Birthday Girl

So party day started out like any other, with Mackenzie announcing her waking and mommy groggily getting up out of bed to rescue her from her crib. Luckily, grandma and granddad C. were downstairs and were put on entertainment duty while mom got ready (why can't they be there all the time, it's so much easier!). Then we all set out to finish decorating and getting the food ready. Cameron was the hunter/gatherer and went to Chick-fil-a to get a platter for the party. While the girls chopped veggies my brothers played ping-pong in the basement on the new table. Granddad was on baby duty and happily entertained Mackenzie.

Uncle Shawn and Mackenzie cheezing for the camera.
No, Mackenzie is not blowing up the balloons, she was taken off that duty when she started trying to chew on the tails of them.
Reading a book with Molly (shawn's fiance).

Close to party time I put Mackenzie in her party dress. As soon as she started to try to crawl in it she realized that she hated it and wanted it off. Crawling was severely limited (not always a bad thing as far as I'm concerned).
Finally everything was ready and the guests had started to arrive. We had the nuggets, a salad, mini quiches, chips and dip, and of course the cake. My mom and I had taken way too much time making the cakes ourselves. They were vanilla with a butter/cream frosting. This was not the hard part... the hard party was the decorating. We covered them with MandM's. At first we contemplated trying to put her name on them but unfortunately 9 letters were a little much. Thankfully, they tasted wonderful and mom and I had a fun bonding experience making them.

After lunch, Mackenzie was ready for her first bite of cake. She was a little unsure of all the people watching her but got excited when she realized that food was involved. She obliged when I put her pink fluffy hat on and actually left it there the majority of the cake-fest.

Just give me the cake!!
Ok, seriously, that candle is like 10ft. away and you want me to blow i?! (her cousin Brianna helped with that).

what's everybody looking at? haven't you ever seen a kid with cake before? And what am I supposed to do with this thing in the middle?

Oh yeah, everything in the mouth, I almost forgot.
Forget the fork, this way is much faster!
After cake it was time for presents. I loved eating the paper and playing with the ribbons, oh yeah and the gifts were fun too. Mackenzie's cousins and our neighbors kids helped with the unwrapping and testing out of the gifts. They were all so cute, now I just have to figure out where to put them all.

Naturally the shoe has to be taste tested.
Poor Misty got banished to the stairs but her best friend Mackenzie kept going over to visit with her.

Pretty in pink (and white and brown)

checking out my decorations with grandma M.


Posing with Uncle Colin.
After my nap I got to put on comfy clothes and take a picture with Daddy and Pops M.
I'm officially ONE! (and obviously loving it). On the 9th we got ready for playgroup with all of our friends and put on the official "Birthday Girl" shirt. We had lots of fun, as usual, with all of our buddies and even got one last piece of cake.

Daddy thinks that he might have to have a word with Tate after he saw this picture from playgroup, she's about 30 years away from this sort of behavior :)

It was a great day (although mommy had a few sentimental moments). We look forward to many more birthdays and lots more fun.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MACKENZIE!