The official 1st birthday party!!!

Okay, so you should know by now...there are gonna be a lot of pictures...25 to be exact, but who's really counting. Out of 290 pictures, 25 isn't really a whole lot!:) So, without further ado...

I chose this theme because not only is B my little monkey, but this particular monkey looks like him!

And this cake is extra special. Nonni made the monkey face and ears! She sent them home with Aaron when he was just in CO! I was trying to figure out how on earth I was going to decorate the cake when I am an amateur (and I mean amateur) cake decorator! The timing was perfect and the cake was a sinch for me to make!

Thanks, Nonni for saving the day and helping me make the cake!

I had so much fun planning this party. It was all about monkeys and bananas. You have to start off with some games...

Game #1: Make a banana out of playdough contest

Here are some of the entries...I was really surprised at the creativity. There were lots of whole bananas, but also 1 banana cream pie, several peeled bananas, a sliced and peeled banana and even the word banana spelled out!

Game #2: Find the banana's hidden around the house. (there were 42 banana runts)

This game was originally intended for the adults but the kids took to it as soon as we explained the rules. Who knew they'd have so much fun looking for little banana's everywhere!

Game #3: Poem writing contest. You had to create a poem including 4 given words. I was really impressed with the rhyming!

Game #4: Guess how many bananas in the container. (I think we like this game a LOT. Its easy, doesn't take a lot of thought, but gets people thinking.)

And then there's the food.

Since it is a 1 year old's birthday party, I wanted it to be things that he likes and enjoys, so lots of snacky foods.

We had all kinds of fun hanging out and playing the games...

And of course....the pics you've all been waiting for,

Pre-cake...

Making a wish,

And then digging right in. Not really. It actually took him a while to get into it, but I think he was more aware of all the people watching him. Noah even ran to get him a fork!

Not a bad start, but come on buddy. You can do better!

Ummm. Okay. Not quite what I meant either, but glad to see you're enjoying it.

And of course, there he goes sticking it in the ears.

But every kids gotta find out what chocolate tastes like in your ears.

I think he liiikes it!

Another tradition.

Taking a pic next to the covered-in-chocolate birthday boy. Too bad Noah didn't want to be in the picture!

And the word UPSET is an understatement for how he felt at having to be cleaned up.

I love that there is still chocolate in places even after all that clean up!

He loved seeing all the people, but liked sticking close to Mommy and Daddy for most of the time.

And then there are the guests...minus one family who was husbandless at the time of pictures and so they'll have to remain faceless:)

Bill, Eve and baby Eden.

Steve, Katrina, Caleb and Lauren

PJ, Lai and Bowen

And why not try for one more family photo. Oh, wait. What's that Noah? Gotta go save the damsel in distress. Couldn't you atleast stay for 1 picture? Pretty please?!?

I'd say the party was a smashing success!