall! It was absolute heaven and my favorite time of the year! It's so hard to find a good time of day to take the kids to the park in the summer because if you get there any later than 10 am the equipment is scorching and totally useless for the rest of the day. But fall ... park days all day, every day! My mom lives conveniently close to a school with two playgrounds and the kids love going there to play! Lyla girl rode down her first little slide this last week all by herself and the smile that lit up her face as she free fell down the slide with the wind blowing her baby pony tail ... it was the cutest thing I've ever seen!

Liam has beyond mastered his balance bike this summer. He goes so fast with very little effort and we can hardly keep up. haha It's also slightly terrifying to watch him swerve around things and weave in and out of mailboxes. He gets lost in looking everywhere around himself except what he might run into that is directly in front of him! Such a dare devil. 

Speaking of dare devils, this one is equally as care free in life! She stands herself up and off she goes. Nothing can stop her now!

How darling is she?!?!

Loving these park days with my people so much!!

Lyla's First Birthday | a rainbow party & a video

Lyla girl turned ONE on Saturday, September 8th! We celebrated her special day by inviting family to a rainbow themed birthday party! Here's a video I put together of her special day to go along with the picture overload!

Lyla's cute birthday invitation ...

The morning of her birthday, Liam helped carry in this handful of balloons while we sang "Happy Birthday" to her ...

I had so much fun planning her party! I used these balloons to make a big rainbow balloon banner ...

I made her rainbow cake using empty peach cans and mixed 6 different bowls of batter with the colors of the rainbow. Then I made a homemade buttercream frosting and topped it with fun rainbow colored sprinkles! We had rainbow shaped cookies, white chocolate covered pretzel sticks, and a fruit platter ...

I originally planned for the party to be at a certain park but it was packed with the Saturday morning soccer game craze ... something you don't realize when you're new to the town so we relocated last minute to a small little park just down the street from my dad's house. I think it was always meant to be there because there was this big beautiful water fountain in the background that had a rainbow in it the whole day. ;)

All 12 months worth of photos to decorate with ...

The best and hardest part of her birthday was having some family be able to celebrate our kids' birthdays with us that haven't been able to the last several years while also missing the other side of the family who we usually have there but are now further away. 

As expected, Lyla loved her cake!! She dipped her finger in it before we even got the candle lit. haha While it took her a minute for her to take her first bite, once she did she went to town. She meant serious business haha ... 

Such a good sharer! 

This picture shows the rainbow I mentioned in the fountain! So sweet!

Those lips!!!

Between her brother and her cousins, she had the best helpers opening up her gifts! Nic's dad and Dee got her those cute turbans and we had to try on every color. ;)

Every time someone was opening a new present, she'd stare at them so intently, it was adorable!

Her lamb from mommy and daddy ...

I think Liam ate about 10 of those pretzel sticks while we were busy watching the birthday girl experience her day! haha

Happy First Birthday to our rainbow baby! We love you so much Lyla Mae Williamson!! 

... Rainbow Party Sources ...

plates | napkins | rainbow swaddle blanket | cake stand | lamb | candle | cookie cutter | invitation 

And a first birthday outfit from my father and mother-in-law!

Lyla's new shoes

Yesterday Liam's birthday gift to his sister arrived a little late in the mail due to a billing vs. shipping address misunderstanding. He helped pick out her first pair of tennis shoes and from the moment I put them on her feet and set her down outside, I was immediately transported back in time 3 years ago when Liam wore his first pair. It's been a while since I compared their baby pictures and I couldn't believe how much one year old Lyla looks like one year old Liam. Tugging at allllll the nostalgia heart strings this momma has! 

She took a few stumbling steps at first but then there was nothing holding her back from practically running up and down the sidewalk to keep up with her big brother on his bike. These pictures make me smile so much! I love her little free spirit, her arms outstretched to balance herself, and a grin that matches my own for just how proud she is to be walking all by herself!!

She reminds me so much of what my parents describe as me at her age ... always stopping to look at all the pretty flowers on walks. She is in a phase where she points at everything, recognizing some things and showing me other things that she is witnessing for the first time in her life.

My tiny baby model ..

She also always has to be carrying something in her hands while walking. On the perfect fall day there were all kinds of leaves for her to carry ...

Lyla girl, I'm so happy I get to go along with you for all of your many adventures with your new shoes!