Celebrating your first birthday is a big milestone, and big milestones should be celebrated in big ways.

The previously mentioned party was most of what we did, but we didn't want Alexa's "actual birthday" to go by unnoticed.

Marble Slab was kind enough to treat her to her first real ice cream.
She had birthday cake with sprinkles, of course :)

She also celebrated by pulling up and climbing steps that week.

 She can sign more, please and all done, if whining doesn't work.

Crawling is her 2nd favorite mode of transportation, after being carried. 

She was quite pleased with herself for figuring out how to stand the people up.

She enjoys her morning smoothie, and just about anything else from a cup.

and if Alexa gets a picture taken, Jenny obviously needs one too.

Alexa also barks "aa!" when she's hears a dog, and can growl like a lion or bear.

Alexa is one

For Alexa's big day we went to the splashpad. What else is there to do outside in June?

At first Alexa wasn't sure what a birthday party was.

She figured it out pretty quickly. 

"You've been holding out on me."

She was very excited about the new baby dolls.

The big buckets make the babies happy!

Tub for two.

Aunt Lori imparting the necessary skill for kids: filling and tying water balloons. 

Jenny and Caleb are content to hoard their own balloons.