One Year in a Flash! (Ava Kate's first birthday party)

Whew!  We survived the 'big day!'  Just wanted to share a million few photos from Ava Kate's birthday party this weekend!

First, I will explain a bit about the theme (One Year in a Flash) and how I decided on it. 
For months, I was scouring the internet (mainly Pinterest) looking for the perfect 'theme' for my girl's first birthday party.  I knew I wanted it to be girly but I also wanted something 'different,' I just didn't know what exactly...  One day, I happened upon this party and immediately loved the idea!  But I knew I wanted to 'girly' it up and do things differently but I liked the theme itself.  I thought it fit perfectly since I love to take pictures and I really do feel like this past year has gone by in a flash.  So, anyway, I emailed my blogger friend Ashley about designing her invitation and we got started brainstorming about colors, designs, etc...  I am in love with how the invitation turned out and it was exactly what I wanted!!  She did a wonderful job!

Visit Ashley's Etsy shop, Paper Dime Design to see more of her adorable creations!  On the back of the invitation, I included a photo of her so people could (if they wanted to) frame the 5x7 picture instead of tossing the invite ;)

So, now I will show you lots and lots of pictures from the party and kind of explain things as I go, I suppose!

There was so much that I wanted to do and didn't or did differently mainly because I am a procrastinator...  But for one, I wanted to use a piece of furniture we have for the cake table.  It wasn't going to be big enough for the cake, candy jars, cameras, flowers, etc..so I had to use a regular folding table.  Kinda sad I didn't get to go through with my original plan but oh well. 
I used my dad's vintage minolta camera and an old camera my grandpa gave me as props.  I love how they looked on the cake table with the flowers and a framed copy of her invite.

The cake was inspired by a cake I saw online that used filmstrips as a border but it had a giant, dslr camera on top so we changed a few things and I LOVE how it turned out!!  I created the filmstrips in photoshop and my friend Adrienne made the cake.  It turned out perfect!! 

(photo by Taryn Yager)

I wanted to include a photo banner from her first year so the night before her party, my sweet hubby cut out all the paper frames from cardstock and I created this to go above her cake table.  Jeff also painted the frame pink so it would coordinate :)

I love this poster also created by Ashley, you can order one for yourself in her etsy shop!!  We printed it at our local Office Depot and I mounted it on a foam board I got at the Dollar Tree.  Super easy!  I also ordered paper straws, cameras, lips and mustaches to create cute little props for our photo booth.  The photofetti was adorable and fit perfectly with the theme.  The vintage camera cutouts were purchased from this lovely etsy seller and the lips and mustaches were from here.

 I made her onesie after I saw one on Pinterest that was selling on Etsy for $20.  I knew I could make it for cheap but it ended up being a little time-consuming and possibly would have been worth it to just pay the $20 ;)  But I liked the idea of it being made by me for memories.  Her headband was made by my friend Jacquie.  Check out her cute Etsy shop!

(photos by Taryn Yager)

My wonderfully talented and thoughtful bestie, Taryn, brought her camera and took lots of pictures for me at the party.  She did this even though she brought her 3 year old and is 27 weeks pregnant.  I am forever grateful to her for this wonderful gift because I barely touched my camera once guests started arriving!  She took these beautiful pictures....  If you'd like to visit her facebook page, here's a linky :) 

more photos by Taryn.  We had a photobooth and I set up my dad's camera on a tripod with a remote so people could snap their own photos.  It was fun!  (this was another thing I dropped the ball on, I wanted to make a really cute background for it but didn't...instead my mom was trying to put up streamers last minute but people still had fun with it and that's all that matters, I suppose ;)

Here she is smashing into her cake and loving every minute of it!

(photos by Taryn Yager)

Here is big brother having fun with party favors ;)
(photos by Taryn Yager)

The favors said "thank you for a picture-perfect birthday" and it was. 

(photos by Taryn Yager)



We had an inflatable for the kids and served Taco soup and pb&j for the little ones.  We had lots of help from my parents who helped out so much with setting up, keeping the food table stocked and loading up the cars after. We also had some friends and my sister-in-law stay to help us after and we are SO grateful.  I hate to think of how much work we would have had without all the help.  It was a long and stressful but fun day and we had a great time celebrating with our little girl!  
All photos taken by Kristen (blog author) unless otherwise stated. Do not copy/save or print without permission. Thank you!

She's One.

Yesterday was bittersweet.  My baby girl turned one.  I have no idea how this year went by so fast!  What a wonderful year it has been watching her grow and develop a (sassy) little personality! 
I took my camera in her room when she woke up to capture her on her birthday morning...

 

We had a fun-filled day including cupcakes, a couple little presents and the plaground.  She loved it all. 

Here she is killing devouring eating her cupcake.  I have never seen a baby just inhale a cupcake so fast.  I mean, usually they kinda pick at it, maybe eat the frotsing.  Not my kid.  She doesn't play around with food.  At all.  I had planned on just letting her have a bit of frosting and that be it but once I saw how much she was enjoying it, I couldnt' take it away.  Plus, she would have went ballistic if I tried...

 

 

She ate the entire thing. 

 

Hayden wanted a picture of her with his tablet...

 

 

I also had a couple little presents for her to open that day. 

 

 

I knew a tea set would be perfect for her because she loves dishes and utensils.

 

She is turning into a big kid too fast...taking lots of steps, saying "uh-oh," her first real word besides "mama, dada" which I kinda consider jibber-jabber but I suppose they are words too ;) 
I don't have her measurements yet but I'm thinking she is close to 20lbs :) 

Her party is saturday and I'm a very stressed trying to get everything in order for that!  :-/  I'm excited about it though, can't wait to see everything come together.  I'll post pictures of that sometime next week!

All photos taken by Kristen (blog author) unless otherwise stated. Do not copy/save or print without permission. Thank you!