The Big Day….

Eliza’s first birthday came and went and we were lucky enough to celebrate with friends and family!  My mother, grandmother and aunt drove up for the weekend and we had a big birthday bbq bash (complete with Daddy’s famous smoked ribs) on Saturday…

I decided to do a modern version of Raggedy Ann for the party.   My nursery as a baby was Raggedy Ann and Andy themed and both of Eliza’s grandmothers gave her Raggedy Ann and Andy gifts as a newborn.  Grammy found a beautiful painting for her room and Nana made her a quilt.

As usual, I busted out my rarely used (previously once a year, now twice a year) cake decorating skills to do the birthday cake…

And some time was spent making tissue paper flowers:

As well as a birthday banner and some paper medallions:

I also made an outfit for the birthday girl to wear on her big day:

She had birthday kisses from friends:

As well as a little help blowing out her candle:

Uncle Nelson and Aunt San video chatted from LA during the singing of “Happy Birthday.”  Here they are chatting with Great-Grandma (GG) and the birthday girl:

And this was as messy as Eliza got with the cake.   She did eat most of it but isn’t usually a messy eater and this was no exception!  No cake smashing photos from this family!

Big Brother and our friends approved of the cake too…

We got a photo of all four generations in attendance:

And even managed to get one with all 8 kids:

And one of my “girls”…

After a wardrobe change Eliza was happiest when Aunt Cindi was helping her walk around the yard:

We opened the giant stack of presents the next morning.  There was, of course, a Yankees outfit from Aunt Cindi:

An adorable First Birthday doll from Grammy and Papa (along with a pile of beautiful clothing AND a toy chest for her room!):

A Leap Frog picnic basket from Uncle Rich, Aunt Teri and Cousin Lilli that Eliza is obsessed with:

And a Wheelie Bug riding toy from Nana and Pappy.

Eliza also received many other wonderful presents- so many stylish outfits, some fantastic toys, a pile of books to read, and a really cool (so cool that Mommy and LP like to play with it too) wooden castle with furniture and figures from Uncle J, Aunt Shelly and Cousin Aubrie. 

She’s one lucky girl, and we’re pretty lucky too to have such a sweetheart in our family!

LP is ready to start planning his birthday next- I keep telling him it’s not for a few more months but he has high expectations.  Any suggestions on how to make a Star Wars Death Star cake??!!?