Happy first birthday Ares! We celebrated our little man’s numero uno birthday yesterday with a Cinco de Mayo fiesta! I don’t think you can say you’ve experienced a truly crazy Cinco de Mayo until you have hosted a first birthday at your house for tons of little kids complete with cupcakes, a waterslide, and general mayhem. I could not sleep at all the night before his party, partially because I was nervous I hadn’t made enough meat for tacos ( I had) but also coming to terms with the fact that Ares is one!  We strategically planned to have the party at 11 so that Ares could take a morning nap and not be a cranky bear for his party. Ares’s morning nap ended up extended into the first hour of the party. However, the guests didn’t miss out as Joe decided to inflate our water slide on this 80 degree day.

Our kids, their cousins, and neighborhood kids, basically played outside and on the waterslide until we deflated it at bedtime. When the little guy woke up and made an appearance,  he had himself some tacos, watermelon, and PRESENTS! Ares’s new lawn mower was a hit. I’m looking forward to him keeping our lawn neatly manicured this summer. He also got lots of great summer clothes, little shoes, shades,  and a sweet mat to drive cars around on. (My favorite gift is actually from my sister-in-law Rachel who helped us clean and wash dishes after the party. You get another hug from me.)

Thank you everyone for the thoughtful gifts and your generosity!

After presents, we segued into a smash cupcake, which he tentatively poked at first and then began digging in and covered himself in frosting. 

Tried to get a pic with Grandma and Grandpa, but he was kind of focused on that cupcake.

(Also, my in-laws just celebrated their 37th anniversary! I sure hope we make 37 years of marriage look that good once we hit that number!)

Post-cake, I promptly gave that sticky, messy boy a bath and we went on to enjoy the rest of his party. The party felt like a fantastic way to celebrate one year of this fun little man.

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I’ve been thinking back to the day he was born. One year ago, I was in the hospital, not knowing if we were having a boy or a girl, joking about hooking up a margarita to my IV, and laboring and laboring until eventually I had to rock a C-section. I was unprepared for a C-section, I was unprepared for having a boy (having spent the last six years of my life with little girls), but I was mostly unprepared for how absolutely in love I would be and joyful this little boy would make me. Sometimes I literally feel that my heart is going to burst from happiness when I find him breaking into a huge grin and squealing when I go to get him out of his crib in the morning.  I absolutely don’t know what I did to deserve all of my amazing little babies, but I do know that I’m thankful every single day, even on the tough days. I’m glad birthday party season is over because party-throwing is not really something I’m skilled at, but I’ve loved celebrating all of our spring babies over the past few weeks.

Happy birthday, Ares! We love you so much!

Also, because I’m feeling nostalgic: Cece’s first birthday and Rosie’s first birthday!