Birthday Party Time

We are mega blessed to have such a huge family in Houston, a great group of friends since Elementary school, close family friends, and of course all of Hunter's baby friends!! Hunter has a big "fan club" of supporters and people that love him! So, do I have one party and take the chance of hurting peoples feelings? Nope! So, what's a girl to do?? Let's just have a bunch of smaller parties! This worked out great because Hunter never got overwhelmed and enjoyed his birthday with very special people!

 My immediate family always gets together for birthday's, and we have 5 birthday's just in August and September. So, we clumped them all together and had a family party for the whole gang at my dads. This was Hunter's first time to eat cake, and it was hilarious!! He liked it...at first, until he dropped it! This was priceless! He was kind of dramatic and never really enjoyed the cupcake after that moment!!

 Hunter has such a great group of friends, and I love the mommies too!! We had a "barnyard play group party!!" This was SO cute with hay, barn doors, bandannas, cowboy boots, huge baby pool, ball pit, slip-n-slide, water table, and lots of food!! Hunter had a BLAST!! Cake....well, he poked it a few times, but not very interested! I made a bandanna banner with a picture from each month of his life- it turned out cute!

This next one was a total surprise to me! We had Scott's family reunion in LBJ with his extended family from Chicago, California, Dallas and Austin. Gigi (Scott's mom) surprised us after dinner with cake, decorations and some gifts! She was not going to be in town for Hunter's birthday, so she wanted to make sure she could enjoy our sweet little boy during this special time! This was such a treat to spend this time with Scott's cousins and family!

 I would do ANYTHING to have my mom be part of his birthday celebration. She loved a party, and I was really trying to think of way that I could make her presence "front and center!" Mom's friends are still very much part of my life. We have monthly "girls lunch" and they babysit Hunter and are constantly checking in on him! Those ladies have made it their mission to make Hunter know "Zsa Zsa!" So, I decided to have the September girls lunch at my house for Hunter's bday! This lunch was dedicated to my mom's memory and to honor her passion of being a grandmother!

 Hunter's Godmother, Meredith, hosted a lunch for our immediate families and closest friends! This group is our "rock!" Through it all...this group is the one that will always support and love us! They are wonderful, and Scott and I appreciate them very much! They were there during each step of the pregnancy, labor and adjusting to home! They love Hunter as "their own," and we had such a nice time!! Hunter clapped and danced the entire party!

On Hunter's actual birthday....Scott came home early, and we went to ride the carosuel. Then, we ate Marble Slab ice cream. I really enjoyed the time with just the 3 of us!! Uncle Greg/Godfather came over before bedtime to give him a cool LSU book. Hunter LOVED it, and gave the most wonderful expression!

 This is a birthday that we will never forget! I know Hunter will not recall these memories...BUT I WILL!! I will always remember watching Hunter LIVE IN THE HAPPY MOMENT! His sweet facial expressions, his ecstatic clapping, his bouncy dance, his refusal to dig into cake, his huge smile...these are the memories that I will store in my heart! His first birthday was a celebration of health and happiness, and Scott and I couldn't be happier with his first year! WE DID IT..WE SURVIVED!! Not only survived...but we loved every second. The good and the bad! We learned a lot, and we are ready for year number 2!!