Swing on by...

...and have some fun because our little monkey is turning ONE!

Happy First Birthday Ellis! We had your first birthday party at our house on Sunday, November 20, 2011. We invited all of your closest family and friends (all 43 of them) and had all your favorite foods and beverages (from the Whipped vodka shots and Coors Light mini keg to the chocolate candy buffet). You slept great the night before, had two great naps during the day and were a very good sport during your 3-5 pm party!! My favorite memory from your first birthday party was when you were eating your smash cake. You looked around at everyone clapping and cheering you on and would smile and clap with everyone else. You are so sweet and such a happy baby and from the very moment you came into this world, you had everyone wrapped around those chubby precious little fingers. I really hope you enjoyed your first birthday party because I don't think your Daddy will allow me to go to this extreme for your next (although the theme has already been selected)! It was all worth it though because we wanted you to have a day as special as you are!

The theme of your party centered around your Daddy's sock monkey that your Great-Grandmother made for him when he was little and that your Grandma Byrne has since repaired (who can blame Bella?). Who could forget this precious pic of you as a sock monkey at 16 days old...

Birthday Invite

Birthday Boy!

Daddy

Mommy

Bella

B Pa

Annie B

Aunt E

Granddaddy

Mimi

Uncle Parke

and all of your other special guests!

Outdoor decorations

Front of the house

Brad's family saw this outside of Smiths' Variety in Mtn Brook on Saturday, the kind store owner let us borrow this at no charge - didn't even get their names! It was the perfect party icebreaker.

First Pintrest project

The Birthday Banner was a last minute addition since the HOA cut my rose bushes the week before the party and the front looked so bare!

Inside

The Candy/Sweet Buffet

Cupcakes, Banana Puffs, Gerber Cookies, Whoppers, Red M&Ms, Twizzlers, Sour Straws, Banana Chips, Bananas, Swedish Fish

Smash Cake from Edgar's

Not one person had a cupcake during the party. :(

Grace's pictures turned out much better than mine, but I hope to take a class soon, I love the light in hers! Anyways, more shots of the table...

The Food Table - I didn't get a pic of all the food out.

We had Dreamland Banana Pudding, Gorilla Bread, Zaxby's Tenders, Buffalo Chicken Dip, Cheesy Corn Dip, Heath Bar Apple Dip...did I mention this party was at 3 pm?

The Beverage Island

We had soft drinks, tea, water, apple juice, a mini keg, and vodka shots - you can show this to your therapist one day and they will sympathize with you.

Smash Cake

The gifts - you are set for the next three years!!

The kiddos

Two were MIA, but this was as good as it was going to get!