Our Very Hungry Caterpillar's BIG day!!!

and when I say BIG, I mean that.  Literally!  Big party, big turnout, big fun!  Well, HUGE turnout and HUGE fun, I should say!  It was such a great day and I cannot thank everyone enough for coming out to support our precious babe!  It truly still gives me chills and warms my soul to think of all the people who traveled from afar and/ or took time out of their beautiful Saturday to devote to celebrating one year of life of our Jackman.  We had 50+ people here and that's being very conservative.  We also absolutely could NOT have gotten a more beautiful or more perfect day...I mean WOWZA...did YOU SEE THE WEATHER YESTERDAY?!?   Holy Moly, it was like angels shining all around us!

Jack and his Bestie for life, Holden!  They're having a little pow-wow play sesh here and well, we LOVE it.  Play on, dear friends...play on!

someone REEEEAAAAALLLLY enjoyed his smash :)

As you have heard me spill and spill, the theme of our party was "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" because our Toots man is the very, verrrrrrrrry hungry little everchanging caterpillar, indeed!  And lemme tell ya, he was L-O-V-I-N-G being the center of attention at his party.  He was politicking all over the place...quite the little host indeed :)  Guess there's something I can claim he got from me...loving being the center of attention. While that's not the best quality, at least it's something...ha!  Because I'm having trouble finding much else...aside from the talking, that is.  I swear to you, I just incubated Brad Thomas's spawn for 9 months...he IS his Daddy's child looks wise - which, I LOVE of course!  I mean, I DID fall in love with one Mr. Brad Thomas and remain to be to this day so it's only fitting that I have his mini-me running around here to be in love with as well :)

aaaaaanyway, back to the party...

You may or may not have seen the pics I posted on facebook.  What I neglected to do was take a picture of the actual food table which was really a site and I must toot, TOOOOOOOT my own horn!  I had alllllll of the foods the hungry caterpillar ate and then some and even added a modern twist alongside many.  For example, with the strawberries, we also had strawberry champagne.  With the apples, we had peanut butter and Nutella.  Instead of eating through a green leaf, we had salad :)  I also neglected to hire a photographer and for that, I will be eternally regretful because I feel like we missed out on some truly special moments.  Not only did I not get pics of the food table, I did not get pics of and with everyone who was there, people mingling, the kids enjoying all the activities, and so on.  Also, there is only ONE picture of our little family of 3...and on our only child's special day!!!  MAJOR party foul.  Go ahead and sew a scarlet BP on my entire wardrobe, for I am a bad parent, indeed.

Just LOOK at his PERFECT and BEAUTIFUL cake...made by Rebecca Maupin of "Cakes by Rebecca" (I have her son in class). She has her own cake shop and this little ditty for Jack was AMAZING in every sense of the word!  It was EXACTLY what I wanted, more than cost efficient, and it was out of this world delicious!  She's just sensational!  Look her up on FB or contact me for her info...I'll recommend her to anyone and everyone!

Other things I had going were...

Caterpillar bowling for the kids

Cornhole for the adults

A kids table complete with a caterpillar "dig" (in Oreos as dirt), Eric Carle caterpillar stacking block puzzles, Eric Carle caterpillar coloring, Eric Carle puzzles, Eric Carle books, modeling clay to make the food THC ate

Strawberry, Chocolate, and regular milk in old school jugs to drink out of (I had Kahlua, Bailey's, and Hazelnut schnapps for the adults to mix in their milk)

THC cookies as party favors

Adult party favors - hey, I KNOW coming to a kid's birthday party is not anyone's idea of an ideal Saturday so I wanted them to know how very much I appreciate them coming for us (it was wine or champagne wrapped in burlap with a ribbon and note from Jack)

a table with monthly age progression pictures (I bought 4 different patterns of fabric and wrapped 8 x 10" canvases in them and then had Jack's monthly pictures attached to each, in order and set up on picture stands.  I now removed the pictures and am going to hang them in J's room)

JACK IS ONE! customized water bottles

handmade centerpieces from parts of the book (yes, I cut up the book...send me to book jail, I'm a bad girl)

A photobook of MOST of the pics I took of Jack and his friends and fam this year

Modge-podged letters of Jack's name and O-N-E

etc., etc., etc.!!!

Adult beverages :)

It was FUN!  Jack had a blast, we had a blast and I'm fairly certain most of the kids had a blast too!  Jack (and Brad and I) would again like to thank EVERYONE for coming out to help us celebrate our sweet babe's big first bday. We are seriously so very, very touched that you found time in your busy schedules to come celebrate with us.  You all mean so very much to us and Jack is lucky to have you in his life as we are too!  It also MUST be said that, we were worn out!

BFFs :)

Jack is "Caterpillar Bowling" with Cousin Shawnee :)

that's what friends are for...helping a brutha out!

present opening!

centerpiece and table runner I made

Whit and I have been friends since she moved to Winchester in 7th grade!!!  Now, our boys are only 4 months apart!

 

cake, monthly pics/ age progression canvases, photobook, wish cards for Baby J, and some miscellaneous misplaced items :)

caterpillar bowling was a HIT!

Jackie and his Mamaw :)

Jackman and his Mamaw and Papaw :)

love, love, love, love, LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE this picture!!!  Jackman and his NanNan!

He absolutely, wholeheartedly ADORES his Poppy...it's the cutest thing!

I get by with a little help from my friends besties 

our family of 3, while our child stuffs his face!

 

Jack trying out his new seat from the Featherstons!  Jay, my teammate at work, made this himself...so crafty!  His wife and Jack's girlfriend, Caroline, came to the party - he was IN LOVE :)

 CAKE TRIAL RUNS (this was on the actual bday, April 3rd...Daddy brought him home a special cupcake to celebrate and well...practice for the big day!)

ALSO, Look who is a BIG boy is his new carseat facing the front way now!  Wooooo Hoooooo!  He was rather pleased with himself...he LOVES it!

Happy Birthday, sweet Baby Boy!  We love you so much and cannot imagine one day without you!  You are the sunshine of our lives and we count our blessings everyday because you are the greatest addition to our little family!