Fun to be Almost One

Auntie Lyn came to Nashville this weekend to help celebrate Anna turning one. Anna doesn't officially turn one until next week but we figured practice makes perfect. Besides who says your birthday party should last only one day!? After all you only turn one once.....

We started our weekend with Anna's 12 month photo shoot...

At the photo shoot we gave Anna her first cupcake. Here's what's left of that strawberry delight! To see more of Anna's first cupcake fun go to http://ashleysegroves.com/Dundas/ and click on 12mt

On Saturday, Lyn also participated in a Nashville Run....she beat her personal best in the 5K!!

Anna helped celebrate Auntie Lyn's accomplishment by wearing her medal!!

Here's to the Birthday Girl!

Anna really hates wearing hats....

She pulls them right off...

But she does enjoy opening presents!

Her favorites? It's a tie between the Elmo book and her first laptop!

Yo Ho Ho!

Do you know what today is? Today is one of my favorite days...no it's not the first day of fall or the last day of school....it's International Talk Like a Pirate Day! Those who know me well know I could not let this day pass without a blog post about all things pirate! I'm sure many of you are asking yourself why are pirates so great? Well as Kevin and Bean on KROQ would say....They just Arrrrrrrrrrree!!!!!

The first thing everyone needs on International Talk Like a Pirate Day is their pirate name! Anna's pirate name is Second Mate Catherine Hagerty the Long Stubble.....to find your pirate name go to http://www.froggynet.com/cgi-bin/pirate.cgi or http://gangstaname.com/names/pirate

But of course it wouldn't be Pirate Day without a collection of Pirate jokes...I know you've waited all year for some good pirate jokes!

What's a Pirate's Favorite Bar Drink?
A Maaaarrrrtini

What's a pirate's favorite letter?
You think it's the RRRRR, but it's the C that they're in love with!

What did the pirate say to man who insulted him?
I know you ARR, but what am AYE?!!!!

What do pirates put on toast?
Maarrrrrmalade!!!

What's a pirate's favorite food?

Arrrrrtichokes.

Summer Lovin'

Labor Day for me has always meant the end of summer and the start of a new school year. If tomorrow was the first day of school for Anna there would be a chance she would have to share what she did on her summer vacation...so here are some of the highlights...!

Anna got to see many familar faces and meet a few new faces too...

Anna got to see her Ama and meet John..

She met Auntie Corey...


She played with Kandy, Nick, and Kaitlyn...

Anna also enjoyed spending some time with Auntie Lyn and Ryan...

Anna met Charlie dog! And had great fun chasing after him...

She met James and Kasia...

Anna also got to meet and spend time with her Great Great Aunt Marjorie

She spent some quality time in Scotland with her Granny, Grampy, Uncle Robert and Aunt Ruth

Some of Anna's adventures included going to her first wedding where they had these fabulous balloons to play with!

Who says it rains all the time in Scotland!? While Anna was there she got to play outside on the grass under a blue sky

Back home in Nashville, Anna went to Cheekwood Botanical Gardens to see the Chihuly Nights exhibit...

This lighted tower was one of her favorites...

And for all you Twilight fans Anna decided she is on Team Jacob!

Anna spent many afternoons playing with her big red ball...

Laughing herself silly at her reflection....

One of her favorite things to do is try and cuddle the cat! And laugh hysterically at him while he eats....

Anna flew almost 9,000 miles this summer...and while she's not old enough to earn frequent flier miles she did enjoy crawling around all the different airports.

And my favorite part? The smiles she shares with us daily...

Milestones not captured on camera!

1. Clapping

2. Shaking her head no at everything even when she wants something

3. Copying actions...for example raising both arms up when you do it, putting them down when you put your arms down....

4. Standing on her own..but not walking yet!

5. Becoming a very good eater...this past weekend Anna enjoyed some southern classics such as BBQ pulled pork and baked beans...she also had her first curry!