Zac's First Birthday Party!

Have you ever had one of those moments when reality hits you and your mental time frame catches up to real time in an instant? Well, maybe it only happens to us, but it happened this past week. Friday we had Zachary's first birthday party. We know, his birthday isn't for another week and a half but Erika's grandparents head to Florida for the winter soon and we wanted them to be able to be there. The reality catch up thing came as the party drew near. It's a milestone, our last "baby" is no longer going to be a baby. It hasn't happened yet, but it will very soon. You get used to having a baby around after almost five years of little cries, screams, and laughs.  It was one thing when Jake and Alyssa turned one, with each of them we knew we were planning to have another baby. This time this is it. Now we are down to a kindergartener, a preschooler, and a toddler. No baby. I'm sure there will be plenty more crying, screaming, and a ton of laughing; just not the little petite baby kind. There will be plenty more milestones leading to plenty more reality checks, but let's deal with them as they come. For now let's party!

What kid doesn't love a party, theirs or not? Jake asked when he got up Friday morning if it was time for the party. He was told it would start at dinner time. So, instead of asking if was time for the party constantly, he asked if it was time for dinner.

Again we turned to our sister-in-law for a birthday cake. She enjoys making them and does a really good job with different characters and themes. This time we only gave suggestions and left the final say to her. We got a fire breathing dragon complete with fruit roll-up wings. Pretty cool! Our little piggy ate the head and one of the legs, this was only after eating three bowls of spaghetti. I think we might have to start a stricter portion control.

We, of course, plugged in the chocolate fountain and did a lot of dipping, this was something that Jake looked forward to all week and just loved.

Opening presents has got to be the one moment in a birthday party that every child looks forward to the most, especially when you are going to be the one opening the gifts. And it was Jake and Alyssa that did the looking forward to and the opening of all the presents. I think Zac might have gotten a few tears in the paper but he didn't care, he just wanted to climb and beat on the boxes.