First Birthday Party

Lyla's first birthday party was a success and now it's time to rest for a few days! I'm so thankful we have so many people that love our little family. She received so many wonderful gifts but just having everyone there to celebrate our tiny miracle's first birthday was more than enough.

Before I even started the planning process I was given a lot of good advice that I wish I had followed. Things like keep it simple, don't invite tons of people, stay calm and stress free....but mainly to not go overboard and just enjoy every moment. Well, if you know me, then you know all that went straight out the window. I was literally on Etsy two months before the party, ordering decorations and planning every detail.

I logged about 45 hours on Pinterest those next few weeks and our spare bedroom was consumed with tissue paper, ribbon, string, balloons, mason jars, flowers, food trays....well you get the idea. I told myself time and time again that I WAS NOT going to get stressed out about this party and let it completely take over. Well, I admittedly had a few pitty parties and crying sessions but for the most part everything came together perfectly. (With a HUGE thanks to Josh's parents and family for helping us!) My only regret was that the party seemed to pass by way too fast. I wish I could have paused time for a little while so I could have sat down and enjoyed everyone's company.

The only bad part of the day was that the birthday girl was cutting another tooth and was feeling rotten. I felt so sorry for her because I wanted her to be able to enjoy everyone that came and to play her little heart out. For the most part she was attached to my hip but halfway through the party, when she got her hands in the birthday cake, she started feeling a little better. She enjoyed helping her daddy open gifts, even though she was way more interested playing with the tissue paper than she was with any actual toys :)

Last, but certainly not least. Two of our very best friends, Penny (Lyla's fairy godmother) and Daniel, gave Lyla one of the sweetest birthday gifts. A burlap pillow with Lyla's name on the front. It was meant as a keepsake so that everyone from the party could write a little something for the birthday girl. After the party was over, Daniel sat silently in the living room and wrote one of the sweetest poems on the back of the pillow. He came up with this off the top of his head, which makes it even more special. "A Birthday Sonnet: We can't believe you're one year grown! Soon you'll walk and run on your own. On this day you had four teeth, and lemonade cake for us to eat. Before you know it, you'll be two and oh the things that you will do! From two to three and three to four, we'll be there through many more.Keep God and family first above all. They'll help you up if ever you fall. Keep love in your heart and to yourself stay true. Because there's no one else as special as you! We still can't believe you're one year grown and we will always love you as if you were our own."

Now if that isn't the sweetest thing and doesn't bring tears to your eyes, then I don't know what will. This was one of the most thoughtful gifts and we are so lucky to have these two in our lives. What a wonderful keepsake to remember our baby girl's first birthday!

HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY LYLA JANE!!!