Birthday Baby

I'm extremely happy about how my daughter's first birthday turned out. I felt so good afterward. You may think wait what?
No a one year old party is not for the one year old. Over the past few months, maybe a year, I've often felt like I was failing as a mom. My preschooler wasn't in preschool, because I didn't think he was ready, my house wasn't clean, I didn't cook dinner, my daughter had reflux, and she was bald, or whatever, you name it, a while ago I was feeling bad about it. Ironically none of those things were what I was stressing about, I can't remember what I was stressing about, apparently when I moved on, I really did forgive and forget. The point is, I felt positive about the party. I didn't worry that I took a shortcut on the cake, or that the neighbor girl cried yesterday, or if someone had fun. Or if I bought the right presents. I had fun, and was happy afterward. I cooked a successful meal, in which some ate multiple helpings. I made a fun cake, people conversed and over all seemed like they had a good time. My daughter had fun, my son was excited. Plus we only had one set of tears once! Not to mention my hair looked great! I felt so capable when it was all said and done, and my kitchen was trashed.

But original I was going to make cute invitations to email out, instead we just called. But I made a mock one just for this blog. I couldn't waste the pictures I took back in September for such a purpose.

We ate black bean soup courtesy my sister. Then we opened presents. My daughter almost got the hang of it maybe?! She wanted to open Christmas presents afterward, but she wasn't successful in opening them, so maybe she didn't get the hang out it. Luckily her brother was ready and able to open them for her, he has been waiting for his birthday for such a long time. At a moment like this he would exclaim, mom I don't know how long until I get big. My response is it will seem like forever for you, and over night for me. Which then he says, I don't get it.
She got everything she could ever hope for, a doll and a stuff animal. Plus a load of other stuff, like books, and blankets.

Then after both my children begging me to do cake, I finally convinced my husband to come in for cake. Yes, my one year old can beg for specific things, those second children learn sooo much quicker than the first.
It was a dream I didn't know I wanted come true. I told my husband to light the cake, and he happened to be holding the birthday girl, so we did the whole thing with him holding her it. It was GREAT. I totally missed a picture of her blowing out the candle, because I was too busy watching it with my eyes instead of through a camera screen. Wouldn't want it any other way. No, she didn't really blow who knows who really did-- me? her brother? her dad? probably her brother.

And boy did she enjoy her cake. She is my daughter she loves all the same deserts I do. My son just eats frosting and ice cream. While my daughter devoured her cupcake.