Party Hardy

Louise is one (if you haven't heard). It's been a wonderfully full weekend of celebration and remembrance.

In typical last-minute-becky fashion I was late in forming birthday plans. Coming off of two weeks away and a moderate wedding hangover didn't help any. After a few days of too much stressing and agonizing I revamped (a stressed out mama must have skill) and the festivities couldn't have gone smoother.

We started THE day like a little Christmas Eve. Magical simple decorations greeted Louise's early morning as did generous gifts stacked and waiting. We sipped coffee as Ainsley "helped" rip open colorful packages and she and Louise played the morning away with new toys, books, and clothes.

::Ainsley's gift to Louise, her very own baby::

::our "big" gift to Louise::

::mama and my birthday girl::

::what a dumpling my dumpling is::

Ian had to work extra hard that day so I was on my own with the girls, in usual Friday style. I dressed them in matching Grammy originals, donned a fancy blouse and skirt myself and we sojourned up town for breakast. We noshed on mickey mouse pancakes, sausage, and spinach and feta omlette. All the while customers and waiters ooed and ahhed over my pretty girls. It felt pretty good to claim them as mine. They did so well that I have have to indulge breakfast out more often.

The rest of THE morning was filled with a park date and picnic with friends.

::Louise loved cruising around the splash pad, clearly::

::mandatory 1 year old nakey except for diaper pics::

A busy morning induced sound long naps and Auntie Sonya's arrival that evening brought on a quiet family dinner and cake fun. Louise swiped daintily at her pink lady cake (essentially strawberry white cake with cream cheese frosting) merely dimpling the surface with her fingertips. Ainsley on the other hand ate her weight in cream cheese frosting, and we all enjoyed the calm low key night.

::Louise's little smash cake::

::and the big cake::

Saturday found our street bustling. The annual block party underway and a fun run-into-old-friends-and-chat-forever-in-the-baking-sun farmer's market trip filled the morning easily. Oh how I've missed the farmer's market in all of it's plush end of the summer harvest beginning of early apple season glory. Ainsley loved playing outside with neighbor friends, looking so small and confident in the huge jumpy house. Louise crawled and smiled and cruised, ate hot dogs and watermelon with the best of them, and both girls crashed appropriately that afternoon.

Louise's "real" party commenced in the evening. The guest attendance about half of the invitees thanks to my last minuteness (whoops!) but oh so fun in spite. The kids had a blast playing together and the adults chatted away the warm evening. We sang happy birthday to a beaming Louise and watched her stuff her spice cake cupcake in her face (perhaps she has a more discerning palette than I thought? the spice cake was my favorite too). We thanked friends for generous time and gifts, they for food and fun.

After much needed baths and last present opening soon to be parent friends joined us to punctuate the night.

::all dolled up for her party::

::party aftermath, I of course didn't get a shot of it all put together the day of::

Right now it feels like life is coming together. We are in a moment of comfort and ease here now. Life is full with activity and good people and friends and I am happy to be here in our home celebrating a wonderful first year of life.

Today I'm letting the dishes sit, cooking as little as possible and lounging as much as the same. The warm, bright sun, cool breeze end of summer day is just begging for a stroll, or a snooze, or both. I can't wait to indulge her.