Category — Celebrations

I had such a good time planning Thomas’ first birthday party! Although I almost had a meltdown when I couldn’t find a plain white long-sleeved t-shirt to have embroidered Since one of Thomas’ favorite activities is eating The Very Hungry Caterpillar was a very fitting party theme.

Invitations: Since we invited family and a few friends that I see on a weekly basis I hand delivered the invitations in mason jar. The party details were printed on a green leaf and each invite had a caterpillar inside.

The more I use my Silhouette the more I love it! I used it to make the leaf invitations and the jar toppers.

We had a giant strawberry and caterpillar to welcome our party guests. I made it using a red poster board, green scrapbook paper, a paper mache 1 and scanned the book cover and cut out the caterpillar. I still have it up because I think it’s cute.

We had all kinds of different caterpillars!

I loved going back through all our pictures and picking out one of each month. It makes your realize just how much your baby grows in one year.

Caterpillar cupcake. I can only take credit for the fondant and platter embellishments.

Above the food table I hung paper lanterns to make a caterpillar and taped on cardstock eyes & nose.

We ate all the fruit…

and junk that the very hungry caterpillar ate.

Dana made the cutest {and most delicious} ice cream cone cookies.

I made Thomas a small smash cake – which we all know he barely touched.

There were lots of yummy cupcakes!

Ideas Found:

Highchair Caterpillar

Caterpillar Monthly Pictures

Caterpillar Lantern

Front Door & Food Labels

Invitations

Bill and Will got the balloons ready for the party.

The task must have exhausted them…..

…. because they had to take a nap…..

…. and I have no idea what exhausted PepperAnn!

Thomas stayed busy playing with the balloons.

We had a room full for the party!

Thomas and his great-grandfather, George Thomas

When I called that it was time to open presents – these 3 came running like a herd of elephants

And Thomas had lots of help opening his presents.

Momma’s boy decided he would rather sit in my lap to open presents.

Thomas was not into his “smash” cake at all. He only got his fingers dirty because I pushed them in the cake! He kind of poked at it with a spoon.

We put him in the floor to see if he would be more interested – but he wasn’t.

Thomas did thoroughly enjoy the brownies!

I am horrible about getting pictures of everybody at parties & holidays so I decided to take everyone’s picture with Thomas as they left!

Aubrey, Greyson & Will

Pam

Honey & Papa

Amber, Will & Bill

Karen

PawPaw & Nonny

Daddy Bill & Grandmama

Mandy

Mimi & PawPaw

Tori, Zachary, Susie & Bob

Dana & Jonathan

Amy & Brittany

And this is what the boys have been doing ever since the party! Taking turns {mostly} riding and Will is an excellent driver for Thomas

Everyone says it – but I can’t believe that Thomas turned 1 year old today! We celebrated at our house this afternoon with some family and friends. Thomas is a fun, relaxed, and sweet boy. His favorite things are his Mommy, snacks and the dog. He also loves to crawl up to the play room and get into all of his brothers trains, trucks and blocks.

We just took it easy this morning but Thomas kept checking to see if the party people were coming!

When he woke up from his afternoon nap he just chilled in his chair. He was so funny!

This is how he was laying – being a big ham!

Party Time!

Lots of party pictures & details to come this week!

After our morning at home we went to Papa and Honey’s house to celebrate Christmas.

When we got there Will had a gift from Papa’s cousin waiting for him – a HUGE Hot Wheels racetrack.

Thomas got right to eating lunch! The rest of us waited until Mimi & PawPaw got there to dig in.

After lunch, we headed downstairs to open presents. Will was so excited when he saw his big gift sitting out.

Papa helping Will use his backhoe.

But, I think Honey was the most surprised with her new bicycle.

Thomas was excited about his busy ball popper.

Will was really excited about a frog loofah. Although now he won’t let me wash him with it because it’s currently the bed for his rubber duck.

Thomas started to play the drum before we could get it out of the box.

Hands down this “cooker” outfit is the afternoon’s winner. He wears it every. single. day. And he cooks Ichiban food at this kitchen – if you come and visit he will even do an egg trick for you.

After playing Will, Honey & Dana rode their bicycles.

