Madison's First Birthday-Preperation Begins!

Ian's Cake 2005 (Shelby's didn't turn out the way I wanted so no picture will be posted)

Shelby's Cake 2006 (Ian's didn't turn out so well, so no picture will be posted)

Twins Cake 2007 (Pregnant and not able to stand for that long to decorate 2 cakes, they got 1)

Now that Christmas is over it is time to start planning Madison's 1st birthday party. I found a Blue's Clues cake pan on E-Bay a few months back that I won. I made Shelby and Ian's cakes until this year. Madison wouldn't allow for the 2-3 hours it takes to decorate 2 cakes! We are going to keep it nice and simple. Baby's first birthdays are really for the parents anyway. I don't know of any adult who remembers their first birthday. I know I don't. This day is to watch them stick their little hands into the cake and smear it all over while taking lots of pictures. I want it to be a day I remember and enjoy for her. When she grows up I want to be able to tell her about her day. I want her to be with the family she knows and loves and not be overwhelmed. In 2006 when we started our process trying to have a baby through IVF, we had only our prayers as a certainty. We had no idea if we would even have a first birthday to celebrate. We are grateful of our gift from GOD. Medical proceedures gave us the chance, our faith & prayers gave us Madison. In 2006 around July or August, John and I ate at the Hard Rock Cafe in Louisville. I purchased a onesie with a guitar on it, with hopes we would have a baby to put it on. From July to October we hoped and prayed for success. Our care team knew when to say "enough is enough" for this cycle. They didn't give us false hopes of a positive outcome. They gave us hope of trying a different medication plan when we were ready. 2006 would not be the year we got pregnant. We gave ourselves time to reflect and regroup before trying again. It is a long and emotional process. In March 2007, we decided it was time for a second try. We began my new treatment plan in April 2007. The rest as they say is history. May 3, 2007 I found out through a home pregnancy test. My official blood test was still a week away. I thin I took at test everyday for that week just to make sure! I remember the morning of my blood test very vividly. I'll never forget the phone call from my doctors office confirming the results. I loved every moment of being pregnant. I never thought 7 years ago when I met John and learned about Cystic Fibrosis that I would ever be pregnant again. So now that I have given a condensed version of how Madi came to be, I am back to planning her birthday. You can see why just being able to celebrate her 1st year of life is enough for us.