Evie's First Birthday Party

 

Evie's first birthday party was on Saturday, January 8th at 10:00 a.m.  It was a nice day, chilly, but no rain, which we are all very thankful for that weekend.  Pictured above it our beautiful birthday girl in her adorable outfit fit for a princess. She was all ready from some fantastic first birthday fun at her butterfly themed party.

Here are some pictures of what the decorations looked like and food.  We had butterflies incorporated wherever we could.

Some more party decor with the Birthday Girl pictured too!  

Before all the guest arrived at Evie's party, Grandma and Grandpa Thompson wanted Evan to feel special too and surprised him with a train that he had been wanting - Hiro.  He was SUPER excited!  Thank you Mom and Dad! :)

The event began with everyone being welcomed to this sign on the front door. 

Then the kids were invited to either color some butterfly coloring pages or a cool foam butterfly. :)  

Here they are in action.  Evie got in on the fun too!

The adults were asked to fill out a memory card for Evie's birthday time capsule.  Here is Grandma Thompson writing her special note for Evie.

After everyone arrived we headed out back to play some cool butterfly games.  The first being "Can you find the butterflies?"  All the children were equipped with a white paper bag and instructed to find ten butterflies, flowers, and/or dragonflies.  They were told that if they found a butterfly that said PRIZE they would win (only one prize person though- the thing they didn't know was I pretty much had prizes for everyone...hee hee). :)

Here are the kids lined up to begin the game.  Doesn't Evie look adorable?

The game was on - kids and parents raced to find the items!

Mommy helping Evie out to the field

Here is Evan helping his little sister out and putting one of the items in her bag.  Such a sweet big brother.

What's in there?

Here is Savannah with one of the prize butterflies.  Way to go!

The second game was "Toilet Paper Butterfly Cocoons."  This game is played with teams of three to four. Each team is given two or three rolls of toilet tissue paper. The idea is the first team to wrap up their volunteer in a toilet paper butterfly cocoon wins!  We had three teams with 3 fabulous adult volunteers.  You can see the teams in play below. :)

Team Travis, featuring Mike, Hailey, Bethany, Savannah, and Gavin.

Team Jim, featuring my Dad, Jennifer, Brittany, Evan and Jim's Dad.

Team Alan, featuring Natalie and Tyler (they were a small team, but very mighty!)

Look at the teams go....faster, faster, faster!

The final products!  I determined it a tie. :)  What great sports!  Good job guys.

This is one of my favorite pictures, the men breaking free from their cocoons after the competition!

After the games was lunch.  My wonderful Mom and Sister-in-law helped me to get everything ready.  Here is Alison posing with some of the dishes...yummy!

The food even included a butterfly fruit tray.  Alison laid out the beautiful fruit pattern.

With had special flutter dogs for the kids too.  They loved them!  Some of the adults were a little jealous, they had to eat Subway Sandwiches instead. :)

Here are pictures of some of the kids eating, Evan and Brittney looking cute below.

This picture cracks me up, looks like they all are so engrossed in conversation.

 

This picture also makes me smile, notice Savannah who was in the above picture seated at the table with Evan and Brittney.  Well, she is also at this table with Austin, Ethan, Gavin, and Tyler.  Pretty funny!

After lunch it was present time!

Evan enjoyed helping Evie open all of her gifts.

Evie appreciated brother helping her open the presents, but sometimes she really just wanted to do it by herself as seen in the picture below.

Evie was enjoying the festivities quite a bit and was very spoiled by all of her family and friends!

Evan and Tyler were being very special helpers and carrying all the gifts to Evie so she could open them.  Look at that team work.

Everyone in the gift frenzy...can you find Evie in the center of the fun?

Evie's loved ones, watching the gift opening, from left to right, Carol, Pops, Travis, Grandpa and Aunt Alison.

My big girl opening up her own gift!  Clothes...a girl after my own heart! 

 

Evie got a special little baby doll, from the Cusimano Family, and immediately wanted to give it a kiss.  My wonderful friend Jenn was able to capture it in this picture.  So cute!

