Caleb and Gracie's Birhday Parties

Over the weekend we had Caleb and Gracie's combined birthday party.  I really strugged with whether or not to do a combined because I really wanted Caleb to have his own 1st birthday party but it just didn't make sense to ask everyone to come over two days in a row or at two separate times so we just had one big party.

Last year, I ordered Gracie a #2 birthday shirt and I wanted to get a #3 for her and a #1 for Caleb.  I didn't want Kanin to feel left out so I got him a shirt that had a "K" on it.  I had Nicole make them in a 4th of July theme.

Of course, before the party started I had to have a little photo session.

It was time to open presents and I was trying to figure out how to do everything (food, presents, cake, waterslide) all in one day without boring all of the adults.  Instead of having each kid open up presents individually, we just had them open them both together

It has kind of become a tradition that Gaga makes the birthdy cake.  Caleb's cake was a red, white and blue #1cake.  We started to take this picture but Caleb had already noticed the cake and stuck his fingers in it.

Gracie insisted on holding this toy for the picture.

Scott wasn't a big fan of the hat I had picked out for Caleb to wear but Kanin and Gracie both had these little hats for their 1st birthdays and I thought it was cute.

Blowing out the candles.

"More" cake, Mommy!

After presents, cake and the waterslide were finished, we all went outside and hung out on the driveway.  Scott got out the microphone, too, and we impromptu karaoke.  Kanin has been walking around singing, "Hey, soul sister.  Hey there, mister, mister on the radio, stereo the way you move ain't fair, you know" so Scott played it for him.

Caleb was such a good baby and was content just to lay outside and listen to the music.

Our neighbor, Paul, had Bomb Pops and they were definitely the hit of the night.  I think this picture is so cute.  Jacob really looks up to Kanin so he thought he was a big boy.

Ali and Aidan liked the Bomb Pops, too.

Of course, GracieAnn didn't want to get sticky so she ate hers out of the bowl.  Could you not just die for those eyes?

One of the highlights for Gracie and Kanin was that they got to hold their first sparkler.

Here's what our houses looked like from the cul-de-sac.  At one time we probably had about 30 people out there.  It was a lot of good, wholesome, family-fun.  Great memories for the kids.