Happy FIRST Birthday Maggie!

I know parents always say this, but I really can't believe Maggie just turned ONE! I'll be honest - it's been a hiney-kicker of a year. First year with three kiddos, planning a house, etc. etc. etc. So, this was a milestone we were looking forward to, not only to celebrate sweet Maggie, but to celebrate making it through it with everyone still intact and smiling. 

So...on to the festivities. 

Remember the little dress I made for Rebecca for her first birthday? Well, it was a saga. No pattern, 2 skirts later one got turned into the dress she wore. A booger of a project. But it's two years later and I'm clearly much much wiser. So, not only did I purchase a pattern (albeit not a very good one), but I enlisted help - serious help.  :)  Bee came over one evening and we pretty much knocked this baby out of the park. Don't you love it when that happens?

 Your first glimpse at the party theme fabric...

 Holding it up on our model. (My mom would kill me if I made a comment about how deliciously big Maggie is...so I'll just say we used the 3T size for her little jumper...and added additional elastic. That's all I'm saying.)

 BIRTHDAY MORNING - I'm not sure I'm ready to call it a tradition - but Maggie got her first taste of super healthy, all natural, most definitely organic powdered sugar donuts. :)

 This is one of her signature moves. She's all about seeing the word from different angles - and apparently sideways is a favorite.

BIRTHDAY PARTY DAY:

LET'S PARTY!

 (Anyone from WPDS recognize the butterflies from the 2011 Auction? Not sure how I inherited those...but they came in handy!)

And a little balloon trick from pinterest - blow up balloons and string with needle/thread to hang easily - and avoid a trip to the party store for helium balloons!

 Gotta have pictures from her first year. I intended on printing off just enough to create a "1" on the poster but had too many good ones just stuck stuck 'em all on.

Gotta have a happy birthday banner. And a first birthday throne.

 The food was all really simple - some party platters from Central Market. And some homemade watermelon strawberry lemonade - I think it was pretty yummy and not at all tricky to make if you've got a working blender. Ahem.

 Why do fresh flowers make me so happy?

But on to more important things - THE BIRTHDAY GIRL!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAGGIE!

 With the grandmothers - who make all things possible. :)

Exploring the grass.

 With Daddy. With Momma.

Okay, it's CAKE TIME!

I have to admit I love dreaming up and making little cakes and cupcakes. I love color coordination. I love little details. But, also, I think I'm mildly delusional regarding my abilities - especially when it comes to pulling something off right the first time. I like to learn from my total flops mistakes, you know?

Anyways, this year's adventure was the little fondant butterflies. Easy, right? Next time they will be! Marshmallow fondant made and colored a week in advance - check!

Butterflies cut out with enough time to dry out - almost check!

Butterflies cut out and positioned in folded poster board to make them appear to fly with enough time to dry out in that position??? - Not so much.

Thanks to Franny's help the night before (and venting cookie sheets and a ceiling fan) - some of them were almost dry. All the others were just dry enough to crack down the middle. Sigh. It wouldn't be a party of mine if everything went according to plan. But the next time I need to make fondant butterflies - watch out!

 Some minis.

 Is that big person trying to sneak one before it's time?

 Did this little person just eat the icing off of 6, yes SIX, minis? Yes, yes he did. :)

Okay, CAKE TIME for MAGGIE aka PARENTS ACT OCD WITH CAMERAS TIME!

 Ooooh!!! What is this you bring me, Daddy?

 Why, yes, I believe I will try some.

 Happy feet!

 Uh oh, face rub.

 Crash.

Here we are before we rescued her from her thrown and sugar-induced-mini-coma.

 And what is this? Is this actually a picture of all 5 of us? (Owen & Rebecca are too busy eating their ice cream to be bothered to smile.)

 Title 1: We love you Maggie!

Title 2: Let's all mock the unhappy baby!

More important than all the silly decorations and cake are of course the people - we have such amazing family and friends. Thanks for celebrating with us!

Maggie playing with some buddies.

 Meal time.

 Yiyi & Fei.

 Bee and my Auntie Joycie - did I mention what a special treat that she happened to be in town? So fun!

 Some of our gang just hanging out in the shade.

 

Where are all the kids, you ask? Right behind the adults - beating each other with the pool noodles - exactly as I intended. :)

Wanted an activity or two for the bigger kids. The idea with the pool noodles (cut in half) is that they sort of knock around a bunch of balls and balloons. It never really took off. We didn't have enough extra balloons for one thing. 

Because no matter what fun I plan outside, they end up doing this in the playroom.

The AFTER-PARTY. 

What was left of Maggie's cake.

 Clean-Up Crew All-Stars.

 And a little bit of gift-giving.

Happy Birthday Maggie - you are the sweetest and we can't wait to see you come into your own even more this next year!