After all the presents were opened it was finally cake time.

I made a pink butterfly cake, created from one round cake cut in half with notches on the sides and then flipped outward.  The butterfly body is made out of a Twinkie. :)

I also made butterfly cupcakes.  I used an idea I got from Martha Stewart's website for the design.

An up close picture of the butterfly cupcake from Jenn.

Evie also got her own special first birthday cake pictured below, pictured by my sister-in-law Debra, who took many of the other wonderful pictures I am featuring on this blog.  Thank you Debra and Jenn for lending me your photographic gifts to cherish forever of this special day!

Here is a picture of us with the birthday girl as everyone sings her Happy Birthday.  She looks a little concerned about what is going to be happening next doesn't she?!?!  On a side note, Evan couldn't wait for this part of the party, he was dying to hep her blow out her candle and eat some cake. :)

 

Blowing out the candle with Daddy and Brother's help.

Then Evie was put in her high chair for some cake.

First she tasted one of the white chocolate pretzel wings and the frosting that was on that.

Yummy!  And, look I have green lips and I am still so cute. :)

This is fun!

I like cake!

Messy is good!

 

Brother got to get in on the cake eating too.  He couldn't wait to have some dessert! 

Proud Mommy and Daddy with their baby!  After this picture she was about ready to chuck the birthday cake and plate onto the floor.  We took this to mean she was done. :)

Below are some pictures of our family and friends who were there to support and celebrate our Evie at the party.

Jayne, Natalie and Tyler Wisner

The Moon Family, Jennifer, Brooklyn, Jeremy and Brittney

Alan and Lois Meyer with the Birthday Girl! :)

The Cusimano Family from left to right Hailey, Austin, Rachel, Ethan, and Mike

The Cunningham Family,Travis, Gavin, Bethany and Savannah were all smiles.

Grandma and Grandpa Thompson with their granddaughter

The Brittain Family, Sallyann, Sienna, and Kyle

Carol and Greg Poindexter with the cute, adorable Evie

Brother and Sister, Alison and Jim

The Grandpas

Aunt Debra in her beautiful butterfly shirt, posing with a not so cooperative Evie.

 

Grandma Knight and Evie

 

The party ended with everyone getting special party favors.

The kids got little goodie bags filled with fun treats (butterfly related of course) and everyone got butterfly cookies made especially for the party, by Aunt Alison.  They were beautiful and delicious!

Evie's first birthday party was so amazing and filled with many wonderful memories.  Thank you to everyone for helping it to be such a special ocassion!  We love you all and thank you for loving our daughter and being in our lives!

One Year/Twelve Months Old!

Evie is one!  She turned one officially on Sunday, January 9, 2011.  We heart Evie! :)

We went to the doctor on January 13 for  Evie's one year old wellness appointment.  Her stats at that appointment were as follows: 19 lbs. and 11.7 oz.  (27%) and 27 1/4 inches (23%) and her head is 17 1/4  inches (16%).  In comparison, when Evan was one and we went to his 12 month appointment he weighed in at 20 lbs. and 9.2 oz. and measured 30 inches.  Pretty similar, but Evie is proving to be our petite little princess.  Our doctor thought Evie was doing fantastic and was very impressed with her advanced motor skills in walking too - we were so proud!  During our visit to the doctor she had to have six shots, but now she doesn't have to have anymore until she is four.  She was very brave; poor sweet girl.  The nurse wasn't sure if she was going to cry at first.  She did the cry where she held it all in and then it hit her and she wailed!

Here is my big one year old girl at her 12 month wellness appointment waiting for the doctor.

Daddy and Evan were there too. Evan got to look at the doctor's cool dinosaurs while we waited; he also got to get his flu shot during the visit.  He wasn't so happy about that, but he was brave and got a lolly pop from Mommy when it was over.  However, he sure did cry when he realized that he was going to have to get the shot.  Poor baby boy too!

