Ramsey's First Birthday

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RAMSEY KENT!

January 24th, 2015... Ramsey is ONE year old now! It is amazing how time flies.
Everyone says that, but as I reflect on the year that has gone by, I truly am in awe how quickly it has passed!

Last year at this time, we were leaving the hospital a day early (to avoid the blizzard) and bringing home our new tiny bundle of joy.  (And he is absolutely that... pure joy.)

This year, we're celebrating our high-energy, loving, happy, awesome little Doodlebug as he transitions from "baby" to toddler.   (He'll ALWAYS be my little baby though!)  :-)

The weather was poor, so our party was even smaller than anticipated; just Ramsey the Birthday Boy, Eric, Connor, Nana Karen, and me. And.... Connor's Mom Kristi and 4-year-old brother Bridger came for the day!   We really had a fun happy time!

Ramsey got his own double-decker cake (one blue cake layer and one red layer on the inside) covered in buttercream frosting.  It turned out quite well, but I think I need to work on my piping skills a little bit!

Thinking that Ramsey could make too much of a mess of this cake for anyone else to want to eat it, I also made red velvet cupcakes with marshmallow centers and buttercream frosting.

Ramsey before he dove into his cake:

Eric and I made a bet whether or not Ramsey would go ballistic on his cake.  Eric thought he would, I didn't think he would so much.  Here's what happened:

Needless to say, there was plenty of cake that went unharmed and could be devoured by the rest of us.
Ramsey was a good little eater and picked away at his birthday cake.

He wanted to feed some to Daddy too!

Awww..... 

Then it was time to open presents!

I was inspired to design a "chalkboard" of "Ramsey Facts".  Easy as pie with Photoshop and Illustrator!

We gave him a customized plate and bowl set with a little blonde boy in an airplane.  It is so precious!

He was trying to tell us something here.... um....???!!!

 He had fun scavenging through his boxes and then putting things back in them.  He's wearing his "first Notre Dame Cap" here and biting on his police officer rubber duckie.

 Baby smart phone... tasty.

 ...Looking for more things to pound with his new musical hammer!!

 He was loving the bows!

Nana Karen gave him a Giddy Up 'N Go horsie named Thunder.  He'll be growing into this toy, but for now, he loves to give him kisses!  Of course, I can't seem to catch the kiss-giving on film.  Arrgh!  :-)

I also thought it would be a fun gift to put together a time capsule.  This way, everyone could put their little notes and wishes for him inside of it, along with any current items for him to look at when he's older.  I think he'll get a kick out of the magazines, newspapers, and tchotchkes from the time when he was just a little scrapper.

Ramsey received many nice gifts to play with and lovely cards.
Moreover, he has many special friends and a wonderful family to treasure the rest of his life.

Happy Birthday Lil' Mouse.  We love you SOOOO MUCH!!!