Somehow our baby girl just turned one year old! I’ve had a Pinterest board for Cecily’s 1st birthday party since she was born. I love party planning, having a reason to celebrate, coming together with family and friends, and most of all, making things extra special for the people I love. I mean, what would’ve been better than having a beautiful reason like this to come together for something positive and whimsical in these stressful, scary times, right? But...2020.
We brainstormed every possible idea to plan a party for Cecily’s 1st birthday. We considered every angle from an outdoor brewery, to brunch outside with heat lamps, to a family party at home which we ended up canceling at the last minute. Long story short, the virus is spiking again and we feel we have a moral obligation to be responsible and care not just about ourselves, but the safety of every human being we encounter. And so, we ended up having no party.
The party may have to wait, but that definitely doesn’t mean we skipped the celebration, and it certainly doesn't mean it wasn't made to be extra special! We spent Cecily's entire birthday week having so much fun making amazing memories right here at home. I’ve so enjoyed sharing all of the special little at-home birthday touches, and I’ve also been getting a lot of questions about where everything.
So...I thought I’d share a little roundup gallery here!
She went to bed in her ONEderful pajamas and woke up so excited to be one! We had this beautiful birthday sign waiting for her in the living room, right above her milestone poster that we had printed onto a canvas frame. Now we'll always have it as a keepsake.
Then she got dressed for her birthday! She was feeling extra festive in her new dress from Pink Chicken, crown headband, birthday bibs from Copper Pearl, and comfy shoes and stockings.
Then there were sweets. LOTS of sweets - as all birthdays should have! From decadent cakes, cookies, and cake pops from Sugarsuckle that may somehow taste even better than they look, to delicious, festive custom chocolates from Prus Candy Creations, we're still enjoying dessert for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We added even more beauty to the festivities with sparkling candles, a stunning handmade cake topper, and a matching 'one' banner which hung on her highchair.
Some very special presents tucked away in whimsical wrapping paper were waiting for Cecily when she woke up on her 1st birthday, too. She got her very own kitchen (peep the little coffee maker - I can't even!), her own Elf on the Shelf (FYI, her name is Snowflake and she's Cecily's new bestie), sensory focused toys from Fat Brain Toys, new Christmas books for her library like The Polar Express and The Night Before Christmas, and some new cool weather clothes from our favorite stores and local boutiques. She also received so many thoughtful cards, phone calls, texts, and FaceTime visits from friends and family. She's so lucky to have so much love in her life.
We also made sure to take time to say thank you for life's non-material gifts, too - the most important ones: our health, home, happiness, family, and the fact that our strong, sassy, silly baby girl is now ONE year old AND that Mommy and Daddy made it through the first year of navigating parenting! Not gonna lie, it was pretty touch and go at moments...#newparents
We kept the celebrations going and spent more quality time together as a family all weekend, staying cozy at home and exploring locally, too. We went for some walks along the water in Hoboken, took a ride to our old neighborhood in Brooklyn, got some outdoor cocktails at Clover Club (Cecily enjoyed some of her fav apple juice mixed with agua and some yummy apple cider cake [duh, more cake - I swear we're super healthy most of the time LOL] from One Girl Cookies), ran into some dear friends in our ventures, had dance parties, and put the final touches on her nursery.*I'll share more about her bedroom in 'Cecily's Nursery Roundup,' coming soon.
We finished the week by pulling some books from the bookshelf in her nursery (which I am obsessed with, BTW) and cozying up with some stories. It was the cherry on top of a magical 1st birthday week.
Sure, Cecily’s birthday didn’t turn out to be what any of us envisioned, but as you can see, it was a beautiful day, a memorable week, and most importantly, Cecily feels loved and happy! And you know what? Not having the big party we envisioned is not a REAL problem, and the Pinterest board with all of my ideas, plans, and inspo will still be there next year.
What's important is to stop and remember the bigger picture here: simple human decency - kindness, selflessness, consideration for others, love and respect for human life - can help immensely in ending this pandemic. So much power is in our hands. And when it does pass - because it will - having our loved ones here with us for another party, another time, is the priority.
Be safe, be well, and don’t forget to find the little celebrations in each and every day. xoxo
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