Yesterday was Gracyn's 1st birthday party! I've been planning it since she was 6 months old. Just getting ideas here and there. I was glad to see it all come together. The theme was pinwheels and polkadots and her colors were pink, orange, and yellow. Very summery, I know.
On her actual birthday we took her to get her pictures made. I had to take pictures of the pictures to get them on here so I know it's not the best quality, but here are a few of my favorites.
Looking at her new bracelet. This is the exact shot I was hoping to get!
DECORARTIONS
I feel like I have been making pinwheels for months! I would make some, then find other paper that I liked better so would make more. I had fun making them though...pinwheels are just fun! I really like how my wreath turned out. It was not supposed to look like that at all, but I actually like it better than what I originally was trying to do with it. I used lattice for the backdrop to the cake/food table. I was planning on getting it and painting it last week, but Clint decided to go to Kansas City last minute and put a kink in that plan. So, we got it Friday and bought yellow spray paint. He painted it Friday afternoon, but the wood was just soaking it up. So that night, he went to Wal-Mart for yellow paint. Luckily it dried in time. I had planned to make tissue paper pom poms to put along the top, but didn't have time to do it. Looking at the pictures now, I think I really needed to add them.
Katie's mom painted the canvas and Katie made the frame. I love it!
I love my potted pinwheels!
Thanks Heather for making this cute bow to go above the Birthday Girl's highchair!
BIRTHDAY CAKE DISASTER
I ordered the cake several weeks ago. I took them the party invitation and several pinwheels. I was so nervous about how it was going to turn out. Clint told me to chill out, that they were professionals and knew what they were doing. We picked up her first smash cake Wednesday before her pictures. It was PERFECT! I LOVED it!!! So when we were on our way to pick up her other smash cake and the big cake I expected I would love it the same. WRONG! The smash cake was supposed to match the one she had her pictures made with. It did, for the most part. However, for some reason unknown to me, they used maroon on the cake instead of pink. What were they thinking?! The big cake had the same color on it. I cried the whole way home bc it looked so bad. The rest of the cake looked great, I just couldn't look past the ugly maroon. They actually even used hot pink on the cake in other places. So where did maroon come from?! I'm still upset about it, if you can't tell!
FOOD
Clint got up about 6am that morning to start smoking a couple pork butts. For dinner, we had pulled pork sandwhiches, cole slaw, and baked beans. We also had chips and cheesedip, ham and chive pinwheels, and veggie shots. Robin Harper, of All About the Cookies, made the most amazing cookies ever!
Overall the food was great. Only problem was that our house is too small to fit that many people in it for dinner!
GIFTS!
WOW...Gracyn received so many gifts! I was nervous that she would get bored while she (mom) was opening so many. However, she was really calm and pretty much sat in my lap the whole time. Kaeleigh helped the whole time by handing us the presents and picking up any trash.
A Bible from Grandpa Peevy!
Caroline came over to help!
A Roll Along Muscial Pony from Grandpa and Ma Thomas!
Wall Art from G-rise and Shannon! Shannon's friend painted this to match her bedding! Good job at finding a way to do this without Clint or me knowing!
A Pillow Pal from Heather and Chris!
TIME FOR CAKE!
Gracyn was pretty shy about really getting into her cake when we did her birthday pictures. I was hoping she would be more likely to dive right into it come party night. NOPE! She didn't like the icing on her finger. She wasn't really into eating the cake at all! After a few minutes of her attempt at eating cake I took her to get a bath while Shannon cut the cake for everyone. The "maroon" cake was at least delicious! The top layer was white with raspberry cream filling, and the bottom was strawberry with strawberry cream filling.
PLAYTIME!
I think my favorite part of the party was just watching the little kids play! Gracyn's friends that came were Caroline, Trey, Dixon, and Cousin Myla!
Myla and Dixon are too little to toddle around, but the other three were all about playing on Gracyn's play table while the grown ups ate.
Crackers = lifesavers!
Heather holding my little niece, Myla.
Dixon is Gracyn's little Jazzercise buddy! They hang out and play while Brittney and I get our work out on!
Trey looked so handsome in his little sweater vest!
While Gracyn was in the bath, Ma stacked all her gifts on the table. She gradually pulled a new toy down to play with.
Caroline playing with one of Gracyn's new puzzles!
The coveted pillow pal bee!
The next morning, Gracyn couldn't wait to play with everything. She woke up about 7am so she and I went to the living room and played while everyone else was sleeping. The TV was in the garage so after awhile I got a little bored, so Gracyn and I went back to bed and put one of her new Curious Buddies in to watch. She absolutely loved Curious Buddies. We've only had one DVD and we watch it over and over. I was so happy to get her three new ones for her birthday! After we watched this video twice we woke Dad up so he could put some of her new toys together. She loves pushing her new Stella Doll in her new stroller that Clint and I got her.
Gracyn loves her Vtech jewelry box from Bart! I actually really like the songs too!
Helping Dad put together her Ride Along from JJ!
Taking a ride! Doesn't she look so cute in her diaper, leg warmers, and one shoe?! haha!
Tea Time! Gracyn loves to play with Caroline's tea set, so Katie new exactly what to get Gracyn! Perfect gift!
Look at my big girl!
FUN PHOTOS!
Best Friends!
Nonna with her little girls!
Our sweet babies!
Overall it was a great party! We all had so much fun. We really appreciate all our family and friends that came to celebrate Gracyn's first birthday. We look forward to celebrating many more. Thanks to Heather and Katie for coming up early and helping me set up!
