Our Baby Boy is One!

Last week we celebrated Chance-man's first birthday! I can't wrap my head around how he is one already but I decided I'm going to (try) to not be a mom who gets sad about aging and wrinkles, as well as her kids growing up since both are inevitably going to happen. Besides, don't wrinkles just mean you smiled more in your life? 

I'm feeling pretty good that everyone in our house survived the first 6 months of Chance's life. They were kind of tricky for this first-timer, but even if I could have seen the future and my postpartum stuff I'd do it all again in a second.


Throwing Chance his first birthday party was definitely one of my top mom moments thus far. It was so much fun and I loved every second of it.

I took some fun "one year" pictures of Chance in his room for his birthday and I was glad about how many cute ones I got. I bought this banner at Target and filled up a few balloons and plopped a hat on him. I loved the color and randomness, they perfectly represent Chance to me!Bright and happy and random and fun. Chance really reminds me a lot of his dad these days. He is pretty happy-go-lucky and fine to simply go with the flow. He does so good no matter what we do and is just really cool and chill as long as he has enough food in his belly (just like his dad ha!) 

Here are a couple of the winners from his fancy-dancy photo shoot:

His party was fun! I decided to keep it smaller and just invite family. We ordered pizza and picked up some soda and crazy straws and called it good. My kind of party. I did make some sweet cupcakes that were easily my greatest baking creation to date. They were so funny to me and I cracked myself up. Andrew helped me make the cupcake toppers one night while we were watching football and we we about died with how they turned out. They are just golden. One of my favorite neighbor friends (Kelli Eudis) came over and helped me frost the cupcakes and it was a great masterpiece. (Cupcakes are right up my alley - full cakes that take lots of time are not.)

Check these bad boys out...
(I copied this idea from this post. I would really be lost without Pinterest.)

I didn't really have a theme for his party. I just knew I wanted it to be happy and colorful. To me his birthday was not only a celebration of Chance's turning one, but also a little internal party to myself for getting better! A few months ago I wouldn't have dreamt that I would ever have the energy and excitement that I did to put this party together. This year has not been my easiest, but over the last 3 months I have been feeling so much better and am so glad to be in the place I am now. I so firmly believe the hard times make the good times so much sweeter and that God has a specific timing and purpose for the hard things he hands us throughout our lives, as well as a lesson we need to learn from every single trial, no matter how big or small. Andrew and Chance fill my life with such a sense of fulfillment and meaning and making a family is just the coolest and best thing I've ever done.

ANYWAYS...we were so glad our families could come for Chance's party. I required let everyone wear party hats and it was a ball. Nothing like forcing people into participation to make a party a success! (#amiright) 

My mom and sister and her husband Danny came with their two kids Owen and Leah. I think I will always be sad that my dad can't be at stuff but I like to think he's always close by watching and happy. Andrew's parents Karen and Gerry came, along with Ashlee and her three kids, Aaden, Kate, and Luke. Andrew's sister Brianny also came with her boyfriend Josh, and cute Grandma Cow was a trooper and made the trek from South Jordan. (We all call her Grandma Cow because she has cows at her house. Andrew and Ashlee gave her that name when they were little and it stuck. It cracks me up.)We missed Grandma Fonny but she wasn't feeling well and needed to rest for her big hip surgery coming up. 


I asked Brianny to take some pictures with my camera and she did great and had fun. It worked so good because I was able to open presents and really enjoy the party. Ever since we lost my dad I've learned pictures are so special. They capture all the small moments and that's really all I want in my life. Just lots of happy moments and pictures to remember them. Everything else is just stuff.

Brianny snapped (a zillion) cute photos and I'll cherish them forever. Here are a few of the winners. 
Chance was a little passive about eating his cake and we didn't have all day so I smashed his face in it like I did with Andrew at our wedding. Everyone gasped and couldn't believe I would do that to my baby. Mom of the year right here, folks. He loved it I promise.
Naturally Andrew threw a cupcake in my face after I smashed Chance in his, which prompted a cupcake fight. It was fu.


Chance got so many fun and thoughtful gifts from our families, he was so spoiled! (Honestly I think he would have been just as happy with tissue paper and boxes and string...butttttt.....whatever.) His cousins had fun helping him open his presents. I was stoked because I don't have to buy him toys for like a year and bonus he's entertained for a while. Thanks family! :) 
^^^I love everything about this one. Andrew's face, Chance playing alone, and Kate's wings. ^^^

I printed out a bunch of cute pictures of Chance and had all our guests write him letters on the back for him to read when he was older. Everyone did it, and I'm so glad he can remember his first birthday party by these! Even the kiddos had fun drawing some pictures and writing him little letters. I loved it. 


We capped the night off with Chance's favorite, a bath in the sink, and he was thrilled. Chance loves the water more than anything so he loved when we stripped him down and let him splash all over the place with everyone watching. 

We had such a memorable night. Thanks to all our families for coming and for the sweet gifts! We love you all! 



xoxo

-steph 

















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