Isabella's 1st Birthday Party!

Sunday, September 16, 2007

You'd think I was planning a wedding. Saturday was a perfect sunny day for Isabella's birthday party. The house was decorated with paper lanterns and hanging butterflies. Isabella was beautifully dressed in a Parisian white dress that her daddy purchased on his business trip to Paris. Most of her family were there to celebrate her 1st birthday. It was perfect.

These are the invitations that I made and sent out.




Setting the Stage - I decided on a fun take on kid friendly and familiar foods. We served Chinese salad in wonton cups, grilled cheese sandwiches, chicken nuggets, sweet potato fries, fruit kabobs and whipped cream served in a cantaloupe, and veggie tray. We offered kid and grown up versions of basil lemonade.




The Party-Goers - Of course the grandparents had first right to Isabella. They swarmed around her like flies on rice. It was adorable.




The Cupcakes - I ended up making two different cupcakes. I was adamant about making the Lady Bug cupcakes out of a chocolate cake batter and making the Coconut Cupcakes. They both turned out very well. Ed even helped me decorate a few of the butterfly cupcakes.




I put a little candle in a mini Coconut Cupcake and we all sang Happy Birthday. Isabella just wanted to play with the cake. She was squishing it between her fingers. I gave her a little taste and all of a sudden she started to devour it.




The Favor - I made such a huge batch of the Coconut Cupcakes I decided to give them away as favors in little takeout boxes with the recipe attached. Though I kept forgetting to remind people to take them so we still have a ton of cupcakes left over. I guess I'll bring them to work again!.




The kids, Jack and Madenn, painted butterfly gliders and went to test them out. We followed so Isabella could take her new car for a spin. Susan, Michael, and Asher sent her a fun little convertible. She loved it! We can't wait to take it out again. We really wished Susan, Michael, Asher, and Leo could have been here too.

PS. can you tell she didn't take her naps? She's starting to look a little glazed.



Grandma was trying to jiggle a smile out of Isabella. It was pretty funny to watch.

I purchased a ton of butterfly tattoos. I was asking everyone if they wanted one. I put one on Isabella's foot and I had one on my left hand. At the end of the night Merah finally let me put one on her. It was pretty funny.



All in all it was a fun day. Isabella hardly slept, but she had a great time. And she received a ton of cute outfits and fun toys. She has a lot of thank you cards to write this week.