Lorelei's Party Part One - the Theme and Decorations

I really like birthday parties.



If you are reading this blog, chances are you have seen Lorelei's birthday party pictures. And you may think I am a tiiiny bit ridiculous for the amount of work and planning that went into a party for a kid that is not going to even remember it. But I have known for a long time now that I wanted to plan a big birthday bash with a theme, and I truly enjoyed doing it. My inspiration for a party of this nature was Kelle Hampton, who throws awesome parties for her daughters Lainey and Nella and then blogs about it. I knew I could not quite throw a party like hers since I could not have it in my own home, but I knew I wanted a theme and lots of colors and tiny details. Also, since we had to have the party at church due to space, I wanted to make sure to make it look as personal as I could. Rather than just inundating you with tons of party pictures, I want to share some of the process I went through to throw her party, as well as the many brilliant vendors I used.

The Theme and Decorations: Look Whooo's One!
Lorelei's first party theme was going to be a cupcake theme. I had tried on many themes in my mind (mermaids, Alice in Wonderland, Under the Sea), but nixed them all pretty much because they seemed to "old" for a one year old. I settled on cupcakes because it was simple, childish, and easy to decorate with (I pictured giant cupcakes as the centerpieces). However, after I chose the dress and locked myself into a color scheme and decided that I wanted to buy a template for the decorations rather than making them ALL from scratch, I found a harder time finding a pink and aqua cupcake party package than I had expected. Then, I fell in love with the Graphic Design shop Dimple Prints on Etsy, and chose their ONLY pink and aqua theme. Thankfully, it was pretty darn cute, and I fell in love with it. And anyway, "Look Whoooo's One" was a cuter phrase to me than "Our Little Cupcake is Turning One."




For $30, paid through paypal, I received a personalized PDF file that had about 170 pages worth of printables for the party. I am talking everything from the cute cupcake toppers to the banners to random things like a ring toss sign and water bottle labels. I could print and use whatever I wanted within that PDF (which is mine to keep forever!) and could just forget about the rest. The PDF also came with instructions on how to assemble the different decorations, and of materials that were useful. I loved that the cupcake toppers, signs, and tags said things like "Lorelei is One" and "Happy 1st Birthday Lorelei," and the decorations were really pretty. I also got a customized file for an invitation and thank you note included in the package, so all I had to do was sent the party details to their designer and they made me the invite.






It took me several weeks to work on the decorations, but honestly, I really enjoyed it. Crafting is cathartic for me, and it was a nice break from work or cleaning to just sit down and cut out owls. I started by figuring out what I definitely wanted to print and making a list of what tools I needed to make everything. Even though I had to invest a bit into supplies, I bought things that I will be able to re-use (like craft scissors, a portable glue gun, and a 2 inch hole punch). I also bought pink and aqua grossgrain ribbon, card stock, lollipop sticks, curling ribbon, and a myriad of other supplies. After getting all my supplies and developing my plan for what I would make and when, I humbly borrowed my parents' printer (and their ink, thanks to their generosity), and printed copies of the individual pages I wanted to use. Some pages of the PDF for printed in multiple copies (like the favor tags that said "Thanks for coming. It was a hoot - Lorelei"), and some were skipped (like the tee-shirt details and favor boxes). I broke printing up over a couple of days, and worked on mini projects in between, such as wrapping and tagging all the silverware and making the cupcake toppers and banners. I was cutting, gluing, stringing, and assembling up through the week of the party, but I never really felt overwhelmed because I probably spent a whole month working on everything. I even had leftover paper and cutouts that I used at the last minute!





Aside from the Dimple Print cutouts, I had a few other touches that I made or bought. For the tableware, I decided on plain pink and turquoise plates, cups, napkins, and tablecloths, (purchased at Fulton Paper and Walmart), which really helped the decor to stand out. The centerpieces for the tables were framed 8x10 photos of Lorelei, most taken right off my living room wall, and cute little pink and turquoise $1 tin buckets from Target which held cake pops.

And, after spending weeks going back and forth over it, I splurged on this goofy pinata (that did not even work). It was a bit ridiculous, but it was a nice accent to the dessert table, and the kids were so excited to open it.




