Fletcher’s Blue and White 1st Birthday Party

My second baby is officially O-N-E. Not only is that hard to process, but this had to be the fastest year of my life. They say it goes by faster with each one, and they weren’t kidding.

I sure do wish these babies would stop trying to grow up so fast! But what a blessing it is to be entrusted to raise them and watch them grow. It’s truly bittersweet!

Fletcher’s Blue and White First Birthday Party

Y’all know I love party planning, but there’s something extra special and magical about that first birthday. When I started planning Fletcher’s first birthday party I had a few visions in mind: sweet, simple, and classic (big surprise, right?!).

I found these elegant blue and white birthday invitations on Etsy and they set the stage for the entire party. After all, when you’re a #boymom you can only get away with “sweet” and “bows” for a very small period of time 😉 So I took it and ran with it!

A large part of what made Fletcher’s first birthday party so special is that I was able to reuse so many of the same things I used two years ago for John Davis’s Peter Rabbit Themed First Birthday Party.

The “ONE” centerpiece, the cupcake stand, the blue gingham table runner, the heirloom highchair hand-painted by Mother, and the fabric garland hanging on the front of the table all came from John Davis’s first birthday party.

I love how special it is (because I’m sentimental that way). And even though I reused so many of the same things again, their parties were completely different and unique. {Insert my unsolicited party planning advice: invest in basics you love so you can use them over and over again!}

Blue and White First Birthday Party Decor

Because the invitations were so classic and elegant, I set a blue and white dessert table in the formal dining room as the main focus of party decor.

Our dining room provided a formal and neutral backdrop for the dessert table and guests saw it as they entered through the front door. The rest of the party food and drinks were set up buffet style on the kitchen island.

I set the table with a white linen table cloth (folded to make a wide runner) and the light blue gingham runner from John Davis’s first birthday party (which is actually just blue gingham fabric from Hobby Lobby).

Tip: Trim the edges of your fabric with pinking shears. This will prevent the fabric from fraying when you wash it and it also makes a cute and decorative zig zag edge.

The ONE centerpiece is the same centerpiece I used here for John Davis’s first birthday. It is easy and inexpensive to create any word or number (I spelled out “BABY” for a friend’s baby shower) by painting paper mâché letters with white craft paint.

I wasn’t even planning on using this blue fabric garland from John Davis’s first birthday party. I stumbled across it a couple of days before the party when I pulled out my big party bin from the attic. It made the perfect addition to the front of the table.

I attached it to the front of the table with these small clear hooks. They are damage free and small enough that you don’t notice them.

Instead of cake I opted for cupcakes from our local grocery store. Not only are they budget friendly, but it’s so easy for guests to grab one as opposed to trying to cut individual pieces of cake.

I cut out the “1” for the cupcake toppers from blue scrapbook paper with our Cricut. I hot glued them onto lollipop sticks and tied them with a blue gingham ribbon to match the table runner.

Our local Publix gives you a free smash cake when you order cupcakes and/or cake for a first birthday party. Win, win! I kept it simple with white icing and blue piping and polka dots. The icing wasn’t as “light blue” as I had envisioned but thats okay : )

At about 11 o’clock the night before the party I realized I didn’t have anything to go on top of the cake (oops!). I quickly printed out a blue ” O N E” on white scrapbook paper. I cut each letter into a banner shape, made holes with a hole punch, and strung it through gingham ribbon. Not too bad for a last minute fix.

The inexpensive store-bought cupcakes look so much cuter by simply displaying them on a stand and adding a fun topper.

One of my family members asked me if Fletcher was turning 11111 years old? 🙂

These blue “1” sugar cookies were certainly a labor of love. About half way through making them I wondered what in the world I had gotten myself into!

I looked at having cookies made or buying them on Etsy, and as usual I thought to myself, “I can make those.” Why do I always do that?!

They are far from perfect but I had fun making them and they were delicious if I do say so myself! Our guests seem to like these more than the cupcakes and I don’t think there was one left when the party was over.

I used this sugar cookie recipe (this is hands down the best sugar cookie recipe ever), and topped them with Wilton royal icing.

This was my first time ever using royal icing and it could be an entire blog post in and of itself. It got easier as I went and I’d like to think I got better as I went, too. I will definitely be trying my hand at more cookies in the future!

