Birthday - Part 3 : the Grandparents!

Dear Conor,

You were so lucky that all your grandparents were able to make your first birthday party.  Grandpa Tom flew up and Grandma and Grandpa Trayner drove up (separately because Grandma came up early to help decorate and to help with the details and Grandpa had to work Friday night).  And of course - they all spoiled you rotten!

Grandma Janet and Grandpa Dennis got you a LL Bean Sled, pajamas, an Ernie doll, and a Christmas book.  The sled was a HUGE hit at the party!

Grandma Mary and Grandpa Adam bought you a cozy coupe - but it wasn't just any old coupe - it was a POLICE CAR!!!  You were so excited when you saw the picture on the box and your friend Braden kept saying "car car car".

Grandpa Tom put money towards your college fund and also got you a funny gift - a jar of pickles!

You are so very lucky to have so many grandparents who love you and enjoy spoiling you rotten!!!

xoxo
Mommy

Birthday - Part 2

Dear Conor,

We made it!!  It's party time!!  The date of your birthday party officially arrived!!  I was so excited - your Daddy was so excited - your grandparents were so excited.....everyone couldn't wait to celebrate the last amazing year we have all had with you!

Your party was Whale Themed (It's been a Whaley Great Year) and so I bought some basic blue hats and with my cricut I cut out whales and some number "1s" and added them to the hats.  They didn't look quite finished so I added little white pom-poms to the top.  Your hat also got a ring of pom-poms at the bottom!

Hats and Noise makers!

Entry Table - signing mat, hats, noise makers

 To the side of the entry table was the food table.  It had so many yummy things on it.  Amanda and Goddad Chris brought a lasagna, tuna fish sandwiches, there were cookies from Sue, a fresh fruit salad, chips from the Smith Family, salsa, goldfish, and cupcakes.  The food was a huge hit and there was barely anything left over!

On the opposite side of the room was the "Guess how Old I am Game"  It took up both bulletin boards and Grandma Mary decorated them so nicely! 

On the shelf above the food table was your cake.  I worked really hard to make it just right for you.  I made several whales and this was the best one.  It was very very very hard to make a whale from fondant and while it wasn't perfect it was the best Mommy could do!

We also set up a gift table and put one of the whale pinatas on the table to decorate it.  This one was full of tasty treats for you and your friends to open later during your party.  We also put your little favors for your friends on this table so they were part decoration that were actually your "take-aways"

Gift Table

 Between the two bulletin boards was your high chair which was set up for taking your smash pictures.  I couldn't believe how nicely the paper matched your chair - that was not planed!.

There were tables set up for people to sit at and tissue paper pom-poms hanging from the ceiling lights to decorate the room and make it feel a bit like you were "under the water".  I also brought some of your toys down for everyone to play with.  I brought your ball pit, your bead maze, walking toys, and some other small things.  You did a great job sharing your toys with your friends and your ball pit was a huge source of fun for everyone!

The first guests to arrive were your BFF Gordon and your cousin Nolan.  Gordon and you enjoyed spending time alone in your pit and you were having so much fun that cousin Nolan just had to join in on the fun!

Because he is still little his Mom and Daddy helped him stick his little feet in it.  Nolan wasn't too sure about being 100% in the ball pit but he did like holding them so we gave him on to play with outside of the pit!

Slowly your friends all started arriving and you were so happy to see them all!

Playing with Auntie Cathline

Carter, Neve, Sophie & Ryan

Neve

Charlie

Sophie

Sharing whales with Neve

Lots of Friends!

 After everyone played and had a chance to eat it was time to smash the cake!  Oh Conor - you were so funny!  Your fingers touched the frosting and you immediately started crying.  You did not like how sticky it was and you did NOT like it on your hands!  You kept trying to push the cake off your high chair tray.

Waiting for your cake

Happy Birthday Conor

Taking off the whale.

After the whale came off the cake and some of the frosting got on your hands and arms you started melting down, begging to be removed from the chair.  Miss Sharon was taking pictures for Mommy and she (thankfully) didn't take those pictures - it certainly isn't how we want everyone to remember your day.

After everyone left your party we tried to offer you the cake again to see if there was just too much going on for you the first time.  This time it was just Mommy and Daddy (with Auntie taking pictures).  Here's how that attempt turned out:

Still not sure about this cake thing!

Nope - not in love with it

Get me outta here!

Priceless.....

It's okay that you didn't like your cake Conor (even though Mommy worked really hard on it) because it isn't about the cake but about the special day that we got to spend with you.  Maybe next year you will want to try a bit of cake:)

We also opened your gifts at your party.  Mommy had a great idea to take pictures of the gift giver, you and the gift so that it would be easy to remember for thank-you cards.  You are very fortunate to have so many generous friends and family who not only came out to your party a week before Christmas but also brought you a gift to commemorate your first year.  Here are a few of Mommy's favorite photos:

Auntie Cathlin got you Instruments!

