What I Learned From Liam's First Birthday Party

I am not exaggerating when I say that I have been planning Liam's birthday party since around November.  I knew we could not have it at home a) because our house is too small to entertain the 40 people who ended up attending (There were 60 invitees) and b) that sounded incredibly overwhelming and stressful.   Therefore, I began scouting, researching and calling locations early as I wanted to find a kid-friendly venue relatively close to the house with enough room, tables, etc.  I also wanted for there to be some sort of activity so that the kids would be entertained for a half hour or so at least.  The fire house won out.   Once I decided on the fire house, the theme became obvious and apparent and the planning began... It was a great party but here is what I learned about throwing a baby a party.  Hopefully this will save some other new mom out there some trouble.

One year olds don't really care about their birthdays...

at all.  I knew, of course, that he wouldn't know it was his birthday or his party.  I knew that the party, in many ways, was for Daniel and I.  BUT I also allowed myself to become very stressed and crazy over this party and Liam spent 90 % of it playing on the floor with his cousins.   To him, it could have been any other family gathering. He didn't wear the cute fire hat for more than 2 minutes.  He didn't notice that his cake looked like a fire truck.  He didn't really eat any of the food and he passed out during the fire house tour.  Daniel and I opened his presents for him.  He ate probably four or five bites of cake and then Daniel thought he looked a little sick so he took it away... at which point Liam simply smeared the frosting left on his hands on... everything. His favorite part of the day, I am pretty sure, was the balloons. 

If I had the party to do over I still would have lots of food, would have made sure there was an activity for the kids and probably would have bought the favors, the hats, the precious personalized birthday shirt and... well... everything else... but I would not have laid awake nights worrying about any of it.  So what if the tortilla chips had run out or if there had only been THREE flavors of cupcakes instead of 4 or, heck, just one!?  I mean, really, would anyone have noticed?  I know the most important person there (Liam!) surely would not have.  My husband assures me that some day he will care; when he looks back at pictures he will be appreciative of all of the trouble we went to.  I like to think so but I am not sure I have ever seen pictures of my first birthday... if I have, I couldn't tell you anything about them.  My first birthday party was really for my parents just as Liam's was for us. 

So, here's my vow for Derek's first birthday party next June/July - I will not be so crazy about it and it will still be awesome and everyone will have fun!!!!

Boofie is 1!!!

To start, we call Liam, "Boofie"... why?, you ask?  Good question.  It started as "Boofah" which I began calling him at about 3 months and which Daniel initially said made no sense.  Soon, though, he joined right in.  Then, over time,  it was "Boof", "Boofer", "Boofie", "The Boofiest."  He is called "Boofie" more often than "Liam."  I know it's weird but I think we will call him that until he is an adult.  It just suits him so well at this point.  His personality is just "booftastic."  His face is just the most "boofnicient" thing I have ever seen.  He and Daniel have a song (to the tune of  "I'm Sexy and I Know It") which goes, "Look at this baby..., I'm Boofie and I know it... I take naps!" (This may not be exactly right, and I am sure Daniel will correct me, but you get the idea.)  In the past year he has, in our eyes, begun to epitomize all that is boofie!  His personality, which a year ago, was nonexistent as he slept and ate... and pooped is a quirky, energetic, silly mixture of Daniel and I.  He is a dancing machine, a banana eater, a green bean hater, Mike the Knight enthusiast who loves anyone who is wearing a RED shirt.  His little personality has gotten cuter and funnier on each of the past 365 days. Which brings me to the point - our precious little 7 lb 8 oz. love bug has grown into an almost 30 lb. crawling, cruising, babbling, ONE YEAR OLD. 

This past year has been unbelievable.  When he was born I couldn't imagine loving him more than I did in those first days... but, somehow, it happened!  I love him more each day.  He becomes more and more of a little person with each passing hour, day, week and month and he gets cuter, funnier and returns our abundance of love with kisses, hugs and giggles.  He is a love machine, truly.  : )

The love just keeps expanding like a big balloon.

When I found out I was pregnant again I had days that I was worried that Liam would get shafted or that I could never love another child the same way that I love him but now, looking at my precious one year old boy, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the love in this family is just going to keep GROWING as our sons do.   I can't wait to re-live all of the milestones we have experienced with Liam with his little brother.  I can't wait to watch Liam teach and model for Derek all of the skills that he has already mastered.   Next year, on Liam's birthday he will have a 9 month old brother to celebrate right alongside him! My heart feels so full just thinking about it.

Parenting is tough stuff and not for the faint of heart and this past year has been super challenging and even terrifying somedays.  There have been the weeks when Liam was sick and no one was sleeping.  There have been trips to the grocery store when Liam cried the whole trip or I had to change two poopy diapers in the car.  There have been the days when he ate his own poop or the poop ended up on my shirt or his shirt or both.  There have been some rough days as a SAHM when I was just plain bored and lonely.  But, at the end of this year, looking back, my mind's eye sees more smiles and hugs and kisses than screams and cries, more banana faces than poop faces and more wonderful, happy mornings than sleepless nights.  Would I do it all over again?   Of course... and that's all that matters.

So for all you moms (and dads) out there who are at your wit's end today... just remember... there's always tomorrow... and the next day... and the next day... and someday these special little creatures will be grown ups with their own families and houses and lives.  Each birthday, a wonderful celebration, will be bittersweet (I sobbed this evening during his bath) because each birthday signifies that they are one year older, stronger and more independent.   So hug them tight, love them deeply and try to take it in.  If you forgot to do that today, it's OK.  Some days I forget too.   Today happened to be VERY SPECIAL.