Happy Birthday to you!

My Love,

One year ago was the beginning of our fight, our journey and the first we laid eyes on our miracle! We are absolutely proud and in love with you Owen Bear. I just can't say it enough but I know that you feel loved! Happy, happy, happy birthday! When I think about how far you have come, I couldn't be prouder little bear!

I also wanted to thank all of the wonderful people who have helped, supported and prayed for us along the way. We really miss our South Carolina family! For all of the nurses, nurse practitioners, respiratory therapist, occupational therapy, speech therapy, staff, social workers, case workers, palliative care, surgeons, neonatologists and any healthcare workers....Owen lives every day as a testament to your hard work and that miracles DO happen.

To our family and friends, we can't thank you enough for the generous support, encouragement and well wishes we have received. We think of you all everyday that we get to spend with Owen!

HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY OWEN!

We did "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" theme for your birthday party. Here you are on your first birthday!

So handsome!

This is a little about you at 1!

Height: 29 inches

Weight: 23 lbs
Favorite Toys: Exersaucer and rattles
Favorite Song: Itsy Bitsy Spider

Favorite TV Show: Kipper and Baby Einstein
What you like to do:  Playing with our glasses, take a bath and eat out
First Word: Ba-Ba and Da-Da
Best Friends: Toby and Henry (Woof!)

I have 7 teeth

Favorite Books: The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Snuggle Puppy, Giraffes Can't Dance.

 
The start of your birthday celebration was the arrival of your grandparents, Grammy and PPaw May. They were so happy to see you and absolutely amazed at how much more you were doing and saying since they had last seen you over Christmas. They were the guests of honor...and well really the only guests because mommy was just not quite ready to brave any germs.

Proud Daddy!

First I wanted to show all of the decorations and food we had at the party for us to enjoy. For those of you not familiar with the book, the caterpillar eats a different food on each day of the week as pictured below. Owen is the hungry caterpillar of our story and thanks to mommy and a very powerful blender he has enjoyed each of these fruits in his blends!

Once upon a time there was a Very Hungry Caterpillar named Owen and he turned One on April 18, 2013 ...

The Hungry Caterpillar was VERY VERY HUNGRY!!!

In the book he did not have real fruit soda, but of course Owen had HotLips Pizza's real fruit soda!

Chinese lantern caterpillar made especially for you by good ole mom!

On Monday he ate through one apple. But he was still hungry.

 On Tuesday he ate through two pears, but he was still hungry.

On Wednesday he ate through three plums, but he was still hungry.

On Thursday he ate through four strawberries, but he was still hungry

On Friday he ate through five oranges, but he was still hungry.

On Saturday he ate through ...

One piece of chocolate cake

One ice cream cone

One slice of Swiss cheese, one slice of salami, one watermelon

and one lollipop.

And here he is eating his Red Velvet Caterpillar cake from Pastry Girl Bakery

mmmm...mmm...mmmmmm! Cake!


Now he wasn't hungry any more -- and he wasn't a little caterpillar any more.

He was a Big, Fat caterpillar!


He built a small house, called a cocoon, around himself. He stayed inside for more than two weeks. Then he nibbled a hole in the cocoon, pushed his way out and...

He was a beautiful butterfly!

And then he opened presents!

From Blanche and Steve

Red airplane from Nana and Papa

Happy Birthday to you!

We love you to the moon and back my sweet love!

-Mom