Earlier this month, we celebrated Noah's first birthday with a party.
Those of you that know me well know that I like to plan parties. (Note: I didn't say I like attending parties.
On the contrary. But I love the brainstorming, the list-making, the shopping, and the decorating that happens prior to the event.)
Back in November, I started thinking about the party's theme.
Then, in December, after perusing the internet and searching Pinterest and Etsy, I decided to go with this book:
The Very Hungry Caterpillar. I'm a huge picture book lover, and this is one I'm quite fond of, having read it many times as a first grade teacher.
In the weeks leading up to the party, I gathered decorating and food ideas from different blogs and websites, and pinned them to a *secret* Pinterest board.
Here are pictures from the day of the party, along with information about the decorations, invitation, and food.
I ordered many of the paper products--including the happy birthday banner (pictured above), the plates (pictured below), the dessert napkins, and the polka dot tablecloth (pictured above and below)--from
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. The rest I bought at Party City.
A few days before Noah's party, we had his pictures taken at Picture People. He wore a white onesie hand painted by
this Etsy seller. (By the way, I purchased the party invitation from
this Etsy seller.)
Brian made this cute balloon caterpillar for the family room.
I made this sign for Noah's high chair using card stock and ribbon.
I also made this collage of photos from Noah's first year of life. I fashioned the number 1 out of leftover cardboard (which I'd saved from Costco photo orders during the year) and then attached the photos to it. I love when I can reuse materials!
All of the other decorations have now been taken down, but this one still hangs above the fireplace because, well,
it just makes me smile.
On the food table we featured many of the fruits from
The Very Hungry Caterpillar: apples, pears, grapes (instead of plums), strawberries, and oranges. I bought the mini-food signs from
this Etsy seller.
We also had crackers, a meat and cheese tray (from Bel-Air), pickles, and smokies with BBQ sauce (in the crock-pot).
I decorated each of the three dining tables with flowers (from Costco), mugs of lollipops, and a copy of the book.
Overall, I was happy with the caterpillar cake, which I made at home. Brian cut a piece of wood for the base, and I wrapped it with black fabric. The white foam letters are from my scrapbooking stash!
After singing "Happy Birthday" to Noah and blowing out his candle, Brian fed Noah a little frosting.
This was his reaction. And ours.
Totally hilarious!
We're so thankful for Noah, and for the wonderful year we've had with him.
We're also thankful for Noah's birth mother and the choices she made.
To her, we say: Thank you for choosing life. Thank you for carrying Noah for nine months. Thank you for courageously giving birth to Noah. Thank you for placing Noah in our care, faithfully trusting us to love him and raise him.
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