Party Time

Last month, we made a trip to Minnesota for The Little's first birthday.  Our trip was originally supposed to last seven days, but we ended up missing our flight out of DC and embarking on a straight 22-hour drive at 11 at night.  In the end, we only got to stay about 5 days, but it was well worth it.

We saw Grandma and Grandpa and went to the park, had a girls' day at IKEA, did Star-Trek night and a lot of video games with our friends (of the Katamari and Kinect varieties), and Little spent the rest of the time with Grandaddy.

We had originally planned to have a picnic party at Battle Creek Regional Park, but we got rained out and partied at David's sisters' house instead.  Lucky Little had a lot of friends at her party, half of them my family, the other half were our friends and David's family.  I had planned the party perfectly in between her daily naps, but since it was her party, she decided not to nap and was drowsy the whole time.  Thankfully there were no tears or fits, just a little sleepy face all day.  I couldn't get her to smile once for cake or presents.
Our menu for the day was a potluck picnic lunch, pink lemonade and Strawberry Mousse cake.  We had a special little carrot cake just for Little to tear apart, but the frosting was a hard buttercream and she's a dainty eater as it is, so the mess was minimal.

Sharing her birthday with Olga and her cousin

Birthday dress: Laura Ashley, c/o  Auntie Debbie

Debbie brings the party, as usual

Top the trip off with a day at the park and a day at the petting zoo, and I think it may possibly be the best possible first birthday ever.
The trip home alone involved a drive-in movie, a crummy motel room with a wet bed, getting lost in West Virginia for two hours and being stopped by police (just once, thank God).  Probably our most adventurous drive to date.

Back home enjoying her loot