The Par-tay Recap
For Bean’s birthday, we are celebrating by spending this coming Saturday in Disney’s Animal Kingdom (thanks to the swell folks at Disney!). That’s when my parents and some of Chris’ family will be in town and we’ll boogey down all day together. But I couldn’t let his actual birth day go by without some little celebration of its own.
My lovely friend, Sarah, and her husband, Scott, came over…
…along with Chris’ sister, Annie…
(More on this enormous school bus that now lives in my living room later)
and my Dad (my Mom and Grandma were unavoidably out of town).
We had a little backyard BBQ. The old fashioned kind with a charcoal grill, store-bought potato salad, and potato chips eaten right out of the bag at the table. Oh, and beer.
I went with the jungle theme for this little shindig so that we stayed close to the Animal Kingdom theme.
And because I am ridiculously addicted theme parties.
We had the jungle-themed “Happy Birthday” banner and the jungle print table cloth with paper plates and cups. Though, I was disappointed to find that Budweiser did not make a jungle-themed beer bottle.
HOW CAN I PROPERLY THEME UNDER THESE CONDITIONS?!?!?
Bean didn’t seem to mind though. He was too busy squealing/shrieking/rupturing people’s eardrums and trying to catch balloons. He was also busy eating Cheez Its that his Granddad was sneaking him.
Before dinner, we all sat around talking (and sweating) while Bean played with his big birthday gift from me and Chris, his Step 2 Arctic Splash Water Table. To me, it looked like a big bucket of water on legs, but to Bean it was a water wonder world…
We sat the water table inside his empty pool so that he didn’t get muddy.
By dinner, Bean was completed soaked, head to foot. So, we had to do his FIRST costume change of the night.
This did not please The Beast…I mean, The Bean.
But the balloons on his high chair during dinner soon distracted him enough and he forgot that his shirt didn’t say, “MOST AWESOME PERSON IN THE WORLD!” At least, that’s what we told him the other shirt said.
It’s funny when they can’t read yet.
It was miserably hot outside. Miserably hot. Chris and I are still living like we did in Connecticut. Up there, when the weather was nice, you get yourself outside. It was usually warm and sunny and a little breezy. It was lovely.
But here in central Florida? Sunny means 93 degrees and not a breeze a-blowin’. So, I set up this whole dinner outside and then I made my friends and family sit outside in it and I think I almost killed them. I was pretty sure someone was about to have a heat stroke.
So, we moved inside after dinner for birthday cake and presents. I ordered Bean’s birthday cake from Publix, our grocery store. They did a fantastic job!
Publix also gives you a free smaller cake for first birthdays. I called this the face slam cake. And it lived up to its name.
We sang happy birthday to the Birthday Boy…
And then we turned him loose on his cake. I think what happened next is best explained visually. Because the phrase, “It was messy,” just doesn’t do it justice…
It really wasn’t going too bad, until Bean started flapping his arms…
And then he made the fatal mistake of trying to wipe his itching nose…
At this point, it was time to call it a day. So, I dragged Bean into the kitchen to stick him under the faucet.
But that just made him sort of oily. So, I pulled out the big guns, stripped him down to his birthday suit right there at his own birthday party, and stuck him in the bathtub.
In college, we knew it was time to call it a night when the guest of honor started getting naked. Turns out, the same is sort of true for one-year-old birthday parties, too. So, everyone started heading home after that.
It was a pretty awesome night, really. Bean had a blast and Chris and I just soaked up the success of our first year of parenting. And who better to do that with than our closest family and friends? It was a great night and I can’t wait to see how much fun we have on Saturday at the Animal Kingdom, too!
39 Comments
Jessica @ How Sweet
The 2nd to last picture is just too cute. I can’t believe how big he is now.
That is some of the best cake-playing I have ever seen!
Danimezza
I could just eat the little munchkin all up, Happy Birthday Bean Man.
Catherine
What a fun party! And I love that the cake was made out to “Bean.” 🙂
Nate's Mom
Love all the joy in these pictures! (And what a fabulous cake!) Happy birthday to Bean & congratulations to his parents!
Megan (Best of Fates)
I can’t believe more birthday parties don’t include the person of honor shoving his or her hands into the cake. This seems like a sad oversight, both in terms of photography and funny stories.
Sara
I agree. My next birthday is number 32 and I am making an extra cake for smashing!
Great pics as always Katie! And congrats on making it through the first year alive 🙂
Tiffany
Aww. Looks like a great time was had by all, heatstroke notwithstanding. And that is a really great cake! I love the half-elephant in the water. =) Good job, Katie.
Kendra
the picture of Bean sitting on his grandpa’s lap with the funny face is priceless! Looks like he had a blast!
Life of a Doctor's Wife
What a cutie! Looks like a fun day for an adorable birthday boy!
