The Birthday Party

Sophia's party was not even a week ago now but it feels alternately like it was yesterday and months ago. I know it's cliche, and none of you will believe me, but she actually does look and act older now that her first birthday has come and gone.

Everyone says the first birthday party is for the parents, but I know Sophia had a wonderful time even though she probably didn't quite get that all these people were in the house to celebrate her life. The dog wasn't even that concerned with the influx of new humans, although she did kind of stick to herself for most of the time.

It was a beautiful day, hot and sunny, so we were able to have people out on the deck (under a shade-tent type thing) and the kids playing in the grass. It was the first big summer party we have had at the house, and it felt very good - people were milling about and there was lots of room and people didn't seem to feel crowded or bored or overwhelmed.

Daryl and Jennifer and Madeline and Finn came down, as did Marie-Eve and William. Ruth and Don and Ev came out from Wolseley, and got briefly lost in the maze that is Wascana Heights. And of course my parents and Tricia's parents and Aunt Pat (all the way from Washington State) were in town visiting as well, so it was a well attended party. Now to pictures.

Preparations began many days in advance - Tricia made a cupcake cake, bison burgers, salads and other fixings before the day arrived so we could concentrate on decorating and having fun with friends. She is so motivated and anti-procrastinating, it's hard to believe. They say that in University, she frequently had papers finished and handed in before the deadline. Can you imagine?


Tricia furiously polka-dotting the cake the day before the party. She actually stained her hands in preparing the bright icing. This mommy is willing to make sacrifices for her kid!

Tricia chose a theme of polka-dots for the party, and everything was polkadots. From the brightly coloured paper plates (round, hence polkadot) to the cake (cupcakes = round = polkadots, with neon polkadots of icing) to the goodies in the goodie bags (bubble stuff, floam, and other cool stuff), it was a cohesive theme. you could even consider the buffalo burgers as polkadots, and the turkey wieners (if viewed end-on) but this may be a stretch.


The food was, of course, masterfully cooked...



and enjoyed by all, both out on the deck...



and inside the house where it was a little cooler.

And then came the cake. We sang happy birthday to Sophia as the cake came out and she looked kind of shy and coy as we were singing, almost as if to say "Aw shucks guys, you shouldn't have" Very cute, and she had done the same thing when we sang to her at our little family party a couple days before!



Happy birthday to me? really?

Stay tuned for "Birthday Party part 2: the Cake!