I created a mini candy bar on the right side of the table using clear glass vases I found at HomeGoods. I love the look it added to the table and guests had fun nibbling on the candy as well!

Everything I filled them with can be found at Walmart (because that’s our favorite store): blue and white sixlets, blue lollipops, and white chocolate covered pretzels. The clear scoops and tongs came from the DollarTree (my other favorite store).

If you haven’t caught on yet, I’m somewhat of a procrastinator. I knew I wanted blue and white flowers for the table centerpiece, but it was the day before the party I still hadn’t thought much about it (normal people would have perhaps ordered flowers… but not me).

Well, sometimes I feel like God is looking out for us, even in the silly little things like blue flowers and first birthday parties. I went into Costco the day before the party to pick up some food and lo and behold they had one bouquet of light blue hydrangeas.

I simply put them in two tall cylinder clear vases, added some eucalyptus greenery from the grocery store, and called it a day.

Simple but pretty!

Perhaps the thing that tied the whole dessert table together was the oversized 24-inch balloons from Party City. I’m not sure if the picture adequately shows how big they are, but they are huge!

Daddy so graciously offered to go pick them up for me on the morning of the party and I think he got more than he bargained for. They barely fit in his truck and he said he was scared he was going to float away : )

And of course I can’t help myself. Every year I have to spend an obnoxious amount of money on a number balloon (only to become sick of it in about a day when I decide to pop it and throw it away 🙂 )

This antique high chair is so incredibly special to me. Mother hand-painted it for John Davis’s first birthday (how talented is she?!) and now Fletcher gets to use it too.

She is going to paint each grandchild’s name and birthdate on the highchair and you better believe this piece will be passed down as a family heirloom!

I hand-lettered a simple “Happy 1st Birthday Fletcher” with chalk pen on our tried and true chalk board frame that has been used at more parties and showers than I can even count.

I tied a big bow with blue deco mesh and added blue and white balloons to the the sign at the front door.

As usual I used our entryway table in the foyer to display an invitation in my favorite painted wood craft frame.

For party favors Mother and Mamaw made our favorite “white trash” recipe. Also known as “Christmas crack.” Lovely names! But seriously, there’s a reason it’s referred to as “crack,” because this stuff is addicting. Fair warning: once you start eating it you can’t stop. You’ve been warned!

Mother and Mamaw also so lovingly picked out all of the red M&M’s from a bag of patriotic themed M&M’s so they could make the recipe with only blue and white M&M’s. See where I get it from?! At least I come by it naturally.

I used the same pretty watercolor crest from the invitation to make a “thank you” tag for the favors. And wouldn’t you know that I tied them up with a blue gingham ribbon.

Since the focus of the party decor was in the dining room, I kept everything else pretty simple in the kitchen.

I used a matching white tablecloth and blue gingham runner on the kitchen table and put some of the leftover white hydrangeas in a clear vase. The blue polka dot party hats were left over from John Davis’s Snips and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails Birthday Party in March.

I still felt like something was missing, so on a whim the night before the party (are you seeing a theme here?!) I decided to try my hand at a balloon garland.

There are much more sophisticated tutorials out there, and they even make a balloon garland strip specifically designed for this (which would have made things so much easier). The night before the party I didn’t have that option, so I simply blew up blue and white balloons to different sizes and tied them onto a ribbon. To my surprise it worked and I thought it looked cute by adding a little ‘something’ above the table.

Just like I did for John Davis, I took monthly photos of Fletcher leading up to his first birthday. I’m so glad I did this because it’s so fun to look back and see how he changed from month to month.

I used the monthly photos to make a banner and hung it on the fireplace mantle. Guests loved looking at the photos and now I will hang it in the playroom where I also have John Davis’s banner hanging from his first birthday party.

Party Menu

Now for the good part: the food! I decided to go with a brunch theme since the party started at 11 o’clock in the morning.

For drinks I tied a blue and gold polka dot straw onto an Izze. These were a huge hit! We also served water and juice boxes.

What’s brunch without donut holes? I paired these with Madeleines from Costco.

I made easy yogurt parfaits by putting plain vanilla yogurt in these dessert cups and topping them with granola and diced strawberries. Everyone loved these! Something so simple looked so cute because of the way it was displayed.

Of course we had to have Chik-Fil-A chicken mini’s. I ordered two large trays and there was not. one. left.

I served fresh fruit from Costco with the most delicious cream cheese fruit dip. I could drink that stuff!

