Luke’s 1st Birthday, Continued

Luke’s birthday festivities have continued throughout the weekend, culminating in today’s pool party at the house.  Luke did three new things this weekend.  Friday Aunt Bonnie taught him how to drink out of a straw and now he’s pretty much a champ, and today he started blowing kisses AND TOOK A STEP!  He took his first step today at his party!!  I almost jumped out of my seat!  He was so cute! 

Last night we went to Marsh Hall for dinner with Tommy’s extended family.  They eat there most Saturdays in the summer, so to make it easy to break up the birthday parties, I just brought cupcakes and turned it into a party! 

Those were the blueberry cupcakes.  I just used a vanilla cake mix and in place of water used pureed blueberries.  Then, for the icing, I made a standard buttercream icing- butter, confectioner’s sugar, vanilla, and milk, but again I added pureed blueberries and garnished them with a blueberry.  They kind of tasted like blueberry muffins with icing on top, but they were pretty tasty and very easy and I think they looked pretty.

Luke ate the other kind of cupcake I made- yellow cake with chocolate icing in an ice cream cone.  Just put the batter in the cupcake pan like you normally would, and then stick a cake cone upside down into the batter, and the cake will bake into the cone.  Everyone was so generous and Luke was spoiled rotten!  We had a great time with the family. 

This morning we started preparing for his party today.  I hung the banner that Nicki helped me make with her Cricut machine

and put the finishing touches on the cake

I made the little sea creatures from fondant

And then our guests began to arrive!  We had lunch and chatted for a while, and then it was time to open Luke’s gifts.  He got SO MANY great gifts!  Between the family last night at Marsh Hall and today at the house he is one very blessed little boy.  He got tons of clothes and pajamas and lots of toys.  He seemed to favor two things- his tiny Toy Story bat from Ryan, Elaine, and Caleb (Elaine- I feel like I hardly spoke to you today!  Sorry!), and his lawn mower from Jason and Brittany. 

I don’t know what’s up with my camera, it’s been taking terrible pictures lately

Other notable gifts are the octopus that Lynsi crocheted that I absolutely love.  She just started crocheting!  I think he’s so cute!  It’s only the second thing she’s made!  And, Melissa gave him a Redskins chair that she hand painted.  She only brought this chair today, but also painted him a Steelers chair and a table that is sports themed in general.  She’s going to bring them by next week.  I LOVE homemade gifts.

Then, we moved on to cake

After having cake Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday I have a feeling Luke is going to be wondering where the heck his cake is after dinner tomorrow night :)  A few people swam in the pool and the weather held out for most of the party.  It was a truly wonderful day. 

We’re going to have pictures taken some time this week I think. 

Thank you so much to everyone for being so generous and spending Luke’s special weekend with us.  Okay… now I’m going to go crash for the evening!!