The birthday party

We (really I mean I) survived the first birthday party. Whew.

Ray and I worked to get the house ready for a few weeks, mostly only because we put off dealing with so much clutter the rest of the year. My mom arrived Thursday, and I did my monster shopping trips.

Friday, I started on the cool cake idea I wanted to try. I had seen a rainbow cake idea, and my friend Mel sent me a link explaining how to make a rainbow cake. I wanted something special and different for his first birthday. It was in the shape of a 1, with six colors inside, and stars and Sawyer's name outside. The cake took about three trips to the store for more ingredients and several hours of work, but it was totally worth it. I love how it turned out and got so many compliments on it.





Sunday, after a flurry of more cleaning, the house was ready, the Christmas decorations were hung, the food was cooked, and Sawyer was thankfully napping just before guests arrived.

The weather was cold and rainy (our rationale for building a fire though mostly we just think it looks cool in our house). We had an amazing turnout. Twenty-five friends and family members came to help us celebrate (probably the most people we've ever packed in our home). Sawyer was rested and happy as usual, and he willingly visited with his fans.







Everyone mingled and nibbled on food before we gathered in the living room to open presents. Sawyer didn't help unwrap gifts as much as I hoped he might like ripping the paper, but he did like what was inside.





After the gifts, we proceeded to the cake. I lit the candle on Sawyer's mini-cake, and we sang "Happy Birthday" to him as he danced in his high chair. Ray and I blew out the candle and then stood back to let him dig in.



He swiped a finger in the icing, but I had to give him a bite on a fork before he would taste it. I don't think he knew what to make of it. After that, he mostly just mushed it with his hands. He never did gobble it down like we expected from the boy who will eat and eat until he's ready to pop.





The rest of the guests ate cake, and then the party started winding down.



All three of us were worn out. Sawyer and I wrapped up the day with a long nap on the couch, and then we watched "White Christmas" on television.

It was an absolutely perfect day, and I felt incredibly blessed to have so many people who love us and Sawyer enough to come out on a raw Sunday during the busy holiday season to celebrate his first year.