Birthday Wrap-Up: Almost a Month Later

The day started as usual. We woke up at 7:15am. Cati had breakfast. Then, in our pajamas, we loaded ourselves and everything for the party into the car and headed out to my in-law's house. The day was crummy but I had hopes it would turn around because ALL week the forecast said the weather would be stunning on Saturday. Well, they got it wrong. The rain and clouds that was supposed to come in Thursday came in Saturday morning and Cati's party started at 11am. So it was instead of cool, dry, and sunny it was cold, wet, and cloudy. The perfect little outfit I had planned out for Cati was a no-go because of the weather.

Luckily, I packed her pink pants, Stride Rite shoes, and a sweater. She wore the sweater the entire party and no one got to see her cute ballerina shirt. We couldn't even wear the cute outfits we had planned out for ourselves because of the weather.

The weather was a hitch in my plans. We set up the dessert table in one spot and then it really started to rain and the table was getting wet. Alex and his dad moved the table, but not without upset pouting for me. The dessert table was my obsession. Weather may be crappy and people may be coming to see Cati, but the dessert table was my pièce de résistance; the one thing I wanted people to be really wowed by. Nothing was damaged in the move and everything was set up exactly as I had planned and drawn.

We got a bounce house because of the amount of kids going. With the weather being as it was, this was the best decision we made. At the end of the party Alex commented that he thought the bounce house was going to be a waste but that he was glad to be proven wrong because the kids were all about the bounce house.

Here are some of my favorite party-related memories:

• Getting to bake as much as I used to. I felt like my old self again and I was so relaxed leading up to the party because of the amount of kitchen time I got. 
• Friends coming together to help with the party: Sarah sent over some toppers, Shelley made cookies, Ale made salmon mousse, and Jeselyn made sandwiches...
• ...which leads me to laugh because Jeselyn decided to make the sandwiches after I told her not to. Silly girl got jealous because Sarah and Shelley made stuff for the party.
• Soccer ball mess: My in-laws had an old soccer ball in the backyard. This ball was not cleaned before the party and who knows when it was last even used. Some of the kids got their hands on it and started kicking it around. Cati wanted to play with the ball but my mother-in-law said no because no one had cleaned the ball. After the party she lamented the messy ball and how she would have cleaned it if she knew the kids were going to play with it. No one else seemed to mind but her. 
• "There's more food?!" I loved hearing this reaction from people because we were afraid there wasn't going to be enough food. We didn't do a real meal and instead had a bunch of finger foods. Toward the last hour of the party we took out the cold cuts, bread, and salad and people were amazed there was more food to be eaten. 
• I must have done a really good job with the dessert table because people were afraid to go near it and grab stuff! Everything was gone by the end of the party. 
• The look of satisfaction on my father-in-law's face because he was the first one to take advantage of the candy cane machine. 
• One of the boys walking around sticking cotton candy in his hair. 
• Cati nearly kicking the cake off the table. Luckily, the Oreo Truffles prevented disaster. 
• Cati herself. The kid was simply amazing. She was a little quiet and serious but considering she hadn't napped and was being passed around from relative stranger to stranger, she did great. 
• Seeing my pooped baby girl napping on her great grandmother after cutting the cake.
• Jumping in the bounce house with Cati after everyone left. 

And now for some party pictures courtesy of Anthony W. Photography:

 You really didn't think I wouldn't have a dessert table picture?

Ballerinas joined in on the party.

  Dang sweater!

This was the only time she didn't have a sweater on and it was before everyone arrived.

Lunchtime for Cati! 

 

Playing with Alyssa. 

 

Bounce house with daddy. 

I simply adore these two. 

The beginning of the bubbles love affair.

Cati's great grandmother got in on the fun too. 

Proud Parents.

Playing peek-a-boo with Tia Ale. 

Birthday time!

Yes sir, she is one!

Right before kicking off the cake. 

Little family. 

Having fun with her birthday present: Little Tikes 3-in-1 Trike

If you're bored and want to see the rest of the pictures go HERE.

Cati's first birthday party was truly memorable. Everything and everyone came together perfectly. And now to top off the perfectness of my delayed-ness I get to spend the next few hours writing Thank You cards. Thank God I don't plan on doing another big party until Cati's five!