Sidebar: Check out Abby in this same adorable outfit on her first birthday:
Thank you to Mom's friend Brie for making us this outfit so that our first birthday pictures are sooo adorable. Okay, fine, we make all our pictures adorable - but the outfit helps us go the extra mile!!
And for the brief moment of this post that I can steal to write about myself: I had my ballet "recital". We were kicked out of the dance studio that day and had our "recital" in a "Meeting Room" but Whatever. I'm a STAR.
While the other children danced about I continued to stretch.
Perfect Posture. And no, it's not a funny camera angle, I really am a foot shorter than everyone in my class. And I made it work. I had style and grace. And boy do I look cute in a tutu and leotard. I am currently enrolled in my second session II of ballet... so there's more to come.
On one Saturday in March, when the golf course where Dad works assumed we'd still be having winter weather - they gave Dad a WEEKEND DAY off - so - since we were in a long string of 80 degree days and we knew this wouldn't happen again until November... we braved the crowds and headed Downtown to see the Cherry Blossoms!
Classic 3 and 1/2 year old pose: CHEEEEEESE.
This is what the cool kids do - wrap their arms around their BFF's necks.
Luckily, no park police caught Hayley in this BLATANT violation of the "Don't touch the blossoms!" rule.
In early April Mom and Abby had Spring Break... and Dad had "Welcome back to the LOOONG hours of golf season" - so the Nathlich ladies hit the road and went to visit Grandma and Grandpa in Connecticut. We decided to visit the Bronx Zoo - they have a Children's Zoo where you can act like animals - so here's Abby making her home in a log.
And since I don't do that crawling stuff - here I am - checking out the scenery, holding up my cheeks, and just looking cute.
While we were in Connecticut we decided to celebrate my first birthday a little early with our good friends up there. I really wasn't sure what to make of it all.
... still not quite sure what to make of it... but I was quite glad that Lila and Abby decided it fit to dress royally for my party.
Hmmm....
There ya go, Hayley.
WHAT? Hayley took one taste of the frosting and when we offered her another she refused. So there's further conformation that she's her father's child...
... And the one who dove face first into the frosting and will leave the cake untouched... she's Mommy's girl.
This one's for my uncles. I'm ready for lessons! The stick is bigger than I am but it's really all about the outfit, right?!
Obviously not all that impressed by the beautiful scenery - we took Hayley to the beach playground.
And for her first trip down my favorite slide! Can you see her cheeks vibrating in this picture??
By the end of the week we came home for Easter and we decided to try dying a few Easter eggs.
We also discovered that while cupcakes may not be my thing - Chocolate certainly IS. I was happy to explore my Easter basket from our neighbor and friend, Pam. Here I am hunting through it for more of the good stuff...
On Easter morning we did a little hunt for eggs. Only I didn't hunt. I just sat and looked cute and made Abby bring me all my eggs.
I found that - especially since I was on double collection duty for my sister - I could hunt a lot faster when dad held my basket for me. So I made him follow me around while I filled up my basket.
In our Sunday Best.
And then, finally, my REAL big day arrived! So, obviously, Evan and I celebrated together... I mean, we've been SUPER TIGHT for... well... a year. 364 days if you want to be technical about it - seeing as how I am 2 days his elder... but this was a leap year.
Classic one year olds - we wouldn't look at the camera. Period. Forget looking at the same time. Neither of us would look. But check out what a great catch he is - down there fixing my car for me. Of course, now that I really study the photo - perhaps he was trying to get into my car...
Let's take a moment for a vintage Hayley and Evan shot:
Wow. We really fill our clothes a LOT better these days!
Since our house isn't really big enough to house my HUGE fan base - we had our party at a park. Check out all that pizza on my tray. Hey, it takes work to maintain these cheeks!!
Happy birthday, Kiddos!
Since in the past week we had learned that I was not a cupcake fan but I WAS a chocolate fan - we went the chocolate cupcake route this time. High risk in a white shirt...
Alright - let's get rid of this crazy plastic thing...
Going for the cake first: Just like Daddy.
Eating small, dainty amounts: uhhh... not really a Nathlich nor Howe trait.
So I showed her how it's done! (Says Mom: That's MY girl!!)
It took a while - but she got the hang of things! Sorry Mom, but looks like Abby's the best teacher in the family!
Present time!! Man was I happy to see a new friend!
For birthday celebration #3 - Nana and Auntie Em came to visit and I decided to help Hayley with her gift opening.
And now for the true test of Nathlich-ness: Baskin Robbins Mint Chocolate Chip Cake. Things looked good from the start...
Someone insisted on using her spoon on her own. It's not gonna work out for you that way, Hayley.
In fact, in important moments like Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream cake: I prefer to ditch the utensils altogether. The just impede the process.
I 
...AANNNNND: Four for Four! The official birthday cake of the Nathlich Family!
Alright: here are the boring updates (boring because they come without pictures).
Hayley: At my one year appointment I was 22 1/2 pounds and 29.75 inches... 75 percentile for height and weight.
Throughout this winter and spring I have become VERY well acquainted with everyone who works at my doctors office. Wanting to give Abby a run for her money I had a fairly rough winter/spring - after cold #4 that I couldn't shake without a doctor's visit and prescription for nebulizer and steroids the doctor just told us to use the nebulizer at the first sign of a cold - and my next 3 colds ran their course "normally". At this age - it doesn't mean anything but could be a sign of asthma to come. For which we can blame my dad.
Abby: I got on the scale at Hayley's one year appointment and I'm 28.5 pounds and 33 inches. So when our pediatrician walked in and called us "the twins"... well... we earned it. He's giving Hayley until 18 months to catch and pass me. We'll just see about that one...
I had a great winter/spring - despite this being my first year in preschool with all those germs - I got sick ONCE. Seriously. ONCE. Abby= Rockstar.
We also just had Abby's annual IEP meeting. Her teachers say she's doing really well. She's talking a lot, she still signs when someone has a tough time understanding her, but for the most part she speaks and signs - she's become as independent as her short little legs will allow on the playground. She LOVES arts and crafts and dress up and she's great at (and loves!) yoga. As for her goals for next year, they would like for her to "follow inhibitory directions like "Stop", "Wait", and "Don't put that in your mouth"" and "to participate in non-preferred activities for 6 minutes." No arguments there. That sounds like our Abby!
