Party Prep...

I can't believe how fast this year has gone...Lucas is now a one year old and the baby days are behind us and the toddler years in full swing! As you can imagine I had to throw a party for my little man and so it has been a busy 1-2 weeks of preparation (type A preparation means I am one exhausted mommy)! I will post more later about my one-year-old...for now about the party :) The picture above was used for his invitations...below are some pictures of the other prep we did...

I really wanted a professional photo shoot of the cake smash session - it is a new trend and every picture I have seen is super adorable. Unfortunately, I am new to the area and do not have an established relationship with a photographer or any moms that could recommend one for that matter. I did get one recommendation for a local photographer who turned out to have a beutiful protfolio but I was too late to book her before the party. So, Ross and I tried to create our own cake smash session. Ha! It was fun and pretty much unsuccessful in the photo department but hey - he knew what to do with cake at his party!

First the icing threw him off...he kept shaking his hand and flinging icing all over the room

Ross tried cutting a piece so he could get past the icing

Lucas then tried to move the cake stand with his foot

I tried showing him how yummy it was...no luck!

The theme for the party was Firetrucks and the crowning glory was this awesome firetruck made out of a moving box. Ross is such an amazing Daddy - I asked if he thought it could be done for the party and he went above and beyond by putting in lots of hours. Lucas loved it!

Side of truck - notice the sweet ladder and wheels

Lucas inside the firetruck smiling at everyone around him!

He was bouncing and squealing with joy!

Of course it isn't a party without a party hat! I found this great blog with a template and tutorial for how to make a party hat out of fabric. (http://imakestuff.typepad.com/i-make-stuff/2009/11/birthday-hat-tutorial.html ). First I brainstormed with my mother in law about whether or not we could pull it off. Then I went to my local craft store and got the supplies. I think the finished hat turned out great!

Lucas's first birthday hat

Checking it out

Look at my hat!

And of course, what is a party without decorations?!?!?! I wanted the feeling of the decorations and the party to be more crafty and home made than from the store so I tried to designate certain things to be purchased and other to be made. I bought plates, cups, napkins, plastic silverware, #1 candle, and a table cloth. Then my friend Tricia made the birthday banner and we made tissue balls as a substitute for balloons - which was perfect because I am secretly afraid of popping balloons and do not like to have them around a crowd of people. You just never know when one will accidentally pop and with the way my bladder is these days...it might not have been pretty. (http://diy.wed-central.com/?p=62)

Firetruck themed birthday banner... AWESOME!!!

Pom Poms!

Finally, I channeled my inner Martha and made a firetruck cake and dalmation cake with the help of my mom and my bestie Tricia :)

You can find directions for the firetruck cake on youtube

(http://bit.ly/betty_crocker_firetruck)

The dalmation inspiration came from a book my Grandmother had given my mother when she had my older sister. It is the Baker's Coconut Animal Cut-Up Cakes (copyright 1959)