My favorite and most difficult decorations were the three photo banners that I made for the three walls surrounding the eating area. If you know me, you know that I love to take and save pictures of Lorelei, and I thankfully had most of these photos labeled and organized. It took an hour or so one evening to choose about 175 photos of her through this first year, and then about $10 on Snapfish to print them all. I then separated the photos into three groups: just Lorelei, Lorelei and her parents, and Lorelei with other friends and family. I used old twine from Christmas gifts and about 150 clothes pins (purchased from Walmart for about $3) to string these long timelines on each wall. It took a while to get them all even (and lots of scotch tape to re-enforce them on the walls), but it was very rewarding when I saw party guests walking around and remembering her at different ages. At the end of the party, I invited guests to take the photos that they were in as a memento, and I still have tons leftover that I intend to put into a good old fashioned photo album (you know, so we have some record of Lorelei's life if Facebook ever dies). Between these and the framed photos that I scattered on the food table, dessert table, and seating tables, we had a very personal and simple touch.









Well, that is enough for now. I hope that this gives you some ideas; please feel free to ask me any questions about specific details or How To's for any of the decorations. I have to say that I couldn't recommend Dimple Prints highly enough. They were a joy to work with and so easy to use, and yielded printables that were, in my opinion, simple, cute, and not corny. I fully intend to keep using them for future parties, and friends in attendance expressed the same. Stay tuned for my upcoming entry where I will rave about my vendors who provided our dresses and the beautiful BEAUTIFUL cake and cookies!

One year...

Well, as of Wednesday, it was a week since she turned one. The party is over (posts on that forthcoming), her new toys are put away, and she has had (some of) her one year shots. I am officially the mother of a one year old.


It does not feel that different really. It is not like she did anything amazing like start walking or reciting tons of words the day after her birthday. She still fusses when she does not get her way, goes after my chest like a piranha when she is hungry and gives me kisses out of the blue. But every day, I become increasingly more aware of what a toddler she is becoming. I cannot believe that I grew this human being inside me, and that when she was a newborn months ago, she just wanted to sleep on me all day (oh, how I miss that!) Now, she is a little person. One who has her own preferences, wants, and habits. She has favorite toys, favorite foods, and things she thinks are funny. She has places she prefers to sit and (sometimes unpleasant) ways of letting me know when we are not jiving. She is defiant, sweet, and smart...and all ours.





Her birthday itself was on a Wednesday. It was still several days before her party, where she would get lots of gifts, wear her pretty birthday dress and smear icing all over her face (cutest.thing.ever). However, I still wanted to make March 9 a special day, one that was all about her. Even though she had no idea what the fuss was about, and was rather cranky all day, I wanted her to know that this day is special because of HER, and everyone should get a little special treatment on their day. So, we cuddled in bed together like we always do in the morning. I made her pancakes. We went out for grilled cheese with daddy. I closed my computer and only checked in during my office hour and her naps so we could play all day. We had her dear grandparents over for dinner (even though my napless little person wanted nothing to do with being social), and she had milkshakes and presents. Despite her crankiness, it was a perfect day, except for one lost moment. I had hoped to pause at 7:25 pm and snuggle her right there, letting time stand still as I remembered the exact minute she entered this world. But we were all overwhelmed, and probably doing dishes, and the moment was missed. Oh well. As I snuggled her before bed that night, we said our prayers and I thanked God for her, whispering "Happy Birthday, baby!" as I laid her in her crib.

But, I digress. I figured it was high time for one of those milestone posts. So here is the skinny on miss Lila Rose:




-Little miss is STILL a peanut. Like really small. Weighing in at a whopping 16.5 lbs, she is in the 1% for weight. That may be something watch in the next few months, but given the fact that we have been sick off and on all winter, she has always been small, and has lately become a bit of a picky eater, the doctors are not concerned. She is eating, happy, and healthy.

-She is in the 8.9% for length at 27.5 inches. Even though that is not that big, it still makes sizing awkward. She is skinny enough still for 6-9 (and even probably 3-6 month clothes), but anything smaller than 6-12 months seems short. Her head is in the 32%...which means that her head is proportionally larger than the rest of her?