Here are Evie's other one year milestones and activities:

TEETH: She has eight teeth now (seven when I first started writing this blog post).  Her seventh tooth came in on the bottom on the right hand side next to her two center teeth.  The eighth one is on the other side.  Both are not all the way up, but coming up quickly.  Below is a picture showing them off. 

Side note, poor girl, she had her teeth break through, Mommy trying to wean her (for an upcoming church Women's Retreat), and her 12 month shots all a the same time.  She was not a happy camper for a few days or should I say a week or so. 

Evie enjoys her toothbrush too.  She kind of likes using it as a tether, more than just a toothbrush.  (FYI, the outfit Evie is wearing in this picture was one of my old outfits.  My mom saved it for her.  I love that my little girl is able to wear it too - Thanks Mom!)

MILK- Drinking big girl milk now. Look how excited she is in the picture below.  I am still nursing morning and night when needed, but she is enjoying whole milk too now days!  YIPPEE!

SIBLINGS/FRIENDS- Evan and Evie enjoy doing a lot of things together.  Here they are drinking their sippy cups together.  These were new cups we purchased for Evie so she could start drinking real milk in style.  Evan didn't want to miss out on the fun and got to share in the new sippy cup experience.

MISCHIEF and SASS- Evie enjoys playing with the toilet paper.  I let her get away with it one day and here is what she did!  There was a trail all the way out of the bathroom. :)  This girl also desires to get her way.  If she doesn't she lets you know she is not happy and will give you instant super sad tears.  Once she gets her way...the tears magically go away.  Oh man, looks like we have lots of drama in our midst.  Gotta love girls. :)

TALKING: Evie loves to say "Hi" to everyone.  She is still a Momma's girl, but once she gets warmed up loves to flirt with everyone in her sight.  She can be quite the charmer!  She also enjoys saying Mama, Dada, Up and lots of other baby babble.  She enjoys talking as much as her brother does.

BLANKIES: Evie is passionate about her blankets and is guaranteed to bring one out of the crib with her when she wakes up in the morning or happens to get up in the middle of the night.  It is so adorable.

 

VEHICLES:

-She loves to ride on her new car that she got from Christmas and Evan loves to push her.  Isn't this picture fun?  Here he is pushing her and while they are in motion he is also trying to watch the wheels spin. 

 

-The kids are enjoying both having vehicles that they can race together around the house and...

-Outside of the house.  Evie got this new tricycle for Christmas.  It is super cool!  Jim and I love it too, no back pain required to make it work. :)

WRESTLING- Evie is also beginning to wrestle, just like her big brother.  Evan is loving it, however, he forgets she is little quite frequently and we always have to remind him to still be gentle.

DRESSING UP- My cute girl in some little boots.

 

-Here she is being silly with her Daddy.  He put this purse/baby's bed on her head as a hat.  Doesn't she just look adorable?!?!

EARLY FORM OF SHARING- She continues to like to hand you toys back and forth.  She thinks it is so fun.  It is also good practice in sharing.  Another favorite past time for Evie is putting items in and out of boxes, containers, bowls, etc.

CHASE- Evie is a big fan of playing chase and has the cutest little waddle, walk around the house.  Just look at her in action below.

FRIENDS- Her girlfriend Jayne.  Both smiling at a recent event our families shared together...this is a winning picture for sure! :)

SOCKS- She continues to pull them off.  Here she is walking around with one sock and looking like the cutest girl ever.  These days no socks is probably best to avoid falling, but it is still cold so always a challenge.

 

FOOD- Evie is enjoying real food now like cheese, noodles, chips, Cheetos (okay not all completely real, but she thinks they are fun too).  Basically, whatever we are eating she is willing to try. :)  She still eats baby food and lots of baby oatmeal.

PLAYING OUTSIDE- Both kids enjoy playing outside.  Evie has taken more of an interest in the swings than Evan.  Here she is enjoying some much needed sunshine on a recent afternoon.

Here is big brother pushing her on the swings.

My cute, beautiful, snugly one year old daughter.  Happy 1st year darling...you make your parents so proud!  We love you so much and can't wait to share so many more of these incredible milestones with you.  Happy 1st Birthday Evie!!!