Ladybug Party

Amazing cakes made by my mom!

Madison's First Birthday Party was at our house on Sunday December 27, 2009. I had been planning it for a couple of months. I knew I wanted it to be decorated with ladybugs, but none of the local party stores had anything ladybug. So I looked online and found all the goodies I needed! I went a little overboard, but a girl only has one first birthday party! Next year I don't think I will go out quite so much.

Madison's 1st Birthday Candies! They were a big hit and super cute!

Some of the ladybug accessories!

All the yummy appetizers I made! On our new island I had put together the night before.

While I was getting things ready inside, Scott was outside putting the finishing touches on the deck (see previous post!). We had also wanted to get the playroom done too, but it just didn't quite happen. We got most of it done: drywall, painted, flooring and most of the moldings, but didn't get a couple of baseboards down and still needed to caulk and paint all the moldings. So, we just closed the door to that room for the party. Luckily my parents came over early and helped us get the finishing touches done.

The deck all set up and ready!


The banner I had made for the birthday girl!


Madison (in her ladybug inspired red and black dress) with Grandma and Grandpa! Thanks for all your help!

Madison eating her dinner: lasagna, fruit and garlic bread. I had never let her have garlic bread before...she loved it! She didn't touch anything else until her piece of bread was gone.

Messy lasagna face and hand!

After dinner we all (about 40 people) went inside so Madison could open her gifts! She did pretty good...she'd had practiced twice already earlier in the week on her actual birthday and then on Christmas. She was kind of overwhelmed with all the people, and after a while she went to play and visit Grandma, leaving me to open the rest on my own. She got so many great gifts and luckily there were no duplicates! She did get three baby dolls, but they were all different. And if she'd like I was when I was little she will definitely use them all! Thanks for all the wonderful gifts!

Madison lost in a maze of gifts and wrapping paper!

With one of her new dolls!

"Ohh! A schoolhouse!"

She took a break from opening to play!

Then she went a visited Grandma for a while.

And then Aunt Cindy!

Having fun at her party!

After opening presents it was time for cake and ice cream! I stripped Madison down to just her diaper. I figured red and black icing would make a horrible mess and I didn't want her to ruin her new dress. It was starting to get cold outside, but I wanted to contain the possible mess outside. Plus I didn't think it would take her too long. So we all went back outside to sing "Happy Birthday." She has had cake once before and liked it, but for some reason she would not even touch her cake. I don't know if it was the hard icing, all the people, the cool temps, that it was close to bedtime, or a combination of all of the above, but she wanted nothing to do with her cake! I took a couple pics and when she started crying, we called it quits, took her back inside and got her clothes back on. Hopefully next year she'll like her cake a bit more!

Madison with her cake as we sing "Happy Birthday" to her.

Starting to get upset!

Mommy and Daddy with the birthday girl at the end of her party! Thanks everyone for coming, we had a great day!

A cute side note: As my mom was leaving our house she blew Madison a kiss from her car and Madison did it back! It was the first time she had blown a kiss. Too cute!