And last but certainly not least, I served Mother’s infamous sausage balls as well as mini quiche from Costco. Both the sausage balls and mini quiche can be frozen and are so great to have on hand to pull out as easy entertaining for guests!

Happy First Birthday Fletcher!

Happy first birthday sweet boy!

If I’m being completely honest, before you were born I naively believed I couldn’t possibly love another baby as much as my first. That fear went out the window the very first time I heard your cries, and my heart doubled in size the minute I laid eyes on you. Now we can’t remember what life was like before you and we love you more than you will ever know!

 

We knew that when we gave you a name like “Fletcher Freeberg” that you were bound to have a big personality. Well, I think we may have underestimated just how big. You are a true ham in every sense of the word.

Your personality is larger than life and you like to entertain everyone around you with your hilarious antics.

I don’t think you know your real name. You answer to “bubba,” “tank,” and “crash.” You are all boy, all the time.

But you are every bit as lovable as you are rough and tumble (when you slow down long enough, that is)!

You like to keep Mama in your reach at all times (you won’t even think about going to the nursery at church), Daddy is funny, and you absolutely adore your big brother. You try (and most of the time succeed) to do everything he does!

You’re as smart as can be and you do things way beyond your age!

You are walking, you weigh 24 pounds, and you have seven teeth. You can say “Mama,” “Daddy,” “bubbie,” “bye-bye,” “ball,” “look,” “green,” and “light.” Dr. Harbaugh couldn’t believe how many words you can say!

People probably won’t believe me when I say this, but your very favorite thing to do is hit golf balls (not even kidding!). You will spend hours doing this and you always have a golf club or baseball bat in your hand (so we’ve added “Bam Bam” to your list of nicknames). You also like to draw on the Etch A Sketch, ride the powerwheels four wheeler, and do the Braves tomahawk chop. I don’t think you realize you’re still a baby!

You love to sleep and you love to eat (but who can blame you?!)

You and your brother love each other SO much and nothing makes me happier than watching you two become best buddies.

You are certainly tough after having endured all of John Davis’s headlocks hugs, and I pray that you two will always be the best of friends.

You and your brother are by far our two greatest blessings and it is such a privilege to be your Mama and Daddy.

God has made you so special and uniquely you, and I know He has great big plans for your life. Our greatest prayer is that you would know Jesus and His love for you, and that you would follow Him all the days of your life.

We love you Fletcherman!

(Also… I have laughed so hard because both of my kids looked like Dracula with their popped collars on their first birthday. Note to self: tack down collars in the future!!)

Fletcher’s sweet vintage inspired outfit is from Cecil & Lou. It may just be my favorite outfit yet!

I got my blue linen maxi on clearance for a steal from J Crew Factory, but sadly I cannot find it online anymore. I guess that’s what happens when you’re a clearance shopper 😉

Hot dad alert! Hubby says he will link his outfit deets later. Only kidding 🙂

I sure do love my little fam.

Let Him Eat Cake!

As much as Fletcher likes to eat I thought he would absolutely inhale his cake.

But of course he proved me wrong and he wanted nothing to do with it.

By this point in the party he was tired and I think he was just over it!

He was a little curious at first…

… but he wasn’t too sure what to do with it.

He didn’t like touching the icing (whose child is this?! gimme all the icing!) and you can see the concern on his face!

Big brother John Davis didn’t waste any time getting in there to “help.”

Notice the blue polka dots in the progression of photos… they mysteriously go missing and that little hand belonging to John Davis is certainly to blame 🙂

Fletcherman = not having it!

John Davis = having it!

It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to!

“Here bubba, I’ll help you.”

Thanks to John Davis there are now almost no blue polka dots left on the cake. At least someone was eating it, I guess.

John Davis is busted and the blue icing on his face is proof.

Sweet Party Guests

Fletcherman admiring the balloons with Gahmama (the name John Davis gave Mother and for better or worse it’s here to stay).

My beautiful Mama!

And my sweet Daddy! Also known as “Gahdaddy.”

We are so thankful for our family and friends who helped us celebrate our sweet boy!

I didn’t get many pictures during the party because I had a certain baby on my hip 🙂

Fletcher had had enough at this point : )

The faces of two tired boys right there!

Can I dress them matching forever?

Happy Birthday Fletcher!!

“Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.  Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.” Psalm 37:4-6