kyle turns one

Other names in consideration for this post:

"The Recycled Birthday Party"

"Stop Me Before I Make this Monkey Cake Again"

or

"Kyle's Birthday, but It's Really Just for Mommy"

One of my very first posts on this little corner of the world wide web was about Grant's 2nd birthday - a monkey party. When it came time to plan for Kyle's first birthday, the train of thought went like this (not at all uncommon for me): Kyle loves bananas. Landon loved bananas as a baby. For Landon's first birthday he got a banana cake. Kyle and Landon are an awful lot alike. I should make Kyle a banana cake like Landon's. Wait: if I'm thinking bananas, I should do another monkey party. Can I do that? Can I copy a party I've already done? No friends from the previous party will be at this one (moved away). Oh wait. I'll make the big cake like before, but since it's his first birthday, I'll make a smaller version of the monkey cake. Oh goodness that will be so cute. Decided. Done.

When I say I copied the original birthday, I copied quite a bit of it. Even the food. The only main difference were the invitations.

another difference: in the morning, I made monkey bread. It was okay. I don't have a lot of success with monkey bread for some reason.

Later that day, the party:

Fruit & Dip, waffle fries, broccoli salad, (not pictured) BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, artichoke jalapeno dip for chips, and bottles of IBC root beer & cream soda

just a few days later, he would start walking even more on his own, but in the weeks before, he loved to walk with this thing

a little sneaky-peek of the cake....

Presenting the monkey cake. Pretty easy, but if I'm being honest, there were a few tense moments and a few "Mom, don't let me make this cake ever. again." And you think that monkey face is kind of cute?...ohhh, just you wait.

Presenting mini-monkey cake:

Try not to die of cuteness overload.

For the big cake, chocolate with vanilla icing in the middle. For Kyle's, a banana cake.

Then came the big moment. For weeks, I was anticipating what Kyle would do when we gave him his own little cake and license to do what he wanted. Knowing how this kid attacks and pounces instantly on nearly everything you put in front of him, I thought this cake wouldn't last two seconds under his desperate, clawing hands.

So I was surprised when he gingerly toyed with and ate the icing for awhile...then a little more...then tried taking off the ears. What? Here he could go ape-crazy on that cake and he just took his time.

He eventually demolished it and got it all over himself. There was a brief moment of tears when he realized everyone was watching him, but other than that, he seemed to enjoy it.

Kids went home with monkey soap favors (banana scent!) and balloons.

Grant's post-party entertainment courtesy of balloons and these sweet girls

Kyle on the morning of his actual birthday - three days after the party

So sweet.

So cute.

So glad Kyle is ours.