Oh the Places He’ll Go…

My little bubber cakes turns one today. This nearly breaks my heart. You hear me lament all the time about how time with these kids is so fleeting, but today, it pains me. Like seriously pains me. The past year flew by, like I blinked and it was gone. 17 more blinks and my baby will be gone. Out of my house. Do you see my pain? I can’t talk about it anymore. Let’s party.

There are two things I knew when I went to planning Bode’s 1st Birthday Party. 1. I knew I wanted to base it around the Dr. Suess book, “Oh the Places You’ll Go.” I adore this sweet story and come on, tell me that is not adorably appropriate for a 1st  birthday party. 2. I knew I wanted this party to be about Bode. When you invite several families to a 1 year olds birthday party it all of the sudden becomes about 5, 3 year olds instead. And freak, it’s always about the 3 year olds! These poor babies are victims of their older siblings schedules. I didn’t want to be so consumed with entertaining and keeping those crazy toddlers busy that I wouldn’t be able to focus on my baby. So I did the most brilliant thing ever. I rented a bounce house. And made them snack trays and Voila! it’s like they vanished into thin air.

 

It almost rained on our parade. It was pouring all morning. We borrowed an ez up to shelter the kiddos from the back door to the bounce house door, Wade duct taped plastic sheeting to the outside, and we said some trivial prayers. That actually worked. Wahoo!

When guest arrived they were asked to write their name on a card and cast their vote…a vote for what they thought Bode might choose as his future occupation. They could choose skier (obviously, his name is Bode…), doctor or politician. Later on we placed the three objects on the floor, flag, stethoscope, and a skier and all sat on pins and needles to see which one he would crawl too and pick. His choice? Me. His mom. He crawled right over all three objects and into my lap. This might mean he will never choose a vocation and will want to live in the basement his whole life while his mom folds his laundry and cooks his meals. I choose to believe he loves me more than he knows what to do with. That works both ways. We tried again and he picked the skier. Obviously. Grandpa said it best, “Hey, if he can figure out how to do that and make a living, more power to him.” Amen.

I also cornered every guest throughout the night and had them write their wish for Bode in his little life journey. Where they wished him to “go.” I was excited about doing this, but after it was said and done and I read what everyone had wrote, I wanted to cry. I have wonderful, wonderful friends. They wrote beautiful, lovely things. I wish, wish, wish all these things to come true for Bode.

Steer them in a good direction porkchop.

He warmed up pretty quick. The taste of sweet sugar. I know buddy. It’s magnificent. He woke up buzzing at 5 AM this morning. Sugar rush?

The Bodester is stoked about his new car seat. He made that face the entire 15 minute inaugural ride. It’s a whole new world when you can look out of a window instead of the back of a seat.

Oh Bubs. That was a great year. Happy 1st Birthday. Your little face brings me immeasurable joy everyday.  I beg you to not rush through the next 17 quite as fast. I will just die.