Connell's Chronicles: Cara is our sunshine!

We had Cara's birthday party at our house on Aug. 24. I had picked the "You Are My Sunshine" theme for months and had put lots of thought into the details.

I bought a party package on Etsy for all the main decorations, and Mom worked really hard to have it printed correctly for me (something about the color blue wouldn't print consistently) and then cutting out every. little. piece. We had a craft weekend where we worked on decor and planned the food. In talking to other friends, we decided that it's way more stressful to plan a birthday party compared to a shower because you're really the only one doing work, not sharing it with several hostesses.

Anyway, I think the party struck exactly the chord I was hoping it would: fun and celebratory for Cara's closest family and friends. Those who have loved her from the beginning shared a morning reflecting about her life, watching her play and eating yummy food.

We also spent the morning (and the evening before with family) watching the best, most perfect slideshow of Cara's first year. Our good friend Chris Griesemer (and his lovely wife Sarah) worked really hard, and put up with my OCD nature and created the most masterful array of pictures, videos and songs to highlight Cara from birth-one year. It brought tears to our eyes, and will be a wonderful keepsake forever. Thanks, Chris and Sarah!

OK, here are a few (who am I kidding? quite a bunch) of pictures from our happy day!

{lots of food: cake, homemade cake pops, yellow donuts, lemon squares, Jell-O/Cool Whip "sky and clouds", lemon drops}

{I hung her monthly pictures beneath our bar--it was so fun to walk past all the changes from month 1-12!}

{I made this wreath for the outside of the door, and it still hangs inside. I'm going to make one for my new classroom once I get the time. Ha!}

{The birthday girl! I had her onesie made from a friend in Waco, Mom bought the pettiskirt online a long time ago, and had the headband made from an Etsy shop. The Etsy seller was one of the best I've ever worked with, and was so accommodating and communicative--and even shipped from Canada!}

{Nana & Grandad even drove down for the occasion! Grandad turned 80 the day after Cara's party!}

{look at that expression of pure joy!}

{Time for cake! She preferred to pick the polka dots off daintily and then smush the cake between her fingers. We didn't get too much into this frosting--but she had another chance on her birthday. More on that in a minute!}

{presents! Sweet girl got lots of clothes--our friends know us well!--and books and some great toys we've already put to good use.}

The party was everything I could have wanted, and I think Cara had fun too. She stayed awake for 5+ hours before having a nap and was the happiest girl. The next week, on her birthday, we had a family dinner for Cayce and the Edisons. We ate pizza and cake, and THIS is where Cara went to town.

I made muffins to send to school with her for her friends and teachers, and then picked her up a little early to start the celebration. She and Murphee loved eating pizza, and when I got out the second smash cake, she knew exactly what to do. I could never have predicted how much of a mess she could make of herself and the high chair, but it was one of the single best memories from the last year. What fun to watch her let go and make a mess! Even if it took 1.5+ hours to clean up her, the high chair and the floor. :)