This weekend we travelled down to Chicago to celebrate Charlotte's first birthday with a small amount of our family. It was a beautiful, fun day.

My sister Katie painstakingly assembled this very long birthday sign for Charlotte and then my dad painstakingly hung and re-hung and re-hung this very long birthday sign for Charlotte. Thanks, guys!

Delicious summer beverages.

Plenty of balloons and outdoor playing apparatus.

Watermelon appetizer.

Not pictured: popcorn from popcorn machine. Why didn't I take a picture of that?! It was so cool!

Flavored potato chip smorgasbord. Thank you, Archer Farms + Target.

Hot dogs with all the fixins.

Opening presents with cousins.

I love this picture of Adeline with her little hand on Kyle's shoulder.

She loves her books.

Sitting on her new placemat.

Singing Happy Birthday.

Dessert announcement.

Charlotte's Web cupcakes made by my best friend, Megan.

Do you think we had enough desserts? Five different pies, ice cream, cool whip, cookies, gluten free cookies, gluten free brownies, cupcakes, sugar cookies, and leftover birthday cake from another party.

Her very special Charlotte the spider cupcake from Auntie Megan!

The final installment of the birthday chair pictures!!!

I bought her this birthday badge that I was hoping she would wear on her birthday... not so much. She also just wanted to eat it for these pictures.

Charlie-cat turns ONE!

We started out the morning with the traditional sticky buns with Uncle Colby and Lauren.

We got her this Little Golden dinosaur book, which she LOVED.

Then, we went to the library.

Checking out the book kits.

Walking over to Scott's to get some ice cream.

Her very own "birthday cake ice cream" cone!

We had to swing on the swings on her birthday.

In the afternoon, Charlotte and I played in the canteen, reading books and climbing on couch cushions.

Charlie's cupcake.

She was dainty at first...

... then, not so much.

My favorite.

Extra rubbing in, for good measure.

Videos are coming soon!