Lynnden's birthday is June 26th. Ammon lovingly jokes that he will always remember it because she is our very own Experiment 626.
It wasn't until I was searching for pictures of Stitch (aka "Experiment 626") that I realized just how appropriate that reference actually is. Lynnden was a very difficult adjustment. I know all newborns are difficult, but she was her own special kind of difficult. In the beginning there were so many nights...and days...and nights and days and nights and days that I remember just crying while she was crying. And using all of my strength (sometimes more than all of my strength) to just...keep her alive. She was SO loud. She grew out of the constant crying eventually (she didn't do dairy it turns out) and WOW that has helped us to appreciate her. Still though, she is quite loud. And quite disruptive.
To quote the movie,
Hehe.
Okay, okay. She's really not that bad. In fact, we actually think she's pretty terrific. We wouldn't give her away for anything (you were worried, I can tell). I mean, after all, she's family.
Well, our little experiment had a birthday. Her very first birthday. Those are pretty special.
What only a year ago started out like this:
Somehow blossomed into this:
She is beautiful. And funny. And full of life. And we love her with our whole entire hearts.
So what did we do to celebrate our Lovely Lynnden on her birthday? Well, we tried to give her a lovely day.
It started with our usual wake-up birthday singing and gift giving. She was surprised to say the least.
And maybe not a morning person.
But with the proper motivation she perked right up.
Ummm, excuse me...Mother? Can we do this every morning?
Hey, Ammely! Check this out! Snacks! In our room! Before breakfast!
Speaking of breakfast...we made sure she got her birthday pancakes.
From there we got gussied up a bit and played with Grandma Breakall (who made the trip just for her special day) before we had to head out.
I scheduled her one year check-up on her actual birthday. Poor girl. But she came out with a squeaky clean bill of health!
From there we did a bit of shopping and then hit up some delicious drive-thru food to enjoy at home.
With full tummies, it seemed like the perfect time to enjoy some quality time with Grandma (and her spoils).
Of course, that'll wear you out. Luckily, it's nothing that a little beauty rest can't fix.
While Lynnden was recuperating, Ammely was thrilled to have Rori come by for a short play-date.
Heck, we were all excited to have our favorite Olmsteads come by. Especially the birthday girl, seeing as the Olmsteads came with some awesome birthday loot.
From there we headed out to Grandma and Grandpa Lords. What do you do for a summer birthday in Arizona? Don the swimming suits!
The advantage to the extreme heat in the valley? Evening swimming in an outdoor pool. Truly, it is perfect. A good time for everybody!
The darkness crept in quickly and we rushed home in an effort to do singing and cake before the sleepies set in for the night. We were only 50% successful...Ammely conked out for good before we made it home. Lynnden must have sensed that a birthday is not complete without cake.
And cake we had!
We lit the candle.
We sang the song.
And we dug in.
Really dug in.
After that, all that was left to do was to snap a picture with us life-giving, life-preserving parental folks.
It was a great day. We were all a little sad to see it end.
In fact, it was a great year. I'm a little sad to see it end.
The years really do go fast. Long days. Long nights. Really short years.
I'm eternally glad that our little Lynnden lady came to our home. We love her completely and our family would be missing an integral part without her. I'm so grateful to be her mother through both the stretched out moments and the ones that fly by.
(This is a Lilo and Stitch reference in case any of you out there are not as devoted to your Disney trivia as you should be.)
It wasn't until I was searching for pictures of Stitch (aka "Experiment 626") that I realized just how appropriate that reference actually is. Lynnden was a very difficult adjustment. I know all newborns are difficult, but she was her own special kind of difficult. In the beginning there were so many nights...and days...and nights and days and nights and days that I remember just crying while she was crying. And using all of my strength (sometimes more than all of my strength) to just...keep her alive. She was SO loud. She grew out of the constant crying eventually (she didn't do dairy it turns out) and WOW that has helped us to appreciate her. Still though, she is quite loud. And quite disruptive.
To quote the movie,
Gantu:
What is that monstrosity?
Jumba:
Monstrosity? What you see before you is the first of a new species. I call it Experiment 626. It is fire-proof, bullet-proof, and can think faster than super computer. It can see in the dark, and lift objects three thousand times its size. It's only instinct... to destroy everything it touches! Ha ha ha ha!
Monstrosity? What you see before you is the first of a new species. I call it Experiment 626. It is fire-proof, bullet-proof, and can think faster than super computer. It can see in the dark, and lift objects three thousand times its size. It's only instinct... to destroy everything it touches! Ha ha ha ha!
Grand Councilwoman:
So it IS a monster.
So it IS a monster.
Jumba:
Eh, just a little one.
Eh, just a little one.
Hehe.
Okay, okay. She's really not that bad. In fact, we actually think she's pretty terrific. We wouldn't give her away for anything (you were worried, I can tell). I mean, after all, she's family.
(Although I do feel it appropriate to tell you that I just had to stop typing this because she had silently and thoroughly covered herself with a tube of lipstick from my bag...)
Well, our little experiment had a birthday. Her very first birthday. Those are pretty special.
What only a year ago started out like this:
Somehow blossomed into this:
She is beautiful. And funny. And full of life. And we love her with our whole entire hearts.
So what did we do to celebrate our Lovely Lynnden on her birthday? Well, we tried to give her a lovely day.
It started with our usual wake-up birthday singing and gift giving. She was surprised to say the least.
And maybe not a morning person.
But with the proper motivation she perked right up.
Ummm, excuse me...Mother? Can we do this every morning?
Hey, Ammely! Check this out! Snacks! In our room! Before breakfast!
Speaking of breakfast...we made sure she got her birthday pancakes.
From there we got gussied up a bit and played with Grandma Breakall (who made the trip just for her special day) before we had to head out.
I scheduled her one year check-up on her actual birthday. Poor girl. But she came out with a squeaky clean bill of health!
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| 27 inches. 16 lbs 5 oz. |
With full tummies, it seemed like the perfect time to enjoy some quality time with Grandma (and her spoils).
Of course, that'll wear you out. Luckily, it's nothing that a little beauty rest can't fix.
While Lynnden was recuperating, Ammely was thrilled to have Rori come by for a short play-date.
Heck, we were all excited to have our favorite Olmsteads come by. Especially the birthday girl, seeing as the Olmsteads came with some awesome birthday loot.
From there we headed out to Grandma and Grandpa Lords. What do you do for a summer birthday in Arizona? Don the swimming suits!
The advantage to the extreme heat in the valley? Evening swimming in an outdoor pool. Truly, it is perfect. A good time for everybody!
The darkness crept in quickly and we rushed home in an effort to do singing and cake before the sleepies set in for the night. We were only 50% successful...Ammely conked out for good before we made it home. Lynnden must have sensed that a birthday is not complete without cake.
And cake we had!
We lit the candle.
We sang the song.
And we dug in.
Really dug in.
After that, all that was left to do was to snap a picture with us life-giving, life-preserving parental folks.
It was a great day. We were all a little sad to see it end.
In fact, it was a great year. I'm a little sad to see it end.
The years really do go fast. Long days. Long nights. Really short years.
I'm eternally glad that our little Lynnden lady came to our home. We love her completely and our family would be missing an integral part without her. I'm so grateful to be her mother through both the stretched out moments and the ones that fly by.
