Happy Birthday to You!

I finally have Aaron's Birthday Party pictures and videos together. I'll just go through the whole day for you. That morning my sister Jenny came over for a short visit before she headed back to Dallas...After Aunt Jenny left, Aaron took a much needed two and a half hour nap while I baked and frosted cakes. It was a great day for him to take a long nap, so that I could complete all of my tasks and so that he would not be cranky later in the evening.

I baked two cakes, one for Aaron and one for the rest of us. Aaron's was a low sugar, no egg organic cake with strawberry filling.

The one the rest of us devoured was a plain vanilla cake with a big "A," for Aaron iced on the top.

I wanted to get a picture with my sweet boy before the craziness started...
It was a small, short gathering, just grandparents and Amy, Alan's sister. We had pizza, opened presents and ate cake.
Aaron's interest in unwrapping presents lasted about five minutes, then he just wanted to play. Here he is standing in the ottoman Aunt Amy brought him.
The Radio Flyer trike that Grandpa and Grandma Kohl brought him...

Speaking of Grandpa and Grandma Kohl...

Then it was cake time. Despite my personality, I had not really given much thought to this part of our event. I have seen pictures of my friend's children at their first birthdays parked in front of a cake with fistfulls of frosting and cake in their hair, but I cannot recall the last "first birthday party" I have been to, so I was not sure how all of this would play out. I made the cake with special precautions and dietary needs, obviously thinking that he would eat a couple of chunks, at least. Then there was the candle. The concept of the "1" candle seemed much more necessary and appealing in my mind than in reality, but we sort of made it work.
Alan and I were just hoping for a little cake smear or playing for photographic purposes but when we first placed the cake in front of Aaron, his cleanliness-OCD kicked in and he would not even touch it. After coaxing and taunting him and allowing the frosting to soften; he seemed to be more interested in discovering the physical properties of buttercream.

It was when he started rubbing the frosting into my jeans that I decided to move him to his high chair to continue his messy frosting relocation. He still was not too interested in the cake portion, but at least it made for a few good pictures.

From here on out I know that Aaron will have a better understanding of "birthday parties" and what all of the hoopla is about, but for this one, it was more of a photo opportunity and a family get together. I tried to keep it low key so that my detail-driven and easily stressed-out self would not overdue it and miss enjoying the day for what it was: a celebration of our gift of God. I enjoyed baking and decorating the cakes, while thinking of all of the things that we have been through and experienced this first year.