We ended the afternoon by singing Happy Birthday to Jesus and eating cake.

Jonathan & Dana

The day after Christmas we got together with the Dixon family to celebrate. This year we went to Bob & Susie’s house.

Thomas & Tori playing before lunch.

After lunch the great grandkids helped Tori pass out the gifts. Then everyone opened their stockings.

Opening the duck that Uncle Bob made for Will and Greyson. Will loves the duck but sometimes it’s a bad duck and it bites people and tonight we had to “learn” the duck its ABC’s before bed.

We gave Grandmama and Daddy Bill a frame with the 4 great-grandkids handprints – I think it was a hit.

Karen gave the boys these bouncy bulls – Thomas will have to grow into his.

Will is obsessed with his pink bull! He literally bounced around on that thing for hours saying, “Hoppy, hoppy all day long!”

And that wraps up this week long series on how we celebrated Christmas!

This was the first year in my 27 years of life that I didn’t wake up at my parents house on Christmas morning. It would have been sad if I didn’t have my own family wake up to! It was different but it was definitely nice to be at home on Christmas morning. Will & Thomas woke up at about the same time (I wonder, if Will woke him up?) and we headed downstairs to open presents.

Will enjoyed pulling all of his little treats out of his stocking. It was mostly snacks

Thomas wasn’t really into opening presents this year. Notice he would just rather sit in his chair.

So, Will opened all of the presents.

Thomas got a couple of trains – and again just enjoyed sitting in the chair.

Will’s favorite gift of the morning by far was this dinosaur “outfit.” He put it on immediately and started chasing everyone all around the house.

Will also got his very own ice packs! He uses them on a daily basis.

We had cinnamon bites for breakfast and I gave one to Thomas to see if he would like it. I’d say he loved it!

Such a fun morning celebrating Christmas with our little family! And celebrating Thomas’ first Christmas!

Christmas Eve morning we celebrated Christmas again – this time with Nonny & PawPaw.

When we got there they had a large cardboard house set up – Will thought it was so cool and couldn’t wait until Aubrey and Greyson got there so he could start coloring and decorating it.

Thomas thought it was pretty neat too.

Thomas couldn’t wait to open presents!

Aubrey

Thomas got some puffs and he couldn’t be happier!

Will got a pizza set.

Will also got a guitar and he has been serenading us with “ABC”, “Twinkle, Twinkle” & “Jesus Loves Me” every day.

Will & Aubrey playing on their new Sit n Spins.

Thomas was also a big fan of the Sit n Spin.

Greyson got a soccer goal and everybody had a good time playing with it.

Will & Nonny spent a good amount of time playing with Greyson’s new Lego set.

Each of the kids got a stuffed animal that talked/interacted with a book. Aubrey wanted Aunt Pam to read her book to them outside.

Thomas got a lot of lovin’ from his cousin Aubrey.

The boys got a chair from Nonny & PawPaw and Thomas absolutely loves it. I think it’s his favorite thing from Christmas!

Every year on the Saturday before Christmas the Henderson family gets together to celebrate. We are rarely all together so it’s nice to eat good food, watch kids open presents & of course get a visit from Santa.

Will wanted Bill & Honey to hide as everyone was arriving. Do you think anybody found them?

Will thought it was fun to eat his dinner with a toothpick. What could be better?

I took pictures of everybody eating but Joel is the only person who smiled- so his table gets put on the blog!

Thomas and Kenlie enjoyed playing a little pool.

The great-grandkids waiting patiently for the presents to be passed out.

Thomas and Uncle David. This was the first time for a lot of the family to meet Thomas

Will checking out his new toy! When we said that Santa was coming in – Will ran and hid under the chair again – Santa almost sat on him!

Santa & Will. Funny story: Immediately after this picture Will came up and said to me, “Mommy! Santa looks like Papa!”

Thomas was NOT a fan of Santa!

Funny story: We went out to eat tonight and a man with a big beard walked in and stood near us and Thomas was afraid of him too.

Dylan & Chase

Zoie & Kenlie

Sarah wasn’t a big fan either

Hmmm, I always thought Santa’s elves were short!