a beautiful first birthday party

I can't believe how long its taken me to sort through photographs from Quinny's birthday party. We held it a few days after her birthday, and considering she's fast approaching turning thirteen months I figured that this post was long overdue. We had a lovely celebration to mark the end of her first year, and our first year as a family of five; we were surrounded by friends and family, and our little missy just loved being the centre of attention.

I was determined that we would mark her first year with some sort of party. Both Dylan and Everly had big first birthday parties which I loved throwing for them. It's such a big milestone and it's nice to acknowledge it. Admittedly I think first birthdays are far more for the parents than the baby, because Ashlyn clearly had no idea what all the fuss was about. But do you know what, we survived a year with three children; more than survived it, we loved it, and I think that deserves a celebration.

Sadly when you are the third baby, your mummy is too busy with other things to drag you along to lots of baby groups, so you have no baby friends of your own. So unlike the previous two first birthdays I've thrown, we didn't go down the traditional route we did before; booking a hall, setting up some toys, sorting our own food, spending far too much time on decorations and inviting lots and lots of children. This time I booked a gorgeous little tea room near us, who could give us sole use and also provide us with a yummy afternoon tea. We invited closest family and friends only. We kept the whole thing very simple and sweet. The tea room was the perfect pretty location for our little gathering, and everybody left with bellies full of scrumptious sandwiches and delicious cake.

I did still make her birthday cake. It was a tradition I had started with Dylan that I simply had to continue. It had to be a rainbow cake, just like I made for a certain big brother's first birthday all those years back. Rainbows and bright colours have become something of a trademark for our little Quinn; and a rainbow cake has a certain "wow factor" befitting a first birthday.

The only other thing I did to make the party a little bit special, was to buy lots of party hats (and demand that everyone wear them throughout - which our guests were very accommodating about), blow up some pretty confetti balloons, and pop some photo props on a table so that everyone could goof around taking photos with the birthday girl.

I think we celebrated her in style and smiles...!