Teddy turned 1 this past weekend. I don’t know where this past year went. It seems like just yesterday we were bringing him home from the hospital, and now we have a little boy with a beautiful smile running around everywhere.
When I started planning Teddy’s party, I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do. Teddy doesn’t really have a favorite character or stuffed animal. His favorite thing to do is run around and get into things he shouldn’t like electrical outlets and cupboards. So – I decided to go with bright colors that reflect his fun, outgoing personality.
I ordered his invitations off Tiny Prints. I think they have some really cute designs and I love the quality of the paper they use. Always a fun option when you don’t have time to design/make your own.
I did a couple of DIY crafts to add a personal touch to the decor. I used this tutorial to make my own tassel garland. This was super easy and affordable. One piece of tissue paper made 4 streamers. I ordered some of my favorite photos of Teddy from Social Print Studio to hang with the streamer. (I started ordering all of my photos from Social Print – I love the quality and options they provide.) We put out fresh flowers in blue mason jars with colored ribbon around the jar. Just another way to incorporate some color into the house.
I also made Teddy’s shirt. I was inspired by a shirt I found on Etsy and decided to make it myself. I whipped up this T-Shirt Design and then used an iron on to adhere to the shirt. I’d say he was definitely Mr. ONE DER FUL.
I love putting out a good spread of food. For Teddy’s party, we went with simple appetizers that were easy to prepare.
On the Menu:
Veggie Tray
Fruit Salad
Cheese and Crackers with Bruschetta Dip, Salami and prosciutto
Graziano Meatballs
Cake Batter Dip with Animal Crackers
We also had some yummy desserts and drinks. I ordered some fun cupcakes from Scratch (my favorite), and put out wine/beer and a yummy sparkling lemonade from Trader Joes. It’s always fun to include some bright garnishes to top off a drink.
My beautiful sister/friend Erin makes the most delicious desserts. She was a sweetheart and offered to make Teddy’s cake. I left most of the decision making up to Erin but I told her I wanted to make sure we included blueberries. They are Teddy’s favorite food and I knew he would love them. She made a delicious vanilla cake with a homemade blueberry compote and whipped frosting topped with fresh blueberries. Teddy LOVED it!
Opening presents was pure chaos – a definite preview of what’s to come for future parties. Since Teddy’s was easily distracted by a piece of ribbon and then a balloon, he let the older kids take turns opening gifts. His favorite thing so far is the toy vacuum from Grandma and Grandpa Dunkel. He could play with it ALL day (which makes mom and dad VERY happy!)
We are so thankful to have had some of our favorite people in one place to help celebrate Teddy’s birthday. Thank you to our parents and friends who made this weekend one to remember!
We love you Theodore! We can't wait to see what the next year has in store.
