animal print lanterns were involved.
they hung from anything that would stand still in ninety mile per hour wind.
wild animals roamed free.
and were confined to what may have been ill-advised centerpieces designed by a mommy feeling the "this is her first birthday party EVER" pressure. 
there were people who adore the birthday girl.
and the all-important first cake EVER.
the initial contact was gentle and lady like.
but then we got down to business. yummo!
there were wagons filled with lovely gifts.
and lots of little hands to help open them.
there was a lunch followed by a jewelry shopping trip with our daddy on the real deal holyfield day of birth. we started her charm bracelet with a tiny silver cupcake. and then dad and i ate a real one while the birthday girl watched. how wrong is that?
we wrapped the day up with an inaugural thai dinner with the ohio grands.
fast forward three weeks to our one year pictures...we had a ball. literally.
funny foot note to these pics: jared and i were trying to make cate smile and subsequently look like complete lunatics in most of the photos. when i mentioned that to my mom, she said, "that's how you always look when you are around cate." i can't believe no one has mentioned this to me before now. sorry i've looked like a crazy person for a full calendar year. see below if you need an example.
i'm guess i'm actually totally ok with being a lunatic over this girl!other news from months 12 and 13:
- cate had her first, and what i hope will be her only, surgery on may 11th. she had a growth removed and it required general anesthesia. scary! but she was a trooper and, for the most part, so were we.
- i went back to work full time on june 1. thanks to classy and cate's beloved sitter, katelyn, it has been a fairly smooth transition. this bullet demands a major shout out to jared for his complete embodiment of support. he is such an amazing partner and daddy. he steps up to keep our ship right on a day to day, and sometimes, second to second basis. cate and i heart him.
- cate is such a little busy body. her favorite toys right now are her tea set, picnic basket, and hand-me-down animal flashcards from charlie and o. she knows all 26 animals. some of them are unusual names, like quetzal. quewhatzal? we have spent hours laying the cards out and asking her to "bring mommy the armadillo."
- food is not so much our friend right now. cate eats "well" on an average of one out of every 3 days. that is my biggest source of worry these days. i worry that she's going to have some major deficiency or develop scurvy or turn into a cheerio.
- i think we officially have a curly haired girl. definitely on the sides and the back. the longer the top and front get, the more waves we see.