Loving the Tissue Paper from Neve's present

Braden got you fun books!

GodDad Chris wants you to love the Bruins like he does!

It was an amazing party little man but there was still one more activity to do before all your friends left - break the pinata open!  Since you guys are little we got a pinata that you pull ribbons to open it up rather than hit it with a stick.  It was very hard because the ribbons didn't open it up very easily but with a little help from Mommy and Daddy it opened and all the yummy treats came out (Annie's goldfish in green bags).

That's it Conor - that's your birthday in a nutshell!  Of course there were many pictures taken that didn't so stay tuned for a Grandparent's post!

xoxo
Mommy



Mall Santa

Dear Conor,

On December 9, 2012 we took you to see the mall Santa for photos.  Now, we had been walking my the mall Santa near us for a few weeks and letting you observe him from a distance you were comfortable with.  You even approached him at one point but when you didn't turn a smile and walk right up to him he basically shooed you away.  I was a little concerned about the behavior of this Santa and apparently so were many other parents.  Complaints were filed and the Santa was replaced.  However, I knew that the Santa at the mall near Grandma and Grandpa's house had always been wonderful and the setup around him had lots to see and it was much more open and inviting then the one at home.  So, since we were down for Uncle Sean's party we figured "why not"!

Grandma and Grandpa came with us to get your picture taken and we also met up with Uncle Sean, Aunt Lindsay, Nolan and Grandpa Tom.  Your second year of Santa photos was a HUGE family event!

We got there before Santa arrived so Grandpa did what grandparents do and he spoiled you a little by letting you ride one of the rides.  Of course - you picked the police car!

Than Grandma spoiled you by taking you on the merry-go-round!

Then it was time to visit with Santa.  Nolan went first and he did a great job!  Then it was time for you to get your photos taken.  Mommy backed you up to Santa really slowly and talked to you the whole time.  You did pretty well for your photos (but there was a LOT going on in front of you)!  You many not have the biggest smile and you may not be perfectly positioned but that's what make these photos fun - they are such a snapshot of you in that exact moment.  Here are some that Grandpa Adam took with his cell phone.

After taking photos as a family we thought it would be fun to take pictures of both you and Nolan with Santa!  But, at this point you realized that you were no longer with Mommy and you looked up.  Once it registered that you didn't know who the man holding you was you started to get so upset and then you started crying and trying to get down.  It's a classic photo Conor and I love you for it!

So, Auntie Lindsay and I jumped in the picture and both you and Nolan were much more comfortable!

After these pictures it was time for Grandpa Tom to spoil you a bit so back into the police car you went!  Then, you were clearly getting tired and we still had to get back to Grandma and Grandpa's house to pick up Hunter, pack the car, and head home.....

You ended up falling asleep only 10 minutes before we got there and I was able to transfer you right into your carseat in Daddy's car so we said our goodbyes very quickly and started our drive home.

We had a great time visiting with our family and getting the chance to surprise Uncle Sean!

xoxo
Mommy

Happy Early Birthday!

Dear Conor,

On December 6, 2012 it was time to get serious about your party planning!  You and I decided to make a trip to Target and some other surrounding stores to pick up supplies.  While in Target we strolled by the Giggle Gang Display and you became overly animated.  Because you had been so good and we had time to kill I decided to let you touch and hold all of the little stuffies that you have so much fun watching on their app on the iphone.  It was fun to see you laugh and point to each one on the shelf until I pulled it down.  Each has a different texture and you enjoyed exploring them - touching their eyes, mouths, and ribbons!  Of course, being so close to your birthday we didn't buy you one but it was a nice way to spend a few minutes of our day!

Checking out Kiwi, Sunny, and Curly

And there's Fuzzy!

When we got home a rather LARGE package was waiting for us.......your birthday present arrived early!  Because the box was so large there was no where for it to go so Daddy and I decided to open it right then and let you have your present early.

We bought you a chair from Pottery Barn Kids because you love to read and you have no where to sit and relax to do your reading. Plus, you won't be able to climb onto the furniture for years to come and we wanted you to get as much use out of this as possible. We bought the regular size to ensure that you didn't grow out of it too quickly.

Climbing up

Oh - that's my name

Climbing down

You LOVED it! At first you loved climbing in and out of it but once Daddy brought you a book you cuddled right into the chair for a story and as the night went on we found you in the chair with your beloved books!

Reading with Daddy

Hunter enjoyed the story too

There's nothing like a good book and a comfy chair!

You didn't just love the chair though Conor - oh no! Remember I said your chair came in a rather LARGE box!

Where's Conor

Thank you for my Box Mommy and Daddy!

You loved loved loved that box and we played with it for several days until Mommy just had to take it to the dump because with Christmas coming there was going to be no where to store it!

xoxo
Mommy