Last Saturday we celebrated Zane's first year of life with a fun filled day, surrounded by family. It was a big day, weeks in the making. The theme of the party was picnic because it really was just a bbq and then I found a picture of an adorable picnic cake that I was pretty sure I could recreate. While at Hobby Lobby a few weeks later I saw all sorts of adorable pinwheels and decided the 'cotheme' would be pinwheels. They scream summer time picnic, they brighten up the yard, and kids love to play with them. Decorating was tons of fun, minus the crazy amount of work that went into the birthday banner. We had pinwheels in the yard, a banner with balloons on the front of the house, pictures of Zane everywhere, and picnic clothes with ants and bugs on the tables. Very festive!
The Guests:
We were very excited that all of Zane's Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents, and cousins could be here for the party. This meant that there were seven kids, eight years or younger (including Zane), three uncles, three aunts, three grandparents, and one great grandmother. Many thanks to everyone for flying or driving long distances, with small children, to be at the big event. You made Zane's birthday party and extra special day. I really wanted to get a picture with Zane and all his aunts and uncles, but didn't manage to make that happen. I got everyone but Aunt Trina and Uncle JR, but I did get this adorable picture of all my nieces and nephews together.
The Cakes:
On Friday Abbey, Anna, and I started working on the cakes. Going with the picnic theme, the main cake looked like a picnic table, complete with a plate full of hot dogs and hamburgers and ants going across it. The back up cake turned out equally adorable, yellow with sprinkles, a one, hot dogs/hamburgers, and more ants. Some of my friends from work, who are currently taking cake decorating classes, really wanted to be part of Zane's special day so they made a 'smash cake' just for him. It matched our picnic cake and we topped it with a little one candle. Yes, that means Zane had three cakes for his first birthday, I know this is insane, but don't worry none of them went to waste.
I tried to keep the menu simple so we weren't killing ourselves cooking and I think I did a pretty good job. Zach and Able were in charge of the meat, of course. They started smoking ribs and pork tenderloin at 0500 on Saturday morning amidst thunder, lightening, rain, and gale force winds. I chalked it up to Dad making an appearance at the party, going a little over board, but in the end it was a beautifully sunny day. Abbey of coarse was in charge of making and icing both cakes. Anna and I made the miniature hot dogs and hamburgers, Able and mom tag teamed the potato salad, Brendan and Abbey made rice krispy treats, Amy brought her famous baked beans, and Trina brought hot dogs and drinks for the kids. Add some chips and veggies to the mix and we had ourselves quite the spread. I feel completely off the wagon and days later have yet to get back on it. Everything was delicious and Zane thoroughly enjoyed all the food.
The eating of the cake:
As is tradition at first birthday parties Zane got to make a huge mess with his piece of cake. We brought him a large piece out of his smash cake, as the whole thing wouldn't fit on his high chair tray. Everyone sang him happy birthday and he blew out his candle, with some help from his cousins. He seemed to be much more interested in the miniature hot dog (made with a vanilla wafer and a red Starburst) and hamburger (made with slightly melted snickers and vanilla wafers). The entire event was pretty anticlimactic. He got pretty messy, making for some good pictures, but I don't think he really ate any cake. He did chew on the red Starburst for awhile, but again didn't eat it. It ended with a minor melt down and quickly being put into the tub for a bath. Here are some classic first birthday shots.
The Presents:
After cake it was present time. Zane got a ton of wonderful presents. Zach and I got him a kiddy pool, not expensive, but he has really enjoyed it, and a dump truck from Target's one spot. Aunt Anna got him an alligator push toy, which turns out is kind of loud, but oh so cute to watch him use. He pushes it around like a lawn mower and the little alligators chomp. The Prance clan got him a Thomas the train starter set. The Prances are the masters of Thomas the Train so I trust they got him off to a great start. Now Zach just has to build a train table! Grammi and Papa had brought Zane a picnic table earlier in the summer, which we had already used a lot, but they also brought him some more CAT machines which he has been crawling around the house with since the party. The Richards clan got him the barn magnet set I had been wanting to buy him for months, a talking book, and of course a couple of other regular books for our not so impressive book collection. Uncle Able added to our pillow pet collection with Fred Bird the Red bird, who I wanted to buy but couldn't rationalize it. Great Grandma Baker got him fun pool toys and a beach towel. And last but not least Grandma Blakley got him the Fisher Price Little People Animal Sound Barn, again something I had wanted to buy but was holding out for his birthday. He has so many new toys he doesn't know what to do with himself.
After all the cake was eaten and all the presents were open it was time to head out to the back yard for a little pool party. All the kids splashed in the pool, participated in an epic water gun fight, snow cone time, and pure family fun. I think all the kids got along well though Maggie and Levi had a two year old off, arguing about the fact that each of their cups were their own. It was so cute! I loved that all my nieces and nephews were here at once, playing with each other and have a blast. It was perfect. Zane was slightly overwhelmed by all of the kids, water fights, and splashing, but I think he had a pretty good time toddling around through the chaos. Of course after all of this the birthday boy was completely beat and had to sneak off for a nap.
No comments:
Post a Comment