Everyone knows the party's for the parents anyway

I have important business to discuss.

First, I would like to inform everyone of a 50% off apparel sale at Michelle's Waddlers and Toddlers Ebay store. The sale is for two days only, August 24th and 25th, and you must be her blog follower to qualify for the sale prices. I've already got my eye on several things for my son! So, hop on over to her site and join! Here is her link about the sale, as well.

And now on to other very important business.

Like my son's first birthday party on Saturday.

It was a two-day event. None of which he will remember or that he cared about. But, we all know that the first birthday party is for the parents anyway, right? I mean, really, who are we kidding? He didn't need any of it. He was content the entire day with a small, stuffed baseball bat and a giraffe figurine.

The party prep began Thursday night when my sister arrived in town from St. Louis to save the day. Since my miscarriage, my head has not been in the party-planning game, so having my sister come home to help was the biggest blessing I could have received. My sister is like a super-planner and organizer. She really should wear a cape with a picture of a file folder or cleaning products on her chest. She is super-hero good.

Thursday evening and Friday morning and afternoon we baked cupcakes, ran errands, made lists, bought groceries, cleaned my house, and managed to have a great time doing it. Friday night, Max's birthday festivities began with a small get together of just my mom, sister and aunt.

The big man on campus:

We gave him a cupcake and he had no idea what to do with it. He just stuck his finger in it and rubbed it in his hair.

Doesn't he look like he's having fun (sarcasm intended)? After the cupcake poking, we gave him a bath and opened his presents. He almost hemorrhaged with excitement over his new Elmo doll. He loves him some Elmo.

The following day, Saturday (in case you couldn't follow the schedule of events), we had the big blow-out, the one that started with 10 people invited and ended up being around 35. I was super-stressed, even with my super-hero sister there, but I think it was pretty successful.

Here are some of the highlights:

This water slide, which we borrowed from my husband's sister, was a huge hit with the kids in the neighborhood. The little girls across the street would scream, "This is awesome!" every time they went down the slide. The babies, like my bebe, hung out in the pool at the bottom.

After swimming, eating dogs, burgers, and cake and ice cream, we opened Max's presents. Or, I, opened Max's presents and it was just like my birthday all over again! He sat on my husband's lap and played with the baseball bat and the giraffe figurine. That was all he needed. He barely paid any attention to the toys I was unwrapping.

All in all, it was a successful birthday party, full of parental stress, exhaustion and lack of sleep. A big thank you to my sister, mom, aunt, husband, brother-in-law, Jason, and everyone else who made this way too big party one to remember (atleast for my husband and I to remember, and my son to look at in pictures when he is older). At the end of the night, my son was hugging his best buds, Elmo and Ernie, before bed. Aaaahhh...until next year.