Party(s) for Carty!

We couldn't let this big milestone pass without celebrating Carter's big day!

Yesterday, on his actual birthday, we woke him up and made some birthday pancakes with bananas.

Awhile ago I made Ava some pancakes with rainbow sprinkles, which of course she loves!  Now whenever I ask her what she wants for breakfast or what I should make for Carter, the answer is sprinkle pancakes :)

It was a rough day in general, Carter was so tired and crabby from the day before, but we managed to soldier through hold it together for a family birthday dinner and some gifts. 

I love this age when we can keep things very simple and they are still thrilled.  A few presents, a balloon and we're good :)

And a party hat of course!

Ava thought she would help Carter put his hat on...

Which you can see didn't go well :)

This is pretty reflective of Carter's day, poor guy.  I think we partied a little too hard the few days before!

Dinner seemed to perk him up.  Doesn't he look one??? 

What fun to have 2 little people sitting at our table.

We sang and did the cake thing, although I didn't expect Carter to love it.

And while he liked the idea of cake...

I was right.  He didn't really want anything to do with eating it.

You would have thought we forced him to eat broccoli or something!

He did manage to wipe frosting all over his face, but that was really the extent of it.

News of taking a bath drew the biggest smile of the day :)

After we got him cleaned up, we thought he might want to open some of his presents.

Which of course meant it was time for Ava to open Carter's presents.

His favorite toy was this little workbench we got him.  I thought he might like it and he sure does. 

Ava loved them all :)

Texie got Carter his first little backpack, which is totally adorable!

My parents got him this Lightening McQueen car, which is a hit with everybody.

I think he's loving the introduction of some toys that aren't pink :)

On Sunday after Church, we had a party with my parents and my cousins.   I have the best cousins in the world.  Seriously, I'm so thankful for them in my life, so grateful that they live where we do and that we all go the same Church together.  They've loved me my whole life and when we moved here, they took Travis in and loved and supported him too.  Of course, now that we have babies they are the much needed family that we cherish with all of our parents out of state.  My cousin Amy graciously hosted all of us after Church so that we could throw carter a little party. 

Turns out after Church is probably a dicey time to expect a one year old to be really happy!

Some fun, little things to brighten the spread.

Yummmmmy.

Not only was it Carter's birthday, but it was also my Dad's.

So thus the need for two cakes :)

This girl was excited to party!

And so was this guy.  We think.  He was pretty serious* behind that paci. 

*Read, tired.

The birthday boys!

Ava decided she was done waiting for someone to give her some chips, so she pulled up a chair and just helped herself  :)

Just trying to hang with the big girls, I guess?

Here's me trying to hold Carter's arms down so he'd leave his party hat on!

The free Byerly's cake for the birthday boy! 

Not really sure what "blow out your candle" actually means...

While we were busy capturing the first bite with Carter, this little nut pulled her chair to other side of the island and began plucking those raspberries off that cake at warp speed.   

Not totally thrilled at the cake...

...but sort of into the ice-cream.

It didn't take too long for everything to be a little

 too overwhelming. 

Even opening presents was almost enough to throw us over the cliff :)

Happy Birthday to the first "boy" I ever sang to! 

Love you Dad, so thankful you came to celebrate Carter's birthday so that we could celebrate your's too!

It was a fun two days of celebrating our sweet Carter.  I'm sure he had no idea what was going on, but that didn't deter us from making some special memories anyway.
We love you buddy!

You are sunshine in our lives and we are so thankful for YOU!