Emma Kate's Birthday Post #1: Setup!

WARNING: Emma Kate's 1st Birthday is going to take several posts to cover! This year since her birthday fell on Sunday, we had her party on her actual birthday! Fun! Connor couldn't understand why she didn't get 2 birthday's...I had to explain that in our family only when our birthday falls during the week, do we get 2 celebrations...a birthday dinner with family on our actual birthday and then a party on the weekend...confusing!

Since Emma Kate is my 1st and only girl...of course we had to celebrate with a pink theme. The party was from 3-4:30...nice and short for a 1 year old. We had nothing but sweets for our guests...we sugared everyone up and sent them home...sorry:)

Scott and Shawna helped us pretty much all day in the getting ready activities! Thank God for them today! Shawna did all the chocolate dipping for me.

I did a mural of photos of Emma Kate every month of her 1st year so we could see how she had changed.

This was the main table.

I started the tradition with Connor in purchasing a book that goes along (at least somewhat) with the theme of the party, in which the guests sign the inside cover. Someday the kids can look back at the messages from that special day and soak up all that love!

And the best part of the party...!

Yes, those are circus cookies holding up the sticks...I better take those to work tomorrow to share or I'm going to be in a lot of trouble!

And mmm...cupcakes...Mary (my Mother-In-Law) came over Sat night to help me with the fondant E's and 1's. I had never worked with fondant before...I was pleasantly surprised to find that it's not that difficult. At least for little stuff like this.

Here's Emma Kate's cake. I got the idea for the ruffles from Martha Stewart's website.

A side view from the night before...

I found these cute little mailboxes from Target's Dollar Spot and used them for "Goodie Bags."

Mary also made cutout sugar cookies and I set up a cookie decorating station for the kids...and Uncle Nick...he got in on the action too! (FYI...there's grey frosting because Connor got involved and there were train shaped cookies included for the boys. We can't have pink choo choo's now can we?!?!)

I made a little banner to attach to Emma's high chair.

And of course the birthday kitchen towel was put out.

We topped off all those sweets with pink juice boxes, hot chocolate, coffee, tea, and lots of...water!

Stay tuned for Party Time!