Under the Sea

Ah, the big 1st birthday par-tay. Initially (like when they were first born) I wanted a BIG party (because we would have survived and needed to celebrate!). Then, when I found out how close to their birthday we would be moving I decided it should be small, a few people, minimal decorations, little fuss...but I am an activities director and couldn't help myself! It soon grew to have almost thirty people, a theme, decorations, games, the whole shebang.

The party started with the babies playing in their playroom (adjacent to the party room) with cousins and second cousins (cousin cuppycake crawled...and then fell down...but her mom said it was the longest she had ever stayed up!)

while everyone else played the party games ("Allie & Ryan's 20 Questions" and "Pin the Fin").

Pin the Fin started out for the younger generation, but then someone said it was an "if you are shorter than..." kind of game, which drew in Grandma & Marcia...and then others tried it out as well!

Near the end we had to make it more difficult...

Papa & Gigi won "Allie & Ryan's 20 Questions" while Marcia won "Pin the Fin" for the adults & Charley won for the youth...and gave his prize to his sister...who picked the squirt gun...which gave her the right to shoot Lucas! Sadly, we somehow missed that Kodak moment...

Then we moved onto the big moment - the cake (or in this case, cupcakes thanks to the advice of a friend!).

Allie was really into it, but Ryan was NOT a fan.

Next was presents, and the babies got a lot. I was going to put on the invites no gifts necessary, but I knew (having been to several first birthdays where that was specified) that no one shows up empty handed anyways...it was almost overwhelming. In fact, more than once I almost was overcome as I thought about how the gifts were a MINOR representation of how loved these babies are. They are so lucky.

Finally the babies played a little more while everyone else chatted and we finished the dinner upstairs.

Playing with cousin Morgan (the ONE decent picture we were able to get of three VERY mobile toddlers!)

The babies went to bed and we all had dinner (roast, baked potatoes, green beans, rolls, corn, yum!), and then a champagne toast for me & Lucas (to surviving the first year and to enjoying the ones to come!).

Ultimately, it was a wonderful time spent with family and friends. It made us even more thankful to be back in the midwest because if we hadn't been so close, we wouldn't have been able to have so many of our family members there to celebrate with us (although we did think of our friends in MA who we would have loved to had there with us too...). The one person we were REALLY sad couldn't make it: Papi! Unfortunately, Lucas' dad had to go back to the boat (earliest he's ever been called back). We missed you, and we love you!!

In the end, a great time was had by all (or at least by the most important 2!).

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY ALLIE & RYAN!!!