Post Birthday & Random

 After the girls' birthday party we spent that evening at a NICU Graduate Reunion party! The hospital has one every year about this time. I remember last year's (we didn't go, obviously, we hadn't graduated yet!) only because they have everyone bring an updated picture and write on this big piece of paper that they hang in the hallway to the NICU. We walked by it numerous times a day and I loved looking at the pictures and reading what people had said. I, of course, was excited to bring an updated picture of the girls and Leigh was most excited about the helicopter. :)

 Our only family picture of the day

 We loved having Gammy and Papa stay with us!

On Sunday, before Gammy, Papa, and Uncle Austin had to leave we spent some time at the park. The girls loved most of it. They just love being outside--even if it's just crawling around in the grass.

Leigh pushing Lyla around on their new Princess ride on car! They love it--it makes noises and is perfect for them to push around and ride on. And Daddy of course goes super fast.

This past week we made sure to go to a BYU Baseball Game! Leigh and I went when we were newly engaged and then last year when I was pregnant--and now we got to take the girls to their first, of many, baseball games! They loved the loud music, dancing, trying to escape down the rows, and staring at all the people. It was lots of fun! Although, I don't feel like I really got a chance to watch any of the game because I was watching them. Oh well, it's all about the experience, right?

They wrote out BYU in the grass in the outfield...I thought it was pretty cool!

And totally random.... for Christmas the girls got helmets from Nana and Grandpa and then for their birthday they got a bike trailer! We have had a few chances to take them out on short rides. We are still getting used to it, but I think they are going to love it.

 

 Seriously....so.funny.

 and so.cute.

Birthday Party!

 We had the girls' birthday party on Saturday in between the March for Babies and the hospital's NICU Reunion--so it was a little hectic, but lots of fun. We had perfect weather which was fabulous because I planned for a BBQ and a park. I have been planning their birthday for months and all the things I wanted to do for it. And I felt like I was planning a party for 50 when in reality we had far fewer numbers. That's okay though, because it was all about the girls and even though we had some tears shed it was a good first birthday! 

This past year has been a whirlwind with lots of emotions and I constantly think of those 7 weeks we spent in the hospital. The week leading up to their birthday just brought back all of those emotions and I'm so grateful that a year later the girls are happy, healthy, and right on track developmentally. I knew I would love my children, but you can never imagine the amount of love and joy they bring until they are here. It has truly been the best year of my life. 

On to the party...

I went with a rainbow theme (not realizing it is quite popular!). I wanted something that they more than likely wouldn't choose later in life--I thought about different book themes or the usual princess theme, but just loved the bright, colorful rainbow theme. Anyways, needless to say, I got tons of ideas online.

 My *favorite* part was the balloon banner. It was easy and awesome. We had to hang it up on this wall that had peeling paint, which by the end popped a lot of the balloons--but it looked pretty at the beginning! And I think a balloon banner will be a staple in my birthday party planning from now on.

Balloon Bouquet (that is still in our apartment today and the girls love it!)

 Tablecloth: I bought the colors of the rainbow in the cheap $1 plastic tablecloths, cut them into strips and sewed them together to make a rainbow tablecloth.

Cakes: Huge individual rainbow cupcakes for the smash cakes and a rainbow layer cake for everyone else

Cake stands: I made some cake stands and spray painted them yellow for the girls' cakes

 So we had the party at a park that is just two blocks from our apartment and we thought the easiest way to get the balloons down to the park would be to just carry them instead of stuffing them in a car. My dad and brother were the lucky ones to walk it down--it was hilarious, sort of looked like their own gay pride parade with the rainbow banner.

 Kendal in her party dress and pink tiara headband

 Leigh was wonderful enough to grill a bunch of hamburgers and hot dogs for everyone--and here he is finally getting to eat

 Lyla in her party dress and tiara

 So I was terrible at getting pictures of the people that came--but thank you to everyone that came! 

 Present time! The girls were spoiled with presents. I totally thought they would be more in to opening presents, but they really just wanted the paper from one present then they were done. 

 

Uncle Austin got the girls these super cute bibs--one says "I'm acute baby" and the other says "These fools put my cape on backwards". My brother was a math major, hence the acute angle bib. 

 They got tons of fun new toys!

 And their own little chairs! They are so cute and comfy!

Cake time! Kendal was super tired, so eating cake was not something she wanted to do. She just cried and cried. But, Lyla LOVED it.

 Jess and Aurelia!

 Sad, tired birthday girl! Naptime didn't go very well that day--we had to try and get them to take naps in between events, and it just didn't work out.

Messy, messy girl! 

Happy First Birthday Kendal and Lyla!

March for Babies!

 The girls' birthday was jam packed with things to do! We started out the day with the March for Babies for March of Dimes. We thought it was the perfect start to their birthday--supporting others that are in the same situation as we were in exactly a year before. 

 Uncle Austin & Lyla

 Daddy & Kendal

 Along the walk they have posters made by families of preemie babies--and we made one for Kendal and Lyla. Many of the posters made us grateful for our 31 week babies. We were truly blessed to make it that long and to have such healthy babies.

 Thanks to everyone who came and walked with us!

 

ONE YEAR!

 At the end of April we got the girls' One Year Photos taken! We were so excited to have a friend and former college roommate take Kendal and Lyla's pictures. Victoria Harris did a fabulous job and we are SO glad we went to her. Seriously, if you need pictures taken and you live in Utah (or she even goes to Colorado quite often) check her out! She worked perfectly with the girls, catching their smiles and making sure we got TONS of good pictures. She was even laying on the concrete with her cute pregnant belly! Anyways, we are so so SO happy with how the pictures turned out, how well the girls cooperated, and we still cannot believe we have two 1 year olds!

 Sweet Lyla Bean

Curious Kendal :)

 LOVE this expression (below), she is always trying to look around things to stare at people/things.

Haha! Lyla trying to crawl over Kendal and Kendal saying, "I don't think so!"--hourly occurrence in our household.

LOVE these excited smiles

 This fence was seriously the cutest thing ever and the girls loved holding on to it!

My favorite of them together.

Cutest mouth ever...

Cake Smash! I was so excited to do a cake smash with the girls for their first birthday ...and they loved it! 

At first, they were more interested in the polka dot plates...

Action shot!

Destroyed!

Love those blue eyes :)

Pushing the plate around...

Aren't they perfect?! I mean the lighting, colors, and of course the subjects are just perfect. Thank you Victoria!!!