Happy 1st Birthday Sawyer!!!

Sawyer's 1st Birthday came and went in a blur. I am so glad friends and family took pictures for me so that I could go back and enjoy her party every time I look at them! Sawyer started the day off acting a little sick (if you don't remember, she had a horrible stomach virus the day before--which I prayed and prayed would go away before the party and it did!).  She took a really early nap (around 9:00) and slept until the party started at noon! She had a little bottle and then we got started! She was in a great mood and seemed to love all of the people at our house! (I had been preparing myself for a melt down so that my expectations weren't too high, but that didn't happen!! What a sweetie!)

We had 35 friends and family in our home to celebrate sweet Sawyer's 1st birthday and I am so happy to say that I have everyone in a picture - even if they are just in the background :) Some of the fellas tried to avoid cameras at all costs. :) This post is picture heavy…sorry about that, but I wanted to put as many pictures in as I could for my own records. :)

Happy 1st Birthday, Sawyer!!! :)

The Food
We served pasta salad, chicken sandwiches, turkey sandwiches, veggie shooters, fruit & fruit dip, chips & dip, chocolate-covered marshmallows, popcorn (flavors were watermelon, coconut, and banana) white cupcakes, and chocolate cake! 
It was super yummy!

The Presents
Sawyer received so much! We are truly blessed! She got a swing set, radio flyer wagon, turtle sand pit, new big girl car seat, many toys, lots of clothes, and other super cute stuffed animals, and odd and ends! We appreciate it all and have already had fun with a lot of it! :)

The cake

This is the area in which I should have lowered my expectations a little! I had envisioned her tearing into her  cake and it being so entertaining, but instead she ate it little piece by little piece and in between bites she just smiled at the crowd. :) She was super cute & sweet--and very clean. Haha! I guess I thought she would dig in, because only 2 days prior, she got really into her cupcake at Playschool. Maybe she got it all out of her system then? Haha. Really though, she is more social than anything and would rather watch the people watching her than eat cake. :) She clapped after we sang "Happy Birthday" to her and also several other times if someone else clapped or said "yay!". She's so funny. :)

The People

I think I got a picture of just about everyone…whether in the foreground or background. I'm sure when Sawyer is older she will love looking back to see who came to her 1st birthday!! Sawyer had 4 grandparents and 5 great-grandparents in attendance. She had 3 cousins and 3 other little friends attend (all ages 5 and under!). Overall there were 35 people who came to see her on her 1st birthday!! She is one very blessed little girl!

The details
Casey, Ginni, & I worked pretty hard on this party! I wanted the theme "April Showers Bring Sawyer Flowers" way back when I first started thinking of her party (My birthday is also in April and I've always thought it was a great time to be born! Haha)…and I thought flowers and umbrellas would be a cute theme. I'm sure we'll be doing Easter Egg Hunt parties in the future like I did as a kid. ;) I made a cute photo banner of Sawyer every month since she was born - 13 pictures in all - 0-12 months old. 
We had flower cake, flower cupcakes, and flower marshmallows. We had shovels and rakes as serving spoons. Straws were in a little watering can and little flower pots held the food labels. Each child received a cookie favor in the shape of a flower in a cute little flower pot! We had flowers all over the house and umbrellas with rain drops hung from the ceiling. I had so much fun with the details!!

Sweet Sawyer Grace,

I hope you know how much your daddy & I love you. It is certainly a crazy amount! I cannot imagine a sweeter baby than you. I hope your 2nd year of life is as fun and special as the first. 

I love you SOOO much. 

Love, Momma