We didn't have a big party for Max's 1st birthday. I harbor a small amount of guilt about that, but only because a kid's 1st birthday is made out to be such a "big deal". Really, as parents, we should be enjoying the year or two reprieve from birthday and holiday madness. He's ONE. He's excited when we sing "This Old Man" three times in a row. And presents? I can give the kid a subscription card from a magazine and he carries it around like its an Academy Award.
The reason the one year mark gets so much press (thank you mama friend Laila for hitting the nail on the head) is because its the one year anniversary of when you became a parent. Therein lies the meaning, the excitement, the nostalgia, and in my case, the tears shed when it began to snow on Max's birthday (the first snow last year was the day Max was born. Those little snowflakes drifting through the air last Thursday afternoon were like a punch to the emotional solar plexus for me. Ah, hormones.)
That being said, we didn't just put Max to bed early and do a shot of tequila to mark a successful baby-rearin' year (success=everyone's still alive). I made a meal. Homemade bbq chicken (thats right, sauce from scratch), cornbread, greens n bacon and carrot cupcakes with cream cheese frosting (also from scratch). I was overly proud of the meal as cooking ain't my forte...my goals for dinner are simplicity, nutrition and relative tastiness. In that order of priority. I've also never made cupcakes in my life, even from a box. It took me all day and every dish in the house, but it was worth it. We had Dave's parents over and opened a few presents (thanks to everyone who showed admirable restraint not overloading us with stuff), then did the requisite singing and candle-blowing out. It was delightful.
I recorded the highlights of the evening on camera and am sharing them below. The footage is pretty gratuitous but its for the aunts, uncles, grandparents and friends who couldn't be here but really wanted to. So put on your party hats, blow up some balloons, sit back and enjoy Max's 1st birthday festivities! (Please tune out my inane mama-chatter in some of these. And my singing. Parenthood really does make you shameless, as I CRINGED when I reviewed these but am posting anyway for the sake of the fans. Eesh.)
Present opening. Globe from Gramma K and truck book from Aunt Kathy and Uncle Dale.
I love the look on kids' faces when people sing Happy Birthday to them. Like, "Have you people gone MAD?"
Yes, I did say "top of the cupcake to you". And if you know that reference, you're as big of a dork as I am.
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