Heather in ND
I can’t believe how BIG he is getting. And his hair is getting SO LIGHT!!!! Love it!! 🙂
Beth
love it! He is adorable.
Lisa in OKC
aww, I absolutely loved reading about it and seeing the pictures. Times like these are when I dream of having a baby.
Whitney
YAY! FUN! I love Bean. Levi has the same water table!! He loooooves it! That cake looks awesome!
Heather in NY
Happy Birthday Bean!! It looks like everyone had a great time despite the heat. We used the same jungle theme for my son Zack’s first birthday party last year. I can’t wait to see pictures from the party at Animal Kingdom!
Mindee@ourfrontdoor
You are just all kinds of smart to think of putting the water table in the pool. I would have had to learn that the hard way.
Way to eat cake Bean! You’re parents would have been VERY disappointed if you had picked delicately at the confection. Those would not have been fun pictures at all.
tara
you’re hilarious!
bean is such a sweetie – and look at all those teeth!! =]
Regina
Oh Katie, you’re just not trying hard enough with the jungle theme beer accessories! http://www.theleopardprintmonkey.com/Zebra_Print_Beer_Glass_p/lpmz36.htm
Love the Bean!
Kat
Happy birthday Bean-man! Katie & Chris – Congrats on 1 year of survival. Only 90 more or so to go?
Holly
Maybe there are beer koozies that have themes? haha!
You did a wonderful job celebrating his birthday. The pictures are adorable!
Heather Ben
Happy birthday!
Valerie
What a wonderful cake. So cool!
Sarah H.
Very sweet 🙂 Best birthday cake ever! I love publix, living in Maryland I really miss it.
Katie
I can see that Bean is an expert cake eater! Those pictures are too cute! His cake was awesome, and I love how Publix also provides a ‘Face-Slam Cake’ on their first birthday’s. The pictures of the actual face-slam are priceless! Too funny! Happy Birthday Bean!
Gwen
What a precious little monkey! Happy Birthday Bean! My favorite store cakes are COSTCO – OMG they are heavenly!
Maggie
I heart this post. It’s everything good about being a kid in the summer!! I can’t wait to have kids so I have an excuse to host themed parties on a regular basis!
http://www.maggiemphoto.wordpress.com
Kristin
Love how it says Bean on the cake!
Tressa
That cake is awesome, that grocery store bakery rocks!!
Happy Birthday Beanie!
Awesome party Mom and Dad (I can say that, I wasn’t sitting out in the heat) 😉
LOVE the pictures
Beth
Adorable!
I’ve only been visiting your blog for a few months, but i can’t believe how much he’s grown already! Such a handsome little man.
I looooove the cake pictures. The itching the nose one sent me into a total giggle fit. My husby had to come take a look and see what i thought was so funny. The he cracked up too.
Great pictures, great party, great blog. Thanks for sharing this with us! 🙂
Christina
In spite of the heat, it sounds like a perfect night. 🙂 The pictures are so great! Hands waving…I would have croaked! haha
Publix did do a good job! No cake wrecks there.
Great description, Katie. Very fun night!
Jen at Cabin Fever
That is a wonderful photo of you holding Bean in the towel! And casual backyard BBQs are the best, especially when there is birthday cake involved!
Cabin Fever in Vermont
RACHEL
look fabulous, he looks like he had a great time. Heat sounds icky, we just about managed 2 weeks of the Florida heat once a year lol still jealous though x
Tenesse
Wonderful Pictures and I can’t wait to see his presents, hoping to get some inspiration for my girl. Her Birthday is on first August. 🙂
Alaina
I love that last picture. He is so freaking adorable…such a cute kid you guys have. Can’t wait to see the pictures from the big party!
Hillary
It looks like Bean had a great first birthday! I love the smash cake pictures– too cute!
Anne @ the doctor takes a wife
I can’t believe that cake came from a grocery store!! I wish there were Publix in Texas.
Congrats on his first birthday–how fun!!
Ella
I love Beans cakes! He looks like he will have a lot of fun with his water table – a perfect present by the sounds of your hot weather! Hope his big party is fun too 🙂
Sarah C. H.
Wow, Bean’s an actual KID now, not just a baby. He’s so big! And I think I see some red in that hair too!
Jennifer @ Heavenly Mommy
Wow. That was a flash back to my son’s first birthday, but now he’s appoaching his 2nd in September. My son has that same water table too and LOVES it. I’m sure your little Bean will too! Also, that cake looked SO yummy! The design was great!
I found your blog through Blogher the other day. I’m lovin’ it! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Andrea
Katie, are you sure your grandma was out of town? Perhaps she didn’t show up because you didn’t put Bean’s real name on the birthday cake???? 😛