-She is NOT walking yet, but I think it is more out of her subconscious desire to do things on her own terms rather than an inability to. She has been crawling for 7 months now (and is SO fast), can pull up on everything, can cruise around an entire room, climbs on chairs and up stairs, can walk holding only ONE of my fingers, and can stand without holding onto anything. However, as soon as you try to get her to release that tight grip of hers and take a step, she buckles her knees beneath her and contentedly crawls away. Meh. I guess I would not bother with walking either if I could get around so efficiently without.





-After months of eating almost everything I put in front of her, she has become a horrible eater. She hardly ever will eat veggies or meat, unless it is process (i.e. chicken nuggets and veggie crisps). She will eat fruit, but prefers to be spoon fed applesauce and fruit cup than feeding herself diced apples. She eats soup and crackers and bread, but she no longer likes to eat noodles. For some reason, other than grilled cheese, she has given up eating cheese. She does, however, love cookies (especially Girl Scouts' shortbread), milkshakes, cake, and chocolate. Girlfriend LOVES chocolate. I only started really allowing her to have sweets in the past month, and I am definitely seeing a sweet tooth emerge. She still breastfeeds about 3 times a day (she would prefer it to be more), and is slowly getting used to drinking cow's milk out of her sippy cup. She was allowed peanut butter by her dr. as of Monday last, and now she will eat that excessively when she will not eat the dinner that everyone else is eating. At least it has some nutritional value.

-She does not say many words, but babbles constantly. She says "mama" and "dada" (mama was first :-)), and says "mmmmmm" when she is eating something, and something like "mmmWAH" when she is giving kisses. She regularly waves bye bye, gives real hugs (like squeeze you around the neck and pat your back hugs), open mouth kisses, and snuggles and cradles her dolls and stuffed animals. She also screams. A lot.




Even though she still is not walking or talking, she is just so much more interactive and fun! I enjoy her so much, and love doing special things with just the two of us. Just this week, we played outside for the first time, went out for breakfast together on a mommy and Lorelei date, and went on a playdate where she played with other kids for about 2 hours straight. I am just loving the sweet and strong person she is becoming, and can't wait for the fun we will have this Spring and Summer!

I promise you, kid, to give so much more than I get.

Tomorrow, I will have a one year old.
I would love to write a nice long nostalgic post right now, where I share lots of precious memories, update with all her milestones, and tell her so many things, but it is getting late and I am in no position to make myself bawl like a baby.

Goodness, I can't believe she is (almost)one.

In some ways, it seems like the year went by nice and slow, that I can see how much she has grown. She is so smart and interactive now, with so many fun personality quirks and silly little things she does. I know her so well.

But still, when she sits on my lap before bed every night and lays her head on my chest as I sing "Jesus Loves Me," she is still very much a baby, even though her legs hang over my lap now rather than curling up on my tummy.

This time last year, I was probably trying to sleep through back pain and weird leg cramps. I had eaten some eggless raw cookie dough, and had made some dinner plans with some friends. My baby was not due for days, and I was trying to enjoy it, even though I could not wait for her to get here.

And then BAM! There she was. In 24 hours, my world completely changed for the better, and I became a new person. She made me a mother.



When I was pregnant with her, the Michael Buble song "Just Haven't Met You Yet" used to play on the radio a lot, and it became "our song" before she was born. I would think about the lyrics as I felt her move in my tummy, marveling at how they seemed to fit meeting a baby so well. Then, when we were struggling with nursing, I would play the song (loudly) in the middle of the night to try to wake us both up for those many feedings she wanted to sleep through. I watched the music video over and over (youtube it: it is the happiest music video ever!) And since then, every time the song comes on Pandora, I take her in my arms and we dance to our song.

I still feel like I am meeting a new piece of her every day. I love it.

I might have to wait, I'll never give up
I guess it's half timing, and the other half's luck
Wherever you are, whenever it's right
You'll come out of nowhere and into my life

And I know that we can be so amazing
And, baby, your love is gonna change me
And now I can see every possibility

And somehow I know that it'll all turn out
You'll make me work, so we can work to work it out
And I promise you, kid, I give so much more than I get
I just haven't met you yet