Theo's 1st Birthday

Well, I have 2 minutes before Theo is 13 months old....so I've got to type fast. 

I discovered that when your baby turns about 6 months old, people start asking you if you've started planning their first birthday party.  This must include details about the theme, food, who's invited, where the venue is, etc...it's kind of like planning a wedding.  Now, I'm not trying to hate on all my friends who are creative enough and crafty enough to throw one of these spectaculars, but I'm am not one of those people. 

I knew that I wanted Theo's birthday to be a special day.  Birthday's were always a special day in my family, and while he won't remember his 1st birthday, I still wanted it to be perfect.  We were lucky that his birthday fell on a Saturday, so I declared that it was going to be a family-centered weekend, with no other work. (ie. no tutoring at Sylvan for me, and no CAP flying lessons for Mason).  It also worked out that it rained all weekend, so that made it easy to stay in and enjoy each other. 

 

Little did Theo know, but the entire two weeks leading up to Theo's birthday cards and boxes had been arriving which we were piling up in our laundry room.  I literally teared up one day because I just felt this overwhelming sense of love from our family and friends.  Sometimes military life makes it especially hard on special occasions and holidays where you would normally be with family, but the outpouring of love from our family and friends almost made it feel like they were there with us.  We did let him open one card early and it was such entertainment for us all throughout the week because it was a musical card and he liked open and shut the card repeatedly to hear the music. 

Theo slept in (good boy) until around 10:00 and then he got to enjoy his favorite breakfast- pancakes! Little dude can chow down on some pancakes.  We opened presents throughout the day, played with those toys, facetimed with grandparents, and then Theo got to take his birthday nap (4 hours) and we followed up with some more present opening.

It was a WONDERFUL day, and just how I wanted it.  The day ended with Theo getting to enjoy his very first chocolate cupcake.  He really enjoyed it!  He also got a birthday bath, which is also one of his favorite activities.

(I haven't uploaded the picture of us singing and him devouring the cupcake since it's on a different camera- and I need Mason's help).

I love this little man, and I look forward to years and years of birthdays to come.