that my dining room is turquoise
{surfer by behr}
and I had some fabric to cute up the CREEPY high chair that has already survived two kids...
because in 17 years Janey will never know that I threw together a teeny tiny, family party at the last minute. The. Last. Minute.
Nothing like her sisters' crazy, giant, over the top birthday extravaganzas.
no invites.
no decorations.
no ballons.
no favors.
just a crockpot full of Santa Fe Soup and
the people who love her the most..
All she will know is that she got the biggest cake
(thank you grocery store bakery)
and has the cutest first birthday picture.
*a little known third kid bonus:
mom's photo skillz improve, as does the quality of the camera.
Can you keep a secret? It was by far my favorite.
Simple. Peaceful. Meaningful.
About her.
Not us.
Loving simplicity these days.
Simply loving it.
{in the spirit of full disclosure and the full honesty of my sewing skills/ ADD levels...
the high chair cover?
totally fake.
temporary.
In my mind I can make a new, cute permanent one.
But in my reality?
HILARIOUS!!!!
It is just 1 yd. of fabric thrown over the creepiness and
secured in the back with lots and lots of clothespins.
remember...
simple.
but, if you are a sewing rockstar and fairly ADD free...
While you are at it you can totally make me one too.
Just saying.}
Those are truly the best kind of birthdays! What a doll :)
ReplyDeleteDenise
Cutest baby birthday photo. Ever. Nicely done, mamma!
ReplyDeleteAhhh sweet and perfect.....
ReplyDeletei just wish i could kiss her cheeks!!! big parties are over-rated. like WAY over-rated.
ReplyDeletethanks for you kind advice today julie. :)
I think that kind of party is the only way to go. Especially for a 1 year old.
ReplyDeleteShe is just ADORABLE! And, I think we all need to figure out a way to keep it simpler... and enjoy it more!
ReplyDeleteThat is the best kind of birthday!
ReplyDelete1st bday parties are the ones you know they'll never remember :)
With 4 children ages 11 - 3 I figured we'd had 25 birthday parties. Decorations....balloons....guests....{stress}! Last year we had cupcakes,ice cream my family of 6, grandmother, grandfather and great-grandmother. Let me tell you, the 4 birthday's that year were the BEST of the previous 25 we've had. Way to go...simplify and ENJOY!!!
ReplyDeleteThat photo could be in a magazine. It is so precious!
ReplyDeleteeh, you live, you learn, then you go simple on the birthday parties :) Wish I had done that with my first two!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAnother benfit to being #3 - Mommy finally gets it. Our #3 turned 2 in November and had the easiest birthday ever.
ReplyDeleteThat is an adorable picture & the cutest high chair. :)
Too stinkin' cute! I love a simple, peaceful party, too (as long as there is plenty of cake)
ReplyDeleteI did something similar a few years back when my second son turned one. Although, I didn't have any cute fabric on hand, I wanted to cover up the old high chair that we were borrowing from friends. I grabbed a light blue towel and threw it over the back of the chair at the last minute. After the pictures were developed, I noticed that the blue towel brought out his beautiful blue eyes. They are some of my most favorite pictures to this day.
Sometimes, I feel like MacGyver when I can come up with something on the fly that actually works.
What a great picture, she couldn't be cuter! Simple is definitely the way to go, and I bet down the road you will remember more from her birthday since you were not stressing over all of those party details!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great reminder that it's the simple things that make for the best days. I'm linking you over at www.itisagoodday.blogspot.com. Thanks, friend!
ReplyDeleteThis is so cute! I love simple too :)
ReplyDeleteI would LOVE to know how you covered her highchair with that cute fabric!! It's awesome.
Precious!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday to your chunky monkey. I still want to nibble her. And I'll bet now she smells like cake. Mmmm....
What a cute picture! :) Simple birthdays are THE best birthdays! When they are less than 4, simple is awesome. For the parents, and the kids! All they care about is cake anyway. haha! Happy 1st Birthday Janey!
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday, Janey :) Very, very cute picture. She is so absolutely adorable.
ReplyDeleteShe is soooo cute!! Love her!! Funny that you mention simplicity...that is my one and only "real" goal for the year (other than taking a photo a day and documenting all the little things that make us who we are). I am hoping as I simplify, I will in turn become a better person, wife, mom and friend.
ReplyDeleteLove her high chair!
I am with ya girl! Everything that you just said is totally "me" right now. If fact my word for 2010 is simplicity. :)
ReplyDeleteprecious! Sounds like you guys had a very lovely 1st birthday celebration with her! Love that highchair cover, very cute.
ReplyDeleteI was overwhelmed with Kenzie's large party last year. So this year the list is cut in half...maybe more than half. And the party is the weekend after her birthday, so on her birthday it will be just us... so we can just enjoy (and cry over) our baby turning 2.
Sounds great to me!! and, hey - it really is all about her, the cake, and PICTURES, right?! ;)
ReplyDeleteAmen Sister! My 3rd child turned 1 in November and ... the exact same thing ... just us -- the most important people in his little life:-) And you are so right on with the bit about the camera and photo skills:-) I never thought about it, but #3 does have WAY better pics than #1 & #2:-)
ReplyDeleteI'm not gonna lie, we're doing a big huge family party for Mase's 1st birthday and I make no apologies... we all deserve a big celebration after surviving the first year of parenting. :)
ReplyDeleteSuper cute picture of Janey though. :) :) :)
How cute!!! My daughter turned 1 on Dec 19th and we had just family-25 people. It was still big, but I'm glad it wasn't stressful! Happy birthday to your 'baby'!
ReplyDeleteSimple. I love it. And she looks so cute too. Happy. And that fabric, fabulous. I just cracked up when you revealed your secret of it being faked. Love it. I think I need to shoot for simple for Chase's 1 year. I really can do it right. No quilt. You did and look how happy she is. I am going to remember this. Because, quite frankly, I am so warn out these days.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet picture!! I bet the party was great!!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday to your little sweetie!
ReplyDeleteTotally cute! Love the picture and the high chair cover. We are planning our 3rd baby's bday too. We decided to make it small with family and a couple close friends. I am wondering why it took us three babies to realize that is ok!!
ReplyDeleteI love it - that is TOTALLY my kind of high chair cover! what a great pic that will be for her for years to come! my little cameo turns 1 on the 21st - I'm going for simple too!
ReplyDeletehappy birthday janey!! i've made this soup 2 or 3 times since you posted it a few weeks ago. i use HOT italian sausage & it is SOOOOOOO good. thank you for the recipe!! your family is simply beautiful!! xoxoxo
ReplyDeletegreat photo! yikes, i should be taking these words to heart as my 5th baby's 1st birthday is rapidly approaching but i. just. can't. help myself!!!! the pink and brown giraffe party MUST HAPPEN!!!! i love the idea of the simplicity tho...really really love it!!
ReplyDeleteLove the pic! She is adorable.
ReplyDeleteadorable. she is the cutest. glad her party was just the way you wanted it! sounds wonderful!
ReplyDeletedont feel bad julie! I had won some really cute decorations for Ellies 1st b-day and I got invitations and a theme.... then it was her b-day and I never mailed out invites, never even planned a date and time, and I totally forgot about the super cute decorations :( But her b-day was my favorite 1st b-day of all 3 because it was simple. relaxing. happy.
ReplyDeleteMe Too!
ReplyDeletehttp://saraweaver.blogspot.com/2010/01/january-blues.html