Flashback Friday

Yes, I'm a bit early for Friday-2 1/2 hours to be exact, but who's counting. These are some of my very favorite 1st birthday pics of Finley. We were at Devil's River-her actual birthday always falls on this trip, so we have a little celebration there, too. She looks so much like Slade did when he was this age. She actually has some fat on her-look at the chubby arms. The cake pan you see is very old. It was my great grandmother's which makes it Finley's great, great. We have a tradition that Nana makes us all a mini birthday cake in that antique pan. It has to be Nana's homemade yummy chocolate cake. She puts a bit of coffee in the icing, which I think is a great little secret. She was such a sweet, happy baby. I love her crinkled nose when her face is covered in cake!!! This picture was taken 15 months ago, and it seems like it has been years since she was that small. To anyone reading this with your first baby or one on the way, take my advice. Soak it up-every smile, nose crinkle, drool drip, sweet laugh. They grow so very fast and in the blink of an eye, they'll be 2 1/2 and working the portable DVD player or in Kindergarten and wearing colored hair gel because it's wild hair day. The time is so very precious. It's the best time of your life.