Birthday Weekend

I had so much fun this past weekend!  I had been planning Connor's party for months and months.  I have a multiple page document on my computer with a guest list, menu, recipes, and a shopping list.  I worked on the decorations for a long time, which was really fun.  I made paper mache dinosaur eggs, and a lot of banners out of paper to hang up around our front room. 

Our friends Leslie and Kevin and their daughter Ella, who is 5 months older than Connor, came to stay with us and Leslie helped me a lot!  Connor had been a whisper away from walking, and he finally took his first steps on Saturday!  I'm pretty sure Ella inspired him with her ease of getting around and her ability to get to all the toys.

Connor and Ella watching Elmo with Kevin

 I'm really proud of all my decorations and all the food I made!  So I will subject you all to many pictures.

A chain garland and egg in a nest

Another egg and garland

I was most proud of the bottom garland!  It was because of making it that I had all the scraps to make the other garlands.

We had a slide show on our TV of Connor's first year in pictures.

A dinosaur left his footprints and some eggs!

My first attempt at a fondant decorated cake.  I think it's both cute and really stupid looking.

All my food.  Thanks to Andy for the chocolate covered pretzels (not pictures) and Robin for the cupcakes!

I was really busy during the party and didn't really take many pictures.  I'm kind of sad, but I know I couldn't have done any differently.  Connor's godfather took this one of the birthday boy and his daddy.

Eating some cantaloupe on Sani's lap.  My mom was such a huge help during the party!

On Sunday we went to a restaurant called Connor's Steakhouse for lunch.  I want it to be a yearly tradition!  The food there is really good and it's surprisingly kid friendly.  Connor tried a ton of new food, including eating part of a lemon slice, rind and all.  He didn't make a sore face once!

Connor's Sunday bedhead.

Connor with one of his new toys.  The dog talks and sings and is customizable with a lot of options and even incorporates Connor's name into a lot of what it says.