When Emmerson's birthday month rolled around, it became clear that the weekends surrounding her actual birthday just wouldn't work for a family get together. Everyone was so busy (ourselves included) so we settled for a party date almost a month after her birthday. This was the best decision for all of us. It allowed for Grammie to come down for a full week before the party, and it also gave me lots of time to run errands and craft since we'd already gotten out of school for the summer.
Even though her party was going to be tiny (as far as guests) it didn't stop this Momma from wanting to do it up in honor of our bright-eyed gal. (Not to mention how fun it is to decorate with all things girly!)
The morning of her party, Emmerson was greeted by balloons from Grammie and this princess balloon picked out by her big brother.
Grammie was wonderful and kept Donovan entertained all week morning so that we could get the house ready for the party. This was a collage they made from their "nature walk" earlier in the morning. That Grammie is always full of ideas! ;)
So here is a look at some of the decorations for Emme's day. I repurposed our spring wreath with new flowers to match her party scheme. Pink and flowers were the common theme around the house that week. I think I may have driven Dustin a bit crazy with it all… but she only turns one once!
Secretly, I think he appreciated it all because he even surprised us with a crate full of pink and purple flowers to plant in the front entry for the party. Pretty impressive, huh?
Inside the house was equally girly. I decorated the mantle with pictures of Emme, her framed birth announcement, and her 12 month picture banner.
I had seen a project like this on Pinterest for Mother's Day a few years back and I have always loved it! It was a bit time consuming, but much easier than I thought it would be. I love how it turned out. As soon as the party was over, I put these right up in Emmerson's room. They were the perfect addition to her nursery.
This was the dessert table, although it wasn't quite complete at this point. We had her cake, cupcakes, and fruit pizzas (sugar cookies, cream cheese spread, and fresh fruit for toppings) along with Oma's famous chocolate suckers and chocolate chip cookies)
I completed Emmerson's first birthday book just in time for the party and had it out for guests to sign and leave her a message. I had done this for Donovan's first birthday and he loves looking at it all the time.
Onto the back yard… This was Emmerson's smash cake.
(My best attempt, anyways… don't judge too harshly Super Baker Momma Sara Culver. Ha!)
I also hung Emme's 12 month pictures outside with the actual onesie stickers in between each picture.
Paper straws are a girly party must.
Along with all things pink… flowers, lemonade, cups.
We set up tables in the back yard. One for the kiddos with some bubbles and coloring things. We covered the table with butcher paper which ended up being a hit. (Way more fun to color on tables than in a coloring book, right?)
My talented Momma sewed this dress for Emmerson's party. I have always been obsessed with this fabric and she saved some extra for me knowing I would request a dress for Em eventually.
This was the best picture we could get of our cuties before the guests arrived.
And one quick family picture too.
Our shy girl was clinging to her Grammie once her guests started to arrive.
But pretty soon she was on her way… with a little help from Grammie and Oma.
The chalk was a big hit with her cousins.
And then they were off to the kids table.
Oma and Grampie kept them company.
For lunch we had sandwiches, chips, salads, and fruit. Once we had all eaten, it was time for the presents. It's no wonder that these pictures are a bit blurry, I think my helpers all devoured these gifts in the course of a minute or two. So sweet!
Our little Miss didn't seem to mind one bit.
Emmerson got so many thoughtful gifts… too many! We were blown away! This quilt is one of them. It's a tradition my Mom started to make one for each of her grandchildren's first birthday.
After presents it was time for cake.
Emmerson wasn't very interested in her cake. So, after a few minutes, Donovan was happy to show her what to do.
And he of course, invited some friends to try it out too.
And finally, she caught on to all the excitement.
The rest of us enjoyed cupcakes.
The kiddos were so hyped up on sugar, that they decided it was the perfect time to attempt climbing our gigantic hill. It was Donovan and Clare's first time to the top… Lord help us!
When they finally made their way back down it was time for our birthday wishes. Each person wrote a birthday wish for Emmerson down and then tied it to a balloon.
Little Miss was so enamored with all of the balloons.
And then they were off, soaring high up into the bright summer sky.
In the evening, we gave all of the cousins a bath, got them in their jammies, kissed the birthday girl goodnight and then gathered in the backyard once again for our night time festivities. For Father's Day, Dustin received a make shift movie screen which is actually just a painter's drop cloth and bungee ties and a projector. We now love to watch movies in our back yard. It's been such a fun thing to do this summer.
The kiddos snuggled up with blankets and pillows.
We lit a bon fire and made s'mores.
And when it got dark, we watched Frozen for the 80th time. It was seriously the most perfect day filled with the most wonderful memories. I am so grateful that we were able to come together to celebrate our precious girl.
Happy Birthday Emmerson Grace!
